CHAPTER 17
. JEHOSHAPHAT
REIGNS WELL
AND PROSPERS.
1. Jehoshaphat . . . strengthened
himself against Israel—The temper and proceedings of the kings
of Israel rendered it necessary for him to prepare vigorous measures
of defense on the northern frontier of his kingdom. These consisted
in filling all the fortresses with their full complement of troops
and establishing military stations in various parts of the country,
as well as in the cities of Mount Ephraim, which belonged to
Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 15:8).
3-5. he walked in the first ways of
his father David—He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in
the early part of his reign before he made those unhappy lapses which
dishonored his character.
and sought not unto Baalim—a
term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord God of
his father.
4. and not after the doings of
Israel—He observed with scrupulous fidelity, and employed his
royal influence to support the divine institutions as enacted by
Moses, abhorring that spurious and unlawful calf-worship that now
formed the established religion in Israel. Being thus far removed,
alike from gross idolatry and Israelitish apostasy, and adhering
zealously to the requirements of the divine law, the blessing of God
rested on his government. Ruling in the fear of God, and for the good
of his subjects, "the Lord established the kingdom in his hand."
5. all Judah brought . . .
presents—This was customary with the people generally at the
beginning of a reign (1 Samuel 10:27),
and with the nobles and high functionaries yearly afterwards. They
were given in the form of voluntary offerings, to avoid the odious
idea of a tax or tribute.
6. his heart was lifted up in the
ways of the Lord—Full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and
courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all the
works and objects of idolatry (see on ), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worship
of God.
. HE SENDS
LEVITES TO TEACH
IN JUDAH.
7-11. Also in the third year of his
reign he sent to his princes, . . . to teach in the cities of
Judah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests.
But extraordinary commissioners were appointed, probably to ascertain
whether the work had been done or neglected. This deputation of five
princes, assisted by two priests and nine Levites, was to make a
circuit of the towns in Judah. It is the first practical measure we
read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious
instruction of the people. Time and unbroken opportunities were
afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home
education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as
freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the
sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of
the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round
about Judah."
9. the book of the law—that
is, either the whole Pentateuch or only the book of Deuteronomy,
which contains an abridgment of it.
7-11. Also in the third year of his
reign he sent to his princes, . . . to teach in the cities of
Judah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests.
But extraordinary commissioners were appointed, probably to ascertain
whether the work had been done or neglected. This deputation of five
princes, assisted by two priests and nine Levites, was to make a
circuit of the towns in Judah. It is the first practical measure we
read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious
instruction of the people. Time and unbroken opportunities were
afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home
education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as
freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the
sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of
the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round
about Judah."
11. Also some of the Philistines
brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver—either they
had been his tributaries, or they were desirous of securing his
valuable friendship, and now made a voluntary offer of tribute.
Perhaps they were the Philistines who had submitted to the yoke of
David (2 Samuel 8:1; Psalms 60:8).
the Arabians—the nomad
tribes on the south of the Dead Sea, who, seeking the protection of
Jehoshaphat after his conquest of Edom, paid their tribute in the way
most suitable to their pastoral habits—the present of so many head
of cattle.
Psalms 60:8. HIS
GREATNESS, CAPTAINS,
AND ARMIES.
14. these are the numbers—The
warriors were arranged in the army according to their fathers houses.
The army of Jehoshaphat, commanded by five great generals and
consisting of five unequal divisions, comprised one million one
hundred and sixty thousand men, without including those who
garrisoned the fortresses. No monarch, since the time of Solomon,
equalled Jehoshaphat in the extent of his revenue, in the strength of
his fortifications, and in the number of his troops.
CHAPTER 17
. JEHOSHAPHAT REIGNS WELL AND PROSPERS.
1. Jehoshaphat . . . strengthened himself against Israel—The temper and proceedings of the kings of Israel rendered it necessary for him to prepare vigorous measures of defense on the northern frontier of his kingdom. These consisted in filling all the fortresses with their full complement of troops and establishing military stations in various parts of the country, as well as in the cities of Mount Ephraim, which belonged to Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 15:8).
3-5. he walked in the first ways of his father David—He imitated the piety of his great ancestor in the early part of his reign before he made those unhappy lapses which dishonored his character.
and sought not unto Baalim—a term used for idols generally in contradistinction to the Lord God of his father.
4. and not after the doings of Israel—He observed with scrupulous fidelity, and employed his royal influence to support the divine institutions as enacted by Moses, abhorring that spurious and unlawful calf-worship that now formed the established religion in Israel. Being thus far removed, alike from gross idolatry and Israelitish apostasy, and adhering zealously to the requirements of the divine law, the blessing of God rested on his government. Ruling in the fear of God, and for the good of his subjects, "the Lord established the kingdom in his hand."
5. all Judah brought . . . presents—This was customary with the people generally at the beginning of a reign (1 Samuel 10:27), and with the nobles and high functionaries yearly afterwards. They were given in the form of voluntary offerings, to avoid the odious idea of a tax or tribute.
6. his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord—Full of faith and piety, he possessed zeal and courage to undertake the reformation of manners, to suppress all the works and objects of idolatry (see on ), and he held out public encouragement to the pure worship of God.
. HE SENDS LEVITES TO TEACH IN JUDAH.
7-11. Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, . . . to teach in the cities of Judah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests. But extraordinary commissioners were appointed, probably to ascertain whether the work had been done or neglected. This deputation of five princes, assisted by two priests and nine Levites, was to make a circuit of the towns in Judah. It is the first practical measure we read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious instruction of the people. Time and unbroken opportunities were afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah."
9. the book of the law—that is, either the whole Pentateuch or only the book of Deuteronomy, which contains an abridgment of it.
7-11. Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, . . . to teach in the cities of Judah—The ordinary work of teaching devolved on the priests. But extraordinary commissioners were appointed, probably to ascertain whether the work had been done or neglected. This deputation of five princes, assisted by two priests and nine Levites, was to make a circuit of the towns in Judah. It is the first practical measure we read of as being adopted by any of the kings for the religious instruction of the people. Time and unbroken opportunities were afforded for carrying out fully this excellent plan of home education, for the kingdom enjoyed internal tranquillity as well as freedom for foreign wars. It is conformable to the pious style of the sacred historian to trace this profound peace to the "fear of the Lord having fallen on all kingdoms of the lands that were round about Judah."
11. Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver—either they had been his tributaries, or they were desirous of securing his valuable friendship, and now made a voluntary offer of tribute. Perhaps they were the Philistines who had submitted to the yoke of David (2 Samuel 8:1; Psalms 60:8).
the Arabians—the nomad tribes on the south of the Dead Sea, who, seeking the protection of Jehoshaphat after his conquest of Edom, paid their tribute in the way most suitable to their pastoral habits—the present of so many head of cattle.
Psalms 60:8. HIS GREATNESS, CAPTAINS, AND ARMIES.
14. these are the numbers—The warriors were arranged in the army according to their fathers houses. The army of Jehoshaphat, commanded by five great generals and consisting of five unequal divisions, comprised one million one hundred and sixty thousand men, without including those who garrisoned the fortresses. No monarch, since the time of Solomon, equalled Jehoshaphat in the extent of his revenue, in the strength of his fortifications, and in the number of his troops.