The ESV Study Bible

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 1:1–2:18 Solomon’s Temple Preparations. God provides Solomon with the wealth, material, and workers to build the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 1:1–6 Solomon’s journey to the Mosaic tabernacle and altar at Gibeon, like David’s mission to retrieve the ark (1 Chron. 13:1–16:43), is presented as a public enterprise that involves all Israel (cf. 1 Kings 2:4). Like David, Solomon maintains continuity with the Mosaic covenant as the foundation of his own reign. Sought it out (cf. esv footnote, “him,” i.e., Yahweh) continues the parallel with David (see 1 Chron. 13:3). Solomon begins his reign as David instructed him (1 Chron. 22:19), by worshiping God and seeking guidance. Bezalel is the master craftsman of the tabernacle, assisted by Oholiab (see Ex. 31:1–11). See note on 2 Chron. 2:11–16.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 1:7–13 Solomon’s faithful seeking leads to a nighttime appearance of God (in a dream, according to 1 Kings 3:5), in which God invites Solomon to ask in prayer for whatever he desires (cf. John 15:7). Solomon’s request that God will fulfill his promise to David (see 1 Chron. 17:23) looks forward to the completion of the temple (2 Chron. 6:17), while his request for wisdom and knowledge is focused not on selfish ambition but on the need to govern God’s people wisely (see note on 1 Kings 3:11–14). God grants Solomon’s request and also promises him riches, possessions, and honor that he did not request. This theme is taken up again at the end of the Solomon narrative (2 Chron. 8:1–9:28). numerous as the dust of the earth. God’s covenant promise to Abraham (Gen. 13:16) was being fulfilled in Solomon’s day.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 2:1 a temple for the name of the LORD. See Deut. 12:5. God’s “name” in association with a place signifies his actual presence there among his people, where God may be met and petitioned. Yet in no sense is God contained or limited by his localized presence: see 2 Chron. 2:6. The Chronicler’s temple theology embraces both the actual or real presence of God and his majestic transcendence. It is a forerunner to the doctrine of the incarnation of God in Christ (see John 2:21). royal palace. Linked here with the temple, perhaps to indicate the close connection between the two “houses” of the Davidic covenant (see 1 Chron. 17:14). While the Chronicler mentions Solomon’s palace a number of times (2 Chron. 2:12; 7:11; 8:1; 9:3–4, 11), he passes over the account of its construction (1 Kings 7:1–12).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 2:2 Solomon used the forced labor of Canaanites living in the land (see vv. 17–18; cf. notes on 8:7–10; 1 Chron. 22:2–5) for the construction work. Subject peoples were often conscripted to such work in the ancient world.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 2:3–10 Solomon’s letter to Hiram, king of Tyre (who had earlier assisted David; 1 Chron. 14:1), is considerably expanded from 1 Kings 5:3–6 to describe the purpose of the temple for regular and seasonal worship according to the Law of Moses, to express the supremacy and transcendence of Israel’s God (2 Chron. 2:5–6), and to request a skilled craftsman (v. 7), along with different kinds of timber (v. 8). The Hebrew for skilled (khakam) also means “wise.” Its use here consciously echoes Solomon’s request for wisdom (1:10) and the wisdom and knowledge Solomon needs for building the temple (2:5–6). The skills called for here recall Oholiab’s work on the tabernacle, under the direction of Bezalel (Ex. 31:1–11).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 2:6 heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him. See note on 1 Kings 8:27–30.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 2:11–16 Hiram’s letter of reply includes a Gentile’s acknowledgment of Yahweh as Creator, and of God’s gift of wisdom to Solomon (v. 12), which is especially focused on the task of temple building (cf. note on 1 Kings 5:9–12). Huram-abi is likened to Oholiab (the mothers of both men are said to be descended from Dan; see Ex. 31:6; cf. note on 1 Kings 7:13–14), while Solomon the temple builder is implicitly compared to Bezalel, who directed the building of the tabernacle (see 2 Chron. 1:5). The reference in 2:16 to Joppa (not mentioned in 1 Kings 5:9) may reflect Ezra 3:7. Timber from Lebanon for the second temple was floated to that port.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:1–5:1 Solomon’s Building of the Temple. The temple is to be a fit place for God to dwell among his people.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:1–17 The Chronicler’s actual account of the construction of the temple is much briefer than his source (1 Kings 6). The architectural details of 1 Kings 6:4–20a are passed over, as are the descriptions of the intricate carvings or stonework in 1 Kings 6:29–36. Instead, the Chronicler leads his readers in their imagination through the vestibule (2 Chron. 3:4) into the ornate nave or Holy Place (vv. 5–7), then on to the Most Holy Place (vv. 8–13), partitioned off by the veil (v. 14). The numerous references to gold (vv. 4–10) and cherubim (vv. 7, 10–14) highlight the splendor of the temple as the heavenly King’s earthly palace. As its structure and furnishings indicate, it stood in continuity with the Mosaic tabernacle, at the same time exceeding it in beauty and opulence. The temple measured about 90 feet by 30 feet (27 m by 9.1 m; v. 3), so it was not particularly large compared to many modern church buildings, and it did not function as a place of congregational worship. Only priests would have been admitted to the temple itself, and only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and only on the Day of Atonement.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:1 Mount Zion is identified here with Mount Moriah, where Abraham was commanded to offer Isaac (Gen. 22:2).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:2 See 1 Kings 6:1. Depending on which chronology is followed, this may have been in either 966 or 959 B.C.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:4 120 cubits. The Septuagint and other ancient versions of the OT suggest that the vestibule was actually 20 cubits (30 feet/9.1 m) high. The Hebrew text lacks the word “cubits,” so precise identification of the height is uncertain.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:6 Parvaim. Possibly a place in northeastern Arabia.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:8–13 The Most Holy Place was the secret, cube-shaped room in which the ark of the covenant would be finally deposited (5:7). The cherubim were angelic beings that combined human and animal features (cf. Ezek. 10:14; 41:18–19) and served as throne-guards to the ark. On the construction of the temple, see note on 1 Kings 6:14–35.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:14 The Most Holy Place was separated from the rest of the sanctuary by a veil as well as by doors (4:22). The inclusion of the veil signified the continuity of the temple with the Mosaic tabernacle (Ex. 26:31–35). Herod’s temple was similarly arranged (Matt. 27:51); the tearing of the veil at the death of Christ indicated that the “shadow” of the Mosaic institutions had now given way to the final sacrifice of Christ, with all its benefits (see Heb. 9:11–12; 10:1).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 3:15–17 thirty-five cubits high. Probably the combined heights of the pillars (see note on 1 Kings 7:15–21; cf. 1 Kings 7:15; 2 Kings 25:17). Jachin (“he establishes”); Boaz (“in him is strength”). The names may signify that Yahweh establishes his covenant through the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:1–5:1 The temple’s furnishings communicated the same message as that signified by the structure of the building: the presence of the holy God in the midst of his people, and his gracious provision of atonement and forgiveness. For the Chronicler’s own generation, the fact that these vessels had been returned from their Babylonian captivity (Ezra 1:3–11; 6:5) was a sign as well that they were still God’s covenant people and the heirs of his promises to David and Solomon.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:1 Solomon’s altar stood outside the temple. Perhaps it stood in front of the temple entrance, just as Moses’ altar had stood before the entrance of the tabernacle (Ex. 40:6), though it may have stood in the northeast corner, opposite the bronze sea basin in the southeast corner.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:2–6 On various details of the temple, cf. notes on 1 Kings 7:23–47. The sea was a large, circular water tank, located outside the southeast corner of the temple (2 Chron. 4:10) and used by the priests for their ceremonial cleansing before they entered the temple (v. 6). It corresponded to the bronze basin that had stood between the entrance to the tabernacle and the Mosaic altar (Ex. 30:18–21). 3,000 baths. First Kings 7:26 reads “two thousand baths.” The difference may be due to a copyist’s error. The twelve oxen probably signified the tribes of Israel, especially as they were encamped around the four sides of the tabernacle in the wilderness (see Num. 2:1–31).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:2 ten cubits … thirty cubits. See note on 1 Kings 7:23.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:7–8 In contrast to the tabernacle, with its one seven-branched lampstand and table (Ex. 25:31–36), Solomon’s temple had ten of each (but cf. 1 Kings 7:48, which mentions only one table). The tables were apparently for the “bread of the Presence” (2 Chron. 4:19; see 1 Chron. 9:32), a perpetual bread offering to Yahweh, through which Israel consecrated itself to God (Ex. 25:30).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:9 the court of the priests. A feature that also corresponds to the tabernacle; see Ex. 27:9–19.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:11b–22 The bronze vessels and furnishings were located in the temple entrance and court, while those in the interior (the place of greater holiness) were made of gold. The golden altar was for the burning of incense (see Ex. 30:1–10; 1 Chron. 28:18). The Most Holy Place was separated from the nave (the Holy Place) by inner doors … of gold as well as the veil (2 Chron. 3:14).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 4:19 Solomon made all the vessels. See note on 1 Kings 7:48–51.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:1 A summary statement, again recalling that the temple was the joint enterprise of Solomon and David (see 1 Chron. 17:8; 22:2–16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:2–7:22 The Dedication of the Temple. The Chronicler’s account of the dedication of the temple is notably longer than his description of the building work (77 verses compared to 40), since he is more concerned with the meaning of the temple than with its physical structure. This interest is conveyed through the two theophanies (5:14; 7:1–3), Solomon’s great prayer of dedication (6:14–42), and God’s message to Solomon (7:12–22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:2–3 Just as David had summoned all the leaders of Israel to retrieve the ark from Kiriath-jearim (1 Chronicles 13; 15), Solomon also assembled them for the ark’s final journey from its tent in the city of David (see 1 Chron. 16:1). the feast that is in the seventh month. The Feast of Booths (see Lev. 23:33–43). The temple was completed in the eighth month of Solomon’s eleventh year (see 1 Kings 6:38 = 959 or 952 B.C.), and the dedication took place 11 months later. The Israelites had been instructed to live in temporary shelters during this feast, to commemorate the exodus. It was observed annually in the seventh month of the Jewish calendar (September–October).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:5 Moses’ tent of meeting and its holy vessels were brought up from Gibeon (1:3) to join the ark. Similarly, the Levitical priests Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun (5:12; see 1 Chron. 16:37, 42) were united for this ceremony. Henceforth, all of Israel’s worship would be focused on the Jerusalem temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:7–9 The priests completed the transfer of the ark, since only they could enter the Most Holy Place. And they are there to this day. A comment from an early author, whose work was used by the author of Kings (see note on 1 Kings 8:8) and the Chronicler. The ark was apparently destroyed along with the first temple and was never replaced.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:10 The ark had once contained the jar of manna and Aaron’s rod (Heb. 9:4; see Ex. 16:32–34; Num. 17:10–11), but now held only the two tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 5:11–14 The Chronicler inserts a lengthy sentence (vv. 11b–13) into his source (1 Kings 8:10) to describe a highly festive scene, suggesting that the cloud of God’s glory (see Ex. 13:21–22) that filled the temple came in response to the Levites’ and priests’ worship. The Chronicler’s own generation should draw a similar lesson, that God will surely be present when his people offer praise and thanksgiving. The appearance of the cloud and the inability of the priests even to stand to minister in God’s presence signified that God in his majesty was taking up residence in his temple. There is an evident parallel here, and in 2 Chron. 7:3, with the appearance of the glory cloud in the tabernacle and over the tent of meeting (cf. Ex. 40:34–35). The visible manifestation of God’s glory and presence was known in later Judaism as the “Shekinah,” and it provides the background to John’s comment about the incarnate Son: “we have seen his glory” (John 1:14). The praise of 2 Chron. 5:13b appears again in 20:21b. God’s steadfast love (Hb. hesed) in particular denotes his covenant commitment to David (1 Chron. 17:13), which has finally resulted in this temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:1–42 The Chronicler follows his source quite closely in his presentation of Solomon’s prayer of dedication for the temple (see 1 Kings 8:12–50a). Yet whereas the earlier version finishes with an appeal to the exodus under Moses as the basis of God’s relationship with Israel (1 Kings 8:50b–53), the Chronicler focuses instead on the Davidic covenant (2 Chron. 6:41–42, from Ps. 132:8–10). For the Chronicler’s own postexilic generation, the temple signified God’s promise to David of an enduring kingdom, however restricted Israel’s present circumstances might seem. As the focal point of God’s presence on earth, the temple also stood as a constant visible encouragement to prayer, as indicated by the different circumstances of need envisioned by Solomon in his prayer (2 Chron. 6:12–42).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:1–2 God was present in the thick darkness of the cloud on Mount Sinai (see Ex. 20:21), and has now graciously come to dwell in the Most Holy Place of the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:3–11 Solomon’s accession to the throne, the completion of the temple, and the placing of the ark are all due to God’s fulfilling his promise to David (see 1 Chron. 17:23–24). Human obedience to God’s commands is the means of ratifying or accepting God’s promises, as well as a condition for experiencing the reality of the promises in the present (see 2 Chron. 6:14–17), yet God himself provides the grace for his people to obey.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:7 On the name of the LORD, see notes on 1 Kings 8:17 and Acts 10:48.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:12–13 The prayer of dedication is offered from a specially constructed platform before the altar of burnt offerings, in front of the temple entrance.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:18–21 The infinite God cannot be contained within space (heaven and the highest heaven), let alone any man-made structure, yet he has made the temple the point of contact and immediate communication with his people. Prayer in or toward the temple will come before God in his heavenly dwelling place because his name is on the temple (vv. 20, 34, 38), which signifies both his spiritual presence in that place and his ownership of it and is thus an invitation to pray there in confident faith. (See note on 2:1.) The NT equivalent is prayer offered in Jesus’ name (see John 14:13–14).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:22–40 Solomon offers some representative situations in which Israelites and even foreigners (v. 32) should offer prayer at or toward the temple, seeking forgiveness, vindication, and divine help.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:22–23 See Ex. 22:7–12; Num. 5:11–31; and note on 1 Kings 8:31–32. The Law of Moses provided for oaths to be taken in the sanctuary to determine guilt or innocence if there were no witnesses to an offense.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:24–25 See Lev. 26:17; Deut. 28:25; and note on 1 Kings 8:33–40. National defeat is included among the curses for covenant breaking. Exile is one possible punishment.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:28–31 See Deut. 28:21 and note on 1 Kings 8:33–40. The emphasis is on God’s intimate knowledge of and concern for each individual among his people.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:32–33 See note on 1 Kings 8:41–43. Your mighty hand and your outstretched arm calls to mind God’s deliverance in the exodus (Ex. 3:19–20). Solomon envisions Gentiles making pilgrimage to pray at the temple because of what they have heard about this event. On the temple as a place of prayer for all nations, see also Isa. 2:2–4 and Zech. 8:20–23.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:36–39 See note on 1 Kings 8:46–51. Exile from the Promised Land is presented as the climax of punishments on account of sin (see 2 Chron. 36:15–20). there is no one who does not sin. Cf. Prov. 20:9; Eccles. 7:20; Rom. 3:23. Solomon prays that Yahweh will respond to the heartfelt repentance of his people in exile and their intercession toward the house that I have built for your name. Bodily posture was a part of prayer, especially for exiles like Daniel, who consciously prayed in the direction of Jerusalem (Dan. 6:10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 6:41–42 In place of the ending to this prayer in 1 Kings 8:50b–53 (an appeal to God’s mercy shown in the exodus), the Chronicler inserts a version of Ps. 132:8–10, which concerns the transfer of the ark into the temple. It functions here as a prayer that God will once again come in power and grace for the Chronicler’s generation and their temple, as he had done for the people and temple of Solomon’s day. Verse 42 of 2 Chronicles 6 is a prayer for the Davidic descendants, the recipients of God’s covenant promise of steadfast love for David. For the Chronicler, this enduring covenant is now the basis of the relationship between God and his people.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:1–22 God’s twofold answer to Solomon’s prayer (through the appearance of the glory of the Lord in vv. 1–3 and the words from God in vv. 12–22) takes readers to the heart of the Chronicler’s message of repentance and restoration. The Chronicler is acutely aware of Israel’s sinfulness (6:36), knowing that this will result in exile; but against this bleak fact he highlights Yahweh’s undeserved restorative mercy and forgiveness toward his people, for which the temple is the visible symbol. The assurance that the temple is indeed the divinely sanctioned place of atonement and prayer should encourage the Chronicler’s own postexilic generation to respond accordingly, confident that God will grant a greater measure of restoration and blessing. Ultimately, salvation will come not through a material building but through the One whom the temple foreshadows (John 2:19–21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:1b–3 An addition to 1 Kings 8. A parallel with David (see 1 Chron. 21:26) and Moses is intended here: just as a divine fire consumed the burnt offering in the newly erected Mosaic tabernacle, and “the glory of the LORD” was visible to the people (see Lev. 9:23–24), the fire … from heaven that consumed the sacrifice signaled acceptance of the temple and the priests’ ministry there, while the glory of the LORD appeared on the temple, and the people worshiped. For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Variations on this refrain from Psalm 136 occur several times in the book (see 1 Chron. 16:34; 2 Chron. 5:13; 7:6; 20:21) and may indicate a link between the author and the temple singers.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:4–10 The dedication of the temple at the Feast of Tabernacles (see 5:3) entailed vast numbers of sacrifices (7:5) and involved the whole nation in its broadest extent (v. 8). Unity, joy, and gratitude to God are the keynotes of this festival.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:8 Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt designates the whole of Solomon’s empire (see note on 1 Kings 8:65–66).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:11–22 God’s reply to Solomon’s prayer is presented immediately after the account of the dedication, although in fact 13 years had elapsed, in which time the palace was also completed (v. 11; see 1 Kings 7:1; 9:10). Yahweh’s appearance at night (2 Chron. 7:12) corresponds to his first appearance to Solomon at Gibeon, at the beginning of his reign (1:7).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:12b The temple is for sacrifice as well as prayer. The OT understanding of worship regularly joins sacrifices (of atonement, dedication, or thanksgiving) with prayer as the material expression of the worshiper’s inner disposition.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:12b–16 The Chronicler’s addition to 1 Kings 9:3–4 provides a succinct summary of the central message of the book: the meaning of the temple and the response that God looks for in his people.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:13 A summary reference to the divine punishments mentioned in Solomon’s prayer (6:26, 28).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:14 if my people. God’s purpose above all is to forgive his penitent people and heal their land. The specific vocabulary of this verse (humble themselves, pray, seek, turn) describes different aspects of heartfelt repentance and will recur throughout chs. 10–36. “Heal their land” includes deliverance from drought and pestilence as well as the return of exiles to their rightful home (6:38). For the Chronicler, this includes the restoration of the people to their right relationship with God. Cf. Jer. 25:5; 26:3.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:15–16 The invitation to prayer and repentance (v. 14) is sealed with the strong assurance of God’s presence and attention in the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:17–18 A summons to Solomon to be obedient to the Law of Moses as the grounds for establishing his throne. a man to rule Israel. See Mic. 5:2. Messianic hopes for the continuation of the Davidic line continued to be affirmed in the Chronicler’s time, even though the last Davidic king had been deposed in 586 B.C.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 7:19–22 The statement if you turn aside and forsake my statutes is addressed to the people (“you” in v. 19 is plural; see notes on 1 Kings 9:6; 9:7–8). While the temple signified God’s will to forgive and restore, the stubborn rejection of his statutes and commandments would lead to God’s rejection of both people and temple (see Deut. 29:24–28). The decisive factor, as shown throughout the rest of the book, is whether the call to repentance is heeded.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:1–16 Solomon’s Other Accomplishments. Solomon’s further conquests and building projects are revealed, as well as his attention to matters of worship, both for himself and for the people. The success of Solomon’s various building projects are seen as blessings that follow his obedience in building the temple (which, along with his palace, took twenty years to complete).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:2 According to 1 Kings 9:11–14, Solomon had actually given these cities to Hiram, perhaps as collateral for a loan (1 Kings 9:14; cf. notes on 1 Kings 9:10–13; 9:10; 9:11). The Chronicler would then be describing their subsequent reversion to Israelite control.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:3–4 Hamath-zobah lay about 120 miles (193 km) north of Damascus (see 1 Chron. 18:3), while Tadmor lay about 125 miles (201 km) to the northeast. Control over these commercial cities represented the farthest extent of Solomon’s power. First Kings does not mention these campaigns.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:5 Upper Beth-horon and Lower Beth-horon were located on a ridge above the Valley of Aijalon northwest of Jerusalem. They were crucial to the security of the city and provided access to the international coastal highway (see also note on 1 Kings 9:17–19).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:7–10 In keeping with an ancient practice of controlling enemies, Solomon drafted the descendants of the Canaanites into forced labor for his construction projects throughout the nation. According to 1 Kings 5:13–18, Solomon imposed a less rigorous demand on the Israelites.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:12–15 The Chronicler expands the brief note in 1 Kings 9:25, detailing the pattern of daily, weekly, monthly, and annual sacrifices and feasts instituted in the temple by Solomon, along with his organization of the temple personnel. Solomon’s fidelity to the instructions of Moses (2 Chron. 8:13) and David (vv. 14–15) is emphasized.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:16 So the house of the LORD was completed. The completion of the temple did not come with its building or dedication but with the institution of its regular services. Solomon proved himself faithful in his commission, and the subsequent details of his reign (8:17–9:28) represent God’s blessing on his obedience (see 1:12).

