• A.M. 3278, A.C. 726.
• * 4_Kings 18:1
  In the third year of Osee, the son of Ela, king of Israel, reigned Ezechias, the son of Achaz, king of Juda.

Ver. 1. Manasses. The pious king thought he might give a general invitation, without umbrage. King Osee was not so impious as his predecessors. 4 K. xvii. 2. Afflictions had made his people more docile. The Jews say (C.) that the golden calves had been taken away by the Assyrians, and that the king removed the guards, which had been placed to hinder his subjects from repairing to Jerusalem. M. Salien, A. 3305. — Ezechias writes privately to the house of Joseph, as the people were prouder on account of the royal dignity. S. Jer. Trad.

Ver. 2. Month. The Rabbins pretend that the king intercalated the second Adar, contrary to the rule and advice of the wise, and the that he ought to have allowed those who were pure to celebrate the feast in due time. Selden, Syn. ii. 1. — But the Caraite Jews deny this pretended leap-year; and we see that Ezechias acted according to the advice of the princes, and that the Scripture praises his conduct. C. — Those who had a lawful impediment, were authorized to put off the feast till the second month. Num. ix. 10. The nation was under this predicament, as they had not priests at hand, (T.) nor were they assembled. D.

Ver. 3. Reign, in the assembly, which met to recognize his authority. Lyran. — Them, adorning them with plates of gold. 4 K. xviii. 16.

Ver. 4. Street, or court, before the eastern gate. C.

Ver. 5. Many. None had kept the Phase this year. H. — But those of Israel had not done it for a long time. Grotius. — Heb. "for they had not long before done according to the Scripture." Sept. "the multitude had not done," &c. C. — Yet, even in the worst times, Tobias, (i. 6.) and other zealous souls, contrived to comply with their duty. H.

Ver. 6. Posts. Lit. "runners or couriers." H. — King. Heb. "kings." Phul and Thelgathphalnasar. The latter had taken away some tribes. 4 K. xv. 20. 29. C.

Ver. 7. Destruction. Sept. "solitude." Prot. "desolation."

Ver. 8. Yield. Lit. "give your hands," (H.) in sign of submission (C.) and fidelity. Sept. "give glory."

Ver. 9. Brethren. God sometimes spares one for the sake of another. H.

Ver. 10. Zabulon. Aser and Nephthali lay more to the north. But they were also invited, as well as the few who might remain on the other side the Jordan. 1 Par. v. 26. At least, we find that some of Aser came, v. 11. Thus those, who had been invited last, came first, while Ephraim continued more stubborn; (v. 18) and the greatest part derided the messengers, as we still see too frequently verified in the days of the gospel. H.

Ver. 11. Yielding. Sept. "were converted." Prot. "humbled themselves, and came." H.

Ver. 12. Hand; grace (M.) and power, to endure such unanimity.

Ver. 14. Burnt, both vessels and altars. C. — To idols, corresponds with the Sept. "the false ones," and is added by way of explanation, unless it be lost in Heb. The illegal (H.) altars had been set up by Achaz. C. xxviii. 24. M.

Ver. 15. At length. Sept. "were converted." Heb. "ashamed, and sanctified themselves." H. — The ceremonies of purification for priests were longer, (C. xxix. 34.) and the sacred ministers were ashamed to be outdone by the people. M.

Ver. 16. Levites, who received the paschal lambs from the unsanctified. M. — The law does not require the ministry of the tribe of Levi for this purpose, as each one might kill the paschal victim at home. But the people were not sufficiently purified on this occasion. Lyran. — At other times, laics killed the victims, if they were clean. Ex. xii. 6. After the tabernacle was set up, the priests poured out the blood on the altar; and, in latter ages, they slew the victim according to Grotius. But the texts of Josephus (x. 5. and Bel. vi. 45. Lat. vii. 17. H.) are inconclusive; and Philo repeatedly asserts that, on one day, the law authorizes all the people to sacrifice: and, though he lived at Alexandria, his testimony respecting a fact of public notoriety, is not to be rejected. Only the unclean applied to the Levites on this occasion, and the latter had no more right to sacrifice than the rest. C.

Ver. 17. For. Prot. "for every one that was not clean, to sanctify them unto the Lord." Sept. "not able to be purified to the Lord." H. — The priests alone continued to pour the blood on the altar, till the destruction of the temple. C.

