There is a great diversity of opinions concerning the meaning of this text. Some consider it a prophecy relative to the future state of this people, and the final destruction of the Jews as to their political existence: others consider it as referring to the state of the people under the reigns of Rehoboam and Abijah, which were happily changed under that of Asa; and this appears to me to be the most natural sense of the words.
Verse 5
But great vexations - Does not our Lord allude to this and the following verse in [Mat 24:6], [Mat 24:7], [Mat 24:9], [Mat 24:13]?
Verse 8
Renewed the altar - Dedicated it afresh, or perhaps enlarged it, that more sacrifices might be offered on it than ever before; for it cannot be supposed that this altar had no victims offered on it till the fifteenth year of the reign of Asa, who had previously been so zealous in restoring the Divine worship.
Verse 9
And the strangers - Many out of the different tribes, particularly out of Simeon, Ephraim, and Manasseh, having reflected that the Divine blessing was promised to the house of David, and finding the government of Jeroboam founded in idolatry, would naturally, through a spirit of piety, leave their own country, and go where they might enjoy the worship of the true God.
Verse 10
The third month - At the feast of pentecost which was held on the third month.
Verse 11
The spoil which they had brought - The spoil which they had taken from Zerah and his auxiliaries, [2Chr 14:14], [2Chr 14:15].
Verse 12
They entered into a covenant - The covenant consisted of two parts:
1. We will seek the God of our fathers with all our heart, and with all our soul.
2. Whosoever, great or small, man or woman, will not worship the true God, and serve him alone, shall be put to death. Thus no toleration was given to idolatry, so that it must be rooted out: and that this covenant might be properly binding, they confirmed it with an oath; and God accepted them and their services.
Verse 16
Concerning Maachah - See the matter fully explained in the note on [1Kgs 15:13] (note).
The Jews imagine that Maachah repented, and her name became changed into Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah; and that this was done that there might be no mention of her former name, lest it should be a reproach to her: but we have already seen another gloss on this name. See on [2Chr 11:20] (note).
Verse 17
The high places were not taken away - He had totally suppressed or destroyed the idolatry; but some of the places, buildings, or altars, he permitted to remain.
Verse 18
The things that his father had dedicated - As it was a custom to dedicate a part of the spoils taken from an enemy to the service and honor of God, it is natural to suppose that Abijah, having so signally overthrown Jeroboam, ([2Chr 13:15-19]), had dedicated a part of the spoils to the Lord; but they had not been brought into the temple till this time.
Silver, and gold, and vessels - The word כלים kelim, which we translate vessels, signifies instruments, utensils, ornaments, etc.
Verse 19
The five and thirtieth year of the reign of Asa - Archbishop Usher thinks that this should be counted from the separation of the kingdom, and that this fell on the fifteenth year of Asa's reign. To settle in every respect these chronologies is a most difficult undertaking; and the difficulty does not belong to the sacred books alone, all other chronological tables of all the nations in the world, are in the same predicament. With those of our own history I have often been puzzled, even while I had access to all the archives of the nation. Probably we should read here the five and twentieth year. See the note on [1Kgs 15:16].
Introduction
Baasha, king of Israel, begins to build Ramah, to prevent his subjects from having any intercourse with the Jews, [2Chr 16:1]. Asa hires Ben-hadad, king of Syria, against him; and obliges him to leave off building Ramah, [2Chr 16:2-5]. Asa and his men carry the stones and timbers of Ramah away, and build therewith Geba and Mizpah, [2Chr 16:6]. Asa is reproved by Hanani, the seer, for his union with the king of Syria: he is offended with the seer, and puts him in prison, [2Chr 16:7-10]. Of his acts, [2Chr 16:11]. He is diseased in his feet, and seeks to physicians and not to God, and dies, [2Chr 16:12], [2Chr 16:13]. His sumptuous funeral, [2Chr 16:14].
Verse 1
The six and thirtieth year - After the division of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah; according to Usher. This opinion is followed in our margin; see the note on [1Kgs 15:16], where this subject is farther considered.
Concerning Baasha's building of Ramah, see the note on [1Kgs 15:17].
Verse 3
There is a league - Let there be a treaty, offensive and defensive, between me and thee: see on [1Kgs 15:22] (note).
Verse 6
Took all Judah - See on [1Kgs 15:22] (note).
Verse 7
Escaped out of thine hand - It is difficult to know what is here intended. Perhaps the Divine providence had intended to give Asa a grand victory over the Syrians, who had always been the inveterate enemies of the Jews; but by this unnecessary and very improper alliance between Asa and Ben-hadad, this purpose of the Divine providence was prevented, and thus the Syrians escaped out of his hands.
Verse 9
Therefore - thou shalt have wars - And so he had with Israel during the rest of his reign, [1Kgs 15:32].
Verse 10
Asa was wroth with the seer - Instead of humbling himself, and deprecating the displeasure of the Lord, he persecuted his messenger: and having thus laid his impious hands upon the prophet, he appears to have got his heart hardened through the deceitfulness of sin; and then he began to oppress the people, either by unjust imprisonments, or excessive taxations.
Verse 12
Diseased in his feet - He had a strong and long fit of the gout; this is most likely.
He sought not to the Lord - "He did not seek discipline from the face of the Lord, but from the physicians." - Targum.
Are we not taught by this to make prayer and supplication to the Lord in our afflictions, with the expectation that he will heal us when he finds us duly humbled, i.e., when the end is answered for which he sends the affliction?