mh_parser/vol_split/14 - 2Chronicles/Chapter 24.xml

<div2 id="iiCh.xxv" n="xxv" next="iiCh.xxvi" prev="iiCh.xxiv" progress="84.95%" title="Chapter XXIV">
<h2 id="iiCh.xxv-p0.1">S E C O N D   C H R O N I C L E
S</h2>
<h3 id="iiCh.xxv-p0.2">CHAP. XXIV.</h3>
<p class="intro" id="iiCh.xxv-p1">We have here the history of the reign of Joash,
the progress of which, and especially its termination, were not of
a piece with its beginning, nor shone with so much lustre. How
wonderfully he was preserved for the throne, and placed in it, we
read before; now here we are told how he began in the spirit, but
ended in the flesh. I. In the beginning of his time, while Jehoiada
lived, he did well; particularly, he took care to put the temple in
good repair, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.1-2Chr.24.14" parsed="|2Chr|24|1|24|14" passage="2Ch 24:1-14">ver. 1-14</scripRef>.
II. In the latter end of his time, after Jehoiada's death, he
apostatized from God, and his apostasy was his ruin. 1. He set up
the worship of Baal again (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.15-2Chr.24.18" parsed="|2Chr|24|15|24|18" passage="2Ch 24:15-18">ver.
15-18</scripRef>), though warned to the contrary, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.19" parsed="|2Chr|24|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:19">ver. 19</scripRef>. 2. He put Zechariah the
prophet to death because he reproved him for what he had done,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.20-2Chr.24.22" parsed="|2Chr|24|20|24|22" passage="2Ch 24:20-22">ver. 20-22</scripRef>. 3. The
judgments of God came upon him for it. The Syrians invaded him,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.23-2Chr.24.24" parsed="|2Chr|24|23|24|24" passage="2Ch 24:23,24">ver. 23, 24</scripRef>. He was
struck with sore diseases; his own servants conspired against him
and slew him; and, as a mark of infamy upon him, he was not buried
in the burying-place of the kings, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p1.6" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.25-2Chr.24.27" parsed="|2Chr|24|25|24|27" passage="2Ch 24:25-27">ver. 25-27</scripRef>.</p>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xxv-p0.1_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24" parsed="|2Chr|24|0|0|0" passage="2Ch 24" type="Commentary"/>
<scripCom id="iiCh.xxv-p0.2_1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.1-2Chr.24.14" parsed="|2Chr|24|1|24|14" passage="2Ch 24:1-14" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.24.1-2Chr.24.14">
<h4 id="iiCh.xxv-p1.9">The Temple Repaired. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p1.10">b. c.</span> 855.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xxv-p2">1 Joash <i>was</i> seven years old when he began
to reign, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's
name also <i>was</i> Zibiah of Beer-sheba.   2 And Joash did
<i>that which was</i> right in the sight of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.1">Lord</span> all the days of Jehoiada the priest.  
3 And Jehoiada took for him two wives; and he begat sons and
daughters.   4 And it came to pass after this, <i>that</i>
Joash was minded to repair the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.2">Lord</span>.   5 And he gathered together the
priests and the Levites, and said to them, Go out unto the cities
of Judah, and gather of all Israel money to repair the house of
your God from year to year, and see that ye hasten the matter.
Howbeit the Levites hastened <i>it</i> not.   6 And the king
called for Jehoiada the chief, and said unto him, Why hast thou not
required of the Levites to bring in out of Judah and out of
Jerusalem the collection, <i>according to the commandment</i> of
Moses the servant of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.3">Lord</span>, and
of the congregation of Israel, for the tabernacle of witness?
  7 For the sons of Athaliah, that wicked woman, had broken up
the house of God; and also all the dedicated things of the house of
the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.4">Lord</span> did they bestow upon
Baalim.   8 And at the king's commandment they made a chest,
and set it without at the gate of the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.5">Lord</span>.   9 And they made a proclamation
through Judah and Jerusalem, to bring in to the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.6">Lord</span> the collection <i>that</i> Moses the
servant of God <i>laid</i> upon Israel in the wilderness.   10
And all the princes and all the people rejoiced, and brought in,
and cast into the chest, until they had made an end.   11 Now
it came to pass, that at what time the chest was brought unto the
king's office by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that
<i>there was</i> much money, the king's scribe and the high
priest's officer came and emptied the chest, and took it, and
carried it to his place again. Thus they did day by day, and
gathered money in abundance.   12 And the king and Jehoiada
gave it to such as did the work of the service of the house of the
<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.7">Lord</span>, and hired masons and
carpenters to repair the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.8">Lord</span>, and also such as wrought iron and brass to
mend the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.9">Lord</span>.  
