2 Kings 14:22

He built Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(22) He built Elath.—The pronoun is emphatic; he, in contrast with his father. “Built,” either rebuilt or fortified. The verse is in close connection with the preceding narrative. Amaziah perhaps had not vigorously prosecuted the conquest of Edom, having been greatly weakened by his defeat in the struggle with Jehoash. He may even have suffered some further losses at the hands of the Edomites; and this, as Thenius supposes may have led to the conspiracy which brought about his death and the accession of his son. The warlike youth Uzziah took the field at once, and pushed his victorious arms to the southern extremity of Edom, the port of Elath (2Kings 9:26), and thus restored the state of things which had existed under Solomon and Jehoshaphat.

After that the king slept—i.e., immediately after the murder of Amaziah. Thenius explains the verse with most success, but this clause is still somewhat surprising.

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 14:22. He built Elath — Repaired and fortified it; for it was built before, Deuteronomy 2:8. And restored it to Judah — From whom it had revolted with the rest of Edom, in which land it lay, upon the Red sea. After that the king — Namely, his father Amaziah; slept with his fathers — The meaning is, that Amaziah did not perfect his conquest of Edom, but left some work there for his son to do.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

14:15-22 Amaziah survived his conqueror fifteen years. He was slain by his own subjects. Azariah, or Uzziah, seems to have been very young when his father was slain. Though the years of his reign are reckoned from that event, he was not fully made king till eleven years afterwards.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elath, or Eloth (marginal reference 1 Kings 9:26), was near Ezion-Geber, in the Gulf of Akabah. It had been lost to the Jews on the revolt of Edom from Joram 2 Kings 8:22. Uzziah's re-establishment of the place, rendered possible by his father's successes 2 Kings 14:7, was one of his first acts, and seems to imply a desire to renew the commercial projects which Solomon had successfully carried out, and which Jehoshaphat had vainly attempted 1 Kings 22:48.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

22. He built Elath—fortified that seaport. It had revolted with the rest of Edom, but was now recovered by Uzziah. His father, who did not complete the conquest of Edom, had left him that work to do.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

He built Elath, i.e. repaired and fortified it; for it was built before, Deu 2:8.

Restored it to Judah; from whom it had revolted with the rest of Edom, in which land this place was upon the Red Sea.

The king, i.e. his father Amaziah; who did not perfect his conquest of Edom, but left some work for his son.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

He built Elath,.... A port which belonged to Edom, Deuteronomy 2:8 which very probably David took from them when he made them tributary, and which they retook when they revolted, and Amaziah got again when he defeated them; and this his son rebuilt and fortified:

and restored it to Judah; annexed it to the kingdom of Judah, as in the days of David and Solomon:

after that the king slept with his fathers; after the death of his father Amaziah.

Geneva Study Bible

He built {k} Elath, and restored it to Judah, after that the king slept with his fathers.

(k) Which is also called Elanon or Eloth.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. He built Elath] Elath (also written Eloth) was at the northern extremity of the Gulf of Akabah. It is said in 1 Kings 9:26 to have belonged to Edom, but at this time Judah was powerful enough to secure a road through Edom for trade purposes, and so extend the sway of their kingdom to the same point southward which they had occupied in the days of Solomon. Between that time and this, Elath had most likely fallen into decay. Hence the mention of ‘building’, which of course means restoration. (See on 2 Kings 15:35.)

and restored it to Judah] As it had been in the days of Solomon. We need not suppose that more was done than to secure a passage through Edom between Elath and Jerusalem. Edom was of small use to Judah, but a port on the Red Sea was a great acquisition.

after that the king slept with his fathers] This is another of those vague notices which indicate an unusual state of things in Judah at this period. It would almost seem as though Azariah had been put in authority, if not on the throne, before the death of his father, and that he had been making his plans beforehand, only waiting for his father’s death to carry them out. He was without doubt a popular monarch, for it is said (verse 21) that all Judah agreed on him for king.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 22. - He built Elath, and restored it to Judah. On the position of Elath, or Eloth, and its importance, see the comment on 1 Kings 9:26. It had been the headquarters of Solomon's fleet (1 Kings 9:26), and again of Jehoshaphat's (1 Kings 22:48; 2 Chronicles 20:36); but had been, of course, recovered by the Edomites when they revolted (2 Kings 8:22). Azariah's re-occupation seems to imply an intention on his part of, renewing the old Red Sea trade. By "built ' in this passage we must understand "rebuilt" or (as in 2 Chronicles 11:6) "fortified." After that the king slept with his fathers. Keil is probably right in understanding this to mean "immediately after he had ascended the throne," or "as soon as ever his father was dead" (see the comment on ver. 19). His further military successes will be considered in the comment on his reign, as sketched in the next chapter. 2 Kings 14:22

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Immediately after his ascent of the throne, Uzziah built, i.e., fortified, Elath, the Idumaean port (see at 1 Kings 9:26), and restored it to Judah again. It is evident from this that Uzziah completed the renewed subjugation of Edom which his father had begun. The position in which this notice stands, immediately after his ascent of the throne and before the account of the duration and character of his reign, may be explained in all probability from the importance of the work itself, which not only distinguished the commencement of his reign, but also gave evident of its power.