Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Jeroboam - This is the only instance, in the history of either kingdom, of a recurrent royal appellation. We can scarcely doubt that Jeroboam II was named after the great founder of the Israelite kingdom by a father who trusted that he might prove a sort of second founder. Perhaps the prophecy of Jonah (see 2 Kings 14:25) had been already given, and it was known that a great deliverance was approaching.

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible

THE "SAVIOUR" OF ISRAEL (JEROBOAM) IS ENTHRONED

"In the fifteenth year of Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah: he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin. He restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath unto the sea of Arabah, according to the word of Jehovah, the God of Israel, which he spake by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher. For Jehovah saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter; for there was none shut up nor left at large, neither was there any helper for Israel. And Jehovah said not that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash."

REGARDING THE REIGN OF JEROBOAM

The date of this important administration over Israel is not known exactly. LaSor (New Bible Commentary, Revised) dated it, "From circa 782-752 B.C. with a co-regency from around 793 B.C.."[12] J. C. McCauley in Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia gave it as 782 to 753 B.C.[13] D. A. Hubbard in The New Bible Dictionary listed it as 793 to 753 B.C.[14] These three dates are essentially the same. W. J. Deane in The Pulpit Commentary dated his rule from 799 to 759 B.C.[16] Canon Cook, following what he called the "common chronology," dated Jeroboam from 823 to 782 B.C.[17] These opinions are sufficient to justify the analysis of Hammond that, "The chronology of the later half of the Israelite kingdom is in confusion."[18]

The great revelation of this chapter regarding the politically successful reign of Jeroboam II is the worthlessness of it in the sight of God. Great as it was in the eyes of men, it was here dismissed contemptuously with only a few lines, dominated by, "he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah."

"He restored the border of Israel ... from ... Hamath unto the sea of Arabah" (2 Kings 14:25). "These were the limits of David's glorious kingdom."[19] "The Sea of Arabah mentioned here was either the Gulf of Aqaba or the Dead Sea."[20]

"According to the word of Jehovah ... by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet, who was of Gath-hepher" (2 Kings 14:25). There is no intelligent basis for the knee-jerk denial of false critics who deny that the Jonah mentioned here was the author of the prophecy that bears his name. F. J. Foakes Jackson wrote the customary biased opinion of critics that, "This prophet can hardly be the author of the Book of Jonah."[21] (See our discussion of this in the introduction to our Commentary on Jonah (Vol. 1, of the Minor Prophets Series).) Here let us note that Jackson offered no proof of his bald assertion, flatly denying what is written in Jonah 1:1, namely, that the Jonah who wrote that prophecy is exactly the same "Jonah the son of Amittai" who is mentioned here. All believers should be warned against those servants of Satan who dare to deny what is written in the Word, doing so, not upon the basis of any fact, but merely upon their false opinions.

Honeycutt noted that, "The prophetic words of Amos and Hosea are fitting commentaries upon the moral and religious plight of Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II."[22] See Amos 7:10ff.

In addition to the witness of those two prophets, there should also be added the witness of Jonah himself, the son of Amittai, who was the social lion of Samaria in the days of Jeroboam II, because he had prophesied the resurgence of Israel's glory during that reign. Jonah himself became the prophetic symbol of God's total rejection of racial Israel (beginning with the Northern kingdom). His being cast overboard at sea is revealed as an exact prophecy of God's terminal rejection of the Old Israel. See our commentary on Jonah. Also, Jonah's stubborn hatred of Nineveh and his anger when God spared them are prophetic indications of Israel's anger at God's calling of the Gentiles, and their utter refusal to be pleased with it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah, the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria,.... So that he reigned fourteen or fifteen years contemporary with him; for Amaziah reigned twenty nine years:

and reigned forty and one years; Josephus says^F9Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 9.) c. 10. sect. 1. forty, giving only the round number.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

2 Kings 14:23-29. Jeroboam‘s wicked reign over Israel.

Jeroboam, the son of Joash king of Israel — This was Jeroboam II who, on regaining the lost territory, raised the kingdom to great political power (2 Kings 14:25), but adhered to the favorite religious policy of the Israelitish sovereigns (2 Kings 14:24). While God granted him so great a measure of national prosperity and eminence, the reason is expressly stated (2 Kings 14:26, 2 Kings 14:27) to be that the purposes of the divine covenant forbade as yet the overthrow of the kingdom of the ten tribes (see 2 Kings 13:23).

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary

I cannot pass over this verse without remarking the name of this king of Israel. One should have thought that the name of Jeroboam was so detestable that it would have been shunned with horror. Was it in presumption, as if defying the Lord? Alas! to what a state of sin was Israel at this time reduced?

John Trapp Complete Commentary

2 Kings 14:23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, [and reigned] forty and one years.

Ver. 23. And reigned forty and one years.] This Jeroboam II was a long lived and a victorious prince: so was our Edward III.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

REIGN OF JEROBOAM, THE SON OF JOASH, 2 Kings 14:23-29.

23.Forty and one years — This is probably an error, and should be fifty-two years. See note on 2 Kings 15:8.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

of Israel. Some codices, with one early printed edition, and Septuagint, read "over Israel".

forty and one years. See note on 2 Kings 15:8.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria, and reigned forty and one years.

Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel. He had been previously associated with his father for several years in the government.

And reigned forty and one years. Ewald, Thenius, and others, maintain that an error in the Hebrew numeral letters has occurred here-the duration of Jeroboam's reign having been originally stated at 52 or 53 instead of 41 years. But such a supposition is exceedingly improbable, as it implies the mistake to be considered as not limited to one, but to have extended to several letters (see the notes at 2 Kings 15:8).

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

THE REIGN OF JEROBOAM II. IN SAMARIA
(2 Kings 14:23-29).

(23) Reigned forty and one years.—According to the statement of this verse, Jeroboam reigned fourteen years concurrently with Amaziah, who reigned altogether twenty-nine years (2 Kings 14:2); and thirty-seven years concurrently with Azariah (2 Kings 15:8), so that he reigned altogether not forty-one but fifty-one years. (The discrepancy originated in a confusion of the Hebrew letters נא, fifty-one, with מא, forty-one.)

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

A. M. 3179-3220. B.C. 825-784. the fifteenth

Jeroboam

27; Hosea 1:1; Amos 1:1; 7:9-11

began to reign

"Now he begins to reign alone."