Ver. 18. Ephraim and....Issachar had not been mentioned before, v. 18. H. — Some indulgence was shewn to the tribes of Israel, which had been so long rebellious, for fear lest they should return no more; and because they had shewn a good will in procuring the Levites to slay the victims for them, as that was rightly judged a more sacred action than to partake of the feast. The law forbade, nevertheless, the unclean to approach to any thing sacred. Lev. xv. 31. and xxii. 4. Num. ix. 6. C. — But a dispensation was granted, (M.) as the Passover could not be celebrated in any but the first or the second month. The people had come with such eagerness, that they had not time to acquire the purity required. C. — They were however truly penitent, and God dispensed with them. W.

Ver. 19. Defiled. Heb. "cast out (C.) in his." — Forth. Heb. and Sept. "We have prepared and purified, behold they are," &c. H.

Ver. 20. Merciful; lit. "appeased." Heb. and Sept. "healed." S. Jerom (Trad.) says, "It was asserted that no unclean person could taste the Phase, but death presently ensued; and they understood that the Lord was appeased, because those who eat did not die." H. — Heb. girpa may, however, denote that God "pardoned," or did not impute the uncleanness to the people. Schindler, and C. xxxvi. 16. and Isai. vi. 10.

Ver. 21. Days. It seems all the observances had been omitted in the first month. The Jews teach, that those who have complied with those prescriptions, which require no particular purity, are not bound to keep the festival for seven days, nor to abstain from leavened bread the second month. — That agreed. Heb. and Sept. "of strength," sonorous, (M.) which they played on with all their force, or which sounded forth the divine power. C.

Ver. 22. Heart; encouraged them to bear the fatigue for other seven days. — Lord; being of good dispositions, (C.) and able musicians. Sa. M. — Praising. Prot. "making confession to." But the sense is the same. H. — During the seven days, unleavened bread and peace-offerings were used, v. 24. C.

Ver. 23. Joy, though not prescribed by the law. M. — This we should call a work of supererogation, (W.) which gives Prot. so much offence. H.

Ver. 25. Proselytes, who had embraced the Jewish law: the rest were not allowed to partake of the paschal victims. Ex. xii. 48.

Ver. 26. Israel: as many of the tribes came to join with their brethren of Juda.

Ver. 27. Levites. These only applauded the solemn blessings, which were given by the priests. Num. vi. 24. C. — God is said to reside in heaven, because he there displays his glory to the blessed. D.

Ver. 30. Princes of the priests. H. — Words; psalms. T. — Asaph, so famous for music. He had composed some psalms, (C.) and twelve bear his name. T. — But he might only have set them to music, (H.) or his band sung them. D. — Knee. Prot. "head." Sept. "they prostrated themselves."

Ver. 31. Added. Heb. and Sept. "answered," a term used in Scripture, though no question had been proposed. H. — Filled. You are, in some sense, priests. Prot. "you have consecrated yourselves." The people brought victims but the priests poured the blood round the altar, v. 34. H.

Ver. 33. Sheep, for peace-offerings. Jun. C. — They destined these victims for the use of the temple, (T.) that none might be wanting afterwards. C.

Ver. 34. Holocausts, as the law required. Lev. i. 6. See C. xxxv. 11. The skin might be taken off other victims, by laics. — Priests. Syr. "The Levites were more timid, or reserved than the priests, to purify themselves." C. — Both are indirectly accused of negligence. C. xxx. 15. The Heb. seems to give the preference to the latter, "for the Levites were more upright of heart, (Sept. willing) to purify themselves than the priests." But the Alex. Sept. may well agree with the Vulg. The ceremonies attending the purification of both, may be seen Ex. xxix. 1. Num. viii. 6. H. — The priests had not sufficient time to collect themselves with the purity required, on such a short warning; and the paucity induced the king to put off the Passover till the next month. C. xxx. 3. 15.

Ver. 36. Because. Heb. and Sept. "that the Lord had disposed his people, for the thing was done suddenly," (H.) to place no obstacle to this sudden change from one extreme to the other, at a time when the king was scarcely established on the throne. C. — Thus the people of England rejoiced, when the Catholic religion was re-established by the means of queen Mary and cardinal Pole. Philips. 9. — But the minds of the people are very fickle. Regis ad exemplum totus componitur orbis. Still the joy may show, that all love for truth is "not extinct," as the Cardinal argued from the people's conduct. Poli. ep. H.