John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 9. Then wrote Rehum the chancellor, and Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their companions , etc.] who all signed the letter; namely, the governors of the following nations; the Dinaites, the Apharsathchites, the Tarpelites, the Apharsites, the Archevites, the Babylonians, the Susanchites, the Dehavites, and the Elamites ; which were colonies from several parts of Chaldea, Media, and Persia, and were settled in the several cities of Samaria, as several of their names plainly show, as from Persia, Erech, Babylon, Shushan, and Elimais; some account for them all, but with uncertainty; according to R. Jose f45 these were the Samaritans who first were sent out of five nations, to whom the king of Assyria added four more, which together make the nine here mentioned, (see 2 Kings 17:24).
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6-24 - It is an old slander, that the prosperity of the church would be hurtful to kings and princes. Nothing can be more false, for tru godliness teaches us to honour and obey our sovereign. But where the command of God requires one thing and the law of the land another, we must obey God rather than man, and patiently submit to the consequences. All who love the gospel should avoid all appearance of evil, lest they should encourage the adversaries of the church. The world is ever ready to believe any accusation against the people of God, and refuses to listen to them. The king suffered himself to be imposed upon by these frauds and falsehoods. Princes see and hear with other men's eyes and ears, and judge things as represented to them which are often done falsely. But God's judgment is just; he see things as they are _________________________________________________
Original Hebrew אדין116 רחום7348 בעל1169 טעם2942 ושׁמשׁי8124 ספרא5613 ושׁאר7606 כנותהון3675 דיניא1784 ואפרסתכיא671 טרפליא2967 אפרסיא670 ארכוי756 בבליא896 שׁושׁנכיא7801 דהוא1768 עלמיא׃5962
