---
title: "Clarke"
description: "Verse 2 Kings 15:1. In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam — Dr. Kennicott complains loudly here, because of \"the corruption in the name of this king"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/clarkes-commentary/2-kings/15"
---

Verse [2 Kings 15:1](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/1). ***In the twenty and seventh year of Jeroboam*** — Dr. Kennicott complains loudly here, because of "the corruption in the name of this king of Judah, who is expressed by *four* different names in this chapter: *Ozriah, Oziah, Ozrihu*, and *Ozihu*. Our oldest Hebrew MS. relieves us here by reading truly, in [2 Kings 15:1](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/1); [2 Kings 15:6-7](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/6-7), עזיהו Uzziah, where the printed text is differently corrupted. This reading is called *true*,
1. *Because* it is supported by the *Syriac* and *Arabic* versions in these three verses.
2. *Because* the printed text itself has it so in [2 Kings 15:32](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/32); [2 Kings 15:34](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/34) of this very chapter.
3. *Because* it is so expressed in the parallel place in Chronicles; and,
4. *Because* it is not αζαριας, *Azariah*, but οζιας, *Oziah*, (*Uzziah*,) in St. Matthew's genealogy."
There are insuperable difficulties in the chronology of this place. The marginal note says, "This is the *twenty-seventh* year of Jeroboam's partnership in the kingdom with his father, who made him consort at his going to the Syrian wars. It is the *sixteenth* year of Jeroboam's monarchy." Dr. *Lightfoot* endeavours to reconcile this place with [2 Kings 14:16-17](../../../kjv/2-kings/14/16-17), thus: "At the death of Amaziah, his son and heir Uzziah was but *four* years old, for he was about *sixteen* in Jeroboam's *twenty-seventh* year; therefore, the throne must have been empty *eleven* years, and the government administered by protectors while Uzziah was in his minority." Learned men are not agreed concerning the mode of reconciling these differences; there is probably some mistake in the *numbers*. I must say to all the contending chronologers: -
Non nostrum inter vos tantas componere lites.

When *such men* disagree, *I* can't decide.

Verse [2 Kings 15:3](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/3). ***He did*****that which was*****right*** — It is said, [2 Chronicles 26:5](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/5), that he sought the Lord in the days of Zechariah the prophet, and God made him to prosper; that he fought against the *Philistines*; broke down the walls of *Gath, Jabneh*, and *Ashdod*; prevailed over the *Arabians* and *Mehunims*; and that the *Ammonites* paid him tribute; and his dominion extended abroad, even to the *entering in* *of Egypt*; that he built *towers* in Jerusalem, at the *corner gate,* *valley gate*, and *turning of the wall*; and built *towers* also in the *desert*, and digged many *wells*; that he had a very strong and well-regulated *military force*, which he provided with a well-stocked *arsenal*; and constructed many military *engines* to shoot *arrows* and project *great stones*; and that his fame was universally spread abroad.

Verse [2 Kings 15:5](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/5). ***The Lord smote the king, so that he was a leper*** — The reason of this plague is well told in the above quoted chapter, [2 Chronicles 26:16](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/26/16). That his heart being elated, he went into the temple to burn incense upon the altar, assuming to himself the functions of the high priest; that Azariah the priest, with *fourscore* others, went in after him, to prevent him; and that while they were remonstrating against his conduct, the Lord struck him with the *leprosy*, which immediately appeared on his *forehead*; that they thrust him out as an unclean person; and that he himself *hurried* *to get out*, feeling that the Lord had smitten him; that he was obliged to dwell in a *house by himself*, being leprous, to the day of his death; and that during this time the affairs of the kingdom were administered by his son *Jotham*. A poet, ridiculing the conduct of those who, without an episcopal ordination, think they have authority from God to dispense all the ordinances of the Church, expresses himself thus: -
But now the warm enthusiast cries,
The office to myself I take;
Offering the Christian sacrifice,
Myself a lawful priest I make:
To me this honour appertains,
No need of *man* when GOD ordains.

[Some go into the contrary extreme, and in affect say, ***no need*** *of GOD when MAN ordains*.]

Though *kings* may not so far presume,
"Tis no presumption in a *clown*,
And, lo, without a call from Rome,
My *flail* or *hammer* I lay down;
And if my *order's* name ye seek,
Come, see a new *Melchisedek*!
Ye upstart (men-made) priests, your sentence know,
The marks you can no longer hide;
Your daring deeds too plainly show
The loathsome leprosy of *pride*;
And if ye still your crime deny,
Who *lepers live* shall *lepers die*.
CHARLES WESLEY.

This is very severe, but applies to every man who, through pride, presumption, or the desire of gain, enters into the priest's office, though he have the utmost authority that the highest ecclesiastical officer can confer.

Verse [2 Kings 15:10](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/10). ***Smote him before the people*** — In some public assembly: he probably became very unpopular.

Verse [2 Kings 15:12](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/12). ***This*****was*****the word of the Lord - unto Jehu*** — God had promised to Jehu that his sons should sit on the throne of Israel *to the fourth generation*; and so it came to pass, for *Jehoahaz,* *Joash, Jeroboam*, and *Zachariah*, succeeded Jehu, to whom this promise was made. But because he executed the Divine purpose with an uncommanded *cruelty*, therefore God *cut his family short*, according to his word by Hosea, *I will avenge the blood of Jezreel* *upon the house of Jehu; and I will cause to cease the kingdom of* *the house of Israel*, [Hosea 1:4](../../../kjv/hosea/1/4).

