Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 14:19
Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
19. Now [R.V. And ] they made a conspiracy ] This was evidently the work of his own subjects. The Chronicler’s statement is that the conspiracy was commenced ‘after the time that Amaziah did turn away from following the Lord’. But this we see was immediately after the conquest of the Edomites, when the king ‘brought the gods of the children of Seir’ into the land. There must then have been a feeling of hostility to Amaziah among the right-minded of his own people, even before the battle of Beth-shemesh. We cannot tell whether the conspiracy came to a head in a short time, or only gained strength when the forces of Judah had been so thoroughly overcome by the northern army. But everything points to a desire on the part of the people of Judah to put down Amaziah on the first possible opportunity.
and he fled to Lachish ] Lachish was considerably south of Jerusalem, and Amaziah probably thought that from it he could more easily escape to Edom, or elsewhere, out of harm’s way. The place must have been of the nature of a fortress. For when the Israelites entered Canaan it had a king of its own, who joined in the league for the chastisement of the Gibeonites. The king is described as belonging to the Amorites who dwell in the mountains, so that it must have been in a hilly country (Jos 10:6). We may note also that this city was made one of his fortresses by Rehoboam after the revolt of the ten tribes (2Ch 11:9). Hence Amaziah after he escaped thither may have remained in security and held this place against the conspirators for a considerable time, living indeed, but hardly to be said to be reigning.
they sent after him ] But we may conclude that his pursuers were not allowed to seize him without some resistance, which may have lasted a considerable time.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 19. They made a conspiracy against him] His defeat by Jehoash, and the consequent pillaging of the temple, and emptying the royal exchequer, and the dismantling of Jerusalem, had made him exceedingly unpopular; so that probably the whole of the last fifteen years of his life were a series of troubles and distresses.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
They, i.e. the people, or the princes and chief men among them, possibly those whose sons he had delivered up as hostages to Jehoash, with the connivance, if not approbation, of the people; as appears, because the design was carried on openly, and steadily, and irresistibly, as the following words show.
Lachish; a strong city in Judah, towards the Philistines; of which see Jos 10:31; 15:39; 2Ki 19:8.
They sent after him; either secret murderers; or rather, bands of soldiers; for this rebellion was carried on by strong hand and open force. Compare 2Ki 12:20; 15:10,15.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19, 20. they made a conspiracyagainst him in JerusalemAmaziah’s apostasy (2Ch25:27) was followed by a general maladministration, especiallythe disastrous issue of the war with Israel. The ruinous condition ofJerusalem, the plunder of the temple, and the loss of their childrenwho were taken as hostages [2Ki 14:13;2Ki 14:14], lost him the respectand attachment not of the grandees only, but of his subjectsgenerally, who were in rebellion. The king fled in terror to Lachish,a frontier town of the Philistines, where, however, he was traced andmurdered. His friends had his corpse brought without any pomp orceremony, in a chariot to Jerusalem, where he was interred among hisroyal ancestors.
2Ki 14:21;2Ki 14:22. AZARIAHSUCCEEDS HIM.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem,…. Against Amaziah; the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the principal men of it; perhaps those whose sons the king of Israel had carried away as hostages, which they imputed to the ill conduct of Amaziah, as well as the breaking of the wall of Jerusalem, and the pillaging of the temple, and the king’s palace:
and he fled to Lachish; a fortified city in the tribe of Judah, Jos 15:39 but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there; in a private manner, as Josephus g relates.
g Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 9. sect. 3.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(19) Now . . . but.And . . . and.
They made a conspiracy.The fact that no individual conspirators are mentioned appears to indicate that Amazials death was the result of a general disaffection; and this inference is strengthened by the other details of the record. Thenius supppses that he had incensed the army in particular by some special act. Probably his foolish and ill-fated enterprise against Israel had something to do with it.
Lachish.Now Um Lkis. Of old it was a strong fortress. (Comp. 2Ch. 11:9; 2Ki. 18:14; 2Ki. 19:8.) Amaziahs flight thither seems to indicate either a popular rising in Jerusalem, or a military revolt.
