Verse 1

Arabians and Philistines, C. xxi. 17. H.

Verse 2

Forty-two, &c. Diverse Greek Bibles read twenty-two, agreeably to 4 K. viii. 18., (Ch.) with the Syriac and Arabic. The Roman (C.) and Alexandrian Sept. have "twenty." H. --- Ochozias was the youngest son, and his father died at forty years of age, C. xxi. 20. C. --- Others would date from the birth of Amri, (Broughton) or of Athalia. But is most probable that we should read 22, as 4 K. C. --- The contradiction has so much perplexed the commentators, that Walton (prol. 36) puts it among the quædam Greek: apora; and De Dieu says, "I would rather plainly confess that this difficulty is to us inexplicable." The error here, "is plainly owing to a mistake of one of the Hebrew numeral letters," c, being put instead of m, which was formerly more similar than it is now. "In Origen's Hexapla, one of the Greek copies (probably that found in Caracalla's time) reads here cb, by rendering the number 22, Greek: eikosi kai duo, all which proofs make the mistake indubitable, and strongly recommend this method of correcting it." Kennicott --- Mariana, T., &c. had already suggested this plan, (H.) which is very plausible. D. --- Ochozias might reign twenty years with his father, and only one alone, 4 K. viii. 26. W.

Verse 3

Pushed. Heb. and Sept. "was his counsellor to," &c.

Verse 6

Ochozias. So all the versions read. Heb. "Azarias," is probably incorrect, unless this man had three names. C.

Verse 7

For. Prot. "and the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, by coming to Joram." God had decreed to punish him by the hand of Jehu, 4 K. ix.

Verse 8

Out. Heb. "exercising judgment with." --- Brethren, who had been themselves slain by the rovers. Ochozias employed his nephews at court, and they expected that he would make some stay at Jezrahel.

Verse 9

Hid in the kingdom of Samaria, (Malvenda) at Mageddo, where he was wounded; though he was perhaps put to death at Jezrahel, 4 K. ix. 27. --- Buried him, at Jerusalem. --- Reign. Heb. "the house of Ochozias had no one to bear the weight of the kingdom." The children of the deceased were too young, particularly as most of the princes were slain. C. --- Human hope failed, but God's providence kept David's issue on the throne, till Christ appeared. W.

Verse 10

All, except Joas, (v. 11., and 4 K. xi. 1.; C.) ninety-five years after Solomon's death. Mariana) D.

Verse 11

High is not expressed in Heb. or Sept., but he is supposed to have been the pontiff. H.

Verse 20

CHAPTER XXII.