The Extent of Solomon’s Kingdom

c. 971–931 B.C.

Solomon’s reign marked the zenith of Israel’s power and wealth in biblical times. His father, David, had bestowed upon him a kingdom that included Edom, Moab, Ammon, Syria, and Zobah. Solomon would later bring the kingdom of Hamath under his dominion as well, and his marriage to Pharaoh’s daughter sealed an alliance with Egypt. His expansive kingdom controlled important trade routes between several major world powers, including Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia (Asia Minor).

The Extent of Solomon’s Kingdom

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:17–9:31 Solomon’s International Relations and Renown. Solomon’s reputation and influence extend beyond the borders of Israel.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 8:17–18; 9:10–11 Ezion-geber. See note on 1 Kings 9:26–28. Israel forms the land bridge (and the trade routes) connecting the Mediterranean lands with the kingdoms on the Red Sea and beyond, into Asia. Solomon profited from his control of these routes, and from his maritime partnership with Hiram, the king of Tyre. The Tyreans (a people of Phoenician stock) were renowned for their seamanship. Ophir was probably in southwest Arabia or the Horn of Africa.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:1–9, 12 This section closely follows 1 Kings 10:1–13. Sheba, or Saba, corresponds roughly to modern Yemen and was a mercantile kingdom that traded in luxury goods from East Africa and India. The queen’s visit may have had commercial trade purposes (see 2 Chron. 9:1, 9) prompted by Solomon’s naval activities in the south of the Red Sea, but her visit is presented primarily as a quest for wisdom (vv. 1, 6). Solomon is acknowledged as excelling in both wisdom and wealth (see 1:12). The Gentile queen recognizes that Solomon’s greatness is from Yahweh (9:8; see 2:12) and that Solomon sits on God’s throne as his king (cf. 1 Kings 10:9, “the throne of Israel”). For the Chronicler, the Davidic kingdom is the earthly expression of God’s eternal kingdom (see 1 Chron. 17:14; 28:5; 2 Chron. 13:8). Recognition (esp. from a Gentile monarch) that God was the actual King of Israel could only encourage the postexilic community, when no descendant of David was on the throne.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:7 Happy are these your servants. See note on 1 Kings 10:8.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:9–12 On the queen’s gift of 120 talents of gold, see note on 1 Kings 10:10–13.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:13–28 This section closely follows 1 Kings 10:14–28. The Chronicler’s presentation of Solomon concludes with a description of the king at the zenith of his wealth and international renown (a far cry from the difficult conditions of the postexilic days; see Ezra 9:7; Neh. 9:36–37).

Solomon’s International Ventures

c. 950 B.C.

Solomon’s firm control of important trade routes linking Egypt, Arabia, Mesopotamia, and Anatolia (Asia Minor) provided him with incalculable wealth. Partnering with King Hiram of Tyre, Solomon also launched his own trading expeditions to Ophir to acquire valuable and exotic goods. The queen of Sheba’s visit to Solomon attests to his great fame throughout the ancient world. Solomon further augmented his wealth by buying horses from Kue and chariots from Egypt and selling them to the kings of Syria and the Hittites.

Solomon’s International Ventures

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:13–14 Solomon’s annual revenues in gold (equal to about 22 tons) would have been derived from both tribute and trade (see note on 1 Kings 10:14–25).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:15–16 The House of the Forest of Lebanon was Solomon’s palace, which contained great quantities of cedar (see 1 Kings 7:2). The gold shields were lost as booty to Pharaoh Shishak by Solomon’s son Rehoboam (2 Chron. 12:9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:21 Tarshish is usually identified with Tartessus in Spain, but here the Chronicler seems to use it more generically, in the sense of “the ends of the earth” (cf. Ps. 72:10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:22–28 Solomon is presented as supreme over all the kings of the earth, in keeping with the promises made at the beginning of his reign (1:12). Verses 25–28 of ch. 9 are a partial repetition of 1:14–17, and thus form an inclusio (literary “bookends”) around the Chronicler’s portrayal of Solomon (cf. note on 1 Kings 10:26–29).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 9:29–31 This is from 1 Kings 11:41–43, but with additional reference to Ahijah the Shilonite (see 1 Kings 11:29–40) and Iddo the seer (traditionally identified with the unknown prophet in 1 Kings 13). Although the Chronicler omits the accounts of Solomon’s apostasy and the rebellions he faced in his declining years (1 Kings 11), the allusion to the words of these prophets directs the reader to the account in Kings, where a more critical portrayal of Solomon is preserved. As with his presentation of David, the Chronicler’s focus here is on the positive achievement of Solomon’s reign and its abiding significance for his community. Solomon slept with his fathers. See notes on 1 Kings 2:10 and 11:43.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:1–36:23 The Kingdom of Judah down to the Exile. The post-Solomonic narrative in Chronicles deals almost exclusively with the kingdom of Judah, following the division of the kingdom under Rehoboam. In contrast to 1–2 Kings, the history of the northern kingdom is considered by the Chronicler only as it touches upon that of Judah, such as in war (e.g., 2 Chronicles 13; 16; 18) or in moves toward unity (chs. 29–30). The Chronicler never disputed that the northern tribes belonged to Israel but insisted that legitimacy and leadership lay with the Davidic monarchy and the tribe of Judah.

The Kingdom Divides

931 B.C.

When Solomon’s son Rehoboam arrived at Shechem for his coronation after his father’s death, he refused to lighten his father’s heavy tax burden on the people, and the 10 northern tribes revolted and set up Jeroboam as their king. The northern kingdom would now be known as Israel and the southern kingdom as Judah. Five years later, Shishak (also called Sheshonq) king of Egypt invaded Judah and Israel and captured a number of towns. Rehoboam avoided Jerusalem’s destruction by paying off Shishak with many of the treasures Solomon had placed in the temple.

