2 Chronicles 14:1-5 (cp. 1 Kings 15:8-12). The Religious Policy of Asa 1. _ten years_ These _ten_years of rest are naturally to be assigned to the beginning of Asa's reign; later on there was a rest of _twenty_years (cp. 2 Chronicles 15:10 with 2 Chronicles 15:19). The number _ten_here makes a discr... [ Continue Reading ]
_the altars of the strange_gods] R.V. THE STRANGE ALTARS. _the images_ R.V. THE PILLARS, LXX. τὰς στήλας. The "pillar" or "obelisk," Heb. _Maçççbâh_, was a monolith standing by an altar as a symbol of the god worshipped at the altar. In later days an image took the place of the pillar, i.e. the mer... [ Continue Reading ]
_to seek the Lord_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 15:12-13.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the images_ R.V. THE SUN-IMAGES. Cp. 2 Chronicles 34:4; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9, The Heb. word ("ḥamman") is of uncertain meaning, and it is possible that no kind of image is meant, but rather the _hearth_on which the sacred fire was kept. The Heb. root means "to be hot." (W. R. Smith, _Religion o... [ Continue Reading ]
_in those years_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 14:1.... [ Continue Reading ]
6 8 (cp. 1 Kings 15:17-22). The Defensive Measures of Asa According to 1 Kin., Asa being threatened by Baasha, king of Israel, secured himself a respite by inducing Ben-hadad of Syria with a heavy bribe to invade Baasha's dominions. On the retirement of Israel Asa built himself two fortresses on hi... [ Continue Reading ]
_Therefore he said_ R.V. FOR HE SAID. _and bars_, while _the land_is _yet before us; because_, etc.] R.V. AND BARS; THE LAND IS YET BEFORE US, BECAUSE, etc.... [ Continue Reading ]
_that bare targets and spears … that bare shields and drew bows_ LXX., δύναμις ὁπλοφόρων (ὁπλιτῶν) αἰρόντων θυρεοὺς καὶ δόρατα … πελτασταὶ καὶ τοξόται. The Chronicler divides Asa's army into the heavy-armed men belonging to Judah and the light-armed bowmen belonging to Benjamin. Asa apparently had n... [ Continue Reading ]
_against them_ We should expect either _against him_(i.e. Asa) or _against Judah_. Perhaps this account has been torn out from some older document without regard to the context, so that the reference of _them_is lost. Cp. notes on 2 Chronicles 14:12-14. _Zerah the Ethiopian_ Rather, ZERAH THE CUSHIT... [ Continue Reading ]
(no parallel in Kings). The Battle of Mareshah For a discussion of the historical probabilities of this account see Introduction, § 8.... [ Continue Reading ]
_against him_ R.V. TO MEET HIM. _in the valley_ Probably the valley in which Beit-Jibrin now stands, one of several valleys giving access from the Shephelah into central Judah (G. A. Smith, _Hist. Geography_, pp. 230 233). In such a place a large force might easily be discomfited by a few resolute... [ Continue Reading ]
it is _nothing with thee to help_, whether _with many_, or _with_them that have _no power_ R.V. THERE IS MORE BESIDE THEE TO HELP, BETWEEN THE MIGHTY AND HIM THAT HATH NO STRENGTH. _we rest on thee, and in thy name we go_ R.V. WE RELY ON THEE, AND IN THY NAME ARE WE COME.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the Lord smote_ Cp. 2 Chronicles 13:15. The use of The Name, Jehovah (translated The Lord), instead of the word "God" here and in 2 Chronicles 14:13-14 is in favour of the suggestion that the Chronicler took this account from some earlier document. _the Ethiopians_ Rather, THE CUSHITES.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gerar_ Identified with _Jerâr_, ruins three hours south of Gaza; cp. 1 Chronicles 4:39 (read "Gerar," LXX. Γέραρα). _the Ethiopians were overthrown, that they could not recover themselves_ R.V. THERE FELL OF THE ETHIOPIANS (read "the Cushites") SO MANY THAT THEY COULD NOT RECOVER THEMSELVES. _ver... [ Continue Reading ]
_the fear of the Lord_ The Chronicler's own phrase is "the fear of God" (2 Chronicles 20:29). exceeding _much spoil_ R.V. om. _exceeding_. Again we miss a favourite expression of the Chronicler (_lârôb_).... [ Continue Reading ]
_the tents of cattle_ These words seem to be corrupt, and it is probable that the original reading gave the name of some Arabian tribe. From a comparison of the LXX. here with the LXX. of 2 Chronicles 22:1 we conclude that this name was represented by Ἀλειμαζονεϊς in Greek. The people called Μασονῖτ... [ Continue Reading ]