quivers, and other weapons, which it contained; and set them armed in a circle round about the temple, so as to touch one another's hands; by that means excluding those from entering that ought not to enter. So they brought the child into the midst of them, and put on him the royal crown; and Jehoiada anointed him with the oil, and made him king. And the multitude rejoiced, and shouted "God save the king."

When Athaliab unexpectedly heard these acclamations, she was disturbed in her mind, and suddenly issued out of the royal palace with her own army, and when she was come to the temple, the priests received her; but as for those that stood round about the temple, as they were ordered by the high-priests to do, they hindered the armed men that followed her from going in. But when Athaliah saw the child standing on a pillar,† with the royal crown upon his head, she rent her clothes, and cried out vehemently, and commanded her guards to kill him that had laid snares for her, and endeavoured to deprive her of the government. But Jehoiada called for the captains of hundreds, and commanded them to bring Athaliah to the valley of Cedron, and slay her there; for he would not have the temple defiled with the punishment of this pernicious woman. And he gave order, that if any one came near to help her, he should be slain also. Wherefore those that had the charge of her slaughter led her to the gate of the king's mules and slew her there.

* 2 Kings xi. 12.

The words in the text are,—And when she looked, behold the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, 2 Kings xi. 14. Now there were two famous pillars, which Solomon erected in the porch of the temple, whereof that on the right hand was called Jachin, and that on the left Booz, and were each of them (according to the account we have) eighteen cubits high, 1 Kings vii. 15, 21. Solomon's design in setting up these two pillars, is generally supposed to have been, in order to represent the pillar of the cloud, and the pillar of fire, which went before the Israelites, and conducted them in the wilderness. The pillar on the right hand represented the pillar of the cloud, and that on the left the pillar of fire; and near one of these pillars, in all probability, the royal throne was erected; unless we can suppose, that, what is here called a pillar, was that brazen scaffold, five cubits long, five broad, and five high, which Solomon made at first upon his dedicating the temple, but was afterwards continued for the king, upon any solemn occasion, to appear upon, and where doubtless there was a throne of state. Calmet's Commentary, and Bedford's Scripture Chronology. lib. vi. c. 2. B.

Jehoiada now called together the people, and the armed men into the temple; and made them take an oath, that they would be obedient to the king, and take care of his safety, and of the safety of his government. After which he obliged the king to give security, upon oath, that he would worship God, and not transgress the laws of Moses. They then ran to the house of Baal, which Athaliah and her husband Jehoram had built to the dishonour of the God of their fathers, and to the honour of Abab; and demolished it, and slew Mattan, that bad the priesthood. But Jehoiada intrusted the care and custody of the temple to the priests and Levites, according to the appointment of David; and enjoined them to bring their regular burnt-offerings twice a day; and to offer incense according to the law. He also ordained some of the Levites with the porters, to be a guard to the temple; that no one that was defiled might come there.

When Jehoiada had set these things in order, he, with the captains of hundreds, and the rulers, and all the people, took Jehoash out of the temple into the king's palace: and when he had set him upon the king's throne, the people shouted for joy, and kept a festival for many days. But the city was quiet upon the death of Athaliab. Now Jehoash was seven years old when he took the kingdom. His mother's name was Zibiah, of the city Beersheba. And all the time that Jehoiada lived Jehoash was careful that the laws should be kept, and was very zealous in the worship of God. And when he was of age he married two wives, who were given to him by the highpriest; by whom were born to him both sons and daughters.

*2 Kings xii. 2.

CHAP. VIII.

OF HAZAEL'S EXPEDITION AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL, AND THE INHABITANTS OF JERUSALEM; THE DEATH OP JEHU, AND SUCCESSION OF JEHOAHAZ; THE CONDUCT OF JEHOASH, `KING OF JUDAH; AND THE ACCESSION OF AMAZIAH.

NOW Hazael, king of Syria, fought against the Israelites, and spoiled the eastern parts of the country beyond Jordan, which belonged to the Reubenites and Gadites, and to the half tribe of Manassites; as also Gilead and Bashan; burning, spoiling, and offering violence to all that he could lay his hands on ; and this without interruption from Jehu, who made no haste to defend the country, when it was under this distress. Nay, he was become a contemner of religion, and despiser of holiness, and of the laws; and died when he had reigned over the Israelites twenty-seven years. He was buried in Samaria, and left the government to his son Jehoahaz.

