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Verse C. The king's sons....were with the great men of the city, which brought them up.'-It was a custom in some of the ancient Oriental nations, which is retained in some of the modern, for the king's sons to be consigned to the care of the principal nobles, who were bound to see them properly brought up and educated. In some countries where this is not quite the regular custom, the king, perhaps to relieve his own purse when his children are numerous, forces on some of his nobles this mark of his royal favour. The serious expense involved makes many unwilling to undertake such charges; but they are obliged to appear delighted with the distinction: and often they really are so, in contemplation of the ultimate advantages they may derive from the connection.

8. Lay them in two heaps at the entering in of the gate.' -Heads are always regarded as the best trophies of victory in the East. The heads of enemies slain in battle, of robbers, and of persons who have been put to death by the royal order, are presented to the king, and afterwards deposited at his palace-gate. If there is but one head, or only a few, they are fixed at some conspicuous part of the gate and at the grand entrance to the sultan's palace (seraglio) at Constantinople there are niches appropriated to this purpose. When they are more numerous, they are heaped up on each side of the gate, and to swell such barbarous monuments of the monarch's victories or vengeance, it has sometimes been known that prisoners have been slain in cold blood, and innocent persous murdered. These horrid usages prevail throughout Asia, but are more revoltingly displayed, we believe, in Persia than elsewhere. It has there, not seldom, been known that the king has expressed his anger at some town or village, by demanding from it a pyramid of heads of given dimensions; and Sir John Malcolm states, that the executioners are so indifferent to the distresses of others, that they will select a head of peculiar appearance and long beard to grace the summit of the pyramid. Sometimes the Oriental conquerors desire to form such heads into permanent monuments of the transaction; and this is usually done by erecting pillars for the purpose and inlaying them with the heads of the slain. There are several of these savage monuments in Persia and Turkey. The most recent known to us are the two pillars which were erected about a quarter of a century since on each side of the way, near one of the gates of Bagdad, and which are inlaid with the heads of two hundred Khezail Arabs, slain or captured in an engagement with the troops of the pasha.

15. Jehonadab the son of Rechab.'-From the statement in the text to which we refer, we can collect that Jehonadab was a person whose piety and manner of life procured him such respect and influence as must have rendered his countenance and assistance of the utmost consequence to Jehu, by quieting the minds of the people under the measures of violence which were at this time in progress. See the note on Jer. xxxv. 6.

Give me thy hand.'-We are not to understand that Jehu desired Jehonadab to give him his hand merely to

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assist him in ascending the chariot: but for a far more significant and important purpose. Three meanings may be assigned to the act, as illustrated by the current usages of the East. 1. The joining of hands is a token of amity, as with us. The shaking of hands has precisely the same meaning as we assign to it; but it is not frequently used in common intercourse, perhaps because the Orientals have other acts of greeting and salutation which we have not. 2. To confirm what has been said, or to complete an agreement. We also have something of this use; but the implied idea is stronger in the East, since the act of joining hands is employed in giving all the solemnity and inviolability of an oath to declarations, promises, and covenants. Perhaps it was in this sense-that is, for Jehonadab thus to confirm the declaration of his sanction and concurrence-that Jehu desired to take his hand. But there is still a third sense, which is at least equally to the purpose: this is, that to give the hand to a new king is an act of homage to him-an act by which his sovereign character is recognized and fidelity to him is pledged. We incline to the opinion that this was the sense in which Jehu desired to receive the hand of Jehonadab; as it is easy to see of what importance it must have been to him that such a man as the son of Rechab should set the example of recognition and of pledged allegiance. There is no doubt as to the existence of the custom, although there may be some as to its application to the present instance. It appears, that whenever a competition arose among the successors of Mohammed for the Khalifat, he on whom the preference fell, received the hands of the principal persons as a pledge of their fealty. At the first election, the hot contest for the succession was terminated by Omar, who gave his hand to Abubekr, and promised him his allegiance; and his influential example was followed by the rest. (Ockley's Conquest of Syria, p. 4.) On the death of Abubekr, Ómar succeeded quietly; and we then hear of no offering or receiving of hands. But when Omar died there was another contest; and Ali having declined the conditions which Othman accepted, the principal persons gave their hands to the latter, and Ali, after some demur, following the example, extended his hand and acknowledged Othman as khalif. (D'Herbelot, s. v. 'BIAT' and OTHMAN.') When Othman was dead, several of the principal persons came to Ali and offered him their hands; but he declined receiving this customary act of recognition till the example should be set by Thaleha and Zobeir, two persons of great influence, who were then absent. They were sent for, and on their arrival offered him their hands; and he told them, if they gave him their hands, to do it in good earnest, as otherwise he would himself prefer giving his own hand to either of them that would accept the government. This they refused; and he then received their hands. At a subsequent period, when the above named Thaleha was dying of a wound at Basrah, he sent for a man belonging to Ali, and said, 'Give me your hand, that I may put mine in it, and by this act renew the oath of fidelity which I 353

have already taken to Ali.' (Ockley's History of the Saracens; D'Herbelot, s. v. 'ALI.') These instances are conclusive as to the custom, and give great probability to the inferences we have stated.

