Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Chronicles 15
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 15
Charles Ellicott Commentary
2 Chronicles 15
"And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:" — 2 Chronicles 15:1 (ASV)
ASA’S REFORMATION OF RELIGION.
(a) ADDRESS OF THE PROPHET AZARIAH BEN ODED (2 Chronicles 15:1–7).
This section also is peculiar to the Chronicle.
And the Spirit of God. —Literally, And Azariah son of Oded, there fell upon him spirit of God (i.e., a holy inspiration). The prophet is unknown, except from this chapter. The name Oded comprises the same radical letters as Iddo (2 Chronicles 9:29; 2 Chronicles 12:15); but whether the same prophet or another is meant, is beyond decision.
"and he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: Jehovah is with you, while ye are with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." — 2 Chronicles 15:2 (ASV)
And he went out to meet. —Literally, before (1 Chronicles 12:17; 2 Chronicles 14:9). Azariah met the king on his return from battle.
Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah. —(Compare to Abijah’s speech, 2 Chronicles 13:4: Hear ye me, Jeroboam, and all Israel!)
The Lord is with you, while ye be with him. —Or, Jehovah was with you (in the battle), because ye were with him (i.e., clung to him for help; see 2 Chronicles 14:11).
And if ye seek him ... forsake you. —This generalises the preceding statement. It is a favourite formula with the chronicler (See 1 Chronicles 28:9; and for the last clause, 2 Chronicles 12:5; 2 Chronicles 24:20; compare also to Jeremiah 29:13-14).
He will be found. —Or, is found.
He will forsake. —Or, he forsaketh.
"Now for a long season Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law:" — 2 Chronicles 15:3 (ASV)
Now for a long season Israel has been. —Literally, And many days to Israel, without true God, and without teaching priest, and without teaching. This is clearly an illustration of the general truth asserted in the previous verse.
"Many a time has Israel been without true God," and so forth. Periods of religious decline, such as those recorded in the Book of Judges, as well as those of later times, especially since the division of the kingdom, are presented as historical proof of the statement that the Lord was with Israel while they were with Him. (Judges 3:7–10; also Hosea 3:4-5.)
Without. — Lĕlô’, only here in this sense.
The true God. —Jeremiah 10:9: Jehovah is true God (’ elohîm ’ emeth).
Teaching priest. — Kôhçn môreh. (Deuteronomy 17:9; Deuteronomy 33:10; Deuteronomy 24:8; Ezekiel 44:23; Jeremiah 18:18; Malachi 2:6–7.) The priests instructed the people in the Torah, or divine Law (literally, teaching).
"But when in their distress they turned unto Jehovah, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them." — 2 Chronicles 15:4 (ASV)
But when they in their trouble did turn. —Literally, and he returned in his straits (Deuteronomy 4:30) to Jehovah, the God of Israel; they sought him, and so on. (Judges 3:15; Judges 4:3; Judges 4:15; Judges 6:6 and following; Psalms 106:44; Psalms 107:6.)
"And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in; but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the lands." — 2 Chronicles 15:5 (ASV)
And in those times. — The “many days” (Compare to 2 Chronicles 15:3); the times of national unfaithfulness.
There was no peace ... came in. — (Judges 5:11; Judges 6:11.)
But great vexations. — For great confusions (mehûmôth). (See Deuteronomy 28:20, where mehûmah, “confusion” or “discomfiture,” is foretold as a punishment of apostasy.) Here the meaning seems to be tumults, as in Amos 3:9. “The countries” are the territories or provinces of Israel, as in 2 Chronicles 34:33.
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