Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. XVII.

Vers. 1. ANd Jehoshaphat his sonne reigned in his stead, and strengthened him∣self against Israel.] In the latter dayes of Asa, after he fell into those grievous sinnes mentioned in the former chapter, the kings of Israel (as God threat∣ned, chap. 16.9.) did it seems in their severall times renew their warres against Ju∣dah, to wit, Baasha, Omri, and Ahab, and had happely often the better of them; but about the third or fourth yeare of Ahab, Asa dying, 1. Kings 22.41. Jehoshaphat suc∣ceeded him, and making great preparations to withstand them, he was greatly strengthened against the kingdome of Israel.

Vers. 3. And the Lord was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first wayes of his father David.] Which were purer and freer from sinne then were his latter dayes: for whilest he was in continuall troubles, we reade not any such foul sinnes he fell into, as afterwards being settled in his kingdome, when he committed adul∣tery with Uriahs wife, and many other wayes transgressed Gods Laws.

And sought not unto Baalim.] To wit, as did Ahab at this time king of Israel: whether by Baalim we understand all false Gods in generall, or in particular the the idols of Baal, the God of the Sydonians, 1. Kings 16.31, 32. for that these words are spoken by way of comparing of Jehoshaphat to Ahab, we may see by that which follows, vers. 4. But sought to the Lord God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not after the doings of Israel.

Vers. 6. And his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord.] That is, he be∣came zealous, and very couragious in Gods cause, and went forward with an high, and magnanimous spirit, without any basenesse, fear, or carnall respects.

Moreover, he took away the high places and groves out of Judah.] The high places, whereon the God of Israel was worshipped, though contrary to his Law,

were not by Jehoshaphat taken away, chap. 20.33. and therefore this must be meant of such high places and groves, wherein they worshipped idol-gods. These indeed Asa his father had taken away, chap. 14.3. but it seems in the latter and de∣clining dayes of Asa, when he lay sick, some of the people that lingred still after their former idolatry, made use of the advantage of these times, and did secretly set up their high places and groves again: and these they were that Jehoshaphat after search made did now take away.

Vers. 7. And in the third yeare of his reigne, he sent to his princes, &c. to teach in the cities of Judah.] To see that they were taught. We may not think, that at other times the people of God did now live in the kingdome of Judah without any ordinary teaching; but because he found that the people were in many places so in∣clined to idolatry (as having set up their high places, which his father Asa had pul∣led down) these choice priests and Levites mentioned, vers. 8. were sent as visitours into the severall parts of his kingdome, to see whether they were truely taught, and by their own personall teaching, both to confirm those that were rightly instructed, and to convince those that were corrupt, and to shew them how expressely the Law did forbid, and threaten all idolatry whatsoever. And with them these princes were sent to countenance, and incourage them, and happely to punish those that should op∣pose them, or that should be found obstinate in their errours.

Vers. 13. And the men of warre, mighty men of valour, were in Jerusalem.] That is, his Generalls, and captains, and some companies of their souldiers still at∣tended with them.

Vers. 14. Adnah the chief, and with him mighty men of valour, three hun∣dred thousand.] That is, under his command.

Vers. 16. Amasiah the sonne of Zichri, who willingly offered himself unto the Lord.] To wit, to fight his battels, some say as a Nazarite.

Vers. 19. These waited on the king, besides those whom the king put in the fen∣ced cities, throughout all Judah.] That is, these captains before mentioned, and some of their bands by course: for it is not likely that so many hundred thousand did at one time attend on the kings person at Jerusalem. Yea, because the totall number of the souldiers here mentioned, amounts to eleven hundred and threescore thousand (and it seems not probable that Jehoshaphat would have been so affright∣ed with the multitude of the Moabites and Ammonites that came against him, chap. 20.12. if he had had eleven hundred and threescore thousand trained men in his kingdome, besides those wherewith his strong cities were manned) Therefore some conceive it more likely, that he had not all these at one time, but successively; the trained band of Judah being first under the command of Adnah, and then Adnah being dead, under the command of Jehohanan; and so likewise the trained band of Benjamin, under the command of Amasiah first, then Eliada, and then Jehozabad, and were in the severall times of these Generalls, sometimes more, and sometimes lesse.