Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 15:32–end
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, Kg2 15:34. Josephus gives him a very high character, stating that he was pious towards God, just towards men, and laid out himself for the public good, - that, whatever was amiss, he took care to have it rectified, - and, in short, wanted no virtue that became a good prince. Though the high places were not taken away, yet to draw people from them, and keep them close to God's holy place, he showed great respect to the temple, and built the higher gate which he went through to the temple. If magistrates cannot do all they woul…
Read the whole note in the consoleJamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Kings 15:35
the higher gate of the house of the Lord--not the temple itself, but one of its courts; probably that which led into the palace (Ch2 23:20).
Adam Clarke on 2 Kings 15:30
Hoshea the son of Elah - in the twentieth year of Jotham - There are many difficulties in the chronology of this place. To reconcile the whole, Calmet says: "Hoshea conspired against Pekah, the twentieth year of the reign of this prince, which was the eighteenth after the beginning of the reign of Jotham, king of Judah. Two years after this, that is, the fourth year of Ahaz, and the twentieth of Jotham, Hoshea made himself master of a part of the kingdom, according to Kg2 15:30. Finally, the twelfth year of Ahaz, Hoshea had peaceable possession of the whole kingdom, according to Kg2 17:1."
John Gill on 2 Kings 15:35
Howbeit the high places were not removed,.... As they were not by his father, and the same is observed of the best of kings before:
the people sacrificed and burnt incense still in the high places; from which they could not be brought off by prophets or kings:
he built the higher gate of the house of the Lord; which was between the temple and the king's palace, which led to it; this he repaired and beautified, or added something to it; or otherwise it was built by Solomon, and therefore called the new gate, Jeremiah 26:10 it is the same that was afterwards called the gate of Nicanor; the east gate, as say the Jewish writers (k).
(k) T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 7. 1. Gloss. in ib. Maimon. Cele Ham…
