This and the following Book are called by the holy fathers the third and fourth book of Kings; but by the Hebrews, the first and second. They contain the history of the kingdoms of Israel and Juda, from the beginning of the reign of Solomon, to the captivity. As to the writer of these books, it seems most probable they were not written by one man; nor at one time; but as there was all along a succession of prophets in Israel, who recorded, by divine inspiration, the most remarkable things that happened in their days, these books seem to have been written by these prophets. See 2 Paralip. alias 2 Chron. 9.29; 12.15; 13.22; 20.34; 26.22; 32.32.

 

 

 

 

[5] Joab: These instructions given by David to his son, with relation to Joab and Semei, proceeded not from any rancour of heart, or private pique; but from a zeal for justice, that crimes so public and heinous might not pass unpunished.

 

[6] To hell: This word hell doth not here signify the place or state of damnation; but the place and state of the dead.

 

 

 

 

[2] High places: That is, altars where they worshipped the Lord, but not according to the ordinance of the law; which allowed of no other places for sacrifice but the temple of God. Among these high places that of Gabaon was the chiefest, because there was the tabernacle of the testimony, which had been removed from Silo to Nobe and from Nobe to Gabaon.

 

 

 

 

[4] Abiathar: By this it appears that Abiathar was not altogether deposed from the high priesthood; but only banished to his country house, and by that means excluded from the exercise of his functions.

[21] The river: Euphrates.

 

[32] Three thousand parables: These works are all lost, excepting some part of the parables extant in the book of Proverbs; and his chief poem called the Canticle of Canticles.

 

 

 

 

[5] Upon the wall: i. e. joining to the wall.-- Ibid.

[5] He built floors round about: Chambers or cells adjoining to the temple, for the use of the temple and of the priests, so contrived as to be between the inward and outward wall of the temple, in three stories, one above another.-- Ibid.

[5] The oracle: The inner temple or holy of holies, where God gave his oracles.

 

[7] Made ready: So the stones for the building of God's eternal temple in the heavenly Jerusalem, (who are the faithful,) must first be hewn and polished here by many trials and sufferings, before they can be admitted to have a place in that celestial structure.

 

 

 

 

[21] Jachin: That is, firmly established.-- Ibid.

[21] Booz: That is, in its strength. By recording these names in holy writ, the spirit of God would have us understand the invincible firmness and strength of the pillars on which the true temple of God, which is the church, is established.

 

[26] Two thousand bates: That is, about ten thousand gallons. This was the quantity of water which was usually put into it: but it was capable, if brimful, of holding three thousand. See 2 Par. 4. 5.

 

 

 

 

[9] Nothing else: There was nothing else but the tables of the law within the ark: but on the outside of the ark, or near the ark were also the rod of Aaron, and a golden urn with manna, Heb. 9. 4.

 

 

 

 

[4] As thy father walked, in simplicity of heart: That is, in the sincerity and integrity of a single heart, as opposite to all double dealing and deceit.

 

[13] Chabul: That is, dirty or displeasing.

 

 

 

 

[13] One tribe: Besides that of Juda, his own native tribe.

 

[41] The book of the words: This book is lost, with divers others mentioned in holy writ.

[43] Solomon slept: That is, died. He was then about fifty-eight years of age, having reigned forty years.

 

Chapter 12

[20] Juda only: Benjamin was a small tribe, and so intermixed with the tribe of Juda, (the very city of Jerusalem being partly in Juda, partly in Benjamin,) that they are here counted but as one tribe.

[28] Golden calves: It is likely, by making his gods in this form, he mimicked the Egyptians, among whom he had sojourned, who worshipped their Apis and their Osiris under the form of a bullock.

[29] Bethel: Bethel was a city of the tribe of Ephraim in the southern part of the dominions of Jeroboam, about six leagues from Jerusalem; Dan was in the extremity of his dominions to the north in the confines of Syria.

 

Chapter 13

[18] An angel spoke to me: This old man of Bethel was indeed a prophet, but he sinned in thus deceiving the man of God; the more because he pretended a revelation for what he did.

[24] Killed him: Thus the Lord often punishes his servants here, that he may spare them hereafter. For the generality of divines are of opinion, that the sin of this prophet, considered with all its circumstances, was not mortal.

