Bible Commentaries
Go deeper in Scripture
Browse trusted public-domain commentary alongside DiscipleDeck Bible study. References inside each commentary open Bible previews in place.
3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Reign of Amaziah. (b. c. 828.)
THE REIGN OF AMAZIAH. (B. C. 828.) Amaziah, the son and successor of Joash, is the king whom here we have an account of. Let us take a view of him, I. In the temple; and there he acted, in some measure, well, like Joash…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 14:8-14
For several successions after the division of the kingdoms that of Judah suffered much by the enmity of Israel. After Asa's time, for several successions, it suffered more by the friendship of Israel, and by the allianc…
Reign of Jeroboam, King of Israel. (b. c. 825.)
REIGN OF JEROBOAM, KING OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 825.) Here are three kings brought to their graves in these few verses:—1. Joash king of Israel, 2 Kings 14:15-16. We attended his funeral once before, 2 Kings 13:12-13. But, be…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 14:23-29
Here is an account of the reign of Jeroboam the second. I doubt it is an indication of the affection and adherence of the house of Jehu to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, that they called…
The Reign of Azariah. (b. c. 798.)
THE REIGN OF AZARIAH. (B. C. 798.) This is a short account of the reign of Azariah. 1. Most of it is general, and the same that has been given of others; he began young and reigned long (2 Kings 15:2), did, for the most…
The Reigns of Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea. (b. c. 758.)
THE REIGNS OF ZACHARIAH, SHALLUM, MENAHEM, PEKAHIAH, PEKAH, AND HOSHEA. (B. C. 758.) The best days of the kingdom of Israel were while the government was in Jehu's family. In his reign, and the next three reigns, though…
The Reign of Jotham. (b. c. 742.)
THE REIGN OF JOTHAM. (B. C. 742.) We have here a short account of the reign of Jotham king of Judah, of whom we are told, 1. That he reigned very well, did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, 2 Kings 15:34. J…
The Reign of Ahaz. (b. c. 726.)
THE REIGN OF AHAZ. (B. C. 726.) We have here a general character of the reign of Ahaz. Few and evil were his days—few, for he died at thirty-six—evil, for we are here told, 1. That he did not that which was right like D…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 16:5-9
Here is, 1. The attempt of his confederate neighbours, the kings of Syria and Israel, upon him. They thought to make themselves masters of Jerusalem, and to set a king of their own in it, Isaiah 7:6. In this they fell s…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 16:10-16
Though Ahaz had himself sacrificed in high places, on hills, and under every green tree (2 Kings 16:4), yet God's altar had hitherto continued in its place and in use, and the king's burnt-offering and his meat-offering…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 16:17-20
Here is, I. Ahaz abusing the temple, not the building itself, but some of the furniture of it. 1. He defaced the bases on which the lavers were set (1 Kings 7:28-29) and took down the molten sea, 2 Kings 16:17. These th…
Samaria Besieged by the Assyrians; Israel Subdued by Assyria. (b. c. 730.)
SAMARIA BESIEGED BY THE ASSYRIANS; ISRAEL SUBDUED BY ASSYRIA. (B. C. 730.) We have here the reign and ruin of Hoshea, the last of the kings of Israel, concerning whom observe, I. That, though he forced his way to the cr…
The Wickedness of Israel. (b. c. 730.)
THE WICKEDNESS OF ISRAEL. (B. C. 730.) Though the destruction of the kingdom of the ten tribes was but briefly related, it is in these verses largely commented upon by our historian, and the reasons of it assigned, not…
The Samaritans' Idolatry. (b. c. 720.)
THE SAMARITANS' IDOLATRY. (B. C. 720.) Never was land lost, we say, for want of an heir. When the children of Israel were dispossessed, and turned out of Canaan, the king of Assyria soon transplanted thither the supernu…
Hezekiah's Good Reign. (b. c. 726.)
HEZEKIAH'S GOOD REIGN. (B. C. 726.) We have here a general account of the reign of Hezekiah. It appears, by comparing his age with his father's, that he was born when his father was about eleven or twelve years old, div…
Sennacherib Invades Judea. (b. c. 726.)
SENNACHERIB INVADES JUDEA. (B. C. 726.) The kingdom of Assyria had now grown considerable, though we never read of it till the last reign. Such changes there are in the affairs of nations and families: those that have b…
Rab-Shakeh's Blasphemous Speech. (b. c. 710.)
RAB-SHAKEH'S BLASPHEMOUS SPEECH. (B. C. 710.) Here is, I. Jerusalem besieged by Sennacherib's army, 2 Kings 18:17. He sent three of his great generals with a great host against Jerusalem. Is this the great king, the kin…
Hezekiah's Sends to Isaiah. (b. c. 710.)
HEZEKIAH'S SENDS TO ISAIAH. (B. C. 710.) The contents of Rabshakeh's speech being brought to Hezekiah, one would have expected (and it is likely Rabshakeh did expect) that he would call a council of war and it would be…
Sennacherib Sends to Hezekiah. (b. c. 710.)
SENNACHERIB SENDS TO HEZEKIAH. (B. C. 710.) Rabshakeh, having delivered his message and received no answer (whether he took this silence for a consent or a slight does not appear), left his army before Jerusalem, under…
Sennacherib's Fall Predicted. (b. c. 710.)
SENNACHERIB'S FALL PREDICTED. (B. C. 710.) We have here the gracious copious answer which God gave to Hezekiah's prayer. The message which he sent him by the same hand (2 Kings 19:6-7), one would think, was an answer su…
The Assyrian Army Destroyed. (b. c. 710.)
THE ASSYRIAN ARMY DESTROYED. (B. C. 710.) Sometimes it was long ere prophecies were accomplished and promises performed; but here the word was no sooner spoken than the work was done. I. The army of Assyria was entirely…
Hezekiah's Sickness and Recovery. (b. c. 713.)
HEZEKIAH'S SICKNESS AND RECOVERY. (B. C. 713.) The historian, having shown us blaspheming Sennacherib destroyed in the midst of the prospects of life, here shows us praying Hezekiah delivered in the midst of the prospec…
Hezekiah's Piety and Death. (b. c. 713.)
HEZEKIAH'S PIETY AND DEATH. (B. C. 713.) Here is, I. An embassy sent to Hezekiah by the king of Babylon, to congratulate him on his recovery, 2 Kings 20:12. The kings of Babylon had hitherto been only deputies and tribu…
Manasseh's Impious Reign. (b. c. 698.)
MANASSEH'S IMPIOUS REIGN. (B. C. 698.) How delightful were our meditations on the last reign! How many pleasing views had we of Sion in its glory (that is, in its purity and in its triumphs), of the king in his beauty!…