18 And it came to pass, when Zimri saw that the city A.C. 929. was taken, that he went into the palace of the king's house, and burnt the king's house over him with fire, and died,

19 For his sins which he sinned in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he did, to make Israel to sin.

20 Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and his treason that he wrought, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

21 Then were the people of Israel divided into two parts: half of the people followed Tibni the son of Ginath, to make him king; and half followed Omri.

22 But the people that followed Omri prevailed against the people that followed Tibni the son of Ginath: so Tibni died, and Omri reigned.

SECTION VI.

Reign of Omri.

1 KINGS XVI. VER. 23—29.

23 ¶'In the thirty and first year of Asa king of Judah began Omri to reign over Israel, twelve years: six years reigned he in Tirzah.

24 And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver, and built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, owner of the hill, Samaria.

25 ¶ But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.

26 For he walked in all the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin wherewith he made Israel to sin, to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger with their va

nities.

27 Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he shewed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

28 So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria: and Ahab his son reigned in his stead.

7 In the thirty and first year of Asa, (1 Kings xvi. 23.) Omri began to reign; and he reigned twelve years: but in the thirty-eighth year of Asa we read that Omri died, and Ahab reigned. The difficulty is solved by observing that the reign of Omri is computed from the death of Zimri. Through the first six years of his reign there was civil war between Omri and Tibni; who were both made kings by the soldiers and people. The party of Omri prevailed, and he was sole king of Israel six years, beginning in the thirty-first year of Asa.

925.

921.

*Heb. Sho

meron.

918.

A. C. 918.

*Heb. was it

&c.

SECTION VII.

Commencement of the Reign of Ahab.

1 KINGS XVI. VER. 29, TO THE END.

29¶And in the thirty and eighth year of Asa king of Judah began Ahab the son of Omri to reign over Israel: and Ahab the son of Omri reigned over Israel in Samaria twenty and two years.

30 And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.

*

31 And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing a light thing, for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.

32 And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.

33 And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.

go

34 In his days did Hiel the Beth-elite build Jericho : he laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and g Josh. vi. 26. set up the gates thereof in his youngest son Segub, according to the word of the LORD, which he spake by Joshua the son of Nun o.

914.

CHAPTER IV.

PART I.

Reign of Jehoshaphat, 25 Years—from 914 to 889.

SECTION I.

Accession of Jehoshaphat-His good reign.

1 KINGS XXII. 41-45, AND 46 AND 47.

a

41 ¶ And Jehoshaphat the son of Asa began to reign 32 Chron. xx. over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab king of Israel.

31.

• The idolatry and corruption of the kingdom of apostate Israel had now increased to its greatest height. At this time, in open defiance of the curse pronounced by Joshua against the rebuilder of Jericho, Hiel the Beth-elite, again laid the foundation of that city, and verified the prediction of the prophet, who declared that his eldest son would be slain in laying the foundation; and his youngest in setting up the gates, Joshua vi. 26. For an account of those prophecies which referred to events which were soon to have their accomplishment, vide Allix's Reflections on the Old Testament, chapter 3.

42 Jehoshaphat was thirty and five years old when he A. C. 914. began to reign; and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter

of Shilhi.

43 And he walked in all the ways of Asa his father; he turned not aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of the LORD: nevertheless the high places were not taken away; for the people offered and burnt incense yet in the high places.

44 And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. 46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

2 CHRONICLES XVII. VER, 2, TO THE END.

2 And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken.

3 And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto Baalim;

4 But sought to the LORD God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

5 Therefore the LORD stablished the kingdom in his hand; and all Judah * brought to Jehoshaphat presents; and he had riches and honour in abundance.

6 And his heart † was lifted up in the ways of the LORD: moreover he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.

7 Also in the third year of his reign he sent to his princes, even to Ben-hail, and to Obadiah, and to Zechariah, and to Nethaneel, and to Michaiah, to teach in the cities of Judah.

8 And with them he sent Levites, even Shemaiah, and Nethaniah, and Zebadiah, and Asahel, and Shemiramoth, and Jehonathan, and Adonijah, and Tobijah, and Tob-adonijah, Levites; and with them Eli-shama and Jehoram, priests.

