V. JOASH, king of Israel, son and successor of Jehoahaz. He was declared king in his father’s life time, in the year of the world 3163, and he reign’d alone in the year 3165, before J. C. 835, before the vulgar Æra 839. He reigned sixteen years in 2 Kings xiii.10,11. 12.Samaria, including the two years that he reigned with his father. He did evil in the sight of the Lord, and imitated Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin. We do not know many particulars of his reign; but we know that the Lord appointed him to re-establish the affairs of the kingdom of Israel, which had been put into very great confusion under Jehoahaz his father.2 Kings xiii. 5. 2 Kings xiii. 14, 15. &c.
Elisha falling sick of the disease whereof he died1, Joash came to see him, and wept before the prophet, saying, O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. Elisha desired him to bring a bow and arrows to him; and when they were brought he said, Put thine hand upon the bow; and at the same time Elisha put his hands upon the King’s, as it were to direct him, where to shoot, and said; Open the window and shoot, he did so: and Elisha said, This is the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria. Thou shalt obtain victory over the Syrians at Aphek, so as utterly to exterminate them. He said again, Take the arrows and shoot against the ground, he did so; he smote the ground three times and stayed. Then the man of God was wroth with him, and said, If thou hadst smitten the ground five, six, or seven times, thou hadst conquered Syria, and entirely destroyed it, but thou shalt smite Syria but twice. After this Elisha died; and Joash recovered from Benhadad King of Syria, the son and successor of Hazael, all the cities which Hazael had taken from Jehoahaz his father. Joash beat Benhadad in three battles2, and reunited to the kingdom of Israel all the cities which had been dismembred from it, 2 Kings xiii. 25.and usurped by the Kings of Syria.
Joash after this reigned a long time peaceably. Amaziah King of Judah having been victorious over the Edomites, sent a challenge to him3, saying, Come, let us see one another in the face. Joash sent Ambassadors to him with this reply. The 2 Cor. xv. 17, 18.thistle that groweth upon Lebanus sent to the Cedar of Lebanus, saying, Give thy daughter in marriage to my son. But at the same time the beasts of the forest of Lebanus passed by, and trode down the thistle. Thou hast defeated Edom, and thy heart is swelled with pride, stay at home in peace. Why doest thou persue after thy own misery, and that of thy people? But Amaziah would not hearken to him. Joash therefore took the field: Amaziah was routed, and taken in the battle. Joash entred Jerusalem, and ordered four hundred cubits of the city walls to be demolished, from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate. He took all the treasures of the Temple, and the Royal Palace, and returned in triumph to Samaria. He died there in peace soon after this victory4, and 2 Kings iii. 13.was succeeded by Jeroboam.
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Footnotes
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In the year of the world 3165, before J. C. 835, before the vulgar Æra 839. ↩
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In the year of the world 3168, before J. C. 832, before the vulgar Æra 836. ↩
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In the year of the world 3178, before J. C. 822, before the vulgar Æra 826. ↩
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In the year of the world 3179, before J. C. 821, before the vulgar Æra 825. ↩