The Expositor's Bible: The Books of ChroniclesBennett, W. H. (William Henry)
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Books of Chronicles
Bennett, W. H. (William Henry)
Bible. Chronicles -- Commentaries
Probably the stopping of the water supply outside the walls was connected
with an operation mentioned at the close of the narrative of Hezekiah’s
reign: “Hezekiah also stopped the upper spring of the waters of Gihon, and
brought them straight down on the west side of the city of David.”(428)
Moreover, the chronicler’s statements are based upon 2 Kings xx. 20, where
it is said that “Hezekiah made the pool and the conduit and brought water
into the city.” The chronicler was of course intimately acquainted with
the topography of Jerusalem in his own days, and uses his knowledge to
interpret and expand the statement in the book of Kings. He was possibly
guided in part by Isa. xxii. 9, 11, where the “gathering together the
waters of the lower pool” and the “making a reservoir between the two
walls for the water of the old pool” are mentioned as precautions taken in
view of a probable Assyrian siege. The recent investigations of the
Palestine Exploration Fund have led to the discovery of aqueducts, and
stoppages, and diversions of watercourses which are said to correspond to
the operations mentioned by the chronicler. If this be the case, they show
a very accurate knowledge on his part of the topography of Jerusalem in
his own day, and also illustrate his care to utilise all existing evidence
in order to obtain a clear and accurate interpretation of the statements
of his authority.
The reign of Hezekiah appears a suitable opportunity to introduce a few
remarks on the importance which the chronicler attaches to the music of
the Temple services. Though the music is not more prominent with him than
with some earlier kings, yet in the case of David, Solomon, and
Jehoshaphat other subjects presented themselves for special treatment; and
Hezekiah’s reign being the last in which the music of the sanctuary is
specially dwelt upon, we are able here to review the various references to
this subject. For the most part the chronicler tells his story of the
virtuous days of the good kings to a continual accompaniment of Temple
music. We hear of the playing and singing when the Ark was brought to the
house of Obed-edom; when it was taken into the city of David; at the
dedication of the Temple; at the battle between Abijah and Jeroboam; at
Asa’s reformation; in connection with the overthrow of the Ammonites,
Moabites, and Meunim in the reign of Jehoshaphat; at the coronation of
Joash; at Hezekiah’s feasts; and again, though less emphatically, at
Josiah’s passover. No doubt the special prominence given to the subject
indicates a professional interest on the part of the author. If, however,
music occupies an undue proportion of his space, and he has abridged
accounts of more important matters to make room for his favourite theme,
yet there is no reason to suppose that his actual statements overrate the
extent to which music was used in worship or the importance attached to
it. The older narratives refer to the music in the case of David and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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