The Kingdom Divides

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:1–12:16 Rehoboam. The reign of Rehoboam (931–915 B.C.) is dominated by the division of the kingdom and the consequences thereof. While Rehoboam is judged negatively for his failures as a leader, the Chronicler also uses his example to show how repentance and obedience may lead to the restoration of blessing.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:1–19 From 1 Kings 12:1–19. The division of the kingdom was a complex matter, to which Solomon (2 Chron. 10:4, 10, 11) and Jeroboam (13:6–7) both contributed through their disobedience, but here the focus is on Rehoboam’s folly in alienating the northerners. At the same time, the author notes that this was a turn of affairs brought about by God (10:15), indicating that God remained in control of his kingdom and that the northerners’ rebellion was understandable; it was, in fact, in accordance with the prophetic word (v. 15, which presupposes the reader’s knowledge of 1 Kings 11:29–39). It was the northerners’ later idolatry that made their continuing rebellion reprehensible (2 Chron. 13:8–10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:1–5 Rather than simply make Rehoboam king (as he no doubt expected), the tribal leaders wished to negotiate the terms of his kingship, including relief from the forced labor imposed by Solomon.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:4 Your father made our yoke heavy. See note on 1 Kings 12:4.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:7 Speak good words appears to be a technical term meaning “make an agreement” (see 2 Kings 25:28–29).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:14–15 I will discipline you with scorpions. The attempt to browbeat the people with threats backfired, not least because the course of events was determined by God’s will and the prophetic word (cf. notes on 1 Kings 12:14; 12:15).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:16 This poetic fragment announcing rejection of the house of David contrasts pointedly with the poetic declaration of loyalty in 1 Chron. 12:18. It was apparently the rallying cry of the northern tribes against Judah (see 2 Sam. 20:1).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 10:18 Hadoram was Solomon’s taskmaster, also called “Adoram” (see note on 1 Kings 12:18) or “Adoniram” (1 Kings 4:6; 5:14).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:1–12:16 The Chronicler’s account of Rehoboam’s rule over the southern kingdom is much longer and more complex than that given in Kings (1 Kings 14:21–31). As the first king of Judah after the division of the kingdom, Rehoboam serves to illustrate several of the key themes that will recur throughout the subsequent history of the Davidic monarchy: the blessings that flow from repentance and obedience to the prophetic word; conversely, the punishment that follows disobedience to God’s law; the function of the faithful Levites in strengthening the kingdom; and the constant presence of the prophetic word to guide and rebuke. Rehoboam’s reign shows how the principles and promises of judgment and restoration in 2 Chron. 7:13–14 are being enacted in the life of the kingdom, even when the king falls short of the ideal compared to his people (12:14).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:1–4 This is from 1 Kings 12:21–24. Rehoboam’s attempt to reunite the kingdom by force is averted by the prophet Shemaiah (see 2 Chron. 12:5, 7), who informs him that the division is from God (11:4; see 10:15).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:4 your relatives. Despite their rebellion (for which they had good reason at this point), the northern tribes did not cease to be part of “all Israel.” they listened to the word of the LORD. See note on 1 Kings 12:24.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:5–23 This information has no parallel in Kings but is derived from another source or sources (see note on 12:15–16). It illustrates the blessings that come to Judah following Rehoboam’s and the people’s obedience to the word of Yahweh (11:4), while Jeroboam leads the northerners into apostasy.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:5–12 The fortified cities covered the eastern, southern, and western approaches to Judah, and were thus probably intended as a defense against Egypt, Jeroboam’s ally. Yet they did not prove effective against Shishak (12:4).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:13–17 Jeroboam instituted his own syncretistic cult in Bethel and Dan to deter his people from going to sacrifice in Jerusalem and possibly defecting to Rehoboam (1 Kings 12:26–33). The Chronicler condemns him for his goat idols as well as golden calves (2 Chron. 11:15; see Lev. 17:7), and for driving out the legitimate priesthood (2 Chron. 11:14; 13:9). The exemplary attitude is shown by those Levites who took the costly step of abandoning their lands to move to Judah, and those laypeople who followed them to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice (11:16). Israel’s true unity was centered on the temple worship (see 15:9). The theme of the Levites’ “strengthening the kingdom” is frequent in Chronicles (see 19:8–11; 20:14–17; 29:25–30), and the task remained equally relevant in the Chronicler’s own day (1 Chron. 9:2).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:17 Rehoboam’s and Judah’s commitment to faithful worship and obedience to God’s law lasted only three years (12:1).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 11:18–23 The growth of Rehoboam’s family is a sign of God’s blessing on him, although these details must refer to the whole of his 17-year reign, and not just the three-year period of faithfulness to God’s law. His family is of strong Davidic lineage: the father of Mahalath was Jerimoth, presumably the son of one of David’s concubines (1 Chron. 3:9), while Maacah was probably the granddaughter of David’s son Absalom, through his daughter Tamar (2 Sam. 14:27).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:1 After a faithful beginning, Rehoboam seems to have descended into pride and a reliance on his own strength instead of dependence on God. That he and his people abandoned the law of the LORD is equated with abandoning God himself (v. 5): there is no effective relationship with God without obedience to his revealed will. The NT makes the same point positively when Jesus equates love for him with obedience to his commandments (John 14:21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:2 unfaithful (Hb. ma‘al). A key term for the Chronicler. See note on 1 Chron. 2:3–8. The Egyptian invasion follows hard on the heels of national apostasy and is explicitly identified by the writer as God’s punishment for sin; but not every instance of distress or suffering in Chronicles is understood this way (e.g., 2 Chron. 20:1–12; 32:1, where Judah suffers foreign invasion after its kings have acted faithfully; similarly 13:8). Shishak is Sheshonq I, who ruled from 945–924 B.C. His campaign through Judah and Israel is commemorated in inscriptions on the temple at Karnak. fifth year. 925 B.C. (see note on 1 Kings 14:25–26).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:3 Sukkiim. Soldiers probably of Libyan origin, mentioned in Egyptian records of the thirteenth and twelfth centuries B.C.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:6–8 humbled themselves. See 7:14. The partial deliverance that Judah experienced was intended to teach its people a fuller devotion to God. For the Chronicler’s own generation, it would have called to mind their own circumstances: subject to the Persian kings, yet free to worship Yahweh in his temple (see Ezra 9:8–9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:9–11 Resumes the account from 1 Kings 14:26–28 (see note on 1 Kings 14:25–26). The treasures of the temple and palace were surrendered as tribute to avert an attack on the city.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:12 when he humbled himself the wrath of the LORD turned from him. This is the key point concerning Rehoboam’s reign that the Chronicler wishes to make for his readers.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:14 The writer’s overall estimate of Rehoboam is negative: whereas 1 Kings 14:22 (see note there) blames the people for “doing evil,” the Chronicler makes this charge against Rehoboam and adds that he did not set his heart to seek the LORD (cf. 2 Chron. 11:16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 12:15–16 These verses generally follow 1 Kings 14:29–31 but specify that historical records from Shemaiah and Iddo contributed to the Chronicler’s sources (see note on 1 Kings 14:19). The Chronicler’s use of such sources accounts for much of the material in his work that is additional to 1–2 Kings.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:1–14:1 Abijah. The Chronicler’s account of Abijah’s reign is much longer than that given in 1 Kings 15:1–8 (where he is called Abijam). It is, in fact, mainly the development of the statement in 1 Kings 15:7 that “there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam” through the detailed record of one incident, a battle between these kings in the hill country of Ephraim. In the estimation of 1 Kings 15:3, Abijah, like his father Rehoboam, “was not wholly true to the LORD.” The Chronicler would probably agree (since it appears from 2 Chron. 14:3–5; 15:8, 16 that idolatrous worship was practiced throughout Judah during Abijah’s reign), but he refrains from explicit comment on the king’s own piety to concentrate instead on what God accomplished through his reign. The Chronicler notes that in contrast to Jeroboam’s kingdom and cult, the Davidic monarchy is the object of God’s enduring promise (13:5, 8); the Jerusalem priesthood is legitimate and faithful (13:10–11); and the men of Judah trust in God (13:13, 18). It is for these reasons that the southern kingdom enjoys God’s protection and blessing, even if Abijah himself (like his father) falls somewhat short of the ideal.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:2 three years. 915–912 B.C. Micaiah. Also spelled Maacah. See 11:20.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:3 To judge from Abijah’s words in v. 8, Jeroboam probably instigated this war, seeking to reunite the kingdom by force, as Rehoboam had tried to do (11:1–4). On the size of the armies, see note on 1 Chron. 12:23–37. However the numbers should be understood, Judah is outnumbered two to one by Israel.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:4 Mount Zemaraim. Probably on the northern border of Benjamin, on the frontier between the two kingdoms; see Josh. 18:22. Abijah’s speech is one of several royal addresses in Chronicles that serve to convey the author’s concerns—in this case, his condemnation of the northern kingdom for its apostasy and continuing rebellion.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:5–8a Abijah condemns Jeroboam and the northerners for opposing God’s grant of perpetual kingship over Israel to David and his sons. The term covenant of salt denotes a permanent provision; see Num. 18:19. Jeroboam’s kingship is dismissed as rebellion against his master, Solomon, while the Davidic kingdom is nothing less than the kingdom of the LORD (see 2 Chron. 9:8).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:8b–12 Abijah condemns the northerners for their religious unfaithfulness in making calf idols (see Hos. 8:6) and driving out the Aaronic priests and Levites in favor of their own appointees. Judah, by contrast, has the legitimate priesthood and temple worship, so Israel should not fight against the LORD. For the Chronicler’s own audience, Abijah’s speech may have functioned as a sermonic appeal to the different tribes to be united around the temple, under the leadership of the Davidic family.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:13–19 This battle report echoes older OT narratives in which God fights for and with his people (cf. v. 14 with Josh. 6:20). Judah’s reliance on God (2 Chron. 13:14, 18) is the key factor in its success.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:19 Bethel was one of the locations of Jeroboam’s calf cult (see v. 8 and 1 Kings 12:28–29).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:21 Large families are a conventional sign in Chronicles of God’s blessing on those who rely on him (see 1 Chron. 28:5; 2 Chron. 11:18–21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 13:22 the story of the prophet Iddo. Cf. notes on 12:15–16 and 1 Kings 14:19.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 14:2–16:14 Asa. The Chronicler’s account of Asa’s reign (910–869 B.C.) is also much longer and more complex than that given in the earlier history (1 Kings 15:9–24). It describes a reign that begins well but ends badly, as trust in God and obedience to the prophetic word give way to a dependence on human alliances and the rejection of the prophetic word.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 14:2–8 Asa begins his reign in an exemplary way by rooting out idolatry and commanding Judah to seek the LORD (see 1 Chron. 22:19). High places were local sites usually associated with pagan worship (see Deut. 12:2–3). Asherim. Poles representing the fertility goddess Asherah. The subsequent building projects, large army, and peace are typical blessings for faithfulness and obedience in Chronicles (see 2 Chron. 11:5–12; 13:3; 17:10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 14:9 Zerah the Ethiopian. Lit., “the Cushite,” from modern Sudan (see 12:3; 16:8). Not otherwise known, but possibly a general in the service of Pharaoh Osorkon I, son of Shoshenq I (12:2). A million men is literally “a thousand thousands” and represents an enormous number. An alternative way to understand this is “a thousand units” (see note on 1 Chron. 12:23–37). This is more than double the army following Asa (2 Chron. 14:8). Mareshah. One of Rehoboam’s fortified cities on Judah’s southwestern border (11:8).

Zerah Attacks Judah

898 B.C.

At some point during Asa’s long and prosperous reign over Judah, Zerah the Ethiopian led a vast army from the south to attack Judah at a valley near Mareshah. Asa’s army routed Zerah’s forces and pursued them to Gerar until none of them remained. Perhaps as punishment for Philistia allowing Zerah’s army to pass through their nation, Asa’s men then plundered many towns in the region around Gerar before returning to Jerusalem.

Zerah Attacks Judah

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 14:11–15 Asa’s prayer reflects the situation envisioned in 6:34–35. Many of the motifs of sacred warfare found in ch. 13 are expressed here as well and will recur in ch. 20: a prayer (or speech) is made by the king before battle, expressing trust in God (see 13:4–12; 20:5–12); Judah faces overwhelming odds (see 13:3; 20:2); and Yahweh strikes the enemy (see 13:15–16; 20:22–23). The fear of the LORD was upon them (see 1 Chron. 14:17; 2 Chron. 20:29). The plunder was used for sacrifices (15:11).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:1–7 Azariah is not otherwise known. His speech is intended to encourage Asa to continue his reforms and lead the people into covenant renewal. If you seek him. See 1 Chron. 28:9. The theme of “seeking the LORD” recurs throughout 2 Chronicles 15 (vv. 4, 12, 13, 15). Verses 3–6 call to mind the unstable time of the judges, marked by cycles of apostasy and return to God (see Judges 3), and the absence of effective spiritual leadership (see Judg. 17:5–6).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:8 Cities that he had taken in … Ephraim implies that there had been conflict between Judah and Israel prior to the thirty-sixth year of Asa’s reign (16:1; c. 875 B.C.).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:9 The Chronicler highlights a number of occasions when northerners are reunited with their fellow Israelites in Judah, always in the context of worship and seeking God (cf. 11:16; 30:11, 18, 25; 35:18).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:10 the third month of the fifteenth year. Probably May/June 895 B.C. The assembly may have taken place during the Festival of Weeks (or Pentecost) (see Ex. 23:16 [“Feast of Harvest”]; Lev. 23:15–21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:12 Effectively a renewal of the Sinai covenant (Exodus 19–20; 24), allowing the people to affirm their total commitment to Yahweh (with all their heart and with all their soul). Covenant renewal in connection with reform is also featured in 2 Chron. 23:16; 29:10; 34:31–32. The implication of these popular acts of religious commitment would have been clear to the Chronicler’s own community.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:13 whoever would not seek the LORD … should be put to death. See Deut. 13:6–10 and 17:2–7.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:16 The queen mother played an important role within the family politics of the court as an adviser of the king and teacher of the royal children. The brook Kidron, or the “Kidron Valley,” was just outside Jerusalem and was used as a refuse dump for idolatrous objects (29:16; 30:14). An inscription found at the site of Khirbet El-Qom, near modern Hebron, reads: “Blessed be Uriyahu by Yahweh and by his Asherah; from his enemies he saved him!” The inscription dates to the second half of the eighth century B.C. It reflects the constant struggle in Judah between true servants of Yahweh and those who were syncretists and idolaters.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 15:17 The high places were not taken out of Israel probably refers to those cities that had previously belonged to the northern kingdom and were then under Asa’s control (“out of Israel” is the Chronicler’s addition to 1 Kings 15:14a); in Judah, by contrast, Asa’s reforms had been much more successful (2 Chron. 14:3, 5). the heart of Asa was wholly true all his days (cf. 1 Kings 15:14). This is the overall assessment of his reign, despite the decline of his last years (see note on 2 Chron. 16:13–14).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:1–14 Asa’s last five years are marked by spiritual and physical decline, stemming from his unfaithful response to a military threat from the northern kingdom. He reverses the pattern of his earlier life: a covenant or treaty with Ben-hadad of Syria or Aram (vv. 2–6), in contrast to his covenant with Yahweh (15:12); he rejects the words of Hanani and mistreats him (16:7–10), in contrast to his response to Azariah (15:1–8); he fails to “seek the LORD” in his illness (16:12–13), in contrast to 14:4, 7 and 15:15.

War between Israel and Judah

As Israel and Judah battled each other to determine their permanent border, King Baasha of Israel attempted to restrict access to Judah by moving the border down to Ramah. Rather than fight with Baasha himself, King Asa of Judah bribed Ben-hadad of Syria to attack the northern border of Israel and force Baasha to withdraw from Ramah. Once Baasha withdrew, Asa carried away the building supplies of Ramah and used them to fortify Mizpah (further north) and Geba (near the pass at Michmash).

