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CHAPTER 7 - UZZIAH (TENTH), JOTHAM (ELEVENTH), AND
AHAS, (TWELFTH) KING OF JUDAH. ZACHARIAH (FIFTEENTH),
SHALLUM (SIXTEENTH), MENAHEM (SEVENTEENTH), PEKAHIAH
(EIGHTEENTH),PEKAH (NINETEENTH) KING OF ISRAEL
Accession and Murder of Zachariah - Accession and Death of Shallum - Accession of
Menahem - Taking and Back of Tiphsah -Accession and Victories of Pul or Tiglath-
pileser II. of Assyria - Tribute to Assyria - Accession and Murder of Pekahiah -Military
Revolution and Accession of Pekah - Aooession and Reign of Jotham in Judah - Syro-
lsraelitish League against Judah -Accession of Ahaz in Judah - Character of his Reign -
The new Idolatry - Changes in the Temple and its Worship. (2 KINGS 15:8-16:18; 2
CHRONICLES 27, 28)
WHILE the kingdom of Judah was enjoying a brief period of prosperity, that of Israel
was rapidly nearing its final overthrow. The deep-seated and wide corruption in the land
afforded facilities for a succession of revolutions, in which one or another political or
military adventurer occupied the throne for a brief period. In the thirteen or fourteen
years between the death of Jeroboam II. and that of Uzziah, the northern kingdom saw no
less than four kings (2 Kings 15:8-27), of whom each was removed by violence. In the
thirty-eighth year of Uzziah,* Jeroboam II was succeeded by his son Zachariah, the
fourth and last monarch of the line of Jehu.
- We are writing on the supposition of the correctness of the numbers in the Biblical text.
Holy Scripture here specially marks the fulfillment of Divine prediction (2 Kings 10:30),
in the continuance of this dynasty "unto the fourth generation." Of his brief reign, which
lasted only six months, we read that it was characterized by continuance in the sins of
Jeroboam. A conspiracy by one Shallum,* not otherwise known, issued, not in the private
assassination, but in the public** murder of the king.
- Josephus (Ant. 9. 11, 1) describes him as "a friend" of the king.
** (...) "before the (?) people"- in public view. The LXX., apparently unable to
understand the Hebrew words, have left them un-translated, and made Keblaam the name
either of the place where Zachariah was killed, or else, according to Ewald, of his
murderer.
So terribly had all bonds of society been loosened. The regicide occupied the throne for
only one month. Menahem, whom Josephus describes as the general of Zachariah,
advanced against Shallum from Tirzah, the ancient royal residence, and slew the
usurper.
(^)