2 Kings 15:1-38

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 15:1-7

This is a short account of the reign of Azariah. 1. Most of it is general, and the same that has been given of others; he began young and reigned long (2 Kgs. 15:2), did, for the most part, that which was right, 2 Kgs. 15:3 (it was happy for the kingdom that a good reign was a long one), only he had not zeal and courage enough to take away the high places, 2 Kgs. 15:4. 2. That which is peculiar, 2 Kgs. 15:5 (that God smote him with a leprosy) is more largely related, with the occasion of it, 2... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 15:8-31

The best days of the kingdom of Israel were while the government was in Jehu's family. In his reign, and the next three reigns, though there were many abominable corruptions and miserable grievances in Israel, yet the crown went in succession, the kings died in their beds, and some care was taken of public affairs; but, now that those days are at an end, the history which we have in these verses of about thirty-three years represents the affairs of that kingdom in the utmost confusion... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 15:32-38

We have here a short account of the reign of Jotham king of Judah, of whom we are told, 1. That he reigned very well, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, 2 Kgs. 15:34. Josephus gives him a very high character, stating that he was pious towards God, just towards men, and laid out himself for the public good,?that, whatever was amiss, he took care to have it rectified,?and, in short, wanted no virtue that became a good prince. Though the high places were not taken away, yet to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:1

In the twenty amd seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel began Azariah the son on Amaziah king of Judah to reign. Now Amaziah lived only to the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, 2 Kings 14:2 in which year, and not in his twenty seventh, it might be thought Azariah his son began to reign. There are various ways taken to remove this difficulty, not to take notice of a corruption of numbers, "twenty seven for seventeen", which some insist on. Ben Gersom and Abarbinel are of opinion, that those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:2

Sixteen years old was he when he began to reign ,.... By the consent of the people and princes of Judah, 2 Kings 14:21 . and he reigned fifty and two years in Jerusalem : exclusive of the eleven or twelve years of his minority, from his father's death: and his mother's name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem ; of whom there is no further account any where. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:3

And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord ,.... At the beginning of his reign, and in an external way: according to all that his father Amaziah had done ; who did not do what he did as David, sincerely and cordially, 2 Kings 14:3 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:4

Save that the high places were not removed ,.... That is, he did right, excepting in that instance, and which was the case of his father and other kings before him, and others afterwards, till Hezekiah came: the people sacrificed and burnt incense still on the high places ; see 2 Kings 12:3 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:5

And the Lord smote the king ,.... With leprosy; the reason of it was, because he intruded into the priest's office, and went into the temple to burn incense on the altar of incense, 2 Chronicles 26:19 , so that he was a leper unto the day of his death ; but how long it was to it from his being smitten cannot be said with certainty; Dr. Lightfoot F12 Works, vol. 1. p. 99. thinks he died the same year he was smitten: and dwelt in a several house : without Jerusalem, as the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:6

And the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? In the history of the reigns of those kings; some of them are recorded in the canonical book of the Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 26:1 and some were written by the prophet Isaiah, 2 Chronicles 26:22 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:7

So Azariah slept with his fathers ,.... Or died, when he had reigned fifty two years: and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David ; but not in the sepulchres of the kings, but in the field of the burial, or the burying ground which belonged to them, because he was a leper, 2 Chronicles 26:23 . Benjamin of Tudela F16 Itinerar. p. 43. places his grave near the pillar of Absalom, and the fountain of Siloah, near the brook Kidron: and Jotham his son reigned in his... read more

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