- 151-
(^258) As regards the past compare Judges 2:10; 3:14; 5:6; 6:2; 12:4; 20. As regards the
future compare here, Deuteronomy 4:27-30; 28:20; Isaiah 9:17-20; 55:6; Jeremiah
31:1; Ezekiel 36:24; Amos 3:9; Zechariah 14:13.
(^259) In regard to Israel comp. here Hosea 3:5; 5: 13 -15.
(^260) The Authorized Version conveys the impression, that in every case want of personal
piety would be punished by death. Such, however, is not the meaning of the original. It
only implies, that the introduction of idolatry by any person should be punishable by
death (comp. Deuteronomy 17:2-7).
(^261) As the dates in 2 Chronicles 15:19; 16:1 are incompatible with that of Baasha's
death (1 Kings 16:8), and consequently, of course, with that of Baasha's war against
Asa, commentators have tried to obviate the difficulty, either by supposing that the
numeral 35 refers, not to the date of Asa's accession, but to that of the separation of the
kingdoms of Judah and Israel, or else by emendating the numeral in the Book of
Chronicles. The latter is, evidently, the only satisfactory solution. There is manifestly
here a copyist's mistake, and the numeral which we would substitute for 35 is not 15
(as by most German commentators) but 25 - and this for reasons too long to explain (
hk instead of hl ).
(^262) As to Jehu comp. 2 Chronicles 19:2, 3; his death 20:34. As to Hanani, comp. 2
Chronicles 16:7-10.
(^263) In fact the last clause in 1 Kings 16:7 seems added to explain the statement in ver. 2.
(^264) The tribe of Issachar; comp. Genesis 49:14, 15. That tribe furnished the Judge Tola
(Judges 10:1).
(^265) The god Rimmon - or more probably Hadad-Rimmon, the Sun-god of the Syrians, 2
Kings 5:18. Hadad, "the sun," seems from ancient history to have been a royal title
both in Syria and Edom. As stated in a previous note, there seem to have been four
kings of Syria who bore that name: Hadad-ezer, in time of David; Hezion (Hadad II.)
in that of Rehoboam; Tab-Rimmon (Hadad III.) in the time of Abijah; and Ben-Hadad
(Hadad IV.) in the time of Asa. It is doubtful, Whether the Rezon in the time of
Solomon (1 Kings 11:23-55) was identical with Hezion, or whether the former was a
usurper.
(^266) The meaning of 1 Kings 15:19 is: Let there be a league.
(^)