(15) Could not deliver.—Delivered not. (Comp. the boast of Sennacherib concerning the gods who had failed before him: 2Kings 18:33-35.) The king’s object may have been to win their favour, and so retain his hold on what was regarded as their peculiar territory. One of these gods might be Hadad (comp. 1Chronicles 1:46; 1Chronicles 1:50; 2Kings 5:18; 2Kings 6:24); another might have been Kôsh. (Comp. the Edomite royal names Qa-us-ma-la-ka, i.e., Kosmalak, “Kosh is king,” and Qa-us-gab-ri, i.e., Kosgabri, “Kosh is my warrior;” names which are like the Hebrew Elimelech and Gabriel respectively.) The Hebrew proper name, Kish, may be the same as Kôsh. Lastly, the name of a king of Edom mentioned by Sennacherib, Mâlik-rammu, i.e., “Moloch is exalted,” indicates that Moloch also was worshipped in Edom.

2 Chronicles 25:15. The anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah — And well it might; yet, before he sent to destroy him, he sent to convince and reclaim him, and thus prevent his destruction. He sent to him a prophet, who reasoned with him very fairly and mildly, saying, Why hast thou sought after the gods which could not deliver their own people? — Is this reasonable? Is it acting like a wise man? If men would but duly consider the inability of all those things to help them, which they have recourse to when they forsake God, they would not be such enemies to themselves.

25:14-16 To worship the gods of those whom Amaziah had conquered, who could not help their own worshippers, was the greatest absurdity. If men would consider how unable all those things are to help them, to which they look whenever they forsake God, they would not be such enemies to themselves. The reproof God sent by a prophet was too just to be answered; themselves. The reproof God sent by a prophet was too just to be answered; but he was bidden not to say a word more. The secure sinner rejoices to have silenced his reprovers and monitors; but what comes of it? Those that are deaf to reproof, are ripening for destruction.The practice of carrying off the images of the gods from a conquered country, or city, as trophies of victory, was common among the nations of the East. Sometimes as with the Romans, the object was worship, especially when the gods were previously among those of the conquering country, and the images had the reputation of special sanctity. 14-16. Amaziah … brought the gods of the children of Seir—The Edomites worshipped the sun under different forms and with various rites. But burning incense upon altars was a principal act of worship, and this was the very thing Amaziah is described as having with strange infatuation performed. Whether he had been captivated with the beauty of the images, or hoped by honoring the gods to disarm their spite at him for his conquest and harsh treatment of their votaries, his conduct in establishing these objects of religious homage in Jerusalem was foolish, ignorant, and highly offensive to God, who commissioned a prophet to rebuke him for his apostasy, and threaten him with the calamity that soon after befell him. Therefore thou art not only ungrateful and impious, but also ridiculously foolish, in offending that God whose power and goodness thou hast now found, and in worshipping such gods of whose impotency thou hast had late experience.

Wherefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Amaziah,.... Idolatry being always highly displeasing to the Lord; and this was a most provoking instance of it, that when the Lord had given him victory over his enemies, that he should forsake him, and worship their gods:

and he sent unto him a prophet; whether the same as before, is not certain:

which said unto him, why hast thou sought after the gods of the people which could not deliver their own people out of thine hand? and therefore it was madness in him to seek after them, and worship them.

Wherefore the anger of the LORD was kindled against Amaziah, and he sent unto him a prophet, which said unto him, Why hast thou sought after the gods of the people, which could not {m} deliver their own people out of thine hand?

(m) He proves that whatever cannot save himself nor his worshipper is no god but an idol.