War between Israel and Judah

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:1 The thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa would be c. 876 or 875 B.C. As it stands, the text raises a problem, since Baasha had already been dead 10 years by this time (see 1 Kings 15:33; 16:8; and note on 1 Kings 15:17). One possible explanation is that the text here has suffered from a copying error. Letters from the Hebrew alphabet were originally used to denote numbers, and here (and in 2 Chron. 15:19) a scribe might have confused two similar-looking letters (י or yod for 10 and ל or lamedh for 30, letters that looked more alike in early handwritten Hebrew script than they do in modern typography). If so, then perhaps the original said that this was the “sixteenth year of the reign of Asa”—i.e., 896 or 895 B.C. Ramah lay about 5 miles (8 km) north of Jerusalem, and commanded the main road to and from the city.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:2–5 silver and gold. See note on 1 Kings 15:18–19. There is (or “Let there be”) a covenant. By entering into an alliance with Ben-hadad (at the expense of the temple and his palace), Asa countered the threat from Baasha, but his action reflected a lack of faith in Yahweh, who had delivered him from a greater threat (2 Chron. 16:8). Foreign alliances are condemned in 19:2; 20:35–37; 22:5; 28:16–21.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:7–9 The rebuke by Hanani contrasts with Azariah’s exhortation (15:2–7). Asa, who had once relied on Yahweh (14:11; 16:8), has relied instead on the king of Syria and will now face future wars (v. 9; contrast 15:15, 19). Hanani implies that Asa could have defeated Syria as well as Israel (16:7), had he trusted in God. During the reign of Asa’s son Jehoshaphat, Judah will in fact be at war with Syria (18:30). the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth. God continuously watches and evaluates everyone’s inner thoughts, attitudes, and convictions (heart). Similar wording appears in Zech. 4:10.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:10 Asa was angry with the seer. Asa’s response is the first act of persecution of a prophet by a king recorded in the OT (see 18:26; 24:21; 25:16; 36:16). Put him in the stocks calls to mind the persecution of Jeremiah (Jer. 20:2).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:11–12 the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. See 12:15; 13:22; and note on 1 Kings 14:19. The Chronicler does not specify whether Asa’s foot disease is divine punishment for his lack of faith and his abuse of Hanani, though this may be implied. (An explicit connection between sickness and divine punishment is made in 2 Chron. 21:16–20; 26:16–23.) The primary concern here is Asa’s response: he did not seek the LORD (cf. 14:4, 7; 15:12). He is not criticized so much for seeking help from physicians (or “healers”), but for doing so apart from “the LORD, [his] healer” (Ex. 15:26), and his promises of “healing” in 2 Chron. 7:14 (see 30:20).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 16:13–14 forty-first year. Asa ruled 912–871 B.C. Funeral reports in Chronicles are often used to pass a theological judgment on a reign. a very great fire. See 21:19; Jer. 34:5. The honor shown Asa at his funeral indicates that he was held in high esteem by the people. The Chronicler also seems to have taken a generally positive view of his reign, despite the decline of his last five years (or his last 25 years; see note on 2 Chron. 16:1).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:1–21:1 Jehoshaphat. Jehoshaphat’s reign (871–849 B.C.) probably included three years as co-regent with Asa during his illness (see 20:31; 2 Kings 3:1; 8:16). The Chronicler’s account of his reign is much longer than that given in Kings, where Jehoshaphat plays a subordinate role to the northern kings Ahab (1 Kings 22:4–5, 29–33) and Jehoram (2 Kings 3:4–27). The Chronicler passes over the Jehoram narrative and assigns Jehoshaphat a central significance in his own right, as one who strengthens his kingdom spiritually and militarily (2 Chron. 17:1–19), organizes its system of courts (19:1–11), and demonstrates exemplary faith and leadership in the face of a terrible military threat (20:1–29). At the same time, Jehoshaphat is criticized for his alliances with the apostate northern kingdom (19:1–3; 20:37). Like his predecessors, Jehoshaphat is thus a mixture of good and bad qualities, with a preponderance of good.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:1–6 Jehoshaphat’s actions at the start of his reign are directed toward reforming the nation’s religious life and strengthening its military capabilities, no doubt in view of the border conflicts with the northern kingdom that marked the previous reigns. As long as he continues in this attitude of faith in God and loyalty to the ways of David (vv. 3–6), his kingdom will enjoy security and prosperity. On later occasions, however, Jehoshaphat will be drawn into alliances through marriage or military and commercial arrangements with the northern kingdom, and all of these will lead to potentially disastrous consequences.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:3–4 The Chronicler’s characteristic theme of “seeking God” is accompanied by obedience to God’s commandments. This is the first mention of the Baals in Chronicles. Under Ahab and his Tyrean wife Jezebel (contemporaries of Jehoshaphat), the northern kingdom adopted Canaanite Baal worship (1 Kings 16:31), leading to conflict with Elijah (1 Kings 19).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:5 The LORD established the kingdom in his hand, continuing the promise made to David (see 1 Chron. 17:11). God acts in and through his people’s obedience to fulfill his word.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:6 Reform of worship is characteristic of faithful kings in Chronicles (see 14:3, 5; 15:8; 34:4).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:7–9 In the third year of his reign. Probably the first year of his reign alone (870 B.C.), following a three-year co-regency with his father (see 16:12; 20:31). Jehoshaphat’s reforms were not limited to worship but also included a mission by his officials, along with a number of Levites and priests, to instruct the nation in the Law of Moses. It was God’s intention from Israel’s beginning that his people be thoroughly conversant with the law (see Deut. 6:6–9). Besides administering sacrifices, it was the duty of priests in particular to instruct the people in the law (see Lev. 10:11; Deut. 33:10; Jer. 18:18; Mal. 2:7). On the role of the Levites in teaching the law, see Neh. 8:7–9.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:10–11 See 1 Chron. 14:17 and 2 Chron. 14:14. The blessings of peace with the neighboring nations, and tribute from them, are presented as a consequence of the people’s faithfulness to the law. The significance of this for the Chronicler’s own relatively weak and impoverished community is clear. Arabians probably refers to tribes living to the south and southwest of Judah, close to the Philistines (see 21:16–17; 26:6–7).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 17:12–19 The description of Jehoshaphat’s military forces looks forward to the account of his alliance with Ahab in ch. 18. Large armies are regularly a sign of God’s blessing in Chronicles, but the author will show that they are no certain defense if priorities are wrong and faith is misplaced (cf. Ps. 33:16–19). The details seem to be drawn from a military census list. thousands. These may be actual numbers, or they may indicate military units (actual size uncertain); see note on 1 Chron. 12:23–37.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:1–27 The account of Jehoshaphat’s alliance with Ahab is taken with few changes from 1 Kings 22:1–40, but the additional comments in 2 Chron. 18:1–2 and in 19:1–3 give it an altogether different significance. Jehoshaphat, rather than Ahab (and the divine punishment he received for spurning the prophetic word), is the focus here. The Chronicler is concerned to show that Jehoshaphat is equally subject to the prophetic word, but that by repentance and a conscientious return to God’s way, he may escape divine wrath. As with his father Asa (see 16:3), Jehoshaphat seeks an alliance with the northern kingdom that is based not on righteous grounds but on political expediency that may draw Judah into destruction. In his account of Hezekiah’s reign (chs. 29–30), the Chronicler will indicate how a true and beneficial unity among the tribes of Israel can be achieved.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:1–2 The Chronicler’s introduction alludes to the marriage of Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram to Ahab’s daughter Athaliah (see 21:6), some years before the battle Ahab initiated against Syria to recapture Ramoth-gilead. The statement that Jehoshaphat had great riches and honor is an indication of divine blessing on his reign and casts his alliance with Ahab into a yet more reprehensible light. The marriage between the royal houses was intended to seal peace between the kingdoms after 50 years of hostilities. Such an alliance, however, would require Jehoshaphat to “help the wicked and love those who hate the LORD” (19:2). Ahab’s great feast for Jehoshaphat and his persuasive words induced (Hb. sut) or enticed him to take part in the battle (see also 1 Chron. 21:1; 2 Chron. 32:11, 15). The same Hebrew word is found in 18:31 (“God drew them away from him”) as the positive counterbalance to the evil into which Ahab draws Jehoshaphat.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:3 Ramoth-gilead was southeast of the Sea of Galilee (probably Tell Ramith, near the modern Jordanian city of Ramtha; see Deut. 4:43). The Syrians captured it during the reign of Ben-hadad (c. 860–843 B.C.). Jehoshaphat’s words indicate his commitment to the treaty with Ahab.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:4–14 Jehoshaphat (in contrast to Ahab) is at least concerned to seek the word of the LORD concerning the advisability of the mission (vv. 4, 6, 7). Ahab’s four hundred men were called prophets (cf. also note on 1 Kings 22:6–7), but they were also government officials, probably connected with the Baal and Asherah worship that Jezebel had introduced into the northern kingdom (see 1 Kings 18:19). Their words (2 Chron. 18:5, 11) and symbolic actions (v. 10; see Jer. 27:2–7) are unequivocal and exactly what Ahab wants to hear. Jehoshaphat, however, does not recognize them as prophets of Yahweh and so persists in his request (2 Chron. 18:6). Micaiah the son of Imlah is one of the authentic prophets of Yahweh (in a kingdom where they had recently been persecuted; see 1 Kings 18:4). His initial words to Ahab (2 Chron. 18:14) were apparently spoken in an ironic tone, as Ahab’s reaction (v. 15) suggests.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:15–22 Ahab’s insistence on hearing what Micaiah had really received from Yahweh is answered with a report of two visions. The first concerns the outcome of the battle (v. 16), while the second makes the remarkable claim that God put a lying spirit in the mouth of Ahab’s prophets (vv. 18–22); see notes on 1 Sam. 16:14 and 1 Kings 22:24. The sense here is that, as a follower of false gods (see 1 Kings 16:30–33), Ahab is fittingly deceived by their spokesmen, his prophets. God’s action has the nature of a test. The irony of the situation is that Ahab is told the truth (2 Chron. 18:16, 18–22) but does not recognize it as such, even though he had insisted that Micaiah tell him the truth (v. 15). His repudiation of Micaiah’s message and his treatment of the prophet (v. 26) indicate his contempt for the truth.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:23–27 Zedekiah … struck Micaiah on the cheek. Zedekiah had claimed to speak in the name of Yahweh (v. 10), but he shows by his violent and contemptuous conduct his scant concern for the truth. Ahab’s treatment of Micaiah foreshadows Jeremiah’s suffering (Jer. 37:14–16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:24 you shall see … inner chamber. See note on 1 Kings 22:25.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:25 Amon … Joash. See note on 1 Kings 22:26.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:28–34 Ahab is enticed into battle, as the spirit had promised (v. 20). His decision to disguise himself, while rather cynically directing Jehoshaphat to wear his royal robes, indicates his dominant role in the alliance and perhaps also represents a contrived attempt to evade Micaiah’s word of doom. But events turn out the opposite of what Ahab intended: Jehoshaphat is delivered in battle as a consequence of his desperate prayer (v. 31b, and the LORD helped him; God drew them away from him is the Chronicler’s own addition to the text; see note on vv. 1–2), while Ahab dies from an apparently random arrow (v. 33), clear evidence of God’s sovereign direction of events.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 18:29 I will disguise myself. See note on 1 Kings 22:30.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 19:1–3 This is the Chronicler’s own addition to 1 Kings 22. Jehu the son of Hanani had ministered in the days of Baasha, king of Israel (1 Kings 16:1–3). His denunciation of Jehoshaphat for his alliance with the ungodly Ahab echoes his criticism of the wicked Baasha (1 Kings 16:7). Love here denotes not emotion but the commitment to support a treaty. God’s wrath is a matter of immense seriousness, yet may be averted or mitigated by repentance (see 2 Chron. 12:7; 32:25–26). Jehu’s acknowledgment that some good is found in Jehoshaphat recognizes his basic commitment to seek God and looks forward to his subsequent actions of repentance and reform (19:4–11).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 19:4–11 Jehoshaphat (whose name means “Yahweh judges”) institutes a judicial reform that embraces both religious and civil matters. Jehoshaphat’s primary concern is to appoint judges of integrity and impartiality, who are exhorted to perform their office in the fear of the LORD (vv. 7, 9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 19:4 he went out again. A continuation of the religious teaching mission described in 17:7–9, this time involving the king himself. From Beersheba to the hill country of Ephraim describes the limits of Judah from south to north.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 19:5–7 Jehoshaphat’s action in appointing judges in the fortified cities of Judah and his words of admonition to them are inspired by the instructions in Deut. 16:18–17:13. Israel’s judges must act out of a sense of sacred duty (you judge not for man but for the LORD) and must reflect Yahweh’s concern for justice and impartiality.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 19:8–11 These are legal reforms for Jerusalem involving certain priests, Levites, and heads of families as judges. The Jerusalem court would have supplemented the existing local courts in the land and probably dealt with the more difficult disputed cases. The presiding justices Amariah the chief priest and Zebadiah … the governor are responsible for the interests of the temple and the crown, respectively. The Chronicler is careful to show through Jehoshaphat’s reforms that, along with inculcating personal faith and obedience to Yahweh (v. 4), the judicial system has a vital role in ensuring that the nation’s life is righteous and just, so that the people do not incur guilt and wrath.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:1–30 This is the Chronicler’s own material, describing a victory over Judah’s enemies in which the sovereign God alone acts for his people. In contrast to earlier battles (chs. 13; 14), Judah’s part is simply to pray for God’s help, trust in his word, worship him (20:18–22), and then watch thankfully while the Divine Warrior destroys the enemy. The narrative draws together a wide range of religious themes and practices, especially those centered on the temple, and also alludes to many earlier scriptural texts and themes. Jehoshaphat’s faith is presented here in the most positive light (although the Chronicler will go on to show a further lapse in vv. 35–37), and the rest of the nation (conceived here as a sacred assembly) similarly acts in an exemplary way. The significance of the narrative for the Chronicler’s own postexilic community seems clear: although Judah was a small and oppressed outpost of the Persian Empire, recourse to the temple in prayer and trust in the prophetic word (v. 20) was its sure defense in the most testing circumstances, including the dangers posed by its hostile neighbors (cf. Ezra 4; Nehemiah 4).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:1–2 After this. The invasion followed Jehoshaphat’s religious and judicial reforms (ch. 19), and so was not an instance of divine punishment (cf. 12:2) but rather an opportunity to exercise faith (see 32:1). The Moabites and Ammonites lived east of the Dead Sea. The Meunites are equated with the people of Mount Seir (20:10, 22, 23), on the southern border of Judah (see Deut. 2:1; 2 Chron. 26:7). Engedi lies on the midpoint of the Dead Sea’s western shore. great multitude. See 13:8; 14:9; 32:7. Judah was apparently outnumbered by the coalition of enemy nations.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:3–4 to seek the LORD. See 1 Chron. 22:19. “Seeking the LORD” was characteristic of Jehoshaphat at his best (see 2 Chron. 17:4; 18:4; 19:3). The fast was an expression of the special intensity of the people’s prayer (see Judg. 20:26; Ezra 8:21–23).

The Moabite Alliance Attacks Judah

Early in Jehoshaphat’s reign over Judah, the Moabites rebelled and gained independence from Israel. Soon after this they formed a coalition with the Ammonites and the Meunites to attack Judah. When they had crossed the Dead Sea and were making their way up the ascent of Ziz at Hazazon-tamar (Engedi), Jehoshaphat’s army prepared to meet them in battle. Before the battle could begin, however, the Lord caused the Moabites and the Ammonites to turn and attack the Meunites, and the coalition was routed.

