“In the second year of Joash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel reigned Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah.”
Second, from his being associated in the empire. It was the first of his reigning alone.
“He was twenty and five years old when he began to reign, and reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.”
Thecua, twelve miles south of Jerusalem. (St. Jerome) — Joab causes this unknown woman to come from the country to conceal his design, (Calmet) hoping that Absalom would be his father’s successor. (Menochius)
“And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did.”
David. Yet not with a perfect heart, 2 Paralipomenon xxv. 2. — Father. He imitated his early piety, as well as his miserable end. (Calmet)
“Howbeit the high places were not taken away: as yet the people did sacrifice and burnt incense on the high places.”
But, &c. All that Amasias did, at first, was right, (ver. 3.) but this only. See 3 Kings xxii. 24. (Haydock) — Joas had also left such high places, chap. xii. 3.
“And it came to pass, as soon as the kingdom was confirmed in his hand, that he slew his servants which had slain the king his father.”
Dead. Some conclude from ver. 16, that this is a true history; but it appears rather, that it was only a parable, (ver. 19.; Calmet) invented by Joab. (Menochius)
“But the children of the murderers he slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin.”
Sin. This is the rule for human tribunals, to which God is not restrained. (Salien) (Ezechiel xviii. 20.) (Menochius) — The action of Amasias is commended as something unusual (Calmet) among princes, who are but too apt to exceed the bounds of moderation (Haydock) to revenge their murdered parents. (Calmet)
“He slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day. Selah: or, the rock”
Edom, who had rebelled under Joram, chap. viii. 20. The particulars of this war are given, 2 Paralipomenon xxv. 5. Josephus ([Antiquities?] ix. 9.) says, Amasias designed also to attack Amalec and Gebal in the same country. — Pits. Called the woody vale, Genesis xiv. 8., (Menochius) south-west of the Dead Sea, (Adrichomius) or rather to the south of Palmyra, towards Bosra, 3 Kings ix. 18. — Rock. Petra, the capital of the country, formerly called Rekem Arke, or Hagor. Most of the houses are hewn out of the rock. Hebrew Selá signifies “a rock;” and many think that this was some other place, whence the Idumeans were hurled down, after the victory. Amasias gave it the name of Jectehel, “obedience of God,” in memory of his having obtained this success, in consequence of his having obeyed the prophet, and sent away 100,000, for whom he had paid 100 talents to the king of Israel.
“Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, Come, let us look one another in the face.”
Let us see one another. This was a challenge to fight. (Challoner) (Worthington) — The interviews of ambitious kings are often baneful. (Haydock) — Abner said in the same sense, “Let the young men rise and play,” 2 Kings ii. 14; and Virgil, (Æneid xii.) Inter se coiisse viros & cernere ferro. Amasias had many reasons to be displeased with the king of Israel. He might justly redemand part of the money, (Calmet) as he had not employed the soldiers. (Haydock) — They had also committed depredations in Juda. (Paralipomenon) Jehu had slain Ochozias, and many of his relations. (Calmet) — Josephus also observes that he now required Israel to return to his obedience, and acknowledge the power of the lawful descendants of David. (Sanctius)
“And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.”
Thistle. Hebrew choach, something prickly; (Haydock) “a thorn.” Syriac and Arabic, “a plum-tree.” Nothing could be more cutting (Calmet) than this answer of Joas, to shew the king of Juda how much he despised his power. (Haydock) — The ancients were much pleased with such ingenious similes. See Judges ix. 7.
“Thou hast indeed smitten Edom, and thine heart hath lifted thee up: glory of this, and tarry at home: for why shouldest thou meddle to thy hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee? at home: Heb. at thy house”
Home, to boast of thy victory, (Haydock) but do not offer to molest others. (Calmet) — God permitted that Amasias should pay no attention to this advice, nor to the prophet who reproached him for adoring the idols which he had brought from Edom, 2 Paralipomenon xxv. 14.
“But Amaziah would not hear. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went up; and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Bethshemesh, which belongeth to Judah.”
Saw, or fought, ver. 8., and chap. xxiii. 29. Bethsames was in the tribe of Dan, (Calmet) but belonging to the king of Juda.
