5 ( He walked also after their counsel, and went with A.C. 885.
Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against
Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead : and the Syrians
smote Joram.
6 And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the

881.
wounds * which were given him at Ramah, when he fought Heh where.
with Hazael king of Syria.. And + Azariah the son of Je- wunded nim.
horam king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of called Ana-
Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick.

7 And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming ch. xxi. 17.
to Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jeho-
sam against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had
anointed to cut off the house of Ahab.

2 KINGS IX. PART OF ver. 27.
27 But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this 17, he
Bled by the way of the garden house.

riah, ver. ).
and Jekoahax,

** This passage refers to the death of Joram, who was slain when he went out to meet Jehu accompanied by Ahaziah, 2 Kings ix. 23. The abruptness of this division is unavoidable, as the death of Ahaziah is related by the inspired writers in intimate connection with that of Joram : but in this arrangement it was absolutely necessary to separate them, that the account of Ahazial's death might be given with his life and reign.

The circumstances attending on the death of this king, as they are related in
2 Chronicles xxči. 8, 9. seem at first sight to differ materially from those men-
tioned in 2 Kings ix. 27, 28. In the former passage we read, that Ahaziah,
after making his escape from Jezreel, was brought to Jehu in Samaria, and
when they had slain him they buried him. From which it might be inferred,
that Jehu had commanded that Ahaziah should be slain in Samaria. In the
latter pessage we, on the contrary, read, that he was mortally wounded at Gur,
near Ibleam, while Jehu was following him. Notwithstanding these apparent
contradictions, the two accounts, I think, may be reconciled, by observing the
erder of the events, as shewn in the book of Chronicles.

The chief cause of the apparent inconsistency lies in the expression (2 Chron.
xxii. 9.) “ they brought him to Jehu;" from which phrasc it would appear,
that Abaziah was actually made a prisoner, and as such brought to Jehu. But
the word in the original, wxa', though it signifies " brought,” as our trans-
lators have rendered it, may have a wider signification, and may be thus trans-
lated, “ They caused him to be seen by Jehu:” Ahaziah was pointed out, or
made to appear, or caused to be seen by Jehu, when he fled from Samaria ;
who immediately, upon seeing him, issued the order to his soldiers, “ smite,
him also in the chariot."
By interpreting the phrase in question in this manner, we solve the whole
diffeulty. Abaziah, after the death of Joram, made his escape to Samaria, to
which place he is followed (after Jehu had destroyed Ahab's brethren and chil-
dren, as well as Ahaziah's kindred,) by Jehu and his soldiers. On their ar-
rival at Samaria, they search for, and discover, the retreat of Ahaziah ; who, on
perceiving that his hiding place was known, again attempted to make his escape.

dom of Samaria.

2 CHRONICLES XXII. VER. 8, AND PART OF VER. 9. A.C. 884.

8 And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that minis

tered to Ahaziah, he slew them.
c 2 Kings ix. 9 ° And he sought Ahaziah : and they caught him, (for
27, at Megiddo
in the king. he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu.

2 KINGS IX. PART OF VER, 27, AND ver. 28.
And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in

the chariot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which
In the king is by Ibleam. And he fled to * Megiddo, and died there.
ria, 2 Chron. 28 And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusa-
xxii. 9.

lem, and buried him in his sepulchre with his fathers in the
city of David,

2 CHRONICLES XXII. PART OF VER. 9.
And when they had slain him, they buried him: Because,
said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the
LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no
power to keep still the kingdom.

2 KINGS IX. ver. 29.
29 And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab
gan to reigh began | Ahaziah to reign over Judah,

2 KINGS VIII. VER. 26, TO THE END. his sickness, 2

26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reiga; and he
year he began reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah, the
to reign alone, | daughter of Omri king of Israel.
1 Or, grand 27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight
daughter.

of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house
of Ahab.

28 9 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael
king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

as Viceroy to his father in

Chron. xxi.
18, 19. But in

ch. viii. 25.