13 So the workmen wrought, and the work was perfected by them, and
they set the house of God in his state, and strengthened it.  
14 And when they had finished <i>it,</i> they brought the rest of
the money before the king and Jehoiada, whereof were made vessels
for the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.10">Lord</span>,
<i>even</i> vessels to minister, and to offer <i>withal,</i> and
spoons, and vessels of gold and silver. And they offered burnt
offerings in the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p2.11">Lord</span>
continually all the days of Jehoiada.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p3">This account of Joash's good beginnings we
had as it stands here <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p3.1" osisRef="Bible:2Kgs.12.1-2Kgs.12.21" parsed="|2Kgs|12|1|12|21" passage="2Ki 12:1-21">2 Kings xii.
1</scripRef>, &amp;c., though the latter part of this chapter,
concerning his apostasy, we had little of there. What is good in
men we should take all occasions to speak of and often repeat it;
what is evil we should make mention of but sparingly, and no more
than is needful. We shall here only observe, 1. That it is a happy
thing for young people, when they are setting out in the world, to
be under the direction of those that are wise and good and faithful
to them, as Joash was under the influence of Jehoiada, during whose
time he <i>did that which was right.</i> Let those that are young
reckon it a blessing to them, and not a burden and check upon them,
to have those with them that will caution them against that which
is evil and advise and quicken them to that which is good; and let
them reckon it not a mark of weakness and subjection, but of wisdom
and discretion, to hearken to such. He that will not be counselled
cannot be helped. It is especially prudent for young people to take
advice in their marriages, as Joash did, who left it to his
guardian to choose him his wives, because Jezebel and Athaliah had
been such plagues, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p3.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.3" parsed="|2Chr|24|3|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:3"><i>v.</i>
3</scripRef>. This is a turn of life which often proves either the
making or marring of young people, and therefore should be attended
to with great care. 2. Men may go far in the external performances
of religion, and keep long to them, merely by the power of their
education and the influence of their friends, who yet have no
hearty affection for divine things nor any inward relish of them.
Foreign inducements may push men on to that which is good who are
not actuated by a living principle of grace in their hearts. 3. In
the outward expressions of devotion it is possible that those who
have only the form of godliness may out-strip those who have the
power of it. Joash is more solicitous and more zealous about the
repair of the temple than Jehoiada himself, whom he reproves for
his remissness in that matter, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p3.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.6" parsed="|2Chr|24|6|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:6"><i>v.</i> 6</scripRef>. It is easier to build temples
than to be temples to God. 4. The repairing of churches is a good
work, which all in their places should promote, for the decency and
conveniency of religious assemblies. The learned tell us that in
the Christian church, anciently, part of the tithes were applied
that way. 5. Many a good work would be done that now lies undone if
there were but a few active men to stir in it and to put it
forward. When Joash found the money did not come in as he expected
in one way he tried another way, and that answered the intention.
Many have honesty enough to follow that have not zeal enough to
lead in that which is good. The throwing of money into a chest,
through a hole in the lid of it, was a way that had not been used
before, and perhaps the very novelty of the thing made it a
successful expedient for the raising of money; a great deal was
thrown in and with a great deal of cheerfulness: they all rejoiced,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p3.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.10" parsed="|2Chr|24|10|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:10"><i>v.</i> 10</scripRef>. An invention
to please people's humour may sometimes bring them to their duty.