The Moabite Alliance Attacks Judah

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:5–12 Jehoshaphat’s prayer in the house of the LORD begins by calling to mind God’s universal sovereignty (v. 6), his gift of the land to Abraham’s descendants (v. 7), and the sanctuary that testifies to God’s promise to hear his people’s prayers and save them (v. 9, a clear allusion to the circumstances envisioned in Solomon’s dedicatory prayer in 6:14–42). In the juridical style of the so-called psalms of lament (see Psalms 44; 74), Jehoshaphat then complains to God against the injustice of the invaders, acknowledging that Judah is powerless against them, but steadfastly trusting God to execute judgment on them.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:14–19 The prophecy of Jahaziel, given by the Spirit of the LORD in answer to Jehoshaphat’s prayer, exhorts the people not to be afraid (see v. 3) and informs them that God and not Judah will do the fighting. The people must confront the enemy, but as prayerful spectators, not combatants. Verse 17 is based very closely on Ex. 14:13–14 (“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD. … The LORD will fight for you, and you only have to be silent”), pointing to a fundamental similarity between these two miraculous deliverances. Judah’s response must not be mere passivity: Tomorrow go down against them is “fighting talk,” but Judah’s part in this instance is not to take up arms but to exercise faith and to offer prayer and praise (see Eph. 6:10–18). The Levites’ ministry of leading praise appropriately concludes the great gathering for prayer.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:20–23 The wilderness of Tekoa lies about 12 miles (19 km) south of Jerusalem. Jehoshaphat’s call to faith is based on Isa. 7:9. Believe here means the active and obedient trust that God rewards (see Heb. 11:6), acting on the revealed word of his prophets, including Jahaziel. The singers whom Jehoshaphat appointed to go out before the army were evidently Levites (in holy attire; see 1 Chron. 16:29), declaring words from Psalm 136 as their battle song (see 1 Chron. 16:34; 2 Chron. 5:13). Their song of praise invokes God to move against their enemies (20:22; see 1 Chron. 16:35). Ambush may denote either angelic agents (see 2 Chron. 32:21) or men (see Judg. 9:25), in which case there were mutual suspicions among the coalition forces, leading to panic and their own destruction (2 Chron. 20:23; see Judg. 7:22; 1 Sam. 14:20).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:24–30 Verse 24 calls to mind Israel’s sight of the dead Egyptians in Ex. 14:30 (see note on 2 Chron. 20:14–19). Valley of Beracah. “Beracah” means “blessing.” There may be a recollection of this event in the prophecy in Joel 3:2, 12 (“the Valley of Jehoshaphat”). The return to Jerusalem takes the form of a triumphal procession, which ends appropriately in the temple, where the people had first sought God’s deliverance (2 Chron. 20:5). the fear of God. See 1 Chron. 14:17; 2 Chron. 14:14; 17:10; also note on Acts 9:31. God gave him rest all around. See 1 Chron. 22:9 and 2 Chron. 14:6.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:31–34 Adapted from 1 Kings 22:41–45 (cf. note on 1 Kings 22:43–46). Some have claimed that 2 Chron. 20:33 is inconsistent with 17:6, which says that Jehoshaphat “took the high places … out of Judah,” but both statements can be true if 17:6 refers to Jehoshaphat’s official actions and 20:33 indicates that the people’s commitment to Jehoshaphat’s reforms was not wholehearted in every place (cf. 1 Kings 22:43). The Chronicler explains why: the people had not yet set their hearts upon the God of their fathers (2 Chron. 20:33).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 20:35–37 Adapted and expanded from 1 Kings 22:48–49. Jehoshaphat repeats his error of making an alliance (this time, a commercial one) with the northern king, Ahab’s son Ahaziah. The Chronicler has added the prophetic denunciation by Eliezer.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:1–20 The Chronicler’s account of Jehoram’s reign is considerably expanded over the description given in 2 Kings 8:16–24. The dominant concern here, and in the accounts of his successor Ahaziah (2 Chron. 22:1–9) and the usurper Athaliah (22:10–23:21), is the disastrous influence of the house of Ahab on the Davidic dynasty and Judah. While the Chronicler’s portrayal of Jehoram is unremittingly negative, he highlights God’s promise to David (21:7) as the grounds for hope in the most troubled days. Again, the Chronicler’s own community may take this example from history and apply it to their own circumstances.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:2–22:12 Jehoram and Ahaziah. God demonstrates his faithfulness to his promise to preserve David’s house, even when the spirit of Ahab is manifested in specific Davidic kings.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:2–6 Jehoram reigned c. 849–842 B.C., including a co-regency with his father from 853 (see 2 Kings 1:17 and note on 2 Kings 8:16). His marriage to Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, implicated him in the evil ways of that kingdom. Once in sole possession of the throne, Jehoram demonstrated his true character through the murder of his brothers and other possible rivals (a policy that Athaliah would later repeat; see 2 Chron. 22:10). Alliance with the ungodly would bring the dynasty to the brink of destruction.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:6 he walked in the way of the kings of Israel. See note on 2 Kings 8:18.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:7 Because of the covenant that he had made with David is the Chronicler’s comment added to his source (see 1 Chron. 17:14). a lamp to him and to his sons forever. A metaphor of persistence and permanence in the darkest times, perhaps suggested by the constantly burning temple lamps (2 Chron. 13:11). As the subsequent narrative shows, the Davidic line will be brought perilously close to extinction through murder and war (21:4, 17; 22:10), until it hangs by the slenderest thread. Against all odds, the dynasty will be preserved in God’s grace, but Jehoram must still bear the punishment of his own wickedness (21:10–20; cf. notes on 2 Kings 8:19; 8:20–22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:8–10 This is taken from 2 Kings 8:20–22, with the additional comment that the revolts happened because Jehoram had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers (see 1 Chron. 28:9). Libnah was a Judahite city on the border with Philistia.

Edom and Libnah Revolt

848 B.C.

Perhaps emboldened by Moab’s rebellion from Israel a few years earlier, Edom revolted against the rule of King Jehoram (also called Joram) of Judah. Jehoram led his army to Edom to put down the rebellion, but his efforts failed. At the same time, the western priestly town of Libnah revolted against Judah, apparently because of Jehoram’s idolatrous practices. Philistines and Arabians also attacked Judah and plundered the royal palace, carrying away all its possessions and many of Jehoram’s wives and sons.

Edom and Libnah Revolt

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 21:11–20 This is the Chronicler’s own material. In contrast to his father Jehoshaphat, who sought to suppress the heathenish high places (17:6), Jehoram actually promotes their construction, probably as a consequence of his marriage alliance with the northern kingdom. Whoredom was a traditional term among the prophets for apostasy into idolatry (see Ezek. 16:16; Hos. 4:17–18). As always in Chronicles, the errant king is subject to prophetic rebuke; here, it takes the singular form of a letter … from Elijah the prophet. The last years of Elijah’s ministry overlapped with the beginning of Jehoram’s reign (2 Kings 1:17). As he had opposed Ahab (1 Kings 17–18), Elijah now condemns Ahab’s spiritual successor (2 Chron. 21:6, 13) for leading Judah into idolatry and for murdering his own brothers. The destruction of Jehoram’s own family is decreed, to be fulfilled at the hands of the Philistines and of the Arabians, while Jehoram himself is condemned to a fatal bowel disease. On disease as divine punishment, see 16:12; 26:19–21; and note on John 9:2. Jehoram’s exclusion from burial in the tombs of the kings is a final indication that he belonged to the ways of Ahab rather than David.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 22:1–9 The Chronicler’s account of Ahaziah’s brief reign (842–841 B.C.) is adapted from 2 Kings 8:24–29; 9:21, 28; 10:13–14. The main interest lies with the malignant influence of the house of Ahab over the young and ineffectual king. Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah is a daughter of Ahab (see 2 Chron. 18:1; 22:2) and his counselor in doing wickedly (the Chronicler’s addition to the text). As queen mother, she held an official position in the court as a royal adviser. Her role was supplemented by other officials from the house of Ahab, who were Ahaziah’s counselors, to his undoing (v. 4b, the Chronicler’s addition).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 22:5–9 Ahaziah’s decision to join Jehoram (a variant spelling of Joram), king of Israel, in his bid to recapture Ramoth-gilead from Hazael, king of Syria, comes at the behest of his “Ahabite” counselors. Some years previously, Jehoshaphat had allied himself with Joram’s father Ahab in an identical mission, ending in Ahab’s death (ch. 18). Joram was wounded at Ramoth-gilead, and withdrew to Jezreel to recuperate. Ahaziah came to visit his ally there, only to fall into the hands of Jehu, Joram’s commander, whom God had chosen to destroy the house of Ahab (see 1 Kings 19:15–17). Jehu’s violent coup is described in detail in 2 Kings 9:1–28. The Chronicler assumes his readers’ acquaintance with this narrative and focuses instead on Ahaziah’s fate, which he remarks was ordained by God (see 2 Chron. 10:15; 24:20). Ahaziah falls under the same judgment as the house of Ahab, insofar as he followed the ways of that apostate dynasty.

Jehu Executes Judgment

841 B.C.

During a battle with Syria at Ramoth-gilead, King Joram (also called Jehoram) of Israel was wounded and went to Jezreel to recover. While he was there, Jehu, one of Joram’s commanders, came from Ramoth-gilead to carry out the Lord’s judgment on Joram’s family. When Joram and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their chariots to meet Jehu, Jehu mortally wounded Joram with an arrow and chased Ahaziah to Beth-haggan, where he wounded him as well. It appears that Ahaziah then fled to Megiddo, where he died (2 Kings 9:27).

