704. Date the following events :-in Israel, accession of Ahab-death of Ahab and accession of Ahaziah-death of Ahaziah and accession of Jehoram or Joram-death of Jehoram. In Judah, accession of Jchoshaphat-death of Jehoshaphat and accession of Jehoram or Joram-death of Jehoram and accession of Ahaziah-death of Ahaziah.

705. Give the meanings of-Ahab, Ahaziah, Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, Elijah, Elisha.

CHAPTER XXXV.

REIGNS OF ATHALIAH AND JOASH IN JUDAH.
REIGNS OF JEHU AND JEHOAHAZ IN ISRAEL.
(B. C. 884-839.)

(2 Kings ix. 30-xiii 9; 2 Chron. xxii. 10-xxiv. 27.)

*

UPON the death of Ahaziah, his mother ATHALIAH (of uncertain meaning)—that wicked daughter of Ahab, who had encouraged first her husband and afterwards her son in the promotion of heathen idolatry-found means to usurp the throne (B. C. 884), having first destroyed all the surviving male branches of the royal family, with the exception of Ahaziah's infant son (Joash), who was successfully concealed in one of the apartments of the Temple by his aunt Jehosheba, wife of the high priest Jehoiada. Athaliah, now recognised as reigning queen of Judah,t occupied the throne during the space of six years; making, we may be sure, earnest and unremitting efforts to establish in that kingdom the worship of Baal, which had been introduced into Israel by her mother Jezebel during the reign of Ahab. But Judah, as a nation, was not prepared to succumb to the influence of a foreign and tyrannical usurper in favour of the establishment of heathenism. In the seventh year of Athaliah's reign, the high priest Jehoiada (Jehovah knows) found that the time had arrived in which he might safely defy her power, and proclaim to the people the existence of their lawful sovereign JOASH ‡ (Jehovah gives). Accordingly, having made known his design to some of the chief men of the kingdom, and having secured in his favour the services of the royal Guards § (two-thirds of whom were stationed on regular duty

* A sister of Ahaziah, but probably not a daughter of Athaliah.

† It has been remarked that the Phoenician Dido was not far removed, either in date or in origin, from this queen of Judah. [See note on p. 251.]

[Mr. Riddle uses this form throughout for the king of Judah, and Jehoash for the king of Israel (chap. xxxvi.). But in the Book of Kings the two forms are used quite indiscriminately.]

§ [This is the view maintained by Ewald, and in Smith's Dict. i. 134. Others, however, consider that Jehoiada employed the services of the priests and Levites on duty at the Temple; and this view certainly seems more consistent with the sacred narrative, especially as given in Chronicles. See Smith's Dict. i. 943; ii, 106, and Keil on 2 Kings xi. 5-8.]

at the approaches to the Temple, while the other third was on guard at the palace), Jehoiada brought forth the youthful prince from the place of his concealment, and, having conducted him to the inner court, placed th crown upon his head, anointed him, and proclaimed him king of Judah. This proclamation was heartily received by the rest of the people, who were assembled in the outer court. Athaliah, hearing the noise, repaired to the spot, and raised the cry of Treason, Treason, but in vain; she found herself abandoned to the arrest of justice, and, by order of Jehoiada, she was immediately put to death (B.c. 878). The treason had been in fact on her side, and on the side of all those who had combined with her in favour of those idolatrous practices which were against the fundamental law of the theocratic constitution; and, as a punishment of this idolatry and treason, Jehoiada caused Mattan, the priest of Baal, to be put to death, and destroyed the images, altars, and temple of the idol, so as to abolish all traces of that false worship which had too long prevailed. At the same time, the king and people solemnly renewed the national covenant with the God of their fathers.

Under the instruction of Jehoiada, Joash began his long reign well. The services of the Temple were restored; and, in the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash, the building itself was repaired. Afterwards Jehoiada died at the age of 130 years: and the value of his faithful services was acknowledged by the honourable burial of his remains in the city of David among the kings. After his death, the heathen party in the state, which, although by no means the national party, yet numbered among its adherents many of the most powerful men of Judah, again lifted up its head; evil advisers gained the ear of the king; and, being misled by this perverse influence in high places, the people too generally relapsed into idolatry; so that wrath came upon Judah and Jerusalem for this their trespass.' In vain did prophets of the Lord testify against the existing evils; and when Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, who had probably succeeded to the high-priesthood, under the immediate influence of the Spirit of God, made a public expostulation, attended with a declaration of the Divine displeasure, he was stoned to death, by order of the king. This act of combined impiety and ingratitude on the part of Joash, in which he was no doubt supported by the partisans of idolatry, was soon visited by signal punishment. Hazael,* king of

* [About B.C. 885 Hazael, having been designated king by Elisha, in accordance with the commission given to Elijah (p. 255), had succeeded Benhadad II, on the throne of Syria.]

Damascene Syria, having captured Gath, was diverted from Jerusalem only by a present consisting of a large portion of the sacred treasures. (2 Kings, xii. 17, 18.) The Syrians 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. For the army of the Syrians came with a small company of men, and the Lord delivered a very great host into their hand, because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers. So they executed judgment against Joash. 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.' (2 Chron. xxiv. 23-25.) Mournful end of a sovereign who had been rescued from destruction in his infancy, and had been crowned, when seven years old, in the inner court of the Temple! He reigned 40 years, and was succeeded by his son Amaziah. (B. C. 839.)

After overthrowing the house of Omri in Israel, JEHU (perhaps, He shall be) began to reign over that kingdom (B. C. 884): thus commencing a dynasty which (including an interregnum) lasted about 112 years-longer than any of the foregoing in Israel.

