Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 28:6
For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
6. an hundred and twenty thousand ] i.e. more than a third of the host as reckoned in 2Ch 26:13.
which were all ] R.V. all of them.
the Lord God ] R.V. the LORD, the God. “The LORD” stands here for the proper name “Jehovah”; cp. 2Ch 21:10, 2Ch 24:18; 2Ch 24:24.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The fearful loss here described may have been due to a complete defeat followed by panic.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. A hundred and twenty thousand] It is very probable that there is a mistake in this number. It is hardly possible that a hundred and twenty thousand men could have been slain in one day; yet all the versions and MSS. agree in this number. The whole people seem to have been given up into the hands of their enemies.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
For Pekah son of Remaliah,…. Who was at this time king of Israel:
slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all
valiant men; a great slaughter to be made at one time, and of valiant men, but not so great as that in 2Ch 13:17,
because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers; this was not a reason with Pekah for slaying them, he himself being an idolater, but why the Lord suffered them to be slain by him.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
| The King of Israel Defeats Ahaz. | B. C. 738. |
6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers. 7 And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that was next to the king. 8 And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them, and brought the spoil to Samaria. 9 But a prophet of the LORD was there, whose name was Oded: and he went out before the host that came to Samaria, and said unto them, Behold, because the LORD God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand, and ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up unto heaven. 10 And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem for bondmen and bondwomen unto you: but are there not with you, even with you, sins against the LORD your God? 11 Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren: for the fierce wrath of the LORD is upon you. 12 Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshillemoth, and Jehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war, 13 And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither: for whereas we have offended against the LORD already, ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass: for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against Israel. 14 So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. 15 And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.
We have here,
I. Treacherous Judah under the rebukes of God’s providence, and they are very severe. Never was such bloody work made among them since they were a kingdom, and by Israelites too. Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and the king of Israel was the instrument God made use of for his punishment. It is just with God to make those our plagues whom we make our patterns or make ourselves partners with in sin. A war broke out between Judah and Israel, in which Judah was worsted. For, 1. There was a great slaughter of men in the field of battle. Vast numbers (120,000 men, and valiant men too at other times) were slain (v. 6) and some of the first rank, the king’s son for one. He had sacrificed some of this sons to Moloch; justly therefore is this sacrificed to the divine vengeance. Here is another that was next the king, his friend, the prime-minister of state, or perhaps next him in the battle, so that the king himself had a narrow escape, v. 7. The kingdom of Israel was not strong at this time, and yet strong enough to bring this great destruction upon Judah. But certainly so many men, great men, stout men, could not have been cut off in one day if they had not been strangely dispirited both by the consciousness of their own guilt and by the righteous hand of God upon them. Even valiant men were numbered as sheep for the slaughter, and became an easy prey to the enemy because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers, and he had therefore forsaken them. 2. There was a great captivity of women and children, v. 8. When the army in the field was routed, the cities, and towns, and country villages, were all easily stripped, the inhabitants taken for slaves, and their wealth for a prey.
II. Even victorious Israel under the rebuke of God’s word for the bad principle they had gone upon in making war with Judah and the bad use they had made of their success, and the good effect of this rebuke. Here is,
1. The message which God sent them by a prophet, who went out to meet them, not to applaud their valour or congratulate them on their victory, though they returned laden with spoils and triumphs, but in God’s name to tell them of their faults and warn them of the judgments of God.
(1.) He told them how they came by this victory of which they were so proud. It was not because God favoured them, or that they had merited it at his hand, but because he was wroth with Judah, and made them the rod of his indignation. Not for your righteousness, be it known to you, but for their wickedness (Deut. ix. 5) they are broken off; therefore be not you high-minded, but fear lest God also spare not you,Rom 11:20; Rom 11:21.
(2.) He charged them with the abuse of the power God had given them over their brethren. Those understand not what victory is who think it gives them authority to do what they will, and that the longest sword is the clearest claim to lives and estates (Jusque datum sceleri—might is right); no, as it is impolitic not to use a victory, so it is impious to abuse it. The conquerors are here reproved, [1.] For the cruelty of the slaughter they had made in the field. They had indeed shed the blood of war in war; we suppose that to be lawful, but it turned into sin to them, because they did it from a bad principle of enmity to their brethren and after a bad manner, with a barbarous fury, a rage reaching up to heaven, that is, that cried to God for vengeance against such bloody men, that delighted in military execution. Those that serve God’s justice, if they do it with rage and a spirit of revenge, make themselves obnoxious to it, and forfeit the honour of acting for him; for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. [2.] For the imperious treatment they gave their prisoners. “You now purpose to keep them under, to use them or sell them as slaves, though they are your brethren and free-born Israelites.” God takes notice of what men purpose, as well as of what they say and do.
(3.) He reminded them of their own sins, by which they also were obnoxious to the wrath of God: Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God? v. 10. He appeals to their own consciences, and to the notorious evidence of the thing. “Though you are now made the instruments of correcting Judah for sin, yet do not think that you are therefore innocent yourselves; no, you also are guilty before God.” This is intended as a check, [1.] To their triumph in their success. “You are sinners, and it ill becomes sinners to be proud; you have carried the day now, but be not secure, the wheel may ere long return upon yourselves, for, if judgment begin thus with those that have the house of God among them, what shall be the end of such as worship the calves?” [2.] To their severity towards their brethren. “You have now got them under, but you ought to show mercy to them, for you yourselves are undone if you do not find mercy with God. It ill becomes sinners to be cruel. You have transgressions enough to answer for already, and need not add this to the rest.”