Jehu Executes Judgment

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 22:9 In contrast to Joram, whose body was left exposed on Naboth’s field (2 Kings 9:26), Ahaziah is granted a decent burial out of respect for his grandfather Jehoshaphat.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 22:10–12 Athaliah is nothing more than a violent usurper who attempts to secure the throne for herself by massacring rivals from the royal family, including her own relatives. Like Jehoram (21:4), she brings the Davidic dynasty to the brink of destruction. But while she rules the land for six years (probably 841–835 B.C.), she does so without legitimacy: no statements at the beginning or end of her rule make her reign official. The contrasting figure to her is Ahaziah’s sister Jehoshabeath, who courageously conceals the infant heir Joash throughout those years. The Chronicler adds the comment that Jehoshabeath is also the wife of Jehoiada the high priest, which helps explain how the child could be concealed in the temple buildings throughout Athaliah’s rule. Mention of Jehoiada here also prepares the way for the following account of Athaliah’s overthrow by the high priest.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:1–24:27 Joash. Joash’s rule marks not only the restoration of the throne to the rightful Davidic king but also Judah’s return to its covenant commitment to be the Lord’s people (23:16). Thanks largely to Jehoiada and his watchful concern for the nation’s life, these reforms are successful for a while, but things go awry once the old high priest has died. Joash is the first in a sequence of three kings (followed by Amaziah and Uzziah) whose reigns begin on a relatively positive note but end in failure or ignominy because they reject godly counsel.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:1–21 This is drawn mainly from 2 Kings 11:4–20, with numerous changes to reflect the Chronicler’s particular concerns.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:1b–2 This is the Chronicler’s addition, mentioning the role of the Levites and the heads of fathers’ houses, as well as military figures, in the uprising (cf. note on 2 Kings 11:4). Other references to the Levites in their key role of defending the king and the sanctity of the temple have been added in 2 Chron. 23:5–8.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:3 The assembly was the representative body of leaders of the people. Wise kings sought the advice and support of this body in their undertakings (see 1 Chron. 13:2; 29:1; 2 Chron. 30:2). The covenant with the king probably included the arrangements under which Joash would rule, including Jehoiada’s supervisory regency until Joash reached adulthood (see 24:4). Let him reign, as the LORD spoke concerning the sons of David. The Chronicler’s addition affirms that the coup was in keeping with God’s promise to preserve David’s line (see 1 Chron. 17:14; 2 Chron. 6:10; 21:7).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:4 This is the thing that you shall do. See note on 2 Kings 11:5–8.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:5–6 The Chronicler adds that all the people participated in the coup, though he is careful to note that they remained in the courts and did not enter the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:8 The coup was timed for the changing of the temple and palace guards on the Sabbath, to bring the maximum number of armed men into the temple precincts without arousing suspicion.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:9 the spears and … shields. See note on 2 Kings 11:10.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:11 Along with his coronation and anointing, Joash is presented with the testimony, which several interpreters understand to be the terms of his covenant with the assembly (v. 3), while others think it is a copy of the laws of God (perhaps the book of Deuteronomy) as specified in Deut. 17:18 (see note on 2 Kings 11:12).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:13–15 The pillar is probably either Boaz or Jachin, the pillars at the temple entrance (3:17; see note on 2 Kings 11:14). The Chronicler has added the reference to the singers with their musical instruments leading in the celebration, who are evidently Levites (see 1 Chron. 23:5; 25:6). Athaliah’s cry of Treason! shows that, as well as being blind to her own position as a violent usurper, she had no inkling that any of the house of David had survived. Jehoiada’s instruction to remove her from the temple precincts for execution is in order to avoid defiling the sacred site any more; yet ironically, his own son will not be spared this fate (2 Chron. 24:21–22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 23:16–21 The climax of these dramatic events is the ceremony of covenant renewal led by Jehoiada, in which the high priest, king, and people commit themselves afresh to be the LORD’s people (cf. note on 2 Kings 11:17). Effectively, this meant the reaffirmation of the Law of Moses as the rule for the kingdom and the removal of pagan practices and cultic personnel. The temple of Baal in Jerusalem may have been built for Athaliah as part of the marriage alliance with the northern kingdom, much as Solomon had provided shrines for his foreign wives (1 Kings 11:7–8). Verses 18b–19 of 2 Chronicles 23 are the Chronicler’s addition, affirming that, as part of the covenant renewal, temple worship was also brought into proper conformity with the stipulations of Moses and David.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:1–27 Loosely adapted from 2 Kings 11:21–12:21, this is supplemented with the Chronicler’s own material (see 2 Chron. 24:27). Joash’s reign (835–796 B.C.) falls into two parts: a faithful period, while Jehoiada the priest was alive (vv. 1–16), followed by apostasy ending in judgment (vv. 17–27). Throughout 2 Chronicles, the religious character of a king can be readily gauged by his attitude toward the temple, and this is most evident in the case of Joash: in his faithful period, he is devoted to the restoration of the temple (vv. 4, 5, 12), but in his apostasy, he abandons it for idolatry (v. 18).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:2 Joash did what was right. See note on 2 Kings 12:2–3.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:3 The Chronicler’s addition. got for him two wives. Jehoiada acts to ensure that the Davidic line will continue after its near destruction.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:4 restore. Literally, “to renew.” The temple had been despoiled by Athaliah and her family (v. 7) and probably neglected before that time.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:5–6, 9 repair the house of your God. See note on 2 Kings 12:4–5. Kings refers to three sources of revenue (cf. 2 Kings 12:4), but the Chronicler specifies instead only the census tax imposed by Moses for the construction and maintenance of the tabernacle (see Ex. 30:16). The typological correspondence and continuity between the Mosaic tabernacle and the temple is one of the Chronicler’s characteristic themes (see notes on 2 Chronicles 3–4). Verses 5–6 of ch. 24 offer a rare note of criticism of the priests and Levites for failing to perform their task.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:8–11 Joash’s initiative allowed the people to bring their tax directly to the temple. all the people rejoiced and brought their tax. See 1 Chron. 29:6–9. The Chronicler wants his readers to see the temple not as a burden but as a joyful duty (see Ex. 36:4–7).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:13–14 The repairs were made according to the original design, and the surplus funds were used for the temple vessels (see 2 Kings 12:13–14). vessels of gold and silver. Second Kings 12:13 says that vessels of gold and silver were not made while the temple was being repaired, while 2 Chron. 24:14 specifies that when they had finished those repairs, they used the rest of the money to make these vessels. The Chronicler specifies that Joash’s revival of temple worship lasted all the days of Jehoiada, and did not extend into his later years of apostasy following Jehoiada’s death (see note on vv. 1–27).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:15–22 This section is found only in Chronicles. Jehoiada’s age at death, 130, exceeds that of Aaron (123, Num. 33:39) and Moses (120, Deut. 34:7). His burial among the kings is unique for a high priest. the king listened to them. Without Jehoiada’s influence, Joash succumbs to the evil counsel of certain leaders who identified with the old ways of the house of Ahab. As always in Chronicles, God’s punishment for apostasy is not immediate but is preceded by the prophetic summons to repentance (see 2 Chron. 36:15). The speech by Zechariah is characteristic of the Chronicler’s vocabulary and theology (cf. 1 Chron. 28:9; 2 Chron. 7:19, 22; 15:2). His dying words are an appeal for divine justice. Jesus may have used this incident as an illustration of the judgment coming on his own violent and unbelieving generation (see note on Matt. 23:35).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 24:23–27 This follows the outline of 2 Kings 12:17–21 (see notes on 2 Kings 12:17–18; 12:20), but is mainly the Chronicler’s own material. Defeat by the smaller Syrian army is a reversal of Judah’s earlier experience (see 2 Chron. 14:8–9) and a sign of divine judgment. Joash’s fate is a case of “measure for measure.” As Joash had supported those who conspired to kill Zechariah (24:21), now his own officials conspired to do the same to him in revenge for Zechariah’s death. His exclusion from the tombs of the kings is in pointed contrast with Jehoiada (v. 16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:1–28 Amaziah. This section is drawn mainly from 2 Kings 14:2–20, with a long interpolation (2 Chron. 25:5–16) accounting for Amaziah’s defeat by Israel. His reign (796–767 B.C.) is divided into a period of relative obedience and blessing, followed by outright apostasy and judgment. Yet throughout his reign, Amaziah is basically halfhearted and divided in his loyalty to God, so his final failure is one of steady degeneration rather than radical reversal. Amaziah’s reign included a long co-regency (792–767 B.C.) with his son Uzziah as a result of his capture by the Israelite (northern) king Joash (v. 23).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:2 yet not with a whole heart. Second Kings 14:4 mentions Amaziah’s failure to remove the high places.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:5–16 This provides the background and aftermath to the comment in 2 Kings 14:7 on the war against Edom. Amaziah’s decision to hire mercenaries from the northern kingdom (2 Chron. 25:6) is denounced by an unnamed prophet because the LORD is not with Israel (on account of its continuing idolatry; see 2 Kings 13:11), and because a king should trust in God rather than his army (2 Chron. 25:8). Encouraged by the thought of material gain, Amaziah heeds the prophet’s call to dismiss the mercenaries and proceeds to a bloodthirsty victory against the men of Seir (an alternative name for Edom, Gen. 32:3). Amaziah’s worship of the captured Edomite gods (perhaps to placate their presumed displeasure) only provokes Yahweh’s anger. Again, the possibility of repentance is offered by God’s prophet (see 2 Chron. 25:19), but Amaziah seals his fate by silencing godly counsel in favor of his own advisers (v. 17).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:11 Valley of Salt. See note on 2 Kings 14:7.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:17–24 wild beast … trampled down the thistle. See note on 2 Kings 14:9–10. Israelite (northern) king Joash interprets Amaziah’s invitation as a veiled challenge to battle, perhaps in order to avenge the rampage of the Israelite mercenaries against the towns of Judah (2 Chron. 25:13). The Chronicler’s added comment in v. 20 that Amaziah’s refusal to heed Joash’s blunt advice was of God points to God’s sovereign control over human decisions as much as actions (see 10:15; 22:7). Amaziah is sorely rewarded for his pride (25:19; see Prov. 16:18) as well as his idolatry. Obed-edom. See 1 Chron. 13:14 and 26:15.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 25:25–28 The Chronicler adds that the conspiracy against Amaziah (see note on 2 Kings 14:19) began when he turned away from the LORD, which may be a reference to his apostasy in 2 Chron. 25:14 and 20. Perhaps an alliance of priests and military leaders, similar to the one that overthrew Athaliah for Joash (ch. 23), collaborated to repay Amaziah for despoiling the temple and for his defeat by Israel.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:1–23 Uzziah. See 2 Kings 15:2–7. The Chronicler reproduces most of this section of 2 Kings, but splices it with a lengthy passage of his own material (2 Chron. 26:5–20a) illustrating God’s blessing on Uzziah’s reign (792–740 B.C.) and recounting the cause of his downfall. As with his presentation of Joash and Amaziah, the Chronicler has divided Uzziah’s reign into two parts: a period of faithfulness and blessing, followed by sin and punishment. The language (“to seek God,” “prosper,” “God helped him,” “fame”) and the motifs of blessing (military success, building projects, armed forces) are all characteristic of the Chronicler’s style and thought, and they carry a sober message. The chapter is essentially a sermon on the dangers of pride: Uzziah’s God-given success leads him into presumption, seeking an office of spiritual leadership that could never be rightly his.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:1 Uzziah is also called by the variant form “Azariah” in 2 Kings 15:1, 6–7; 1 Chron. 3:12 (but cf. 2 Kings 15:13, 30, 32, 34, where he is called Uzziah). The Chronicler’s preference for “Uzziah” may be in order to avoid confusion with the chief priest Azariah in 2 Chron. 26:17–20.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:2 the king slept with his fathers. See notes on 1 Kings 2:10 and 2 Kings 14:22.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:3 The reign of Uzziah included co-regencies with his father Amaziah (796–767 B.C.) and his son Jotham (750–733). Uzziah’s reign saw the beginning of Isaiah’s prophetic ministry (Isa. 1:1; 6:1).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:5 Zechariah acted as a religious adviser to Uzziah, as Jehoiada had done for Joash (24:2). Nothing else is known about this Zechariah. He is not the same as the Zechariah of 24:20–21 or the author of the canonical book Zechariah, who began his ministry in 520 B.C.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:6–8 Uzziah’s victories over the Philistines in the west and southwest were reinforced by building settlements in these conquered territories. The Arabians (or “Arabs”) and Meunites (see 20:1) were nomadic groups in the south.

Judah’s Resurgence during Uzziah’s Reign

c. 767–740 B.C.

A power vacuum created by Assyria’s attack and withdrawal from Syria allowed King Azariah (also called Uzziah) of Judah to recover land that had once belonged to Judah. Azariah recovered Elath on the Red Sea, captured some Philistine towns, and fought against the Arabians at Gurbaal and against the Meunites.

Judah’s Resurgence during Uzziah’s Reign

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:9–10 Corner Gate. See 25:23. Uzziah stands out as an enthusiastic promoter of farming throughout the wilderness of Judah and the Negeb, the foothills of the Shephelah (west of Jerusalem), and the coastal plain.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:11–15 On the roles of armies as a mark of blessing on righteous kings, see 1 Chron. 12:23–40; 2 Chron. 13:3–4; 14:8; 17:12–19. Verse 13 of ch. 26 could be interpreted as “300 units (or commanders) with 7,500 men” (see note on 1 Chron. 12:23–37). Machines or “inventions” are implements of war from which men hurled projectiles in defense of the city. Murals from the siege of Lachish (701 B.C.) show defenders on the city walls shooting arrows and hurling stones from behind wooden frames on which shields have been hung.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:16–20 Unfaithful translates Hebrew ma‘al (see note on 1 Chron. 2:3–8). It carries the sense of affronting God’s holiness (as in a violated oath; see Lev. 6:1–7) or failing to accord him his due in worship. Uzziah impugned God’s holiness by trespassing on the temple, which was for the priests and Levites only, and by seeking to offer incense, a duty reserved for the priests alone (see Ex. 30:1–10; Num. 16:40). In his pride, he wished to have spiritual as well as political authority over the people. Uzziah’s presumptuous act recalls Korah’s rebellion (Num. 16:1–40). Azariah’s rebuke still offers Uzziah the chance to repent and leave, and it is only in the course of his angry, impenitent outburst against the priests that the king is struck with a skin disease.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:21–23 Because he was a leper to the day of his death (cf. note on 2 Kings 15:5), King Uzziah was not buried in the normal royal tombs of Jerusalem but in a field. A stone plaque was found in Jerusalem, on the Mount of Olives, from the Second Temple period that bears the inscription, “Here were brought the bones of Uzziah, king of Judah. Do not open!” It may be that the king’s bones were moved to the Mount of Olives many centuries after his death.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:21 Because of his leprosy, Uzziah had to withdraw from his royal duties (see Lev. 13:46; Num. 5:1–4), and Jotham became co-regent.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 26:22 Isaiah the prophet … wrote. Not the canonical book bearing his name, but another work by this prophet, who received his call in the year of Uzziah’s death (Isa. 6:1); see note on 2 Chron. 32:32–33.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 27:1–9 Jotham. The account of Jotham’s reign (750–735 B.C., including 10 years as co-regent with Uzziah) is expanded from 2 Kings 15:33–38 to show that his military success and power were due to his faithfulness to God (2 Chron. 27:6). Jotham is presented in a wholly positive way, in contrast to his father Uzziah (v. 2b) and his son Ahaz (ch. 28), of whom the Chronicler has nothing good to say.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 27:2 Corrupt practices probably refers to worship at the high places (see note on 2 Kings 15:34–35).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 27:3b–6 This is the Chronicler’s addition. Ophel. The higher part of the area in between the Temple Mount and the city of David (33:14; Neh. 3:26). Ammonites. See 2 Chron. 26:8. The cessation of tribute after three years may reflect the rising power of Syria (Aram) in the lands across the Jordan. Jotham became mighty. The same Hebrew verb is used of Uzziah (26:16), but unlike his father, Jotham does not succumb to pride.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 27:7 His wars may include the initial stages of confrontation with the Syro-Ephraimite coalition (see 2 Kings 15:37).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:1–27 Ahaz. The Chronicler’s account of Ahaz’s reign (735–715 B.C.) incorporates the introduction and conclusion from 2 Kings 16, and follows the same topics, but otherwise the details are different. The Chronicler amplifies the negative assessment of Ahaz in 2 Kings, showing how his apostasy led Judah astray and brought it to ruin. The charge that Ahaz was “very unfaithful” (Hb. ma‘ol ma‘al, 2 Chron. 28:19; see v. 21) exceeds even that made against Saul (1 Chron. 10:13). Yet the dark picture of Judah’s decline is mitigated somewhat by the action of its northern kinsmen, who show a measure of repentance and responsiveness to the prophetic word (2 Chron. 28:8–15).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:1 he did not do what was right. See note on 2 Kings 16:1–4.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:2 metal images for the Baals. The Chronicler’s addition (see 24:7). Baal worship was especially associated with Ahab’s dynasty (1 Kings 16:31).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:3 Valley of the Son of Hinnom. See 33:6 and Jer. 7:31. The Canaanite practice of child sacrifice is condemned in the strongest of terms in Lev. 20:1–5.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:5–7 See 2 Kings 16:5–7 and Isa. 7:1–6. The Chronicler spells out that the attacks by Syria and Israel were acts of divine judgment because Ahaz and the people had forsaken the LORD. Although the coalition failed to capture Jerusalem, they evidently overran the countryside around the city, and the captives taken to Damascus were a harbinger of the exile to come (2 Chron. 36:20). On the numbers, see note on 1 Chron. 12:23–37.

Syria and Israel Attack Judah

c. 740–732 B.C.

As the Assyrian Empire expanded westward, Syria and Israel sought to compel Judah and the other nearby states to form an anti-Assyrian alliance. Judah refused, leading Syria and Israel to attack Jerusalem. Syria also wrested Elath from Judah and gave it to the Edomites. The Edomites may have also raided Judah and taken captives at this time (see 28:17). The Philistines, who may have been part of the anti-Assyrian alliance, attacked Judah as well, capturing several cities in the Shephelah and the Negeb (see 28:18).

Syria and Israel Attack Judah

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:8–15 Just as Syria has done (v. 5), Israel removes its captives with the intention of enslaving them. The intervention by Oded indicates that the northern tribes still belong to “the Israel of God,” even though they are “in rebellion against the house of David” (10:19). The northern and southern tribes are relatives (lit., “brothers”), and both divisions of the people have aroused God to anger by their unfaithfulness (28:9, 11). The way back for both sides lies through repentance, which the leaders of Ephraim demonstrate in their response to Oded’s words. Their admission of guilt (v. 13) refers primarily to the charges of rebellion made by Abijah in 13:4–12.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:16–21 Ahaz’s appeal here to Tiglath-pileser III of Assyria for help against the Edomites and Philistines encroaching on Judah’s southern borders (see 2 Kings 16:6–7a) misfired. Although Judah received relief from its enemies (including the Syro-Ephraimite coalition, 2 Kings 16:9), it would end up as vassal to Assyria for 30 years (see Isa. 7:17; 8:7–8). Ahaz’s misstep was in seeking help from the ungodly, rather than from God (see 1 Chron. 5:20; 12:18; 2 Chron. 25:8).

Judah after the Fall of Israel

c. 722 B.C.

During the reign of King Ahaz of Judah, both Israel and Judah had become vassals (semi-independent subjects) of Assyria. Later, however, King Hoshea of Israel rebelled, causing the Assyrians to completely annex Israel as a province of the empire. Philistia was annexed into the empire as well, leaving Judah, Ammon, Moab, and Edom as the remaining vassals in the region.