Wisdom herein is profitable to direct. 6. Faithfulness is the
greatest praise and will be the greatest comfort of those that are
entrusted with public treasure or employed in public business. The
king and Jehoiada faithfully paid the money to the workmen, who
faithfully did the work, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p3.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.12-2Chr.24.13" parsed="|2Chr|24|12|24|13" passage="2Ch 24:12,13"><i>v.</i>
12, 13</scripRef>.</p>
</div><scripCom id="iiCh.xxv-p0.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.15-2Chr.24.27" parsed="|2Chr|24|15|24|27" passage="2Ch 24:15-27" type="Commentary"/><div class="Commentary" id="Bible:2Chr.24.15-2Chr.24.27">
<h4 id="iiCh.xxv-p3.7">Joash Slain by His Servants. (<span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p3.8">b. c.</span> 845.)</h4>
<p class="passage" id="iiCh.xxv-p4">15 But Jehoiada waxed old, and was full of days
when he died; a hundred and thirty years old <i>was he</i> when he
died.   16 And they buried him in the city of David among the
kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God, and
toward his house.   17 Now after the death of Jehoiada came
the princes of Judah, and made obeisance to the king. Then the king
hearkened unto them.   18 And they left the house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.1">Lord</span> God of their fathers, and served
groves and idols: and wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this
their trespass.   19 Yet he sent prophets to them, to bring
them again unto the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.2">Lord</span>; and they
testified against them: but they would not give ear.   20 And
the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the
priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus
saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.3">Lord</span>, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have
forsaken the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.4">Lord</span>, he hath also
forsaken you.   21 And they conspired against him, and stoned
him with stones at the commandment of the king in the court of the
house of the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.5">Lord</span>.   22 Thus
Joash the king remembered not the kindness which Jehoiada his
father had done to him, but slew his son. And when he died, he
said, The <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.6">Lord</span> look upon <i>it,</i>
and require <i>it.</i>   23 And it came to pass at the end of
the year, <i>that</i> the host of Syria came up against him: and
they came to Judah and Jerusalem, and destroyed all the princes of
the people from among the people, and sent all the spoil of them
unto the king of Damascus.   24 For the army of the Syrians
came with a small company of men, and the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.7">Lord</span> delivered a very great host into their
hand, because they had forsaken the <span class="smallcaps" id="iiCh.xxv-p4.8">Lord</span> God of their fathers. So they executed
judgment against Joash.   25 And when they were departed from
him, (for they left him in great diseases,) his own servants
conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the
priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died: and they buried him
in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchres of
the kings.   26 And these are they that conspired against him;
Zabad the son of Shimeath an Ammonitess, and Jehozabad the son of
Shimrith a Moabitess.   27 Now <i>concerning</i> his sons, and
the greatness of the burdens <i>laid</i> upon him, and the
repairing of the house of God, behold, they <i>are</i> written in
the story of the book of the kings. And Amaziah his son reigned in
his stead.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p5">We have here a sad account of the
degeneracy and apostasy of Joash. God had done great things for
him; he had done something for God; but now he proved ungrateful to
his God and false to the engagements he had laid himself under to
him. <i>How has the gold become dim, and the most fine gold
changed!</i> Here we find,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p6">I. The occasions of his apostasy. When he
did that which was right it was <i>not with a perfect heart.</i> He
never was sincere, never acted from principle, but in compliance to
Jehoiada, who had helped him to the crown, and because he had been
protected in the temple and rose upon the ruins of idolatry; and
therefore, when the wind turned, he turned with it. 1. His good
counsellor left him, and was by death removed from him. It was a
mercy to him and his kingdom that Jehoiada lived so long-130 years
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p6.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.15" parsed="|2Chr|24|15|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:15"><i>v.</i> 15</scripRef>), by which
it appears that he was born in Solomon's time, and had lived six
entire reigns before this. It was an encouragement to him to go on
in that good way which Jehoiada had trained him up in to see what
honour was done to Jehoiada at his death: <i>They buried him among
the kings,</i> with this honourable encomium (perhaps it was part
of the inscription on his grave-stone), that <i>he had done good in
Israel.</i> Judah is called <i>Israel,</i> because, the other
tribes having revolted from God, they only were Israelites indeed.