“And Jehoash king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Bethshemesh, and came to Jerusalem, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim unto the corner gate, four hundred cubits.”
Cubits. Josephus says 300, and that he led Amasias in triumph through the ruins, (Antiquities ix. 10.) on the west side, (Calmet) or on the north. (Villalpand) (Menochius)
“And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king's house, and hostages , and returned to Samaria.”
Hostages, as he left Amasias, on condition he should pay tribute, (Menochius) and took “the children of the nobles” (Chaldean) to secure his fidelity. (Haydock)
“Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?”
Valour. Hence it appears that Juda made a stout resistance, though Josephus would insinuate the contrary.
“And Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead.”
Me. She identifies her cause with that of her son, as if she could not survive his death; or, at least, could not retain the inheritance, if he should perish. (Haydock)
“And Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel fifteen years.”
Sacrifice; perfect and inviolable. (Tirinus) — Cursing, provided he be in the right. (Menochius) — Hebrew, “the king to discern (hear) good and bad;” of consummate wisdom; (ver. 20.; Haydock) so that no one can impose upon him.
“Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.”
Lachis, in the tribe of Dan. Some say that the king resided there twelve years, in a kind of exile. (Malvenda) — But the conspiracy only took place in the last year of his reign. (Usher, the year of the world 3194.) — Some powerful men rose up against him, and the people were displeased with his conduct. (Menochius) — But the majority did not approve of his death, so that they granted him the funeral honours, and appointed his son to succeed. (Calmet)
“And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.”
Azarias. Hebrew Hazarya. Sometimes printed more correctly Azieu, at others Azrien, (Haydock) by the blundering of transcribers, who have confounded the name of the king Ozihu (Azieu or Ozias) with that of the priest Ozrichu. (Azrien.) Carpzovius maintains that Azarias and Usias are two names of the same person. (Crit. p. 789.) But if he should find Carpzovius, Carpzorvius, and Carpzoviu, in the same book, would he not think them the same name erroneously printed? Kennicott, (Dis. i. p. 478.) who observes that the Syriac and Arabic versions have here, as in the sequel, Uzia, and St. Matthew (i. 8.) calls the king Ozias, conformably to 2 Paralipomenon xxvi. 1., &c. The manuscripts also vary. (Kennicott)
“He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.”
Built, or rebuilt Elath; which gives its name to the eastern branch of the Red Sea. David had possession of all Idumea. Amasias had reconquered a great part, and his son pushed his conquests still further.
“And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin.”
Face, though he lived in Jerusalem. (Calmet) — This was done, in order that he might enter seriously into himself, and avoid similar excesses. (Menochius) — He felt this privation more than exile. (Haydock)
“He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which he spake by the hand of his servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gathhepher.”
Wilderness, or the Dead Sea, to which place the dominion of Israel originally extended, under Jeroboam I. (Calmet) — Opher, in the tribe of Zabulon. (Challoner) — Protestants, “which was of Gath-hepher.” (Haydock) — We have not all the works of the prophets, nor did they write all their predictions. (Calmet) — Here we learn at what time Jonas lived. (Menochius)
“For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.”
In prison is not expressed in the original, (Calmet) which has, “not any shut up, nor last.” Neither those who had strong castles, nor the poorest people, were exempt from suffering. (Haydock) — None durst appear, 3 Kings xiv. 10. (Menochius)
“And the LORD said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.”
Israel, like Amalec, 1 Kings xv. 3. (Menochius)
“Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?”
To Juda, or “of Juda;” Judæ; (Haydock) as those strong cities had been conquered by David. The Syriac and Arabic omit this word entirely, and suppose, with many others, that Jeroboam kept possession of these cities. (Calmet) (Tirinus) — In Israel, or “to Israel,” over which he reigned. (Haydock)
“And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.”
Slept, dying a natural death; though the idolatrous priests of Bethel falsely asserted, that Amos had foretold he should fall by the sword, Amos vii. 11.
Kissed Absalom, and thus was reconciled to his prodigal son, Luke xv. 20. The ungrateful wretch only took occasion, from his father’s goodness, to alienate the minds of the people from him, by insinuating that he neglected the welfare of the people. (Haydock