XXII.
THE SHORT REIGN OF AHAZIAH (2 Chronicles 22:1-9).
(Comp. 2 Kings 8:25-29.)
(1) And the inhabitants of Jerusalem. — 2 Chronicles 21:11; 2 Chronicles 21:13.
Made Ahaziah... king. — This variation from the usual formula — “And Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead” — has been supposed to indicate that the succession was disputed, either Athaliah, the queen-mother, or Jehoiada, the high priest, opposing it. It is more likely that the difference of expression simply points to the use of a different source by the writer.
The band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp. — The Hebrew is obscure for want of further details. “The troop that came among the Arabs to the camp” appears to have been some party of half-savage warriors, who, after the Jewish camp had been stormed by the invaders and the royal princes taken prisoners, fell upon and slew their captives. (Comp. 2 Chronicles 21:17; and Judges 8:18, seq.; 1 Samuel 15:32.)
All the eldest. — Heb., the former (rîshonîm). Syriac: “For all the elder the troop had destroyed them; for the Arabs came and destroyed the camp of Israel.”