9 And they taught in Judah, and had the book of the law of the LORD with them, and went about throughout all the cities of Judah, and taught the people.

Heb. gave.

That is, was

encouraged.

10 ¶ And the fear of the LORD fell upon all the king- Heb. was. doms of the lands that were round about Judah, so that they made no war against Jehoshaphat.

11 Also some of the Philistines brought Jehoshaphat presents, and tribute silver; and the Arabians brought him

A.C. 914. flocks, seven thousand and seven hundred rams, thousand and seven hundred he goats.

and seven

12¶ And Jehoshaphat waxed great exceedingly; and he

* Or, palaces. built in Judah castles, and cities of store.

+ Heb. at his hand.

897. b1 Kings xxii. 2, &c.

Heb. at the end of years.

13 And he had much business in the cities of Judah: and the men of war, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.

14 And these are the numbers of them according to the house of their fathers: Of Judah, the captains of thousands: Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour three hundred thousand.

15 And next to him was Jehohanan the captain, and with him two hundred and fourscore thousand.

16 And next him was Amasiah the son of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the LORD; and with him two hundred thousand mighty men of valour.

17 And of Benjamin; Eliada a mighty man of valour, and with him armed men with bow and shield two hundred thousand.

18 And next him was Jehozabad, and with him an hundred and fourscore thousand ready prepared for the war. 19 These waited on the king, beside those whom the king put in the fenced cities throughout all Judah.

SECTION II.

Wars, and good Government of Jehoshaphat.

2 CHRONICLES XVIII. VER. 1, 2.

1 Now Jehoshaphat had riches and honour in abundance, and joined affinity with Ahab.

2b And after certain years he went down to Ahab to Samaria. And Ahab killed sheep and oxen for him in abundance, and for the people that he had with him, and persuaded him to go up with him to Ramoth-gilead.

2 CHRONICLES XIX. VER. 1-8.

1 And Jehoshaphat the king of Judah returned to his house in peace to Jerusalem.

2 And Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him, and said to king Jehoshaphat, Shouldest thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the LORD? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the LORD.

с

e ch. xvii. 4, 6. 3 Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine heart to seek God.

Heb. he returned and went out.

4 And Jehoshaphat dwelt at Jerusalem: and he went out again through the people from Beer-sheba to mount

Ephraim, and brought them back unto the LORD God of A.C.897. their fathers.

5 ¶ And he set judges in the land throughout all the fenced cities of Judah, city by city,

*in

6 And said to the judges, Take heed what ye do: for ye judge not for man, but for the LORD, who is with the judgment.

you

*Heb. in the matter of judgment.

Acts x. 34.

7 Wherefore now let the fear of the LORD be upon you; d Deut. x. 17. take heed and do it: for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts.

PSALM LXXX11?.

1 The psalmist, having exhorted the judges, 5 and reproved their negligence, 8 prayeth God to judge.

A Psalm † of Asaph.

1 God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods.

2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the sons of the wicked? Selah.

3

per

Rom. ii. 11.
Eph. vi. 9.
Col. iii. 25.
1 Pet. i. 17.

+ Or, for Asaph.

e Deut. i. 17.

Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the af. ↑ Heb. Judge. flicted and needy.

4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.

11.

Prov. xxiv.

5 They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of Heb. moved.

course.

6 I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children 8 John x. 34. of the most high.

7 But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the

princes.

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth: for thou shalt inherit all nations.

2 CHRONICLES XIX. VER. 8, TO THE END.

8¶ Moreover in Jerusalem did Jehoshaphat set of the Levites, and of the priests, and of the chief of the fathers of Israel, for the judgment of the LORD, and for controversies, when they returned to Jerusalem.

9 And he charged them, saying, Thus shall ye do in the fear of the LORD, faithfully, and with a perfect heart.

10 And what cause soever shall come to you of your brethren that dwell in their cities, between blood and blood,

* Psalm lxxxii. Dr. Wells is of opinion that Psalm lxxxii. was most probably composed in the reign of Hezekiah, to admonish the judges, or magistrates in the highest courts. It seems, however, from its internal evidence, to be more suited to this reign, and I have, therefore, inserted it here.