Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 14:21
And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which [was] sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
21. All the people of Judah took Azariah ] The people were all of one mind. They had rid themselves of the idolatrous father, but there was hope in the sixteen year old son. In Chronicles the name of this king is spelt Uzziah. This variation also occurs in the next chapter of 2 Kings ( 2Ki 15:13 ; 2Ki 15:30; 2Ki 15:32; 2Ki 15:34). With this may be compared Azareel (1Ch 25:18), which is found in verse 4 of the same chapter to be the person who is also called Uzziel. There is not much difference in the signification of the two forms.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All the people of Judah – The words imply that the conspiracy was one in which the general mass of the people did not participate. There was no confusion and trouble as on the occasion of the murder of Joash. Azariah (the strength of Yahweh), and Uzziah (whom Yahweh assists), were mere variants of one name.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 21. Took Azariah] He is also called Uzziah, 2Ch 26:1. The former signifies, The help of the Lord; the latter, The strength of the Lord.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which they did, either in opposition to the conspirators, or to show their affection to the house of David, and that their quarrel was only personal against Amaziah, whom they looked upon as thee author of all their late calamities. This Azariah is called Uziah, 2Ki 15:30; 2Ch 26:1, both names signifying the same thing for substance; that Gods help, and this Gods strength.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
21. all the people of Judah tookAzariahor Uzziah (2Ki 15:30;2Ch 26:1). The popular oppositionhad been personally directed against Amaziah as the author of theircalamities, but it was not extended to his family or heir.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And all the people of Judah took Azariah,…. Called Uzziah in the next chapter, and so in the book of Chronicles; both names signifying much the same, the one “the help of the Lord”, the other “the strength of the Lord”:
(which was sixteen years old;) yet as he began to reign in the twenty seventh year of Jeroboam, 2Ki 15:1 and Jeroboam began to reign in the fifteenth yaer of Amaziah, 2Ki 14:23, he could be but four years of age, for the solution of which, [See comments on 2Ki 15:1]:
and made him king instead of his father Amaziah; which was after his death, and not when he fled to Lachish, as Kimchi thinks.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(21) All the people of Judah.Thenius explains, all the men of war, as in 2Ki. 13:7.
Took.The expression seems to imply that Azariah was not the eldest son. As Amaziah was fifty-nine years old at his death he probably had sons older than sixteen. Azariah was therefore chosen as a popular, or perhaps military, favourite.
Azariah.See Note on 2Ch. 26:1. Thenius thinks the soldiery gave Azariah the name of Uzziah. At all events, the king may have taken a new name on his accession, though which of the two it was we cannot; say. (Comp. 2Ki. 24:17.) Sennacherib on investing Esarhaddon with sovereignty named him Asshurebil-mukin-pal.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
21. Azariah Called also Uzziah. See note on 2Ki 15:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 14:21 And all the people of Judah took Azariah, which [was] sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
Ver. 21. And all the people of Judah took Azariah. ] Called also Uzziah. 2Ch 26:1 Itaque hic duo nomina habuit confinia, Consilium Domini et Auxilium Dei, saith Vatablus: His two names were suitable, God’s counsel, and God’s help.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Azariah. Called also Uzziah (2Ki 15:13, 2Ki 15:30, 2Ki 15:32; 2Ch 26:1. Isa 1:1; Isa 6:1. Hos 1:1. Amo 1:1. Zec 14:5). In Chronicles called Azariah (1Ch 3:12). These different names are common, having the same or similar meanings.
sixteen years: i.e. when “made” king. Only three years old at his father’s death. See note on 2Ki 15:1.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Jeroboam II
(Whose people is many)
(2Ki 14:23-29)
Contemporary Prophets: Hosea; Amos.
