2 Kings 14:6

But the children of the murderers he slew not,.... Which is an instance of his clemency and goodness, and of his strict regard to justice, and to the law of God; though he might fear, these, being spared, would one time or other revenge their fathers' deaths: according to that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, see Deuteronomy 24:16, wherein the Lord commanded, saying, the fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children, &c. to which command Amaziah was obedient.

2 Kings 14:6 . But the children of the murderers he slew not — In this he acted like a good man, and showed both faith and courage, in that he would obey the command of God, though it might be attended with great hazard to himself, and was not moved to cut off the children, through fear lest they should raise a faction against him, and take revenge for their fathers’ death. Very different is the custom pursued in many kingdoms, in which, if any one be guilty of high treason, not only he, but his children likewise, who neither partake nor are conscious of his traitorous practices, are equally devoted to destruction.

But the children of the murderers he {b} slew not: according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses, wherein the LORD commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin. (b) Because they neither consented nor were partakers with their fathers in that act.

The children of the murderers he slew not - This seems to be noted as a rare instance of clemency (compare 2 Kings 9:26 note). It is strange at first sight, that, when the Law contained so very plain a prohibition (marginal references), the contrary practice should have established itself. But we must remember, first, that the custom was that of the East generally (see Daniel 6:24 ); and secondly, that it had the sanction of one who might be thought to have known thoroughly the mind of the legislator, namely, Joshua (see Joshua 7:24-25 ).

(6) The murderers. —Literally, the smiters . According unto that which is written . . . law of Moses.—A quotation of Deuteronomy 24:16. This reference is from the pen of the Judæan editor. Shall be put to death.—So the original passage and the Hebrew margin. Hebrew text, “shall die.” This humane provision of the Jewish law contrasts favourably with the practice of other nations, ancient and modern. Readers of the classics will recollect the hideous story of the treatment of the young daughter of Sejanus (Tac. Ann. v. 9). (6) Even with the kings of Israel.—Probably some words have fallen out, and the original text was. “and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.” (Comp, 2Kings 14:16.) The Syriac and Arabic have, “and was buried.”

6. But the children of the murderers he slew not—This moderation, inspired by the Mosaic law (De 24:16), displays the good character of this prince; for the course thus pursued toward the families of the regicides was directly contrary to the prevailing customs of antiquity, according to which all connected with the criminals were doomed to unsparing destruction.

6 . the children of the murderers he slew not ] R.V. he put not to death . The Hebrew has a different verb here from that which is twice over used for ‘to slay’ in the previous verse. according unto that which is written in the book of the law of Moses ] The compiler of Kings either took this statement from his original record, or he inserted it in his narrative because he felt that it was an act which accorded with the legal command. In either case he looked upon the law as existing and observed in the days of Amaziah, and therefore that Deuteronomy 24:16 , where this command is recorded, was existent before Amaziah’s days, and therefore long before the days of Josiah, to which date some propose to refer the composition of the fifth book of Moses. wherein [R.V. as ] the Lord commanded ] The change is in accordance with the Hebrew, cf. Exodus 34:18 . The relative is not here in its most usual form for the sense of ‘as’, but it could hardly be explained as=wherein. Another example of this less common use is in Jeremiah 33:22 . every man shall be put to death [R.V. shall die ] for his own sin ] The Kethib gives a different form of the verb in the last clause and the R.V. has followed this. The text in Deuteronomy 24:16 agrees with the translation of A.V. and no doubt this was the reason why that form was preferred here also, being given by the Keri .

Verse 6. - But the children of the murderers he slew not. It was the ordinary usage in the East for the sons of traitors to share the fate of their fathers. A Greek poet went so far as to say that a man was a fool who put to death the father, and allowed the son to live. The practice had a double ground. Sons, it might be assumed, would be cognizant of their father's intention, and would so be accessories before the fact. And the law of claim , or "blood-feud," would make it dangerous to spare them, since they would be bound to avenge their father's death on his destroyer. That the practice prevailed among the Israelites appears from Joshua 7:24 , where we find the children of Achan involved in his fate, and again from 2 Kings 9:26 , where we are told that Naboth's sons suffered with their father. But it was contrary to an express command of the Law, as the writer goes on to show. According unto that which is written in the book of the Law of Moses. "The book of the Law of Moses" ( סֵפֶר תורַת־משֶׁה ) may be either the Pentateuch regarded as one book, or Deuteronomy, the particular" book" of the Pentateuch in which the passage occurs.

In either case the passage is fatal to the theory of the late' composition of Deuteronomy, which is here found to have ruled the conduct of a Jewish king a hundred and fifty years before Manasseh, two hundred before Josiah, and two hundred and eighty before the return from the Captivity - the dates assigned to Deuteronomy by recent "advanced" critics. Wherein the Lord commanded, saying, The fathers shall not be put to death for the children, nor the children be put to death for the fathers; but every man shall be put to death for his own sin. As usual, when one sacred writer quotes another, the quotation is not exact. "But" ( כִּוּ אִם ) is inserted at the beginning of the final clause, and the form of the verb in the same clause is modified. It seems to be intended that we should be made to feel that it is the sentiment or meaning conveyed, and not the phraseology in which it is wrapped up, that is of importance. 2 Kings 14:6

After establishing his own government, he punished the murderers of his father with death; but, according to the law in Deuteronomy 24:16 , he did not slay their children also, as was commonly the custom in the East in ancient times, and may very frequently have been done in Israel as well. The Chethb ימוּת is correct, and the Keri ימת is an unnecessary alteration made after Deuteronomy.