Judah after the Fall of Israel

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:22–27 See 2 Kings 16:10–18. Judah reaches its lowest point before the exile through Ahaz’s desecration of the temple and his suppression of worship according to the Law of Moses (2 Chron. 28:24; see 29:7, 18–19) in favor of pagan practices. The blasphemous worship of false gods is now officially promoted by a Davidic king. Although this will be reversed somewhat by the reforming kings Hezekiah (chs. 29–32) and Josiah (chs. 34–35), Judah is set on a course that will culminate in destruction and exile (see 28:5). Ahaz is denied burial in the royal tombs as a mark of God’s judgment on his wickedness (see 21:20; 24:25; 26:23).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 28:26 On the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel, see note on 1 Kings 14:19.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:1–32:33 Hezekiah. The Chronicler devotes more attention to Hezekiah’s reign (715–687 B.C.) than to that of any other king since David and Solomon. His account has little in common with 2 Kings 18–20, which concentrates mainly on Hezekiah’s role in the Assyrian crisis of 701 B.C. The Chronicler, by contrast, is primarily interested in presenting Hezekiah as a restorer and reformer of Judah’s worship. Most of his account is devoted to describing the cleansing of the temple and the restoration of worship after Ahaz’s apostasy, followed by a national celebration of Passover (2 Chronicles 29–31). For the Chronicler, Hezekiah’s successful resistance to Sennacherib and the prosperity of his kingdom (ch. 32) are a consequence of his religious reforms. The Chronicler’s presentation of Hezekiah combines traits of both David and Solomon, especially in organizing the priests and Levites for their work and worship, and in presiding over the great rededication of the temple.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:3 Hezekiah opened the doors of the house of the LORD, reversing his father’s action (28:24).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:4–5 The appeal to the Levites to consecrate themselves recalls David’s summons to the priests and Levites in the sacred mission to retrieve the ark (1 Chron. 15:11–15). The filth denotes pagan cult objects that had been installed in the sanctuary, which were to be removed and burned in the Kidron Valley (2 Chron. 29:16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:6 Unfaithful (Hb. ma‘al) and forsaken are key terms in the Chronicler’s theological vocabulary, accounting for punishment and exile.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:8 an object of horror, of astonishment, and of hissing. See Jer. 29:18.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:9–10 Hezekiah recalls the terrible consequences of Ahaz’s apostasy and announces his intention to make a covenant with the LORD to avert his fierce anger. No ceremony of covenant renewal is described (see 15:12; 23:16), but it is clear by their response that the people took this appeal to heart.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:12–14 The list of Levites who lead the work of purification closely parallels the list in 1 Chron. 15:5–10, except that representatives of the Levitical singers (Asaph, Heman, and Jeduthun) have replaced Hebron and Uzziel.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:16–17 the brook Kidron. See 15:16; 30:14. The work of cleansing the temple took two weeks, until the sixteenth day of the first month, two days past the proper date of Passover (see Num. 9:1–11 and note on 2 Chron. 30:2–4).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:18–19 All the utensils that King Ahaz discarded in his reign … we have made ready and consecrated. See note on 1 Chron. 28:11–19.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:20–22 The restoration of worship following the cleansing of the temple begins with a sin offering for all Israel as the appointed means in the Law of Moses for removing every kind of evil and defilement from the people (see Lev. 4:1–5:13).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:23 Laid their hands on them calls to mind the scapegoat ritual of the Day of Atonement (Lev. 16:20–22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:25–30 The burnt offering that is accompanied by the Levites’ singing and music signifies the people’s act of consecrating themselves afresh to Yahweh (v. 31). the song to the LORD. See 1 Chron. 16:7.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 29:31–36 The sacrifices and thank offerings that the people bring to the temple are individual (rather than regular, communal) expressions of worship and thanksgiving.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:1–27 The account of Hezekiah’s Passover is not mentioned in 2 Kings. Hezekiah demonstrates his commitment to the Law of Moses by pressing on to this celebration immediately after the reconsecration of the temple. At the same time, the ceremony is unorthodox in its date (cf. note on 2 Chron. 30:2–4) and in the participation of the ceremonially unclean (vv. 18–20). The Passover is also the occasion in which people from the north and south are reunited (at least in principle) in true worship at the temple, in contrast to earlier attempts to secure a false unity through force of arms (see 11:1–4; 13:8) or ungodly alliances (see 18:1; 19:2; 20:35).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:1 all Israel and Judah. The destruction of the northern kingdom in 725–722 B.C. by Assyria and the deportation of much of its population (2 Kings 17:5–6) allowed Hezekiah to make this invitation at the beginning of his reign (715 B.C.).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:2–4 The Passover was delayed until the second month, in an application of the principle in Num. 9:9–13 providing for those who were ceremonially unclean or absent on a journey. This is an early example of the Law of Moses’ being interpreted to cover new situations. Hezekiah’s consultation of the assembly in decision making aligns him with David (1 Chron. 13:1–5) and Solomon (2 Chron. 1:2–5).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:6–9 The letters of invitation are similar in content and language to Hezekiah’s speech to the priests and Levites (29:5–11). More than an invitation to participate in a festival (30:8b), they are really a summons to repentance (return to the LORD), so that God will avert his anger and the captives of the Assyrians will be returned (v. 9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:17 the Levites had to slaughter the Passover lamb for everyone. A new, permanent change in their duties (see 35:5–6). It had previously been the responsibility of the elders to slaughter the Passover lamb (Ex. 12:21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:18–20 Although the northerners who ate the Passover were ceremonially unclean and thus deficient according to the letter of the law, their genuine repentance and Hezekiah’s intercession were enough to override this deficiency. And the LORD heard Hezekiah and healed the people in fulfillment of the promise in 7:14. “Healing” here is probably a metaphor for forgiveness and spiritual cleansing so that the people could come before God in keeping with Hezekiah’s prayer (see Ps. 41:4; Jer. 30:17).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 30:23–27 The feast was extended for another week, just as the temple dedication had been, and the great joy of this occasion recalls the time of Solomon (7:9–10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:1 all Israel. The festival united the Israelites of the north and south and sparked a popular movement to eradicate pagan worship from Ephraim and Manasseh, as well as Judah and Benjamin.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:2–21 The final stage in Hezekiah’s reforms is the restoration of the temple services, which had evidently lapsed when Ahaz closed the temple (28:24). This requires the reorganization of the priests and Levites for the offering of sacrifices and praise (31:2) and the reinstatement of tithes and offerings to support the temple personnel (vv. 4–19). The Chronicler is at pains to demonstrate that the people support the temple generously (v. 5) and that Hezekiah makes effective provisions for the faithful collection and distribution of the gifts (vv. 11–19). The consequence of Hezekiah’s faithful leadership is blessing on the people and his own reign (vv. 10, 21). The account stands as an evident example and encouragement to the Chronicler’s own community (see Neh. 10:35–39).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:3 Hezekiah leads with the example of his own generosity, as David had done before (1 Chron. 29:2–5).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:5–6 The firstfruits were for the priests (Num. 18:12–13) and the tithes were for the Levites (Num. 18:21, 24).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:7 The amassing of food lasts from the grain harvest in the third month (May–June, the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost) until the fruit and vine harvest in the seventh month (September–October, the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles). On these occasions and at Passover, all Israelite men were to come to the temple (Ex. 23:16–17).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:11–15 Hezekiah’s provision of storerooms and appointing of Levites to be in charge of them recalls David’s arrangements (1 Chron. 23:28; 28:12). Conaniah and Shimei, with their 10 assistants, are responsible for the storerooms, while Kore and his six assistants arrange for distribution in the priests’ cities (see 1 Chron. 6:54–60).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:16–18 Distribution was made to priests and their families, including provision for males from three years old, i.e., the age by which all of them had been weaned.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 31:20–21 The summarizing evaluation of Hezekiah echoes the praise of the king in 2 Kings 18:3, 5–7a but reflects the Chronicler’s characteristic vocabulary and concept of the exemplary king: seeking his God, with all his heart, and prospered. This recalls David’s exhortation of Solomon (see 1 Chron. 22:13, 19; 28:9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:1–23 The Chronicler’s account of Sennacherib’s invasion (701 B.C.) greatly condenses and simplifies the record given in 2 Kings 18–19 (see note on 2 Kings 18:13). That earlier account depicts a rather more ambivalent (but still fundamentally positive) portrait of Hezekiah (see 2 Kings 18:14–16, 21, 23). The Chronicler omits these details to present Hezekiah at his faithful best, but his principal concern is to highlight the uniqueness and supremacy of Israel’s God, and his ability to deliver his people from their enemies (note Sennacherib’s constant taunting use of this verb in 2 Chron. 32:11, 13, 14, 15, 17).

Hezekiah Fortifies Jerusalem

c. 702 B.C.

In anticipation of an Assyrian attack, King Hezekiah of Judah fortified Jerusalem, repairing broken sections of the wall and redirecting the flow of water from the Gihon Spring into the city. He also outfitted his army with weapons and shields and appointed battle commanders over the people. Archaeological evidence suggests he also enclosed the western hill of the city with a new wall and built the Temple Mount around Solomon’s temple.

Hezekiah Fortifies Jerusalem

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:1–8 After these things. Like Jehoshaphat (20:1), Hezekiah’s faithful acts are followed by an aggressive invasion, an event that becomes an occasion for testing the king’s faith and resourcefulness. Hezekiah’s response includes taking practical measures for the defense of Jerusalem (32:2–6a) and encouraging the people not to fear the strength of men (arm of flesh; see Jer. 17:5) but to have confidence in God’s help (see 2 Chron. 14:11). Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid echoes David’s charge to Solomon (1 Chron. 22:13), based in turn on Moses’ words to Joshua (Deut. 31:6; Josh. 1:9).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:1–4, 30 Toward the end of the eighth century B.C., Hezekiah built a new water system for Jerusalem, which incorporated part of the earlier system. A tunnel was constructed that brought water directly from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam. Two teams cut toward each other, one from the spring and one from the pool. The Siloam Inscription, which was discovered in the tunnel in 1880, describes the final moments of the meeting of the two teams.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:5 he built another wall. In the 1970 excavation of Jerusalem in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, archaeologist Nahman Avigad discovered a wall 21 feet (6.4 m) thick from the eighth to seventh centuries B.C. It was probably erected by Hezekiah to protect the city against the invading Assyrians. The city wall was also extended to accommodate the growth in population caused by the influx of refugees from the north. the Millo. See note on 2 Sam. 5:9.

Jerusalem in the Time of Hezekiah (c. 725–686 B.C.)

During the reign of King Hezekiah, the city of Jerusalem expanded more than ever before. Many refugees from the Assyrian invasion settled on the Western Hill, as the ancient city built by King Solomon on the Eastern Hill was not able to absorb them. New city walls encircled both hills, and thus Jerusalem became a city that was “bound firmly together” (Ps. 122:3).

• •

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:9–16 Sennacherib … was besieging Lachish. See note on 2 Kings 18:17. See 2 Kings 18:19–25, 27–35; 19:9–13 (and notes), which the address of Sennacherib’s servants summarizes. The speech follows the familiar pattern of psychological warfare, attempting to separate a people from their leader and to intimidate them into submission. Moreover, the people are constantly challenged on their confidence in the Lord, whom the Assyrians consider no more able to deliver than the gods of the lands they had conquered. The blasphemy and hubris of Sennacherib and his officers (2 Chron. 32:17, 19) are an affront to Yahweh’s honor and invite his reply.

Assyria Attacks Judah

701 B.C.

During the reign of Hezekiah of Judah, Sennacherib of Assyria came and attacked cities along the western edge of Judah, and he sent officials to besiege Jerusalem and convince Hezekiah to surrender. The Cushite king Tirhakah advanced from Egypt to support Hezekiah (2 Kings 19:9; Isa. 37:9) but apparently failed. The siege of Jerusalem was broken when the angel of the Lord killed 185,000 Assyrians in a single night. Sennacherib withdrew and returned to Nineveh in Assyria, where his own sons killed him.