Note, It is the greatest honour to do good in our generations, and
those who <i>do that which is good shall have praise of the
same.</i> He had done good towards God; not that any man's goodness
can extend unto him, but he had done good towards his house, in
reviving the temple service, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p6.2" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.23.8" parsed="|2Chr|23|8|0|0" passage="2Ch 23:8"><i>ch.</i> xxiii. 8</scripRef>. Note, Those do the
greatest good to their country that lay out themselves in their
places to promote religion. Well, Jehoiada finished his course with
honour; but the little religion that Joash had was all buried in
his grave, and, after his death, both king and kingdom miserably
degenerated. See how much one head may sustain, and what a great
judgment to any prince or people the death of godly, zealous,
useful men is. See how necessary it is that, as our Saviour speaks,
we <i>have salt in ourselves,</i> that we act in religion from an
inward principle, which will carry us on through all changes. Then
the loss of a parent, a minister, a friend, will not involve the
loss of our religion. 2. Bad counsellors got about him, insinuated
themselves into his affections, wheedled him, flattered him,
<i>made obeisance</i> to him, and, instead of condoling,
congratulated him upon the death of his old tutor, as his release
from the discipline he had been so long under, unworthy a man, a
king. They tell him he must be priest-ridden no longer, he is now
discharged from <i>grave lessons and restraints,</i> he may do as
he pleases: and (would you think it?) the princes of Judah were the
men that were so industrious to debauch him, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p6.3" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.17" parsed="|2Chr|24|17|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:17"><i>v.</i> 17</scripRef>. His father and grandfather
were corrupted by the house of Ahab, from whom no better could be
expected. But that the princes of Judah should be seducers to their
king was very sad. But those that incline to the <i>counsels of the
ungodly</i> will never want ungodly counsellors. They <i>made
obeisance to the king,</i> flattered him into an opinion of his
absolute power, promised to stand by him in making his royal will
and pleasure pass for a law, any divine precept or institution to
the contrary in any wise notwithstanding. And he hearkened to them:
their discourse pleased him, and was more agreeable than Jehoiada's
dictates used to be. Princes and inferior people have been many a
time thus flattered into their ruin by those who have promised them
liberty and dignity, but who have really brought them into the
greatest servitude and disgrace.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p7">II. The apostasy itself: <i>They left the
house of God, and served groves and idols,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p7.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.18" parsed="|2Chr|24|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:18"><i>v.</i> 18</scripRef>. The princes, it is likely, had
a request to the king, which they tell him they durst not offer
while Jehoiada lived; but now they hope it will give no offence: it
is that they may set up the groves and idols again which were
thrown down in the beginning of his reign, for they hate to be
always confined to the dull old-fashioned service of the temple.
And he not only gave them leave to do it themselves, but he joined
with them. The king and princes, who, a little while ago, were
repairing the temple, now forsook the temple; those who had pulled
down groves and idols now themselves served them. So inconstant a
thing is man and so little confidence is to be put in him!</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p8">III. The aggravations of this apostasy and
the additions of guilt to it. God <i>sent prophets to them</i>
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p8.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.19" parsed="|2Chr|24|19|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:19"><i>v.</i> 19</scripRef>) to reprove
them for their wickedness, and to tell them what would be in the
end thereof, and so <i>to bring them again unto the Lord.</i> It is
the work of ministers to bring people, not to themselves, but to
God—to bring those again to him who have gone a whoring from him.
In the most degenerate times God <i>left not himself without
witness;</i> though they had dealt very disingenuously with God,
yet he sent prophets to them to convince and instruct them, and to
assure them that they should find favour with him if yet they would
return; for he would rather sinners should <i>turn and live</i>
than <i>go on and die,</i> and those that perish shall be left
inexcusable. The prophets did their part: <i>they testified against
them;</i> but, few or none <i>received their testimony.</i></p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p9">1. They slighted all the prophets; they
would not give ear, were so strangely wedded to their idols that no
reproofs, warnings, threatenings, nor any of the various methods
which the prophets took to convince them would reclaim them. Few
would hear them, fewer would heed them, but fewest of all would
believe them or be governed by them.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p10">2. They slew one of the most eminent,
<i>Zechariah the son of Jehoiada,</i> and perhaps others.
