Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Chronicles 26:10
Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen [also], and vinedressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
10. the desert ] R.V. the wilderness (where the pastures were: cp. Psa 65:12).
digged many wells ] R.V. hewed out many cisterns.
both in the low country, and in the plains ] R.V. in the lowland also, and in the plain (mg. table land). For the “lowland” (Heb. Shephlah) see 2Ch 1:15 (note). “The table land” (Heb. Mishor) is the name of the high pasture lands east of Jordan; apparently the part occupied by the Ammonites whom Uzziah had subdued is meant here.
husbandmen also] R.V. and he had husbandmen.
Carmel ] R.V. the fruitful fields. “Carmel” is not always a proper name, nor does it always refer to the well-known mountain. In 1Sa 25:2 it designates a spot in the south of Judah near Maon; in 2Ki 19:23 “of his Carmel” (A.V.) should be “of his fruitful field” (R.V.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
He built towers in the desert – Refuges for the flocks and the herdsmen in the wild pasture country on the borders of the holy land, especially toward the south and southeast.
Wells – The marginal translation is preferable. Judaea depends largely for its water-supply on reservoirs in which the rain-fall is stored. These are generally cut in the natural rock, and covered at top.
For he had much cattle … – Some prefer, for he had much cattle there, and in the low country, and on the dawns, with allusion to three pasture districts:
(1) The wilderness, or high tract to the south and southeast, extending from the western shores of the Dead Sea to the vicinity of Beersheba;
(2) The low country, or maritime plain on the west, between the hills of Judaea and the sea; and
(3) The downs, or rich grazing land beyond the Jordan, on the plateau of Gilead. Uzziahs possession of this last-named district must have been connected with the submission of the Ammonites (see 2Ch 26:8).
In the mountains, and in Carmel – These terms describe Judaea Proper – the hilly tract between the low maritime plain on the one side, and the wilderness and Jordan valley on the other. By Carmel we must understand, not the mountain of that name, which belonged to Samaria, but the cultivated portions of the Judaean hill-tract (see the margin).
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
2Ch 26:10-11
For he loved husbandry.
We cannot always follow the pursuits we love
Is there anything more distressing than to be compelled to do the thing we have no heart for? Many a man in the city would leave his occupation to-morrow if he could find bread in the thing he really loves. And many men are in positions that look lofty, and that are amply rewarded, for which they care nothing; they would rather be at home attending to the garden, watching the bees, reading noble books. But we cannot do what we would like to do. Herein is part of our discipline, which is part of our education. We must have the will broken somewhere. No man can reach the full stature of his manhood, and realise all that is sweetest in life, until his will has been cut right in two. (J. Parker, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. Built towers in the desert] For the defence of his flocks, and his shepherds and husbandmen.
And in Carmel] Calmet remarks that there were two Carmels in Judea: one in the tribe of Judah, where Nabal lived, and the other on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, near to Kishon; and both fertile in vines.
He loved husbandry.] This is a perfection in a king: on husbandry every state depends. Let their trade or commerce be what they may, there can be no true national prosperity if agriculture do not prosper; for the king himself is served by the field. When, therefore, the king of a country encourages agriculture, an emulation is excited among his subjects; the science is cultivated; and the earth yields its proper increase; then, should trade and commerce fail, the people cannot be reduced to wretchedness, because there is plenty of bread.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
He built towers in the desert; partly to guard his cattle from the inroads and depredations which the Arabians were accustomed to make; and partly to give notice of the approach of any enemy, and to give some stop to their march on that side.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. Also he built towers in thedesertfor the threefold purpose of defense, of observation,and of shelter to his cattle. He dug also a great many wells, for heloved and encouraged all branches of agriculture. Some of these “werein the desert,” that is, in the district to the southeast ofJerusalem, on the west of the Dead Sea, an extensive grazing district”in the low country” lying between the mountains of Judahand the Mediterranean; “and in the plains,” east of theJordan, within the territory of Reuben (Deu 4:43;Jos 20:8).
in CarmelThismountain, being within the boundary of Israel, did not belong toUzziah; and as it is here placed in opposition to the vine-bearingmountains, it is probably used, not as a proper name, but to signify,as the word denotes, “fruitful fields” (Margin).
2Ch26:11-15. HIS HOST,AND ENGINES OF WAR.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Also he built towers in the desert,…. In the desert of Arabia, to protect travellers from thieves and robbers, and particularly shepherds and their flocks, as appears by what follows; which a certain writer p thinks are the same which the Indians call pagodas; not such as served for temples, but were buildings encompassed with good walls, where flocks were gathered together in case of any alarm:
and digged many wells; for the watering of the flocks, which in those hot and desert places were of great use:
for he had much cattle, both in the low country and in the plains; both flocks and herds:
husbandmen also, and vinedressers in the mountains; husbandmen to take care of the corn, and manure the land for that, and gather it when ripe; and vinedressers to prune the vines, and look after them; which were very often planted on mountains, and on which also corn grew, Ps 72:16
and in Carmel; a place in the tribe of Judah, where Nabal dwelt, 1Sa 25:2 or it may be put for any fruitful field:
for he loved husbandry; not only the profit, but the exercise of it at times; and it was usual with great personages in the eastern countries to employ themselves in some such way; Saul after he was king attended the herd, 1Sa 11:5, Mesha king of Moab was a sheep master, 2Ki 3:4, among the Romans, Quinctius Cincinnatus and Cato Major q were great lovers of husbandry; and we read of one of the Chinese emperors that gave himself to husbandry, held the plough himself, broke the clods, and cast in the seed, to set an example to the whole empire r. Another of their emperors gave himself wholly to husbandry s; an other chose an husbandman for his successor, and who also encouraged husbandry t.
p Agreement of Customs between the East Indians and Jews, art. 13. p. 61. q In Cicero de Senectute. r Martin. Sinic. Hist. l. 8. p. 326. s Ib. l. 4. p. 92. t Ib. l. 1. p. 29, 32.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) In the desert.Or, grazing country, i.e., the wilderness of Judah, on the west of the Dead Sea. The towers were for the protection of the royal herds against the predatory Bedawin. (Comp. Mic. 4:8 : And thou, O tower of the flock.)
