2 Kings 15 Azariah, his good reign, but is punished with leprosy, and dieth, 2 Kings 15:1–7. Zachariah reigneth ill; is slain by Shallum; who reigneth a month, and is slain by Menahem, 2 Kings 15:8–15. He is strengthened by Pul king of Assyria: his son succeedeth him, 2 Kings 15:16–22.

Quest. How can this be true, seeing Amaziah, the father of this Azariah, lived only till the fifteenth year of Jeroboam’s reign, 2 Kings 14:2, 2 Kings 14:23? Answ.

Besides the sixteen years of his minority last mentioned.

i.e. In the same manner, unsincerely, and but for a time.

Save that; understand this as howbeit, 2 Kings 14:4.

He was a leper; the cause whereof see 2 Chron. 26:16. Dwelt in a several house; separated from conversation with others by virtue of that law, Lev. 13:46, which being the law of the King of kings, bound kings no less than subjects. Over the house, judging the people of the land, i.e.

The thirty and eighth year of Azariah; of which See Poole “2 Kings 15:2”.

Shallum the son of Jabesh; one of his chief captains. Before the people openly and impudently; which he presumed to do, either because he remembered that the promise of the kingdom made to Jehu was confined to the fourth generation, 2 Kings 10:30, which he observed to be now expired; or because he…

Tiphsah; either that Tiphsah mentioned 1 Kings 4:24, or another city of that name. The coasts thereof from Tirzah, i.e. all the people dwelling between Tirzah and Tiphsah. Because they opened not to him; because they refused to open the gates of their city to him, and to submit to him as conqueror.

Pul the king of Assyria; called by heathen authors Pulbelochus, who by the help of Arbaces the Mede vanquished Sardanapalus the last monarch of Assyria, and translated the kingdom to Chaldea, and was the first king of Babylon and Assyria; Arbaces being made king of the Medes and Persians.

Of each man, i.e. of each of those wealthy Israelites. But as each of these were not equally wealthy, so it is not probable that he taxed them equally. Others therefore render it to or for each man, i.e.

Argob and Arieh might be either Pekah’s partners in this treason, or the king’s courtiers or officers, who were now slain with him. Fifty men of the Gileadites; who assisted him in the execution of his treason.

Tiglath-pileser, or, Tilgath-pilneser, 2 Chron. 28:20, called in heathen authors Phulasar, or Phul-assur, the son of that Pul or Phul above, 2 Kings 15:19. Abel-beth-maachah; of which see 1 Kings 15:20. Janoah; a city of Ephraim, Josh. 16:6. Kedesh and Hazor; two cities of Naphtali, Josh.

Smote him, and slew him; which he did more easily effect, because the people were enraged against Pekah, as the man who by his murder of king Pekahiah the son of Menahem, whom the Assyrian monarch set up and favoured, and by his unnecessary war with Ahaz, had brought the Assyrian upon them, and…

When he began to reign, to wit, properly and alone; for he had reigned before this, as his father’s deputy and viceroy.

Not of the temple, properly so called; but of one of the courts of the temple, probably that which led to the king’s palace, 2 Chron. 23:20; called also the new gate, Jer. 26:10, Jer. 36:10.

In those days i.e. towards the end of Jotham’s reign. The Lord began to send, i.e. disposed their hearts to unite their forces together, and to make preparation for a war against Judah; which yet they did not execute till Ahaz’s reign.