Commentaria in II Paralipomenon
Chapter 17
Asa is succeeded by the pious Josaphat, and therefore rich and powerful in arms: he, verse 7, sends teachers through the whole kingdom to teach the people the law of God; verse 11, the Philistines and Arabians become tributary; verse 14, his soldiers and leaders are reckoned up.
1. And Josaphat his son reigned in his stead, and he prevailed against Israel. 2. And he appointed numbers of soldiers in all the cities of Juda that were fenced with walls. And he placed garrisons in the land of Juda, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. 3. And the Lord was with Josaphat because he walked in the first ways of David his father: and he trusted not in Baalim, 4. but in the God of his father, and walked in his commandments, and not according to the sins of Israel. 5. And the Lord confirmed the kingdom in his hand, and all Juda gave presents to Josaphat: and he had infinite riches, and much glory. 6. And when his heart had taken courage because of the ways of the Lord, he took away also the high places and the groves out of Juda. 7. And in the third year of his reign he sent of his princes Benhail, and Obdias, and Zacharias, and Nathanael, and Michaeas, to teach in the cities of Juda: 8. and with them the Levites Semeias, and Nathanias, and Zabadias, Asael also, and Semiramoth, and Jonathan, and Adonias, and Tobias, and Thobadonias, Levites, and with them Elisama and Joram priests; 9. and they taught the people in Juda, having the book of the law of the Lord, and went about all the cities of Juda, and instructed the people. 10. So the fear of the Lord fell upon all the kingdoms of the lands that were round about Juda, and they durst not make war against Josaphat. 11. And the Philistines brought presents to Josaphat, and tribute of silver; the Arabians also brought him seven thousand seven hundred rams, and as many he-goats. 12. And Josaphat grew great, and was magnified exceedingly: and he built in Juda houses like towers, and walled cities. 13. And he prepared many works in the cities of Juda: and there were warlike and strong men in Jerusalem. 14. Of whom this is the number according to the houses and families of each: In Juda the captains of the army, Ednas the general, and with him three hundred thousand most valiant men. 15. After him Johanan the captain, and with him two hundred and eighty thousand. 16. And after him Amasias the son of Zechri, consecrated to the Lord, and with him two hundred thousand valiant men. 17. And after him was Eliada a strong man in battle, and with him two hundred thousand armed with bow and shield. 18. And after him Jozabad, and with him a hundred and eighty thousand soldiers ready armed for war. 19. These were all at the king’s hand, besides others whom he had put in the walled cities in all Juda.
Verse 6. And when his heart had taken courage because of the ways of the Lord—as if to say: Piety, religion, and the keeping of the divine law made Josaphat bold, so that he feared none of his subjects or enemies, but, trusting in God, boldly cut down the high places and groves, which other pious kings, fearing the offence or rebellion of the people, had tolerated and permitted. The Hebrew and the Septuagint have, and his heart was lifted up in the ways of the Lord, as if to say: He had nothing more at heart than to observe the commandments of the Lord, says Vatablus; or rather, as if to say: Josaphat from God and from the worship of God conceived great and lofty courage, so that, fearing no one and undismayed, he abolished the high places, and in his mind purposed other heroic works for promoting the honour and glory of God. See here what piety and a pious intention do, which fear nothing and dare all things with God’s help. Such in this age was the Pontiff Pius V, who, resting on God, did not fear kings, but was the terror and scourge of kings, nay, even of the Turks. For holiness is a terror to all, as well as an object of veneration.
Verse 7. He sent of his princes—namely the princes of his court, who by his command, the idols being abolished, should restore the worship of the one true God and the keeping of the Mosaic law. Wherefore he sent with them Levites and priests, to teach the people the laws of the Lord. Remarkable was this zeal of king Josaphat, which of old was imitated by St. Stephen, the first king of the Hungarians, St. Louis of the Franks, St. Wenceslaus duke of the Bohemians, and in our age by the kings of Spain and Portugal, who at great expense subdued both Indies, that by religious men they might lead their inhabitants to the knowledge and worship of the true God.
Verse 12. He built (through the cities and forts) in Juda houses like towers,—in Hebrew, palaces so lofty and fortified that they seemed towers. He did this for the adornment as well as the defence of Judea. So the Burgundians, against the incursion of the Vandals, Alans, Goths, etc., built burgi, that is, burgs and towers; and thence were called Burgundians.
Verse 16. Amasias consecrated to the Lord.—In Hebrew hammitnaddab, that is, as Vatablus renders, who offered himself willingly to the Lord, that is, devoted himself to the sacred warfare, to fight for God and the worship of God against idols and idolaters, and for his faithful and pious king Josaphat. Like him of old were the soldiers of the Temple, or Templars, who devoted themselves to sacred warfare for the protection of the Holy Land and the temple of Jerusalem. See St. Bernard in his sermon to the soldiers of the Temple.
Verse 18. And with him a hundred and eighty thousand.—In all, Josaphat had under the standards eleven hundred and sixty thousand warriors, God prospering him: because besides the tribes of Juda and Benjamin, powerful and numerous, subject to him, many of the ten tribes, zealous for the religion of their fathers and drawn by the prosperity of Josaphat, deserted to Jerusalem, as was said in chapter XV, 9.