 

Chapter 14

[19] The book of the words of the days of the kings of Israel: This book, which is often mentioned in the Book of Kings, is long since lost. For as to the books of Paralipomenon, or Chronicles, (which the Hebrews call the words of the days,) they were certainly written after the Book of Kings, since they frequently refer to them.

[24] The effeminate: Catamites, or men addicted to unnatural lust.

 

Chapter 15

[2] Maacha: She is called elsewhere Michaia, daughter of Uriel; but it was common in those days for the same person to have two names.

[10] His mother: That is, his grandmother; unless we suppose, which is not improbable, that the Maacha here named is different from the Maacha mentioned, ver. 2.

[14] The high places: There were excelsa or high places of two different kinds. Some were set up, and dedicated to the worship of idols, or strange gods; and these Asa removed, 2 Par. 14. 2; others were only altars of the true God, but were erected contrary to the law, which allowed of no sacrifices but in the temple; and these were not removed by Asa.-- Ibid.

[14] Perfect with the Lord: Asa had his faults; but never forsook the worship of the Lord. 

 

Chapter 16

[23] In the one and thirtieth year: Amri began to reign in the seven and twentieth year of Asa; but had not quiet possession of the kingdom till the death of his competitor Thebni, which was in the one and thirtieth year of Asa's reign.  

[26] With their vanities: That is, their idols their golden calves, vain, false, deceitful things.

 

Chapter 17

[9] Sarephta of the Sidonians: That is, a city of the Sidonians.

 

Chapter 19

[4] That he might die: Elias requested to die, not out of impatience or pusillanimity, but out of zeal against sin; and that he might no longer be witness of the miseries of his people; and the war they were waging against God and his servants. See ver. 10.

[8] In the strength of that food: This bread, with which Elias was fed in the wilderness, was a figure of the bread of life which we receive in the blessed sacrament; by the strength of which we are to be supported in our journey through the wilderness of this world till we come to the true mountain of God, and his vision in a happy eternity.

[10] I alone am left: Viz., of the prophets in the kingdom of Israel, or of the ten tribes; for in the kingdom of Juda religion was at that time in a very flourishing condition under the kings Asa and Josaphat. And even in Israel there remained several prophets, though not then known to Elias. See chap. 20. 13, 28, 35.

[17] Shall be slain by Eliseus: Eliseus did not kill any of the idolaters with the material sword: but he is here joined with Hazael and Jehu, the great instruments of God in punishing the idolatry of Israel, because he foretold to the former his exaltation to the kingdom of Syria, and the vengeance he would execute against Israel, and anointed the latter by one of his disciples to be king of Israel, with commission to extirpate the house of Achab.

 

Chapter 20

[11] Let not the girded: Let him not boast before the victory: it will then be time to glory when he putteth off his armour, having overcome his adversary.

 

Chapter 21

[20] Sold, to do evil in the sight: That is, so addicted to evil, as if thou hadst sold thyself to the devil, to be his slave to work all kinds of evil.

 

Chapter 22

[15] Go up: This was spoken ironically, and by way of jesting at the flattering speeches of the false prophets: and so the king understood it, as appears by his adjuring Micheas, in the following verse, to tell him the truth in the name of the Lord.

[20] The Lord said: God standeth not in need of any counsellor; nor are we to suppose that things pass in heaven in the manner here described: but this representation was made to the prophet, to be delivered by him in a manner adapted to the common ways and notions of men.

[22] Go forth, and do so: This was not a command, but a permission: for God never ordaineth lies; though he often permitteth the lying spirit to deceive those who love not the truth. 2 Thess. 2. 10. And in this sense it is said in the following verse, The Lord hath given a lying spirit in the mouth of all thy prophets.

[25] Go into a chamber: This happened when he heard the king was slain, and justly apprehended that he should be punished for his false prophecy.

[44] He took not away: He left some of the high places, viz., those in which they worshipped the true God: but took away all others, 2 Par. 17. 6, and note ver. 14 of chap. 15. 3 Kings.

[50] Would not: He had been reprehended before for admitting such a partner: and therefore would have no more to do with him.