2 Kings 15:18-29

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:18

And he did that which was evil ,.... The same character is given of him as of those before him, 2 Kings 15:9 . read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:19

And Pul the king of Assyria came against the land ,.... The land of Israel, he invaded it; a Jewish chronologer F21 David Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 2. fol. 5. 2. calls him Pulbelicho; and he is generally thought to be the same with Belochus or Belesis, governor of Babylon, who, with Arbaces the Mede, slew Sardanapalus, said to be the last of the Assyrian kings, and translated the empire to the Chaldeans; he ruling over Babylon and Nineveh, and Arbaces over the Medes and Persians; but... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:20

And Menahem exacted the money of Israel, even of all the mighty men of wealth ,.... Who were most able to pay it, by which means he eased the poor, and might thereby attach them to him: of each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria : that is, he required them to pay fifty shekels apiece to make up the above sum as a present to Pul; though the words in the original text lie more naturally thus, "to give to the king of Assyria fifty shekels of silver for one man";... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:21

And the rest of the acts of Menahem ,.... We are referred to the same book of chronicles for them as for those of the rest of the kings, which seems to be a form the historian uses of them all. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:22

And Menahem slept with his fathers ,.... Died a natural death, and in peace, though an usurper and a tyrant: and Pekahiah his son reigned in his stead ; the kingdom he had usurped continued in his family. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:23

In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem began to reign over Israel in Samaria ,.... As it was in the thirty ninth of Azariah that his father began his reign, and he reigned ten years, they must end in the forty ninth of Azariah, and therefore there must be an interregnum of a year; perhaps the title of Pekahiah might be disputed, and it was a year before he could get settled on the throne: and reigned two years ; being slain by one of his captains, as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:24

And he did that which was evil ,.... Besides other sins, he cleaved to that of worshipping the calves, a piece of state policy all the kings of Israel gave into. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:25

But Pekah the son of Remaliah, a captain of his ,.... The word signifies a "third" man, the third to the king, as some think; Josephus F1 Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 11. sect. 1.) calls him a "chiliarch", one that had the command of a thousand men: conspired against him, and smote him in Samaria, in the palace of the king's house ; Josephus F2 Ibid. says it was at a banquet: with Argob, and Arieh ; whom, according to Abarbinel, Pekah slew with the king, being mighty men,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 15:26

And the rest of the acts of Pekahiah ,.... The same form of expression is used as before, 2 Kings 15:21 , of all the kings. read more

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