They sent after him to Lachish.This, too, may point to a military outbreak.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. A conspiracy against him His turning after the gods of Edom, (see 2Ch 25:27,) his defeat by Jehoash, the hostages taken of him, and the spoliation of the temple, all served to make the last half of his reign unpopular. The discontent of the kingdom culminated in conspiracy. So he perished like his father. 2Ki 12:20.
Lachish Probably the modern Um Lakis, about thirty-five miles southwest of Jerusalem. See on Jos 10:3. It is chiefly noted in connexion with the siege of Sennacherib. See on 2Ki 18:14; 2Ki 19:8.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 14:19. Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, &c. What provoked the people of Jerusalem, more than those of any other part of the nation, against their king, was, their seeing their city spoiled of its best ornaments, exposed to reproach on account of the great breach that was made in their wall, and several of their children carried away as hostages for their good behaviour, 2Ki 14:13-14 all which they imputed to their king’s mal-administration; whereupon they entered into a conspiracy against him, which makes some commentators say, that he lived in a state of exile at Lachish the space of twelve years, not choosing to continue in Jerusalem after the defeat which Jehoash had given him. But our learned Usher has placed this conspiracy in the last year of Amaziah’s reign; and Capellus supposes, that it was set on foot by the great men of Jerusalem upon the specious pretence of being guardians to the young prince, and taking better care of him than his father was likely to do.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 14:19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
Ver. 19. Now they made a conspiracy. ] The people generally did, because he had, by challenging Jehoash, subjected them to so much misery, and did, after that overthrow, spend his time idly and basely, serving false gods, &c. That he repented, is very uncertain, and upon weak grounds concluded.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Lachish. On the Philistine border in Judah (Jos 15:39). Now Tel-el-Hesy, and recently excavated with important results.
slew him there. See note on 2Ki 8:26.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
am 3194, bc 810
they made: 2Ki 12:20, 2Ki 12:21, 2Ki 15:10, 2Ki 15:14, 2Ki 15:25, 2Ki 15:30, 2Ki 21:23, 2Ch 25:27, 2Ch 25:28
fled to Lachish: Jos 10:31, Mic 1:13
Reciprocal: 2Ki 9:28 – General 2Ch 24:25 – his own servants
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 14:19-20. They made a conspiracy against him That is, the people, and princes, and chief men among them did this; possibly those whose sons he had delivered up as hostages to Jehoash. It is likely this conspiracy was formed with the connivance, if not approbation, of the people, because the design was carried on openly, steadily, and irresistibly, as the following words show. What provoked the people of Jerusalem, more than any other part of the nation, against their king, was the seeing their city spoiled of its best ornaments, exposed to reproach on account of the great breach made in their wall, and several of their children carried away as hostages for their good behaviour; all which they imputed to their kings mal- administrations, and hence they entered into this conspiracy against him. And he fled to Lachish A strong city in Judah, toward the country of the Philistines. How long he continued concealed or sheltered there we are not told. Some commentators have conjectured, that he lived in a state of exile in that city for twelve years, not bearing to continue in Jerusalem after the defeat which Jehoash had given him. But our learned Usher has placed this conspiracy in the last year of Amaziahs reign; and Capellus supposes that it was set on foot by the great men of Jerusalem, on the specious pretence of being guardians to the young prince, and taking better care of him than his father was likely to do. Dodd. They His rebellious subjects; sent after him to Lachish Sent, some think, secret murderers, but, more probably, bands of soldiers, for this rebellion was carried on with a strong hand and open force. And they brought him on horses Or, with horses, namely, in a chariot; and he was buried at Jerusalem For the rage of the rebels was not extended beyond his death, nor did they deny him a burial with his ancestors.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:19 Now they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem: and he fled to {h} Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish, and slew him there.
(h) Which Rehoboam built in Judah for a fortress, 2Ch 11:9.