The first act of Jehu, upon his entry into Jezreel, was to command the death of Jezebel, who, having painted her eyelids and otherwise adorned her person, looked out at a window upon Jehu as he entered the palace, and bade him defiance with the scornful expression, 'Had Zimri peace who slew his master?' At the suggestion of the new king, this infamous woman was thrown from the window at which she appeared, and was trodden under foot by the horses of his chariot; whereupon, according to the prediction of Elijah, her flesh was speedily devoured by dogs. Proceeding with the destruction of this idolatrous family, according to the tenour of the Divine denunciation, Jehu called for the heads of Ahab's seventy sons then resident in Samaria, which were accordingly sent to him at Jezreel, in token of submission to his authority on the part of the chief men of the kingdom, and were placed in two heaps on either side of the city gate. After this, Jehu set out from Jezreel for Samaria. On his way he met forty-two kinsmen of Ahaziah, king of Judah, and had them put to death; and, after his arrival at Šamaria, he completed the slaughter of the house of Ahab.

Jehu now found himself in a position to manifest his 'zeal

for the Lord,' of which he boasted to Jehonadab, the son of Rechab, who came out to meet him on his approach to Samaria. Having convened a solemn assembly of all the priests * of Baal (who were zealous adherents of the house of Ahab), under pretext of offering a large sacrifice in honour of the idol, and having thus gathered these priests together, robed in the sacerdotal vestments,† in their temple, he caused them all to be put to death, and afterwards destroyed the images of the idol, and poured contempt on his temple by applying it to a dishonourable use. By this means, the idolatry which had so long flourished in Israel received a blow from which it never entirely recovered. Jehu received a Divine promise that, as a reward for his zeal in destroying the house of Ahab, his posterity to the fourth generation should occupy the throne. He appears, however, to have served the Lord only so far as such service appeared to be consistent with his own interests, or fell in with his own humour: he adhered to the policy of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, with regard to the Golden Calves; and, as a punishment for this defect in his service, the Damascene Syrians were permitted to make successful inroads into his dominions, committing their ravages especially upon the country east of the Jordan, which was occupied by the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and half Manasseh. Jehu died (B.c. 856), after a reign of twenty-eight years, in the twenty-third year of Joash, king of Judah.

He was succeeded by his son JEHOAHAZ (Jehovah holds), during the greater part of whose reign the kingdom was reduced to extreme weakness by the continued successes of the Syrians under Hazael, and his son Benhadad III. Jehoahaz reigned seventeen years; during the last two years he appears to bave associated his son Jehoash with himself in the government, and, having had recourse to earnest prayer, he obtained some measure of support against the Syrians. He was succeeded by his son Jehoash as sole king, B.C. 839; in which year also Amaziah, son of Joash, ascended the throne of Judah.

The reigns of Jehu and Jehoahaz in Israel occupied nearly the same period of time as those of Athaliah and Joash in Judah.

ELEMENTARY AND GENERAL QUESTIONS.

706. Who was Athaliah? Relate her usurpation of the throne of Judah.

* [Perhaps rather, of all the worshippers of Baal.]

+ The vestments of the Phoenician priests are described by Herodian, Hist. v. 5. See also Sil. Ital. iii. 24-27. Concerning Jehu's proclamation to all who were not worshippers of Baal, calling on them to quit the temple, reference has been made to Sil. Ital. iii. 20, 21. We are here reminded also of the well-known Procul este profani!

707. What was the character of Athaliah's reign ? How long did it last? 708. Who was Joash? By whom was he preserved alive, and brought up? 709. Relate the overthrow of Athaliah, and the establishment of Joash on the throne.

710. Describe the earlier and the later proceedings of Joash.

711. Mention the public calamity with which the idolatry of Judah was punished at the latter period of this reign.

712. How long did Joash reign? Describe the manner of his death.

713. What king began to reign in Israel after the overthrow of the house of Omri ?

714. Describe the acts of Jehu in execution of the Divine denunciation against the house of Ahab.

715. Relate his proceedings against the idolatry of Baal.

716. What seems to have been the character of this prince?

717. What troubles befell Israel during the latter portion of this reign?

718. How long did Jehu reign? By whom was he succeeded?

719. What enemies infested Israel during the reign of Jehoahaz?

720. How long did Jehoahaz reign? By whom was he succeeded?

721. What sovereigns of Judah were nearly contemporary with Jehu and Jehoahaz in Israel?

ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.

722. Date the following events. In Judah, usurpation of Athaliah-death of Athaliah, and accession of Joash-death of Joash, and accession of Amaziah. In Israel, accession of Jehu-death of Jehu, and accession of Jehoahaz-death of Jehoahaz, and accession of Jehoash.

723. Give the meanings of-Athaliah, Joash-Jehu, Jehoahaz-Jehoiada.

CHAPTER XXXVI.

REIGNS OF AMAZIAH AND UZZIAH (B.c. 839-758) IN JUDAH. -REIGNS OF JEHOash and JEROBOAM II., INTERREGNUM, AND THE REIGNS OF ZACHARIAH, SHALLUM, MENAHEM, and PEKAHIAH (839-759) IN ISRAEL.

(2 Kings xiii. 10-xv. 26; 2 Chron. xxv. xxvi.)

AMAZIAH (strength of Jehovah), son of Joash, began to reign in Judah in B.C. 839. As soon as he found himself established on the throne,* he caused the two assassins of his father to be put to death, at the same time religiously sparing their children, out of declared regard to the provision of the law (Deut. xxiv. 16). In the beginning of his reign, he was faithful to the principles of the theocracy, and to the Mosaic institutions of worship; although he continued to tolerate the use of high places for sacrifice.

* [Professor Rawlinson understands by the expression, the kingdom was confirmed in his hand' (2 Kings xiv. 5), that Amaziah was tributary to the king of Assyria, and was confirmed by him in the possession of the kingdom. See Smith's Dict. ii, 970.]