(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 Kosh. (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 Kosh. Lastly, the name of a king of Edom mentioned by Sennacherib, Malik-rammu, i.e., "Moloch is exalted," indicates that Moloch also was worshipped in Edom.

Verse 15. - He sent unto him a prophet. We are again not told whom. The tone of the prophet, and the words given us as his in the latter half of ver. 16, would lead us to think it was the same "man of God;" but we cannot assert it, and had it been the same, it would more probably have transpired. The history now often reminds us of 2 Chronicles 24:16.

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.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.