The froward is abomination to the Lord: but His secret is with the righteous.-Proverbs 8:82
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. His was the longest and most prosperous of any of the reigns of the kings of Israel. He restored the coast of Israel from the entering of Hamath unto the sea of the plain, according to the word of the Lord God of Israel, which He spake by the hand of His servant Jonah, the son of Amittai, the prophet, which was of Gath-hepher. This was the beginning of the ministry of the sixteen prophets whose writings have been preserved to us. Jonah was the earliest of these probably, and appears to have been Elishas immediate successor. His prophecy referred to here, of the enlargement of Israels coast (border), must have been a very pleasant one to him-a much more welcome work than his commission toward the Ninevites. But Gods servants have no choice. They know the love of Christ, and, constrained by that same love, it is their joy to tell it; but they also know the terror of the Lord; and knowing this, they do their utmost to persuade and warn men of the wrath to come. It is not grace only that came by Jesus Christ, but grace and truth. And the truth must be made known to men, however unpleasant or unthankful the task. But if done as unto God, it can never be a disagreeable or unwelcome undertaking to the spirit, however painful or unpleasant to the flesh. See 1Co 9:16, 17.
The increase of Israels territory under Jeroboam II was considerable; his prosperity in this way corresponding with his name- whose people is many. The entering in of Hamath indicates that the long valley between Lebanon and Anti-lebanon was the point of entrance into the land of Israel for an invading army (Fausset). The sea of the plain was the Dead Sea (Jos 3:16), making the total distance of his kingdom, north and south, almost two hundred miles. He was, no doubt, the savior promised under the unfortunate reign of Jehoahaz (2Ki 13:5). For the Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel. And the Lord said not that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven: but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash. This was not for any goodness that He saw in them or Jeroboam their king, but because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (2Ki 13:23).
Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he warred, and how he recovered Damascus, and Hamath, which belonged to Judah, for Israel, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? Damascus and Hamath were both capitals of two once powerful kingdoms, and though once subjugated by David (1Ch 18:3-6), their recovery to Israel under Jeroboam, more than one hundred and fifty years after their revolt from Judah, speaks eloquently for the success and power of his arms against those hostile nations on his northern border. Hamath, called the great in Amo 6:2, was the principal city of upper Syria, and an important strategic point, commanding the whole valley of the Orontes leading to the countries on the south.
Israel was blessed, with the ministries of both Hosea and Amos during Jeroboams reign. From their writings it will readily be seen that though there was political revival under his rule, there was no real moral or spiritual awakening among the people. Amos was looked upon as a troubler to the peace of the kingdom, and admonished by Amaziah the priest of Bethel to flee away to the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there, as if Gods prophet were nothing more than a mere mercenary like himself. He also accused the prophet before the king of having conspired against his life. Jeroboam appears to have paid little or no attention to this charge, being, perhaps, too sensible a man to believe the accusation, knowing the jealous, self-seeking spirit of the arch-priest of the nation. See Amo 7:7-17.
And Jeroboam slept with his fathers, even with the kings of Israel; and Zachariah his son reigned in his stead.
Fuente: Commentaries on the New Testament and Prophets
Azariah
Called Uzziah, 2Ch 26:1; Isa 1:1.
Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Azariah: 2Ki 15:13, 2Ch 26:1, Uzziah, Mat 1:8, Mat 1:9, Ozias
made him king: 2Ki 21:24, 1Ch 3:12
Reciprocal: 2Ki 15:8 – the thirty 2Ki 15:32 – Jotham 2Ki 23:30 – the people Amo 1:1 – in the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 14:21. The people of Judah took Azariah Called Uzziah, chap. 2Ki 15:30, and 2Ch 26:1. The two names signify nearly the same thing, the former meaning the help of God, and the latter, the strength of God. And made him king Either in opposition to the conspirators, or to show their affection to the house of David, and signify that their quarrel was only personal against Amaziah, whom they considered as the author of all their late calamities. But, it must be observed, the people did not do this till twelve years after Amaziahs death. For Amaziah died in the fifteenth year of Jeroboam, (compare 2Ki 14:23 with 2Ki 14:1,) but Azariah did not begin his reign till the twenty-seventh of Jeroboam, (2Ki 15:1,) for he was but four years old at the death of his father: so that, for twelve years, till he came to be sixteen, the government was in the hands of protectors.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
14:21 And all the people of Judah took {i} Azariah, which [was] sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.
(i) Who is also called Uzziah, 2Ch 26:1.