Digged many wells.Hewed out many cisterns; to supply his herds with water.
For he had much cattle.Scil, there, in the wilderness of Judah. But perhaps we should render thus: For he had much cattle; and in the lowland and in the plain he had husbandmen; and vinedressers in the mountains and in the glebe land. So Syriac.
Both in the low country.And in the lowland of Judah; the Shephlah, between the hills and the Mediterranean.
And in the plains.Plain (mshr). The Plain, par excellence, appears to mean the high level east of the Dead Sea and Jordan (Deu. 4:43; Jos. 20:8). This was the territory of Reuben, which Uzziah probably recovered from Moab and Ammon (2Ch. 26:8). (Comp. Isa. 16:1, from which it appears that the kings of Judah at this epoch claimed sovereignty over the country on the eastern side of the Jordan.)
And in Carmel.Or, the fruitful field, the glebe land (Isa. 29:17; Isa. 32:15).
With the whole verse Comp. the account of Davids agricultural and pastoral wealth (1Ch. 27:25-31).
He loved husbandry.A lover of land was he, i.e., of the soil. (Comp. the expression, man of the land, i.e., husbandman, Gen. 9:20.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Towers in desert Such towers were a necessity on exposed frontiers, where marauding parties were wont to surprise and plunder all who kept not a lookout against such plunderers. Compare 2Ch 20:24; 2Ki 9:17; 2Ki 17:9.
Digged many wells Better as the margin, cut out many cisterns. In a desert country, where there are no springs, it was necessary to form such cisterns to catch and hold rain water, which falls in Palestine only in winter months.
The low country The Shephelah, or plain of Philistia, whose territory Uzziah had conquered, 2Ch 26:6.
The plains Hebrew, the mishor; the upland plateau beyond the Jordan.
In Carmel In this connexion the margin is the better rendering, in the fruitful fields, for Mount Carmel was not under Uzziah’s control.
He loved husbandry Literally, loved the ground; but the common version gives the true sense. The whole verse testifies to the agricultural enterprise of Uzziah.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ch 26:10. He built towers in the desert William of Tyre describes a country not far from the Euphrates, as inhabited by Syrian and Armenian Christians, that fed great flocks and herds there, but were in subjection to the Turks; who, though few in number, yet living in strong places among them, kept them under, and received tribute from these poor peasants, who inhabited the villages, and employed themselves in rural business. I do not know whether this may not give a juster idea of the design of these towers which Uzziah built in the wilderness, than commentators have done; who have supposed that they were conveniencies made for sheltering the shepherds from bad weather, or for defending them from the incursions of enemies; for they might rather be designed to keep the nations that pastured there in awe, to prevent their disputing with his servants about wells, and to induce them quietly to pay that tribute to which the 7th and 8th verses seem to refer. Observations, p. 346.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ch 26:10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen [also], and vine dressers in the mountains, and in Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
Ver. 10. For he loved husbandry. ] So did the ancient patriarchs and the old Romans, who held it commendation enough for a man to be called and counted a good ploughman; and sent for senators, yea, generals from the plough, as Cincinnatus, Senanus, and others. a Solomon saith that the king’s throne is upheld by husbandry: and Socrates called it Amaltheae cornu, the horn of plenty.
a Cicero De Senect. Antoninus Pius was a great lover of husbandry.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
digged many wells: or, cut out many cisterns, Gen 26:18-21
he had much: 2Ki 3:4, 1Ch 27:26-31
Carmel: or, fruitful fields, 2Ki 19:23, Isa 29:17
husbandry: Heb. ground
Reciprocal: Gen 47:6 – rulers Jos 15:55 – Maon 1Sa 8:11 – He will take 1Sa 21:7 – herdmen 2Sa 13:23 – sheepshearers 2Ki 18:8 – from the tower 1Ch 27:25 – the storehouses 2Ch 17:13 – much business 2Ch 26:15 – to shoot arrows 2Ch 27:4 – he built cities 2Ch 32:28 – Storehouses 2Ch 32:29 – possessions Job 1:3 – household Pro 27:23 – diligent Ecc 2:4 – I planted Ecc 2:7 – also Hos 8:14 – and Judah
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ch 26:10-11. He built towers in the desert Partly to guard his cattle from the inroads and depredations which the Arabians were accustomed to make: and partly to give notice of the approach of any enemy, and to put some stop to their march on that side. Uzziah had an army that went out to war by bands Some bands at one time, and some at another, as occasion required.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26:10 Also he built towers in the desert, and digged many wells: for he had much cattle, both in the low country, and in the plains: husbandmen [also], and vine dressers in the mountains, and in {g} Carmel: for he loved husbandry.
(g) That is, in mount Carmel, or as the word signifies in the fruitful field, it is also taken for a green ear of corn when it is full, Lev 2:14.