29. Howbeit from the sins of Jeroboam....Jehu departed not.-There was a point beyond which Jehu was not prepared to go in his boasted zeal for Jehovah. He was ready to punish and discountenance all foreign worship; but it was no part of his policy to heal the schism between Judah and Israel, by abolishing the separate and highly irregular establishment, for the worship

of Jehovah, before the symbolic calves, which Jeroboam had established, and which all his successors had maintained. The vital root of corruption therefore remained in the ground, although the branches had been lopped off. It also appeared, ere long, that the foreign idolatries of Ahab and Jezebel had acquired too much prevalence to be entirely extirpated by any coercive reformation. As soon as the heat of that reformation had cooled, such idolatries again gradually stole into use, although no longer with the sanction or favour of government. [34-36. APPENDIX, No. 43.]

CHAPTER XI.

1 Jehoash, being saved by Jehosheba his aunt from Athaliah's massacre of the seed royal, is hid six years in the house of God. 4 Jehoiada, giving order to the captains, in the seventh year anointeth him king. 13 Athaliah is slain. 17 Jehoiada restoreth the worship of God.

AND when 'Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal.

2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons which were slain; and they hid him, even him and his nurse, in the bedchamber from Athaliah, so that he was not slain.

3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years. And Athaliah did-reign over the land.

4 And the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the rulers over hundreds, with the captains and the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD, and made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's son.

5 And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do; A third part of you that enter in on the sabbath shall even be keepers of the watch of the king's house;

6 And a third part shall be at the gate of Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, 'that it be not broken down.

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7 And two parts of all you that go forth on the sabbath, even they shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king.

8 And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand and he that cometh within the ranges, let him be slain: and be ye with the king as he goeth out and as he cometh in.

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9 And the captains over the hundreds did

12 Chron. 22. 10.

according to all things that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men that were to come in on the sabbath, with them that should go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.

10 And to the captains over hundreds did the priest give king David's spears and shields, that were in the temple of the LORD.

11 And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, round about the king, from the right corner of the temple to the left corner of the temple, along by the altar and the temple.

12 And he brought forth the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, "God save the king.

13 ¶ And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the temple of the LORD.

14 And when she looked, behold, the king stood by a pillar, as the manner was, and the princes and the trumpeters by the king, and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets and Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, Treason.

15 But Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the host, and said unto them, Have her forth without the ranges: and him that followeth her kill with the sword. For the priest had said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD.

16 And they laid hands on her; and she went by the way by the which the horses came into the king's house: and there was she slain.

17 ¶ And Jehoiada made a covenant between the LORD and the king and the people, that they should be the LORD's people; between the king also and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went into the house of Baal, and brake it down; • Or, from breaking up. 5 Or, companies. 8 Heb. Let the king live.

3 2 Chron. 23. 1.

2 Heb. seed of the kingdom.

7 Heb. shoulder.

6 Heb. hands.

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CHAPTER XII. .

1 Jehoash reigneth well all the days of Jehoiada. 4 He giveth order for the repair of the temple. 17 Hazael is diverted from Jerusalem by a present of the hallowed treasures. 19 Jehoash being slain by his servants, Amaziah succeedeth him.

IN 'the seventh year of Jehu Jehoash began to reign; and forty years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Zibiah of Beer-sheba.

2 And Jehoash did that which was right in the sight of the LORD all his days wherein Jehoiada the priest instructed him.

3 But the high places were not taken away: the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places.

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4 And Jehoash said to the priests, All the money of the dedicated things that is brought into the house of the LORD, even the money of every one that passeth the account, the money that every man is set at, and all the money that 'cometh into any man's heart man's heart to bring into the house of the LORD,

5 Let the priests take it to them, every man of his acquaintance: and let them repair the breaches of the house, wheresoever any breach shall be found.

6 But it was so, that "in the three and twentieth year of king Jehoash the priests had not repaired the breaches of the house.

7 Then king Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, and the other priests, and said unto

1 2 Chron. 24. 1. 2 Or, holy things. 5 Heb. ascendeth upon the heart of a man. 9 Heb. bound up.

them, Why repair ye not the breaches of the house? now therefore receive no more money of your acquaintance, but deliver it for the breaches of the house.