In so doing, Jehu sees him, and immediately gives the order," smite him also
in the chariot,” (as Joram was smitten); and they did so at the going up to
Gur, which is by Ibleam, where Ahaziah was overtaken. After the soldiers of
Jehu had mortally wounded him, his charioteer escaped with him to Megiddo,
where he died.

On consulting the map of the tribe of Manasseh, in which these events took
place, it will be found that they might all have occurred within the space of two
days. Joram was killed at Jezreel, from which place Samaria was ten miles
distant; from Samaria to Gur, not quite eight; from Gur to Ibleam, twelve
more; and Ibleam was less than four mile om Megiddo. Vide the map of
the tribe of Ephraim, in Heming's Scripture Atlas.

* Heb. where

tir:

29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds * which A.C. 884.
the Syrians had given him at + Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of
Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram with the Sy-
the son of Abab in Jezreel, because he was I sick.

+ Called, Ra

moth. CHAPTER VI.

1 Heb. wound

gians had
wounded

ed.

PART II.

Erents in the kingdom of Israel, contemporary with the reign

of Ahaziah.
Reign of Jehoram king of Israel concluded.

883.

hand.

SECTION I.
Conspiracy of Hazael.

2 KINGS VIII. Ver. 7-16.
7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the
king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The
man of God is come hither.

8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine
hand, and go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the
Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease ?

9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present & with Hel. in his
him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels'
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son
Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall
I recover of this disease?

10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou
mayest certainly recover : howbeit the LORD hath shewed
me that he shall surely die 18.

11 And he settled his countenance || stedfastly, until he ! Heb. and set was ashamed: and the man of God wept.

12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.

This passage has been much misunderstood. The most probable meaning seems to be, " Tell the king that his disease is not mortal, and therefore he might recover from it.” The prophet, however, who foresaw that Hazael would murder the king, adds in a reproachful and significant manner, howbeit the Lord hath shewed me he shall surely die ;” intimating, by these words, " The king will die, but he would have recovered, had he not been prevented by your

violence and treachery."

A.C. 885.

13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.

14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master ; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover.

15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died : and Hazael reigned in his stead.

881.

ber in a chamber.

16.

SECTION II.
Conspiracy of Jehu.

2 KINGS IX. ver. 1–14.
1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the
prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take
this box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead :

2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the
son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make

him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an Heb. cham- * inner chamber;

3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and a 1 Kings xix.

say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over
Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not.

4. So the young man, even the young man the prophet,
went to Ramoth-gilead.

5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over Israel.

7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand

of Jezebel.
el Kings xiv. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish : and I will

cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and
him that is shut up and left in Israel :

9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of a 1 Kings xiv. d Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha e i Kings xvi. the son of Ahijah:

10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

b) Kings xviii. 4. & xx1. 15.

10. & xxi. 21.

3.

11 © Then Jebu came forth to the servants of his lord : A.C. 884. and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them, Ye know the man, and his communication.

12 And they said, It is false ; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel.

13 Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew with

Heb. reigntrumpets

, saying, Jehu * is king.
14 So Jehu the son of Jehosaphat the son of Nimshi
conspired against Joram.

oka face

,

eth.

SECTION 111.

escaper go, &c.

Death of Jehoran. 2 KINGS IX. PART OF VER. 14-27, (Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria. 15 But 'king + Joram was returned to be healed in Jez- fch. vii.

29. reel of the wounds which the Syrians # had given him, when there. Scho. be fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If+

Heb, smole. it be your minds, then § let none go forth nor escape out of , Heb. let no the city to go to tell it in Jezreel. 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel,
and be spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, Í
see a company. And Joram said, Take an horseman, and
send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?

18 So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said,
Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast
thou to do with peace ?" turn thee behind me. And the
watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, but

he cometh not again.

19 Then he sent out a second on horseback, which came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jeku answered, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee

behind me.

20 And the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again : and the || driving is like the || Or, marck. driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi ; for he driveth * fu- "Hich, in

21 And Joram said, + Make ready. And his chariot was + Hcb. Dind. made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out

riously

.

madness.