Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries 1 and 2 >Ings
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Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 1 GlaWT_X B_W GXfgT`Xag 6b``XagTe\Xf Ib_h`X 9 GBG6 1 TaW 2 >\aZf Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 2 Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 3 GlaWT_X B_W GXfgT`Xag 6b``XagTe\Xf Ib_h`X 9 :XaXeT_ 8W\gbe- 7baT_W =! J\fX`Ta 1 TaW 2 >\aZf 4a <agebWhVg\ba TaW 6b``XagTel 7baT_W =! J\fX`Ta InterVarsity Press, USA P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426, USA World Wide Web: www.ivpress.com Email: [email protected] Inter-Varsity Press, England Norton Street, Nottingham NG7 3HR, England Website: www.ivpbooks.com Email: [email protected] ©1993 by Donald J. Wiseman All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of InterVarsity Press. InterVarsity Press®, USA, is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA® <www .intervarsity.org> and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Inter-Varsity Press, England, is closely linked with the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship, a student movement connecting Christian Unions in universities and colleges throughout Great Britain, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. Website: www.uccf.org.uk. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. niv®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. Distributed in the U.K. by permission of Hodder and Stoughton Ltd. All rights reserved. “NIV” is a registered trademark of International Bible Society. UK trademark number 1448790. First published 1993 Reprinted in this format 2008 USA ISBN 978-0-8308-4209-4 UK ISBN 978-1-84474-264-6 Set in Garamond 11/13pt Typeset in Great Britain by Avocet Typeset, Chilton, Aylesbury, Bucks Printed in the United States of America ∞ InterVarsity Press is committed to protecting the environment and to the responsible use of natural resources. As a member of Green Press Initiative we use recycled paper whenever possible. To learn more about the Green Press Initiative, visit <www.greenpressinitiative.org>. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Wiseman, D. J. (Donald John) 1 and 2 Kings: an introduction and commentary/Donald J. Wiseman. p. cm.—(Tyndale Old Testament commentaries; v. 9) Originally published: Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill., U.S.A.: InterVarsity Press, c 1993. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-0-8308-4209-4 (pbk.: alk. paper)—ISBN 978-1-84474-264-6 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Bible. O.T. Kings—Commentaries. I. Title. BS1335.53.W57 2009 222’.507—dc22 2008039546 British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. P 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 Y 28 27 26 25 24 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 12 1-2KingsTOTC-CP.indd 4 7/31/12 1:34 PM Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 5 CONTENTS General preface Author’s preface Chief a bbreviations Introduction The value of the books of Kings Themes and theology Chronology Archaeological evidence Sources Literary Form Composition and authorship Text Analysis Commentary Additional notes High places Wisdom The man of God Jehoshaphat’s reforms Hazael Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 6 Maps Solomon’s administrative districts Campaign of Shishak (Sheshonq I) in Palestine, c. BC Assyrian attack on Hezekiah, BC Josiah’s kingdom Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 7 GENERAL PREFACE The aim of this series of Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, as it was in the companion volumes on the New Testament, is to pro - vide the student of the Bible with a handy, up-to-date commentary on each book, with the primary emphasis on exegesis. Major crit- ical questions are discussed in the introductions and additional notes, while undue technicalities have been avoided. In this series individual authors are, of course, free to make their own distinct contributions and express their own point of view on all debated issues. Within the necessary limits of space they fre - quently draw attention to interpretations which they themselves do not hold but which represent the stated conclusions of sincere fellow Christians. The books of Kings continue the history of God’s people from the united kingdom under David and Solomon to the tragedy of its division into the realms of Israel and Judah until their respective downfall and exile. Here is portrayed those kings who sought to govern according to the divine law and with the encouragement or rebuke of a long line of prophets from the renowned Elijah to Jeremiah. The historian concentrates on Solomon, Hezekiah and Josiah of Judah and on Ahab of Israel, and in this unique piece of history writing we are introduced to the lives of many individuals whose part is faithfully recorded for our learning. This commentary is based on the New International Version, though other translations are frequently referred to as well, and on occasion the author supplies his own. Where necessary, words are Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 8 AND KINGS transliterated in order to help the reader who is unfamiliar with Hebrew to identify the precise word under discussion. It is assumed throughout that the reader will have ready access to at least one reli - able rendering of the Bible in English. Interest in the meaning and message of the Old Testament con - tinues undiminished, and it is hoped that this series will thus further the systematic study of the revelation of God and his will and ways as seen in these records. It is the prayer of the editor and publisher, as of the authors, that these books will help many to understand, and to respond to, the Word of God today. D. J. Wiseman Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 9 AUTHOR’S PREFACE The books of Kings are a unique source for the history of Israel from the last days of the united monarchy under David to the fall of the subsequently divided kingdoms of Israel (with the capture of Samaria in BC ) and of Judah itself (with the sack of Jerusalem in BC ). Without these books, and the partly parallel account in the Chronicles, our knowledge of God’s dealings with his peoples throughout the first millennium BC would be severely limited. It is not possible in the brief space allowed to quote the many scholars to whom I am indebted. We are today well served by recent full-scale commentaries in English, to which reference is made here by the author’s name (e.g. Jones ( )). In these more extensive works will be found much of the detailed argumentation, theoret- ical speculations about editorial redactions and some conjectural emendations of the text which abound in such studies today. While this study notes some of their conclusions, it is itself based on the final text of Scripture as it has come down to us today. The overall aim of this commentary, as of this whole series, is to make the text better understood by lay people. There is, however, a sense in which any comment on a historian who is himself commenting on events closer to his time may be thought superfluous. I have included emphases which will betray my own personal pref - erences. Among these are aspects of archaeological discovery which relate to the Bible, for this has been my lifelong interest and work. Also I have not attempted, except where essential for clarity, to render the ineffable divine name (in Hebrew consonants ‘YHWH’, Kings 03 Sept:Layout 1 6/10/08 12:21 Page 10 AND KINGS commonly interpreted as ‘Yahweh’ but unpronounced and unpro - nounceable) as other than ‘ LORD ’. This follows the ancient practice by which the vowel signs for ‘ LORD ’ ( adonai ) were added (hence the interpretation ‘Jehovah’). The One God is unquestionably and unmistakably identified. All readers today need to study this history, which is largely bio- graphical and gives us a vivid picture of national and individual life and the way God was working in both. Its frank statement of the tri - umphs and tragedies of God’s people has a relevance for us today. These things were recorded as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on things as they did. They were written also as warnings, so that when we think we are standing firmer than they, we must be careful not to fall ( Cor. :, ). At the same time they were writ - ten to help us, as also the original readers, to endure in times of test - ing and to encourage us to trust and hope in the same unchanging God. Many of the events and characters here portrayed are taken up in the New Testament and so have ongoing significance. My thanks are first and foremost to my wife Mary for her long- suffering patience and understanding over more than forty years. Much of this time has been occupied with my own academic work, Bible translation and the editorship of this series. Throughout I have sought to support the Inter-Varsity Press, whose staff have always been helpful and encouraging to me. Thanks also to Mrs Ruth Holmes for easing my burden by deciphering my manuscript and bringing it to typescript, and to Alan Millard and Bruce Winter of Tyndale House for help in bibliographical references.