Ver. 1. In the three and twentieth year of Joash.] In the tenth year of his reign, the city of Carthage was built by Queen Dido, as Josephus reporteth out of the annals of the Tyrians. This discrediteth Virgil’s poem of the hot affection between Dido and Aeneas, dead above two hundred years before. Lib. i. contra Appion.
Ver. 2. And he did that which was evil.] The throne of Judah had some interchanges of good princes; Israel none at all.
Ver. 3. And the anger of the Lord.] God is said to be angry at evildoers, because, as angry men use to do, he threateneth and smiteth them.
Ver. 4. And Jehoahaz besought the Lord.] Affliction exciteth devotion, as blowing doth the fire; whereas rarae fumant felicibus arae. Jehoahaz was now brought very low by the Syrians, (2 Kings 13:7) else God had not been thought on or sought unto.
Ver. 5. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour.] An angel, say some; the prophet Elisha, say others; or rather king Jehoash, (2 Kings 13:25) encouraged by Elisha, with promise of a threefold victory over the Syrians.
Ver. 6. Nevertheless they departed not.] Though first plagued, and then saved, yet they remained irreclaimable. And there remained the grove.] Ahab’s grove. (1 Kings 16:33) Ballism, therefore, was not utterly abolished by Jehu.
Ver. 7. Had made them like the dust by threshing.] Grain may be broken and scattered by overmuch threshing; so was Israel by the Syrian oppression.
Ver. 8. And his might.] He did what he could, but to no purpose, because God was against him. Defendit se quoad potuit. -A Lapide.
Ver. 9. And Jehoahaz slept.] See 1 Kings 16:28.
Ver. 10. Began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign.] Two years before his father’s death. See 2 Kings 13:1.
Ver. 11. And he did that which was evil.] See 2 Kings 13:2.
Ver. 12. And the rest of the acts.] See 1 Kings 16:27.
Ver. 13. So Joash slept.] See 1 Kings 16:28.
Ver. 14. Now Elisha was fallen sick.] Being, as it is thought, above a hundred years old. That is a pious note that a reverend writer maketh here: Happy is he that, after due preparation, is passed through the gates of death ere he be aware. Happy is he that, by the holy use of long sickness, is taught to see the gates of death afar off, and addresseth for a resolute passage. The one dieth like Elijah, the other like Elisha—both blessedly. And said, O my father.] This same Elisha had said to Elijah when he was taken up, and heareth now as much ascribed to himself, as a remuneration of that his piety to his master. The chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.] i.e., Qui oratione plus potes quam omnes milites armis suis; O thou who canst do more by thy prayers than all the soldiers can with their weapons of war. Elisha’s piety and his prayers were the strength of the state, as this wicked king could now acknowledge with tears, though before he had slighted him. “ Virtutem incolumen odimus, Sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi.’’—Horat. Stapleton saith that he calleth Elisha “the horsemen” of Israel, because by his holy life and doctrine he led all Israel; and “the chariot,” because by his virtue and prayers he preserved the people ne propter peceata Deus illos perderet, that God destroyed them not for their sins. The death of such is very ominous, a forerunner of great calamities. (Isaiah 57:1) Bp. Hall. Vatab. Promp. Mor., Dom. v., post Epiph., Vex. 8.
Ver. 15. And Elisha said, Take bow and arrows.] Chria quadam tanquam signo externo victoriam praedicit: The prophet, moved by the king’s tears and profession, foretelleth victory by this outward sign:
Ver. 16. And Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.] To show that “the arms of his hands should be made strong by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob,” as Genesis 49:24.
Ver. 17. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot.] The old Romans were wont to denounce war against their enemies by shooting an arrow or dart into their country, Alexander the Great did the like when he first set foot in Persia, as Justin reporteth. Till they have consumed them.] Usque ad consumere, vel usque ad consummare. Serv. in Virg. Hist., lib. ii.
Ver. 18. And he took them.] He is very morigerous to the prophet, as expecting good from him; only he stayed striking before he should, and that was to his loss. He should have continued smiting till the prophet had said, Enough.
Ver. 19. Thou shalt smite Israel but thrice.] And this for a punishment of the king’s slackness and slothfulness in pursuing the execution of God’s vengeance on the enemies, which the prophet might foresee.
Ver. 20. And Elisha died.] Accisis corporeis viribus gloriosam exhalavit animam. Elisha was one of those few that lived and died with honour. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land.] Here that of Hosea, Hosea 13:1, was fulfilled: “When Ephraim spake, there was trembling, and he exalted himself in Israel: but when he offended in Baal, he died.” Before, none durst budge against the name of Ephraim; but after Baal, every paltry adversary trampled upon him as a dead man. Howbeit, for their comfort and confirmation, here is a dead man raised by touching the dead body of Elisha, who had so lately promised them good success against the Syrian: “Thy dead men shall live: together with my dead body shall they arise: awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust.” (Isaiah 26:19) The Hebrews tell us that Amoz, the father of Isaiah the prophet, and brother of king Ahaziah, was present at Elisha’s death, and that the man raised by the touch of his body suddenly fell down dead again. But it is more likely, say expositors, that he lived and went to the king with his bearers as witnesses of this very great miracle, that he might be the better encouraged to go against the Syrians, as soon after he did. Sedar Olam.
Ver. 21. He revived, and stood upon his feet.] By as true—though spiritual—a miracle it is that new life is put into a dead soul, “dead in trespasses and sins,” by the touch of God’s prophets, applying thereunto the death and resurrection of the Son of God, who restored life to his own dead body, and thereby not only declared himself with power to be God blessed for ever, (Romans 1:4) but also that he quickeneth all true believers, who are united unto him by the ligament of a lively faith, as it were by a corporeal contract.
Ver. 22. All the days of Jehoahaz.] For about fifty years in all had this tyrant oppressed them. But God had promised them a saviour, viz., Joash, (2 Kings 13:5) and this much about the time that Jehoahaz had besought the Lord, who was easily entreated to pity the low condition of his people. (2 Kings 13:4)
Ver. 23. Because of his covenant.] Whereby God had made himself a voluntary debtor to his people. Who might now well say, Non sum dignus, Domine, sed sum indigus, I am no way worthy of thy help, but I am in extreme need of it. And again, Ego admisi unde tu damnare potes me, sed non amisisti unde tu salvare potes me, My destruction is of myself, but of thee is my help. August.
Ver. 24. So Hazael king of Syria died.] And Israel had thereupon not halcyon days only, but three signal victories.
Ver. 25. Three times did Joash beat him.] And this he had by way of recompense for his so kindly visiting Elisha in his sickness; to stir men up to kindness and respect to God’s ministers, as Wolphius here well observeth.