=11.= _the book of the kings of Judah and Israel_] In 1 Kings the appeal is to “the book of chronicles of the kings of Judah.” See Introduction § 5. _he sought not to the LORD, but to the physicians_] _Physicians_ (Hebrew _rōph’īm_) are condemned by implication here, perhaps as using incantations and adjurations. Contrast Ecclesiasticus (_Ben Sira_) xxxviii. 9‒15, especially verse 15 (Hebrew text), _He that sinneth against his Maker will behave himself proudly against a physician_. Curtis notes the connection of the art of healing with the prophets; compare 1 Kings xvii. 17 ff. (Elijah); 2 Kings iv. 19 ff. (Elisha); 2 Kings xx. 7 (Isaiah). ¹³And Asa slept with his fathers, and died in the one and fortieth year of his reign. =13.= _in the one and fortieth year_] Compare 1 Kings xv. 10. ¹⁴And they buried him in his own sepulchres, which he had hewn out for himself in the city of David, and laid him in the bed which was filled with sweet odours and divers kinds _of spices_ prepared by the apothecaries’ art: and they made a very great burning for him. =14.= _in his own sepulchres_] In 1 Kings _with his fathers_. _which he had hewn out for himself_] This clause is absent from 1 Kings. _divers kinds_ of spices] Mark xvi. 1; John xii. 3, 7, xix. 39, 40. _a very great burning_] Compare xxi. 19. What is here meant is not cremation of the body, but only a burning of spices; Jeremiah xxxiv. 5. CHAPTERS XVII.‒XX. THE REIGN OF JEHOSHAPHAT. CHAPTER XVII. =1‒6.= THE CHARACTER OF THE REIGN. The reign of Jehoshaphat is one of the most interesting sections of Chronicles If these chapters, xvii.‒xx., be compared with the references to Jehoshaphat in Kings (viz. 1 Kings xxii. 1‒35, 41‒50), it will be seen that much new material appears in Chronicles (chapter xvii., and xix. 1‒xx. 30), with the result that the prosperity and piety of this king are greatly enhanced. As to the historical value of the Chronicler’s account, see the head-notes to the various sections below. ¹And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead, and strengthened himself against Israel. =1.= _And Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his stead_] These words are from 1 Kings xv. 24. All the rest of this chapter is without any parallel in Kings. ²And he placed forces in all the fenced cities of Judah, and set garrisons in the land of Judah, and in the cities of Ephraim, which Asa his father had taken. =2.= _the cities of Ephraim_] Compare xv. 8. ³And the LORD was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his father David, and sought not unto the Baalim; =3.= _in the first ways of his father David_] Omit _David_ (so LXX.), the person referred to being _Asa_ (1 Kings xxii. 43). Asa’s _first ways_ (chapters xiv., xv.) were good, his latter ways (chapter xvi.), according to the Chronicler, were evil.