. Meanwhile Jehoash, king of Judah, had an inclination to repair the temple of God. So he called Jehoiada, and bade him send the Levites and priests through all the country to require half a shekel of silver from every head, towards the rebuilding and repairing of the temple, which was brought to decay by Jehoram, and Athaliah, and her sons. But the high-priest did not do this; as concluding that no one would willingly pay that money. But in the twenty-third year of Jehoash's reign, when the king sent for him, and the Levites, and complained that they had not obeyed what he enjoined them; and still commanded them to take care of the rebuilding of the temple, he used this stratagem for collecting the money. He made a wooden chest, and closed it up fast on all sides, but opened one hole in it. He then set it in the temple, beside the altar, and desired every one to cast into it, through the hole what he pleased, for the repair of the temple. This contrivance was acceptable to the people; and they strove one with another, and brought

* Twenty-eight, Hebrew and Septuagint, from an: 885 to 857.

in jointly large quantities of silver and gold. And when the scribes and the priests that were over the treasuries, had emptied the chest, and counted the money in the king's presence, they then set it in its former place. And thus did they every day. But when the multitude appeared to have cast in as much as was wanted, the high-priest Jehoiada, and king Joash, sent to hire masons and carpenters: and to buy large pieces of timber, and of the most curious sort. And when they had repaired the temple, they made use of the remaining gold and silver, for bowls, basons, cups, and other vessels; and they went on to make the altar every day rich with sacrifices of great value.

Some time afterwards Jehoiada died when he had lived one hundred and thirty years; having been a righteous, and in every respect a good man: and he was buried in the king's sepulchres at Jerusalem; because he had recovered the kingdom to the family of David. After his death Jehoash betrayed his want of care about God; and the principal men of the people were corrupted with him; and offended against their duty, and what their constitution determined to be most for their good, Hereupon God was displeased with the change that was made in the king, and in the rest of the people: and sent prophets to testify to them what their actions were, and to bring them to leave off their wickedness. But they had so violent an inclination to it, that neither could the examples of those that had offered affronts to the laws, and had been so severely punished, they and their entire families; nor could the fear of what the prophets now foretold, bring them to repentance, and turn them back from their course of transgression, to their former duty. But the king commanded that Zachariah, the son of the high-priest Jehoiada, should be stoned to death† in the temple; and forgot the kindnesses he had received from his father. For when God had appointed him to prophecy, he stood in the midst of the multitude, and exhorted both 'them and the king to act righteously; and foretold, that if they would not hearken to his admonitions, they should suffer a heavy punishment. But as Zachariah was ready to die, he ap

* 2 Kings xii. 9. + About an. 840.

pealed to God as a witness of what he suffered, for the good counsel he had given them: and how he perished after a most severe and violent manner, for the good deeds his father had done to Jehoash.

However, it was not long before the king suffered punishment for his transgression. For when Hazael, king of Syria, made an irruption into his country, and when he had overthrown Gath, and spoiled it, he made an expedition against Jerusalem. Hereupon Jehoash was afraid, and emptied all the treasures of God, and of the kings before him, and took down the gifts that had been dedicated in the temple, and sent them to the king of Syria, and procured so much by them that he was not besieged, nor his kingdom quite endangered; but Hazael was induced by the greatness of the sum of money not to bring his army against Jerusalem.* Yet Jehoash fell into a severe distemper, and was set upon by his friends, in order to revenge the death of Zachariah the son of Jehoiada. These laid snares for the king, and slew him. He was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the royal sepulchres of his forefathers, because of his impiety. He lived forty-seven years; and Amaziah his son. succeeded him in the kingdom.†

In the twenty-first year of the reign of Jehoash, Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, took the government of the Israelites in Samaria, and held it seventeen years. He did not properly imitate his father; but was guilty of as wicked practices as those that first had God in contempt. But the king of Syria brought him low, and by an expedition against him did so greatly reduce his forces, that there remained no more of so great an army than ten thousand men, and fifty horsemen. He also took away from him many of his great cities, and destroyed his army. And these were the things that the people of Israel suffered according to the prophecy of Elisha, when he foretold that Hazael should kill his master, and reign over the Syrians and DamasBut when Jeboahaz was under such unavoidable miseries, he had recourse to prayer and supplication to God; and

cens.

* 2 Kings xii. 18.

+ 2 Kings xii. 21.

The twenty-third, Hebrew and Septuagint.