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. XXI.

Vers. 2. ALl these were the sonnes of Jehoshaphat king of Israel.] That is, king of the Israelites in the kingdome of Judah. Usually in the sacred hi∣story the kings of the ten tribes are onely called kings of Israel: it may be there∣fore that Jehoshaphat is here so called, because many of the ten tribes had now joyned themselves to the kingdome of Judah, chap. 15.9. They fell to him out of Israel in abundance, when they saw that the Lord his God was with him.

Vers. 3. And their father gave them great gifts of silver and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah.] See the Annotations for most passages in this chapter, 2. Kings 8.16. &c.

Vers. 11. And caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, &c.] That is, to worship Baal; and herein this sinne of Jehoram is aggravated, that he set up this idolatry in Jerusalem, where was the Temple, Gods dwelling place.

Vers. 12. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, &c.] Eli∣jah was taken up into heaven in Jehoshaphats time, and Elisha was succeeded in his room, 2. Kings 3.11. either therefore this is meant of some other Elijah, or of Elisha, and that he is here called Elijah as the Baptist afterward was, because he came in the spirit and power of Elijah or else (which is more probable) this pro∣phesie was written by Elijah whilest he lived upon the earth (as Isaiah wrote before∣hand concerning Cyrus. Isaiah 45.1. and the prophet that was sent to Jeroboam prophesied of Josiah 1. Kings 13.2.) and committed either to Elisha, or the other prophets, and by them now sent to Jehoram; whose insolent crueltie was such, that the prophets durst not shew themselves in his presence.

Vers. 14. Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, &c.] See the event, vers. 16, 17, 18. and thus his slaying his brethren was punished with the losse of his own children.

Vers. 19. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fa∣thers.] See chap. 16.14.