Departed, Heb. went, to wit, the way of all the earth, as it is more fully expressed, Joshua 23:14. Or, to the land of darkness, as Job 10:21,22. Or, to his long home, Ecclesiastes 12:5. Or, went away, to wit, out of this world; as this word is used, Job 14:20 Ecclesiastes 5:15, Ecclesiastes 6:4; there being many such words and phrases used concerning death in the Old and New Testament, signifying that death is not an annihilation, but only a translation into another place and state. See Genesis 15:15 Philippians 1:23. Without being desired, Heb. without desire; which may belong either,
1. To himself; he had no desire of living longer, nor any pleasure in life, but was heartily weary of it, through his excessive pains: or rather,
2. To his people, who did not desire that he should live longer, but oft and heartily wished that he had died sooner; which contempt of him they showed both by making no burning for him, as they used to do for good and laudable kings, 2 Chronicles 16:14, and by denying him burial among the kings, as it here follows. Desire is here put for a person or thing whose life or continuance is desirable or desired by others, as Isaiah 2:16 Ezekiel 24:16,18,21,25 Da 9:23 10:11,19. And this is an emphatical expression, because it is usual with men to desire the deaths of some persons, whom afterward they lament and heartily wish that they were alive again, as they may have cause to do. But for this ungodly and unhappy prince, his people did not only in his lifetime wish his death, but afterwards they did not repent of those desires, nor wish him alive again, but rejoiced that they were delivered from so great a plague as he was to them.