Verse [2 Kings 15:13](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/13). ***He reigned a full month*** — Menahem is supposed to have been one of Zachariah's *generals*. Hearing of the death of his master, when he was with the troops at *Tirzah*, he hastened to Samaria, and slew the murderer, and had himself proclaimed in his stead. But, as the people of *Tiphsah* did not open their gates to him, he took the place by assault; and as the text tells us, practised the most cruel barbarities, even *ripping up the women* *that were with child*!

Verse [2 Kings 15:19](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/19). ***Pul, the king of Assyria*** — This is the first time we hear of *Assyria* since the days of Nimrod, its founder, [Genesis 10:11](../../../kjv/genesis/10/11).
Dean *Prideaux* supposes that this *Pul* was father of the famous *Sardanapalus*, the son himself being called *Sardan*; to which, as was frequent in those times, the father's name, *Pul*, was added, making *Sardanpul* of which the Greeks and Latins made *Sardanapalus*; and this *Pul* is supposed to be the same that reigned in *Nineveh* when *Jonah* preached the terrors of the Lord to that city.
***That his hand*** — That is, his *power* and *influence, might be with* *him*: in this sense is the word *hand* frequently used in Scripture.

Verse [2 Kings 15:20](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/20). ***Each man fifty shekels of silver*** — Upwards of *five* *pounds* sterling a man.

Verse [2 Kings 15:21](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/21). **Are*****they not written in - the chronicles*** — There are no chronicles extant, in which there is any thing farther relative to this king.

Verse [2 Kings 15:25](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/25). ***Smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's**********house, with Argob and Arieh*** — Who Argob and Arieh were we know not; some make them *men*, some make them *statues*. Pekah had *fifty* Gileadites in the conspiracy with him.

Verse 29. ***Came Tiglath-pileser*** — He is supposed to have been the successor of Sardanapalus: Dean Prideaux makes him the same with *Arbaces*, called by AElian *Thilgamus*, and by Usher *Ninus junior*; who, together with *Belesis*, headed the conspiracy against *Sardanapalus*, and fixed his seat at Nineveh, the ancient residence of the Assyrian kings; as did *Belesis*, who is called, in [Isaiah 39:1](../../../kjv/isaiah/39/1), *Baladan*, fix his at Babylon.
***Took Ijon*** — These places belonged to Israel; and were taken by Ben-hadad, king of Syria, when he was in league with Asa, king of Judah. See [1 Kings 15:20](../../../kjv/1-kings/15/20). They were regained by *Jeroboam the second*; and now they are taken from Israel once more by *Tiglath-pileser*. From [1 Chronicles 5:26](../../../kjv/1-chronicles/5/26), we learn that *Pul* and *Tiglath-pileser*, kings of Assyria, carried away into captivity the two tribes of *Reuben*, and *Gad*, and the half tribe of *Manasseh*; all that belonged to Israel, on the other side of Jordan. These were never restored to Israel.

Verse 30. ***Hoshea the son of Elah - in the twentieth year of**********Jotham*** — There are many difficulties in the chronology of this place. To reconcile the whole, *Calmet* says: "Hoshea conspired against Pekah, the *twentieth* year of the reign of this prince, which was the *eighteenth* after the beginning of the reign of Jotham, king of Judah. Two years after this, that is, the *fourth* year of Ahaz, and the *twentieth* of Jotham, Hoshea made himself master of a *part* of the kingdom, according to [2 Kings 15:30](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/30). Finally, the *twelfth* year of Ahaz, Hoshea had peaceable possession of the *whole* kingdom, according to [2 Kings 17:1](../../../kjv/2-kings/17/1)."

Verse 36. ***Now the rest of the acts of Jotham*** — These acts are distinctly stated in [2 Chronicles 27:1-9](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/27/1-9). He built the high gate of the house of the Lord, and he built much on the wall of *Ophel*. He built cities in the mountains of Judah; and in the forests he built castles and towers. He overthrew the Ammonites; and obliged them to give him *one hundred* talents of silver, *ten thousand* measures of wheat, and *ten thousand* of barley, for *three* consecutive years. He was *twenty-five* years old when he began to reign, and he reigned *sixteen* years. These are the particulars which we learn from the place in Chronicles quoted above; few of which are mentioned in this place. As to the *higher gate* of the house of the Lord, commentators are not well agreed: some think it was a gate which he then made, and which did not exist before, and is the same that is called the *new gate*, [Jeremiah 26:10](../../../kjv/jeremiah/26/10), which is very likely.

Verse [2 Kings 15:37](../../../kjv/2-kings/15/37). ***In those days the Lord began to send*** — It was about this time that the Assyrian wars, so ruinous to the Jews, began; but it was in the following reigns that they arrived at their highest pitch of disaster to those unfaithful and unfortunate people. However much we may blame the Jews for their disobedience and obstinacy, yet we cannot help feeling for them under their severe afflictions. Grievously they have sinned, and grievously have they suffered for it. And if they be still objects of God's judgments, there is revelation to believe that they will yet be objects of God's goodness. Many think the signs of the times are favourable to this ingathering; but there is no evidence among the people themselves that the day of their redemption is at hand. They do not humble themselves; they do not seek the Lord.

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