Assyria Attacks Judah

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:18 The language of Judah was Hebrew; Aramaic was then the international language of the Near East (see 2 Kings 18:26–35).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:20 Hezekiah the king and Isaiah the prophet. The Chronicler omits the details of Hezekiah’s prayer and Isaiah’s prophecy of salvation (see 2 Kings 19:15–34) to focus on his familiar point that God has promised to hear his people’s prayer in times of distress (cf. 2 Chron. 6:24–25). cried to heaven. Cf. note on 2 Kings 19:1–2.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:21 See 2 Kings 19:35–37. with shame of face. The Chronicler’s addition, highlighting the element of confrontation between the arrogant Assyrian king and God himself (see Ps. 34:4–7; 35:4–5). Although Sennacherib’s army withdrew shortly afterward, his murder did not occur until 20 years later, in 681 B.C. (see notes on 2 Kings 19:35–36; 19:37).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:23 Hezekiah recalls Solomon in the esteem and gifts he receives from foreigners (9:23–24).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:24–33 The conclusion to the Chronicler’s account of Hezekiah’s reign mentions his other achievements and his prayers, as well as his lapse into sinful pride.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:24–26, 31 See 2 Kings 20:1–19. These events preceded Sennacherib’s invasion by a few years. The sign was the miraculous backward movement of the shadow, signifying the extension of Hezekiah’s life in answer to prayer. Related to this incident was the king’s proud display of his wealth before the Babylonian envoys. This incurred God’s wrath, but Hezekiah and the people’s humble repentance (see 2 Chron. 7:14) is said to have spared Jerusalem in the days of Hezekiah (see 2 Kings 20:16–18). Even a good king such as Hezekiah could contribute to Judah’s fate; like Josiah (2 Chron. 34:28), however, he was spared from seeing it in his days.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:24 In those days. See note on 2 Kings 20:1.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:27–30a Riches and honor are standard signs of divine blessing on faithful reigns (see 1 Chron. 29:28; 2 Chron. 1:11; 17:5). Hezekiah’s tunnel with the renowned Siloam Inscription (discovered in 1880) was part of the engineering work referred to in 32:30a (see vv. 3–4).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:31 the envoys of the princes of Babylon. See note on 2 Kings 20:12.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 32:32–33 the acts of Hezekiah and his good deeds. See note on 2 Kings 20:20. the vision of Isaiah the prophet … in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel. Not the canonical book of Isaiah’s prophecy but a historical work now lost (see notes on 1 Kings 14:19; 2 Chron. 26:22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:1–20 Manasseh. See 2 Kings 21:1–10, 17–18. Chronicles differs most markedly from Kings by including a section describing Manasseh’s imprisonment in Babylon and his religious reforms (2 Chron. 33:11–17), and by omitting 2 Kings 21:11–15, where Manasseh is condemned as a primary cause of the exile (but see note on 2 Chron. 33:10). The reason for the difference lies in their respective aims: Kings presents Manasseh as the worst of Judah’s kings whose sins make the exile inevitable, while Chronicles uses him to illustrate the possibility of forgiveness and restoration, even for “the foremost of sinners” (see 1 Tim. 1:15). Both accounts are highly selective in their treatment of the longest reign in Judah’s history, and the additional material in Chronicles should not be considered fictional. The Chronicler would certainly agree with 2 Kings that Manasseh’s sins contributed to the final outcome of exile, just as the king’s own punishment (2 Chron. 33:11) anticipates what will happen to the people. Manasseh’s repentance and reforms may also explain why the exile did not come in his day: they had the effect of postponing, but not entirely removing, the consequences of Israel’s unfaithfulness, on which God had pronounced judgment (v. 10).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:1 fifty-five years. 697–642 B.C., including probably a co-regency of 10 years with Hezekiah.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:2–9 These verses largely reproduce 2 Kings 21:2–9 (see notes). Manasseh sets about reversing all the reforms his father had instituted, promoting idolatry and succumbing to the depravity of child sacrifice and sorcery.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:10 The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to his people alludes to 2 Kings 21:10 and is intended as a summary of the prophecy of judgment in 2 Kings 21:11–15. But they paid no attention is based on 2 Kings 21:9a. In their rejection of God’s word, Manasseh and his people prefigure the last generation of the kingdom (2 Chron. 36:15–16).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:11 Manasseh’s imprisonment in Babylon is not attested to outside the Bible. But this account is often associated with the widespread rebellion in 652–648 B.C. by Shamash-shum-ukin, king of Babylon, against his younger brother and overlord Ashurbanipal, king of Assyria. Once he had taken Babylon, Ashurbanipal turned his attention to the western part of his empire and its vassal states, which included Judah. Manasseh may have joined in the rebellion, or at least have been suspected of supporting it.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:12–13 The description of Manasseh’s prayer and God’s response is strongly influenced by the thought and vocabulary of 7:14. Knew that the LORD was God is similar to a very common expression by Ezekiel, the prophet of the exile: “you/they will know that I am the LORD” (e.g., Ezek. 5:13; 7:27; 13:21).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:14 Manasseh’s building projects and military measures can be understood in light of Assyria’s need for a buffer-state in the southwest against Egypt, following the suppression of Shamash-shum-ukin’s rebellion. Building projects and armies are regular marks of blessing on faithful kings (see 11:5–12; 14:6–8; 17:12–19; 26:9–15).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:15–16 Manasseh’s religious reform was directed at removing his earlier pagan innovations (vv. 3, 7). The reform centered on the temple, and little if any of it extended beyond Jerusalem. Verse 17 makes it clear that the people continued in their familiar ways. Manasseh removed the idols (v. 15), but it is not stated that he destroyed them, as Josiah did (34:4–7). Amon would later put them back to use.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:18–20 The Chronicler has considerably expanded the concluding formula in 2 Kings 21:17–18 to emphasize that Manasseh’s prayer and his humble repentance constitute the chief significance of his reign. Faithlessness is the key Hebrew theological term ma‘al (see note on 1 Chron. 2:3–8).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 33:21–25 Amon. See 2 Kings 21:19–24. The Chronicler has added to the account of Amon’s brief reign (642–640 B.C.) the charge that, in contrast to his father, Amon did not humble himself, but rather incurred guilt more and more. His revival of Manasseh’s idolatry (2 Chron. 33:22) contributed to God’s wrath against Judah (see 19:10; 24:18; 28:25; 36:16), as well as serving as a prelude to Josiah’s reform (ch. 34).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:1–35:27 Josiah. See 2 Kings 22:1–23:30a. The considerable space that the Chronicler devotes to Josiah’s reign (640–609 B.C.) is a mark of his importance as an example of godly leadership. From his youth (2 Chron. 34:3), Josiah demonstrates faithfulness to God. Like the other great kings before him, he promotes reform according to the Law of Moses and instructions of David, eliminating idolatry and restoring the temple (34:3–13, 33). Although the inexorable shadow of exile hangs over his reign (34:23–28), Josiah persists in leading his people into a renewal of their relationship with God and in reestablishing the Law of Moses as the basis of the nation’s future life (34:29–32). The climax of his reformation (as it was for Hezekiah) is the celebration of a Passover unexcelled in its inclusive breadth and faithfulness (35:18). Josiah is evidently a model for faithful living for the Chronicler’s own restoration community, centered on the temple and governed by the same law (see Neh. 8:1–8).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:2 did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. See note on 2 Kings 22:2.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:3–7 Josiah’s decisive move against pagan worship is made as soon as he has come of age by turning 20 (see Num. 1:3). The reform includes both Judah and the territories of the former northern kingdom, where the decline of Assyrian power after the death of Ashurbanipal in 627 B.C. allowed Josiah to pursue his religious and political concerns.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:6–7 A fortress at Mesad Havashyahu on the Mediterranean Sea has been discovered that dates to the last third of the seventh century B.C. Several Hebrew ostraca found there indicate that the site was under Judean control. Josiah’s control thus extended not only to the north, as far as Naphtali, but also westward to the coast.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:8–13 When he had cleansed (v. 8) or “in order to cleanse.” The repair of the temple in 622 B.C. was part of the continuing process of reform that Josiah had initiated. he sent Shaphan. See note on 2 Kings 22:3–7. The Chronicler adds that contributions came from Manasseh and Ephraim and from all the remnant of Israel, as well as Judah, pointing to the unity that now existed among the people and their shared interest in the temple (see 1 Chron. 9:3). The Chronicler further states that the repair work was done under Levitical supervision (see 2 Chron. 24:8–12; 29:12–19).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:14 the Book of the Law. This is usually understood to be a scroll of Deuteronomy or a portion of it. Its discovery in the course of temple repair is itself a reward for faithfulness because it becomes the springboard of further reform (2 Chron. 34:29–33; cf. note on 2 Kings 22:8).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:19–21 those who are left in Israel and in Judah. Another added reference to the northern kingdom to stress the unity of Israel (see v. 9). great is the wrath of the LORD … because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD. See note on 2 Kings 22:11–13.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:27 humbled yourself before me. This is the Chronicler’s addition, alluding to 7:14, emphasizing Josiah’s exemplary spiritual character (see 34:1–3).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:28 gathered to your grave in peace. The promise is not negated by Josiah’s death in battle; Huldah’s prophecy means that the destruction and exile will not occur during Josiah’s lifetime (cf. note on 2 Kings 22:20).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:30–31 the king went up to the house of the LORD. See note on 2 Kings 23:2–3.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 34:32–33 Josiah imposes on the people a pledge of obedience to the Mosaic covenant, which they maintain in all the territory … of Israel (i.e., in both the north and south)—but only while Josiah lives (all his days they did not turn away). When Josiah dies, so too does the people’s commitment to their covenant (see notes on ch. 36).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 35:1–19 See 2 Kings 23:21–23. Just as Josiah encouraged and instructed the priests and Levites “in the service of the house of the LORD,” the detailed account of his Passover serves as an encouragement and model to the Chronicler’s own generation in their use of the temple for worship and spiritual renewal. The Passover was the most significant pilgrimage festival in the postexilic community for reaffirming their identity and vocation as Yahweh’s people (see Ezra 6:19–22; cf. note on 2 Kings 23:22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 35:1 the first month. The regular month for celebration (Num. 28:16), in contrast to Hezekiah’s delayed observance (2 Chron. 30:2).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 35:3–6 Put the holy ark in the house that Solomon … built (v. 3). The ark may have been removed during the reigns of Manasseh and Amon, or in the course of Josiah’s renovation works. Josiah directs the Levites in their new duties of slaughtering and skinning the Passover lambs (see v. 11).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 35:18 No Passover like it. Josiah’s Passover surpassed all other centralized celebrations (including Hezekiah’s unorthodox Passover; 30:2–4, 18–20) in its faithful commitment to worship as authorized by Moses and David, and in its broad inclusion of all Judah and Israel (cf. note on 2 Kings 23:22).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 35:20–27 Josiah’s death occurred in the course of confronting Pharaoh Neco II at Megiddo in 609 B.C., when the Egyptian king was bringing his army north to help the Assyrians against Babylon. Apparently Josiah decided to seek favor with Babylon by opposing the Egyptians (see note on 2 Kings 23:28–30), but this indicated a turning away from trust in the Lord. Josiah’s failure to listen to the words of Neco from the mouth of God (2 Chron. 35:22) contrasts with his attention to God’s words from the Book of the Law and from Huldah the prophetess (34:19, 26–27). Here God spoke even through an Egyptian king, warning Josiah against meddling in a war between Babylon and Egypt (cf. Prov. 26:17). The manner of his death is also uncomfortably like Ahab’s (2 Chron. 18:29–34). Nevertheless, Josiah’s reign is judged very positively, as his burial and the mourning for him attest. the Laments. Not the biblical book of Lamentations.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:1–21 The Last Four Kings. See 2 Kings 23:31–25:21. The Chronicler presents the reigns of the last four kings of Judah quite summarily, as the history of the nation accelerates toward an outcome that has been inevitable since Manasseh’s reign. With Josiah’s death, the covenant is abandoned by king and people alike. The Chronicler treats the last four reigns essentially as a unit: he omits the names of the queen mothers and the customary death notices, so that there is no strict separation between each of the reigns, and the common fate of these kings is exile, as it will be for the people. Another common theme is the temple vessels (2 Chron. 36:7, 10, 18; see note on 1 Chron. 28:11–19). As well as the kings (2 Chron. 36:5, 9, 11–12), the whole nation from its leaders down shares in the mounting collective guilt (v. 14) that finally overwhelms it in destruction. Yet the exile is a positive time of purification, and the book concludes on a surprising upswing in a new act of God’s grace declared through a pagan king (vv. 22–23).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:1–4 Pharaoh Neco II asserted control over Judah after Josiah’s death. The “people of the land” who made Jehoahaz king (see 23:13; 26:1; 33:25) probably hoped he would continue Josiah’s opposition to Egypt. Neco preempted this risk by deposing him in favor of Eliakim, whom he renamed Jehoiakim as a mark of his authority over him. The tribute that Neco imposed on the land was a tax exacted from those who had supported Jehoahaz (2 Kings 23:35). Inscription 88 of the Arad Ostraca, dating to c. 600 B.C., is fragmentary but appears to be a letter from a king who has just been enthroned. The king is apparently warning the military commander of Arad of a possible military encounter with Egypt. Arad at this time guarded the southern end of Judah. The excavator identified the king who wrote this letter as Jehoahaz, who ruled Judah for three months in 609 B.C. (Cf. note on 2 Kings 23:31–35.)

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:5–8 Jehoiakim’s reign (609–598 B.C.) was marked by a return to idolatry (Jer. 25:1–7) and the king’s persecution of the prophets (Jer. 26:20–24; 36:20–31). Nebuchadnezzar, following his defeat of Neco at Carchemish (605 B.C.), besieged Jerusalem (2 Kings 24:1) and carried off some of its citizens and some of the temple vessels to Babylon (2 Chron. 36:7; Dan. 1:1–2). This may have been the occasion when Nebuchadnezzar bound him in chains to take him to Babylon, making Jehoiakim into his vassal. Jehoiakim later rebelled against the Babylonians, and in 598 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar again besieged Jerusalem, just after Jehoiakim’s death.

Exile to Babylon

597, 586, 582 B.C.

It appears that there were three separate deportations of Judeans to Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar (see also Jer. 52:28–30). The first came in 597 B.C. during the reign of Jehoiachin, when Nebuchadnezzar besieged Jerusalem and carried away many of the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. The second occurred after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 B.C., when the walls of the city were leveled and the temple was completely destroyed. The third appears to have occurred around 582 B.C. while King Nebuchadnezzar was reasserting his control over the general region of Palestine (see note on Jer. 52:28–30).

Exile to Babylon

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:9–10 The reign of Jehoiachin lasted only for the duration of the siege, before he was exiled to Babylon. Brother here denotes “relative” (Zedekiah was Jehoiachin’s uncle).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:11–16 Zedekiah’s reign (597–586 B.C.) culminated in rebellion, a siege of almost two years, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, and the deportation of its leading citizens (see Jer. 52:28–30 and note for additional information about Jerusalem’s final days). This reign is presented as the zenith of disobedience to God, with the king leading the way and the people becoming exceedingly unfaithful (Hb. ma‘al; see note on 1 Chron. 2:3–8). Their mocking rejection of the prophets (see Jer. 25:4) meant the refusal to repent, so now there was no remedy (lit., “no healing”; see 2 Chron. 7:14) against God’s wrath (see 34:25 and note on 2 Kings 24:18–25:7).

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:17–21 Excavations on the Ophel hill in Jerusalem have revealed some domestic structures belonging to Judeans just before Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction in 586 B.C. One four-room house sits at the base of the massive stone-stepped structure. It is called the “house of Ahiel” because an inscription with his name was found in the house. See also note on 2 Kings 25:9–10.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:19–21 they burned the house of God. See notes on 2 Kings 25:8–12; 25:9–10. The land lying desolate while the exiles pay for their sins is a covenant curse (Lev. 26:34–35, 43) but also an opportunity for the land to recuperate and prepare to receive a purified people back (see Lev. 26:44–45). seventy years. See Jer. 25:11; 29:10.

2 CHRONICLES—NOTE ON 36:22–23 Restoration. From Ezra 1:1–3a. Israel’s history has resumed through God’s gracious initiative. to build him a house. The words of Cyrus recall David’s temple commission to Solomon (1 Chron. 22:6, 18–19) and God’s dynastic promise to David (1 Chron. 17:12; 22:10; 2 Chron. 6:9–10). Let him go up is an invitation to a restored people around a restored temple (1 Chron. 9:2–34) to respond to the Davidic covenant with obedient faith and worship.

Study Notes for 2 Chronicles

The Extent of Solomon’s Kingdom

Solomon’s International Ventures

The Kingdom Divides

Zerah Attacks Judah

War between Israel and Judah

The Moabite Alliance Attacks Judah

Edom and Libnah Revolt

Jehu Executes Judgment

Judah’s Resurgence during Uzziah’s Reign

Syria and Israel Attack Judah

Judah after the Fall of Israel

Hezekiah Fortifies Jerusalem

Jerusalem in the Time of Hezekiah (c. 725–686 B.C.)

Assyria Attacks Judah

Exile to Babylon