Concerning him observe,</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p11">(1.) The message which he delivered to them
in the name of God, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p11.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.20" parsed="|2Chr|24|20|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:20"><i>v.</i>
20</scripRef>. The people were assembled in the court of the temple
(for they had not quite left it), probably on occasion of some
solemn feast, when this Zechariah, being filled with the spirit of
prophecy, and known (it is likely) to be a prophet, stood up in
some of the desks that were in the court of the priests, and very
plainly, but without any provoking language, told the people of
their sin and what would be the consequences of it. He did not
impeach any particular persons, nor predict any particular
judgments, as sometimes the prophets did, but as inoffensively as
possible reminded them of what was written in the law. Let them but
look into their Bibles, and there they would find, [1.] The precept
they broke: "<i>You transgress the commandments of the Lord,</i>
you know you do so, in serving groves and idols: and why will you
so offend God and wrong yourselves?" [2.] The penalty they
incurred: "You know, if the word of God be true, you cannot prosper
in this evil way; never expect to do ill and fare well. Nay, you
find already that <i>because you have forsaken the Lord he hath
forsaken you,</i> as he told you he would," <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p11.2" osisRef="Bible:Deut.29.25 Bible:Deut.31.16-Deut.31.17" parsed="|Deut|29|25|0|0;|Deut|31|16|31|17" passage="De 29:25,31:16,17">Deut. xxix. 25; xxxi. 16, 17</scripRef>. This
is the work of ministers, by the word of God, as a lamp and a
light, to expose the sin of men and expound the providences of
God.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p12">(2.) The barbarous treatment they gave him
for his kindness and faithfulness in delivering this message to
them, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p12.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.21" parsed="|2Chr|24|21|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:21"><i>v.</i> 21</scripRef>. By the
conspiracy of the princes, or some of their party, and <i>by the
commandment of the king,</i> who thought himself affronted by this
fair warning, they stoned him to death immediately, not under
colour of law, accusing him as a blasphemer, a traitor, or a false
prophet, but in a popular tumult, <i>in the court of the house of
the Lord</i>—as horrid a piece of wickedness as perhaps any we
read of in all the history of the kings. The <i>person</i> was
sacred—a priest, the <i>place</i> sacred—the court of the temple
(the inner court, <i>between the porch and the altar</i>), the
<i>message</i> yet more sacred, and we have reason to think that
they knew it came from the spirit of prophecy. The reproof was
just, the warning fair, both backed with scripture, and the
delivery very gentle and tender; and yet so impudently and daringly
do they defy God himself that nothing less than the blood of the
prophet can satisfy their indignation at the prophecy. <i>Be
astonished, O heavens! at this,</i> and <i>tremble, O earth!</i>
that ever such villany should be committed by men, by Israelites,
in contempt and violation of every thing that is just, honourable,
and sacred—that a king, a king in covenant with God, should
command the murder of one whom it was his office to protect and
countenance! The Jews say there were seven transgressions in this;
for they killed a priest, a prophet, a judge, they shed innocent
blood, and polluted the court of the temple, the sabbath, and the
day of expiation: for on that day, their tradition says, this
happened.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p13">(3.) The aggravation of this sin, that this
Zechariah, who suffered martyrdom for his faithfulness to God and
his country, was the son of Jehoiada, who had done so much good in
Israel, and particularly had been as a father to Joash, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p13.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.22" parsed="|2Chr|24|22|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:22"><i>v.</i> 22</scripRef>. The affront done by it
to God, and the contempt put on religion, are not so particularly
taken notice of as the ingratitude there was in it to the memory of
Jehoiada. He remembered not the kindness of the father, but slew
the son for doing his duty, and what the father would have done if
he had been there. Call a man ungrateful, and you can call him no
worse.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p14">(4.) The dying martyr's prophetic
imprecation of vengeance upon his murderers: <i>The Lord look upon
it, and require it!</i> This came not from a spirit of revenge, but
a spirit of prophecy: <i>He will require it.</i> This would be the
continual cry of the blood they shed, as Abel's blood cried against
Cain: "Let the God to whom vengeance belongs demand blood for
blood. He will do it, for he is righteous." This precious blood was
quickly reckoned for in the judgments that came upon this apostate
prince; it came into the account afterwards in the destruction of
Jerusalem by the Chaldeans—their misusing the prophets was that
which brought upon them ruin without remedy (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p14.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.36.16" parsed="|2Chr|36|16|0|0" passage="2Ch 36:16"><i>ch.</i> xxxvi. 16</scripRef>); nay, our Saviour
makes the persecutors of him and his gospel answerable for the
blood of this Zechariah; so loud, so long, does the blood of the
martyrs cry. See <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p14.2" osisRef="Bible:Matt.23.35" parsed="|Matt|23|35|0|0" passage="Mt 23:35">Matt. xxiii.
