meaning "all the days of Jehoahaz." But this seems to me not a natural Hebrew construction.

In any case the continuous historical notices, or extracts, recommence with ver. 7, which describes

the depressed condition of the kingdom under Jehoahaz, while vets. 8 and 9 record, in the usual

form, the death of Jehoahaz and the accession of his son, Jehoash (or Joash). Thus, as already

stated, vets. 5 and 6, if not also yet. 4, form an intercalated notice, telling on the one hand how

God had heard the prayer of Jehoahaz by raising up "a savior" to Israel (ver. 5), and, on the other

hand, how this gracious interposition did not really affect the spiritual state of Israel (ver. 6). They

not only continued in the sins of Jeroboam, but "there stood the Asherah* also in Samaria." This

parenthetic notice must be considered as of a general character: "the savior" raised up being in the

first place Jehoash (ver. 25), and finally and fully Jeroboam II. (2 Kings 14:25-27).** Similarly

the account of Israel's degenerate relig ious condition in 2 Kings 13:6 must be regarded as a

general description, and not confined to either the reign of Jehoahaz, that of Jehoash, or that of

Jeroboam II.***

* On the lascivious worship and rites of Asherah, or Astarte, see Vol. V. of this His tory, p. 158,

and also chapter 14.; and for a full account of it, Riehm's Hand-Worterb. d. Bibl. Alt. I. pp. 111 -

** Mark especially the expression, "he saved them," in ver. 27.

*** This disposes of the controversy whether the Asherah stood in the time of Jehoahaz, or was

only set up in that of Jeroboam II.

Lastly, the graphic expression, "the children of Israel dwelt in tents as beforetimes" (lit. "as

yesterday and the third day ") (the day before), is intended to recall the primitive happy days, the

idea being that so thorough was the deliverance from the Syrians that Israel once more dwelt in

perfect security as in olden times.

But the parenthesis in verses 5 and 6 is not the only one in this chapter. The brief notice in vers.

10-13 of the accession of Jehoash, the character of his reign, his death, and his succession by

Jeroboam II., seems derived from the same historical record from which the equally brief previous

account of Jehoahaz had been taken. It is followed in vers. 14-21 by a parenthetic account of what

occurred in connection with the death of Elisha the prophet, derived, we would venture to suggest,

from another source; perhaps a narrative of the lives and activity of Elijah and Elisha.*

* The existence of such a biographical work was suggested in Vol. 6.

With this the writer connects (in verses 22-25)what really resumes and fully carries out the more

summary remarks in vets. 4-6. Lastly, in chapter 14, the history of Jehoash - which had only been

outlined in 13:9 -13 - is taken up in detail and continued, and this in connection with the history of

Judah, being perhaps derived from the annals of Judah, as the previous brief record may have been

extracted from those of Israel.

Viewing this history from another and higher standpoint, we mark the readiness of the Lord in His

mercy to listen to the entreaty of Jehoahaz, welcoming, as it were, every sign of repentance, and

by His deliverance in response to it, encouraging a full return to Him, showing also that prosperity

or disaster depended on the relation of the people towards Him. And assuredly no better evidence

could be afforded us that even in our farthest decline we may still turn to God, nor yet that prayer -

even by Jehoahaz, and in that state of Israel - shall not remain unanswered. Yet, though the prayer

was immediately heard, as in the judgment pronounced upon Ahab (1 Kings 21:27 -29), its

immediate manifestation was delayed. These are precious practical lessons to all time, and the

more valuable that they are in such entire accordance with God's dealings as declared in other

parts of Revelation, exhibiting the harmony and inward unity of Holy Scripture. And even as