8 And the priests consented to receive no more money of the people, neither to repair the breaches of the house.

9 But Jehoiada the priest took a chest, and bored a hole in the lid of it, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one cometh into the house of the LORD: and the priests that kept the door put therein all the money that was brought into the house of the LORD.

10 And it was so, when they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up, and they put up in bags, and told the money that was found in the house of the LORD.

11 And they gave the money, being told, into the hands of them that did the work, that had the oversight of the house of the LORD: and they laid it out to the carpenters and builders, that wrought upon the house of the LORD,

12 And to masons, and hewers of stone, and to buy timber and hewed stone to repair the breaches of the house of the LORD, and for all that "was laid out for the house to repair it.

13 Howbeit there were not made for the house of the LORD bowls of silver, snuffers,

3 Heb. holinesses.

4 Heb. the money of the souls of his estimation. 7 Heb. threshold. 8 Or, secretary. 11 Heb, went forth.

6 Heb. in the twentieth year and third year. 10 Heb. brought it forth.

basons, trumpets, any vessels of gold, or vessels of silver, of the money that was brought into the house of the LORD:

14 But they gave that to the workmen, and repaired therewith the house of the LORD. 15 Moreover they reckoned not with the men, into whose hand they delivered the money to be bestowed on workmen: for they dealt faithfully.

16 The trespass money and sin money was not brought into the house of the LORD: it was the priests'.

17 ¶ Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

18 And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of

12 Heb. went up.

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CHAP. XII.-This chapter is substantially repeated in 2 Chron. xxiv., but with larger additions and greater difference of words than in the text parallel to the preceding chapter.

Verse 10. 6 They put up in bags, and told the money.'This is the earliest indication of a still subsisting Eastern custom, under which, to save the trouble of repeated counting, a certain sum is put up in a bag, which, being sealed and properly labelled, passes current (in Turkey under the name of a purse') for the amount it contains. It is the authority of the seal which gives the bag currency; for the seal is that of a public officer or of a person of known responsibility; and if, when at length opened, any deficiency should appear, he is bound to make it good if the claimant can prove that the bag was previously free from any marks of violence, and that the seal remained unbroken. In Col. Capper's Observations on the Passage to India, 1783, we meet with an interesting anecdote bearing on this matter. It refers to the conclusion of his journey

from Aleppo to Graine (near Basrah), and to his agree ment with the Arab sheikh who had conducted him across the desert. It will be remembered that by our written agreement at Aleppo I was to give him five hundred dollars on the road, and eight hundred more on our arrival at Graine: the former sum, therefore, I kept ready to be paid to his order; but the latter I counted and sealed up in a bag to prevent any of them being lost or mislaid. When this bag was brought, as I was going to open it, the sheikh stopped me, asking if it had been counted and sealed up in my presence; and when I answered in the affirmative he, with a careless, unaffected air, bespeaking no merit from the action, threw it over his shoulder, and ordered his servant to put it into his trunk. A man shewing such confidence in another could not be guilty of any baseness himself, in which, also, he had the more merit from our situation; for had I deceived him, he durst not have followed me to Bassora to have demanded redress.'

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3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, 3as beforetime.

6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but 'walked therein and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

3 Heb, as yesterday and third day.

5 Heb. stood.

4 Heb. he walked.

7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

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10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.

11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

13 And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14 T Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and

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17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man "was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his 'presence as yet.

24 So Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead.

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25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him,

and recovered the cities of Israel.

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Verse 7. Made them like the dust by threshing.'-At present in the East, as in the times to which the Scriptures refer, the threshing-floor is in the open air, and is the most level and the hardest piece of ground which can be found near the harvest-field. The top of the hill is preferred when it can be obtained, for the advantage of the subsequent winnowing. For use, as the regular threshingfloor of the estate, this spot is often prepared by the removal of about six inches' depth of the soil, and filling up the vacancy with a firm compost of cow-dung and clay. Still, with all this care to prevent the intermixture of gravel and earthy particles, much very fine dust from the surface of the threshing-floor is produced by the act of threshing, and remains when the corn and straw are removed. Add to this, that the straw itself is much crushed and broken by the treading of the cattle, so that small

particles of broken straw lie mingled with the small dust of the threshing-floor. These circumstances render the figure of the text very vivid and distinct to an Eastern imagination. It occurs repeatedly in the phonetic inscriptions recording the victories of the Egyptian kings.

14. O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.-This expression was first used by Elisha when Elijah was taken up by the chariot and horses of fire, and might then be supposed to refer to that event; but their repetition now, when nothing of the kind occurs, appears to indicate that the phrase was proverbially ap plicable to one who was considered the principal guard and defence of his country. The Targum takes this view, understanding the expression as equivalent to My father, my father, who art better to Israel than chariots and horsemen.'

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