Chap. Verse. 10. 26--29.

All commerce with Egypt, and particularly the importation of horses, was a breach of the express command of God. Solomon, perhaps from a vain confidence in his own superior talents, thought himself secure from the danger of idolatrous examples. The miserable fall of this wisest of Kings is a sad proof of the insufficiency of human wisdom: whenever it ventures to break through the restrictions of the Divine laws.

The multiplication of wives was another breach of the command of God.

Perhaps the word here rendered cause would be better translated by revolution.

The Prophet had received a prohibition from God himself, and was therefore inexcusable in regarding any contradiction to it, merely on the word of a man.

The lion leaving the body untouched, was a proof that the death of the prophet was not from accident, but rather of the judgement of God.

Killed him, it should rather be translated, because he smote it. That is, destroyed the family of Jeroboam. In the reign of Omri flourished Lycurgus.

2 KINGS.

THE word here rendered little children, might have been translated young men. They came from the idolatrous city of Bethel to insult the prophet: and the expression of go up seems to be a mockery of the ascent of Elijah his master, who went up by a whirlwind into heaven. See Dr. Gregory Sharpe on Prophecy, ch. i. p. So.

The Moabites had been conquered and put under tribute by David. See 2 Sam. viii. 2. 1 Chron. xviii. 2.

The eldest son of the King of Edom.

If Elisha had acted in this manner, Naaman might have supposed that he had cured him by some natural means: which supposition was prevented, by the prophet not making his appearance till after the cure.

Bands, that is, the Syrians came no more in detached parties.

Behold, &c. This seems to be the message sent from
Joram.

The prophet foretold, that Benhadad would recover of
his distemper; but that he should die by other means.
The meaning seems to be, that Hazael stifled him.
See the note on Genesis xxvii. S.

See the note on 1 Chronicles v. 26.

In the reign of Jothan, Rome was built.

By the loss of Elath, the Jews were deprived of their trade to the East Indies, which had been, ever since the days of Solomon, the source of all their riches. See Prideaux.

The kingdom of the Syrians, in Damascus, which was destroyed by this expedition, was founded in the reign of Solomon, by Rezon, the son of Eliadah. See 1 Kings xi.

23-25.

Esarhaddon, who, about forty-five years after Samaria had been taken by Shalmanesar, his grandfather, carried away the remainder of the Israelites, and placed the idolatrous people here mentioned, in their room. Thus was Ephraim destroyed from being a people, at the time prophesied by Isaiah. See Isaiah vii. S.

Notwithstanding this positive assertion, the Romanists shew in the church of St. Ambrose, at Milan, a brazen serpent, which they affirm to be the very same made by Moses: though some of their learned men disclaim the cheat. See Prideaux.

After

After this agreement Sennacherib marched to invade Egypt, which was then governed by Sevecus, or Sethon. To facilitate his entrance into the country, he first took Azotus (see Isaiah xx.) In this expedition No Ammon is supposed to have been destroyed.

This second attack on Jerusalem happened in the eighteenth year of Hezekiah, and after Sennacherib had been employed three years in harassing Egypt. Isaiah xx. He had laid siege to Pelusium, a city of the Delta: but was obliged to raise it on hearing, that Tirhaka, King of Æthiopia, was coming to its assistance. See Prideaux.

After this defeat of Sennacherib the Medes revolted from him, and afterwards set up a separate government under Dejoces.

Merodach Baladan, in profane history is called Mordac Empadus. His father Baladan is the same as Belesis, or Nabonassar, who, with Arbaces, conspired against Sardanapalus, and destroyed the ancient Assyrian Empire, after it had lasted 1300 years. The conspirators formed two new empires. Nabonassar had Babylon, Chaldea, and Arabia, and Arbaces Media, and all the rest. deaux.

Pri

Nabonassar was author of the famous Babylonian Æra. The Jews have a tradition that Isaiah was sawn in sunder in the reign of Marasseh.

By the captivity and death of Jehoalas, or Shallum, in Egypt, was fulfilled the prophecy. Jer. xxii. 11.

Called also Jeconiah and Coniah.

Jerusalem was thrice taken by Nebuchadnezzar; first on the 18th of November (which is still a fast amongst the Jews) in the reign of Jehoiakim. At this time it was that Daniel and his companions were carried into captivity Dan. i. 2.

By

By this expedition of Nebuchadnezzar, Judea was brought under vassalage to the Babylonians, and from hence is to be dated the seventy years captivity foretold by Jeremiah. Jer. xxv. 2. xxix. 10.

By the carrying away the royal family, &c. was fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah to Hezekiah. Isaiah xxxix. 7.

About eight years after this first siege, Jerusalem was a second time taken by Nebuchadnezzar, in the reign of Jehoiachin; and another set of captives carried away into Babylon: among whom was Ezechiel: and therefore throughout his prophecies, he dates from this captivity. Ezechiel i. 2.

Eleven years after, in the reign of Zedechiah, Jerusalem was taken for the third and last time by Nebuchadnezzar, who then compleated its destruction.

The temple was burnt on the 9th of July, which was the same day on which it was afterwards destroyed by Titus.

Nebuchadnezzar died in the thirty-seventh year of Jehoiachin's captivity. He reigned forty-four years.

Evilmerodach was a foolish and a wicked prince, and reigned only two years. His sister's husband, Neriglissar, conspired against him, put him to death, and reigned in his stead.

The supposed reason of the kindness to Jehoiachin: See in note on Jer. lii. 31.

26.

1 CHRONICLES.

A JEWISH writer reports, that in this expedition Tiglathpileser carried away the golden calf which Jeroboam had set up in Dan: the other in Bethel was taken away about ten years before. Prideaux. 3 T

Pul

Pul is the same with Sardanapalus, the last of the ancient Assyrian kings. He was destroyed by a conspiracy headed by Arbaces, Governor of Media, and Belesis, Governor of Babylon, who divided the Empire between them. Belesis, who is by some authors called Nabonassar, and in scripture Baladan (see Isaiah xxxix. 1.) had Babylon, Chaldea, and Arabia, and Arbaces all the rest. Arbaces is the same who in scripture is called Tiglathpileser, and by Ælian, Thilgannus. This division of the Assyrian empire, which had lasted 1300 years, happened in the second year of the eightieth Olympiad, and the seventh after the building of Rome. See Prideaux, Herodotus, &c.

Cut, would more properly have been rendered ruled, governed and then the meaning will be, not that David put his captives to cruel deaths, but employed them in servile works, such as hewing, sawing, &c.

Prophecy does not here mean to foretel future events, but to celebrate the praises of God: and it is so translated by the LXX.

2 CHRONICLES.

SEE note on 1 Kings x. 26.

Among his other works, Solomon is supposed to have built the sepulchre of the house of David, a work of vast expence, and the only true remainder of old Jerusalem. It now lies without the walls; but is supposed to have been formerly within them, before the city was destroyed by the Romans.

This burial place consists of a court about 120 feet square, with a gallery, or cloister, on the right hand; which, with the pillars that supported it, were cut out of

the