35</scripRef>. Such as this is the cry of the souls under the altar
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p14.3" osisRef="Bible:Rev.6.10" parsed="|Rev|6|10|0|0" passage="Re 6:10">Rev. vi. 10</scripRef>), <i>How long
ere thou avenge our blood?</i> For it shall not always go
unrevenged.</p>
<p class="indent" id="iiCh.xxv-p15">IV. The judgments of God which came upon
Joash for this aggravated wickedness of his. 1. A small army of
Syrians made themselves masters of Jerusalem, destroyed the
princes, plundered the city, and sent the spoil of it to Damascus,
<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.1" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.23-2Chr.24.24" parsed="|2Chr|24|23|24|24" passage="2Ch 24:23,24"><i>v.</i> 23, 24</scripRef>. God's
people, while they kept in with God, had often been conquerors when
the enemy had the advantage of the greater number; but now, on the
contrary, an inconsiderable handful of Syrians routed a <i>very
great host of Israelites, because they had forsaken the Lord God of
their fathers,</i> and then they were not only put upon the level
with their enemies, but opposed them with the utmost disadvantage;
for their God not only departed from them, but <i>turned to be
their enemy and fought against them.</i> The Syrians were employed
as instruments in God's hand to <i>execute judgments against
Joash,</i> though they little thought so, <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.2" osisRef="Bible:Isa.10.6-Isa.10.7" parsed="|Isa|10|6|10|7" passage="Isa 10:6,7">Isa. x. 6, 7</scripRef>, and see <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.3" osisRef="Bible:Deut.32.30" parsed="|Deut|32|30|0|0" passage="De 32:30">Deut. xxxii. 30</scripRef>. 2. God smote him with great
diseases, of body, or mind, or both, either like his grandfather
(<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.4" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.21.18" parsed="|2Chr|21|18|0|0" passage="2Ch 21:18"><i>ch.</i> xxi. 18</scripRef>), or,
like Saul, an evil spirit from God troubling him. While he was
plagued with the Syrians he thought that, if he could but get clear
of them, he should do well enough. But, before they departed from
him, God smote him with diseases. If vengeance pursue men, the end
of one trouble will but be the beginning of another. 3. His own
servants conspired against him. Perhaps he began to hope his
disease would be cured—he was but a middle-aged man and might
recover it; but <i>he that cometh up out of the pit shall fall into
the snare.</i> When he thought he should escape death by sickness
he met it by the sword. They slew him in his bed <i>for the blood
of the sons of Jehoiada,</i> by which it should seem that he did
not only slay Zechariah, but others of the sons of Jehoiada for his
sake. Perhaps those that slew him <i>intended</i> to take vengeance
for that blood; but, whether they did or not, this was what God
intended in permitting them to slay him. Those that drink the blood
of the saints shall have their own blood given them to drink, for
they are worthy. The regicides are here named (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.5" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.26" parsed="|2Chr|24|26|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:26"><i>v.</i> 26</scripRef>), and it is observable that the
mothers of them both were foreigners, one an Ammonitess and the
other a Moabitess. The idolatrous kings, it is likely, countenanced
those marriages which the law prohibited for the prevention of
idolatry; and see how they resulted in their own destruction. 4.
His people would not bury him in the sepulchres of the kings
because he had stained his honour by his mal-administration. <i>Let
him not be written with the righteous,</i> <scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.6" osisRef="Bible:Ps.69.28" parsed="|Ps|69|28|0|0" passage="Ps 69:28">Ps. lxix. 28</scripRef>. These judgments are called the
<i>burdens laid upon him</i> (<scripRef id="iiCh.xxv-p15.7" osisRef="Bible:2Chr.24.27" parsed="|2Chr|24|27|0|0" passage="2Ch 24:27"><i>v.</i> 27</scripRef>), for the wrath of God is a
heavy burden, too heavy for any man to bear. Or it may be meant of
the threatenings denounced against him by the prophets, for those
are called <i>burdens.</i> Usually God sets some special marks of
his displeasure upon apostates in this life, for warning to all to
<i>remember Lot's wife.</i></p>
</div></div2>