(4.) He commanded them to release the prisoners, and to send them home again carefully (v. 11); “for you having sinned, the fierce wrath of God is upon you, and there is no other way of escaping it than by showing mercy.”
2. The resolution of the princes thereupon not to detain the prisoners. They stood up against those that came from the war, though flushed with victory, and told them plainly that they should not bring their captives into Samaria, 2Ch 28:12; 2Ch 28:13. They had sin enough already to answer for, and would have nothing done to add to their trespass. In this they discovered an obedient regard to the word of God by his prophet and a tender compassion towards their brethren, which was wrought in them by the tender mercy of God; for he regarded the affliction of this poor people, and hears their cry, and made them to be pitied of all those that carried them captive,Psa 106:44; Psa 106:46.
3. The compliance of the soldiers with the resolutions of the princes in this matter, and the dismission of the captives thereupon. (1.) The armed men, though being armed they might be force have maintained their title to what they got by the sword, acquiesced, and left their captives and the spoil to the disposal of the princes (v. 14), and herein they showed more truly heroic bravery than they did in taking them. It is a great honour for any man to yield to the authority of reason and religion against his interest. (2.) The princes very generously sent home the poor captives well accommodated, v. 15. Those that hope to find mercy with God must learn hence with what tenderness to carry themselves towards those that lie at their mercy. It is strange that these princes, who in this instance discovered such a deference to the word of God, and such an influence upon the people, had not so much grace as, in obedience to the calls of God by so many prophets, to root idolatry out of their kingdom, which, soon after this, was the ruin of it.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
(6) For.And, i.e., so.
Pekah . . . slew in Judah an hundred . . . in one day.Details of what is generally stated in the last sentence of 2Ch. 28:5. The totals of slain and of captives (2Ch. 28:8) are both round numbers. The figures 120,000, if accurate, would show that about a third of the Jewish host (2Ch. 26:13) had fallen in the battle and pursuit. The ruthlessness of the foe is borne out by the words of the prophet Oded in 2Ch. 28:9 : Ye have slain them in a rage that reacheth up to heaven. Isa. 7:6 proves that the allies designed to break wholly the independence of Judah, by abolishing the Davidic monarchy, and setting up a Syrian vassal king.
In one day.In one great engagement. Among the Hebrews and Arabs the word day often bears the special force of day of battle; e.g., the day of Midian (Isa. 9:4).
Because they had forsaken.2Ch. 27:2. Moreover, the idolatrous example of Ahaz would be eagerly followed by large numbers of the people, whose average religious condition was far below the standard which the prophets of Jehovah demanded. The prophetical writings demonstrate this.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
2Ch 28:6 For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
Ver. 6. For Pekah the son of Remaliah. ] Here was aliud ex alio malum: the other evil from other man, but these hammers of the Most High did but beat upon cold iron. See 2Ki 15:27 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Pekah the son of Hemaliah. Compare 2Ki 15:27 and Isa 7. As Pekah ends three years before Ahaz begins, this must have taken place between 632 and 629 B.C.
valiant men = sons of valour.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pekah: 2Ki 15:27, 2Ki 15:37, Isa 7:4, Isa 7:5, Isa 7:9, Isa 9:21
an hundred: 2Ch 13:17
valiant men: Heb. sons of valour
because: 2Ch 15:2, Deu 6:14, Deu 6:15, Deu 28:15, Deu 28:25, Deu 29:24-26, Deu 31:16, Deu 31:17, Deu 32:20, Jos 23:16, Jos 24:20, Isa 1:28, Isa 24:5, Isa 24:6, Jer 2:19, Jer 15:6
Reciprocal: Jdg 8:10 – fell an hundred Jdg 20:48 – smote them 1Sa 4:10 – a very great 2Sa 18:7 – twenty thousand men 1Ki 20:29 – an hundred thousand 2Ki 15:25 – Pekah 2Ki 17:20 – delivered 2Ki 19:4 – the remnant 2Ch 25:22 – put to the worse 2Ch 29:8 – he hath delivered 2Ch 34:21 – that are left Pro 17:14 – beginning Isa 28:1 – whose Eze 16:57 – reproach Amo 6:13 – Have Zep 3:7 – howsoever
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 28:6. Pekah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day Never was such bloody work made among them before, since they were a nation, and that by Israelites too! The kingdom of Israel was not strong at this time, and yet strong enough, it appears, to bring this great destruction upon Judah. But certainly so many men, valiant men, could not have been cut off in one day, if they had not been strangely dispirited, both by the consciousness of their own guilt, and the righteous hand of God upon them. Because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers Ahaz walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and God chose the kings of Israel for his scourge: it is just with God, to make them a plague to us, whom we have made our patterns, or partners in sin.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
28:6 For {c} Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah an hundred and twenty thousand in one day, [which were] all valiant men; because they had forsaken the LORD God of their fathers.
(c) Who was king of Israel.