1 Now Jehoram H3088 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 began to reign H4427 over Israel H3478 in Samaria H8111 the eighteenth H8083 H6240 year H8141 of Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and reigned H4427 twelve H8147 H6240 years. H8141
2 And he wrought H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD; H3068 but not like his father, H1 and like his mother: H517 for he put away H5493 the image H4676 of Baal H1168 that his father H1 had made. H6213
3 Nevertheless he cleaved H1692 unto the sins H2403 of Jeroboam H3379 the son H1121 of Nebat, H5028 which made Israel H3478 to sin; H2398 he departed H5493 not therefrom.
4 And Mesha H4338 king H4428 of Moab H4124 was a sheepmaster, H5349 and rendered H7725 unto the king H4428 of Israel H3478 an hundred H3967 thousand H505 lambs, H3733 and an hundred H3967 thousand H505 rams, H352 with the wool. H6785
5 But it came to pass, when Ahab H256 was dead, H4194 that the king H4428 of Moab H4124 rebelled H6586 against the king H4428 of Israel. H3478
6 And king H4428 Jehoram H3088 went out H3318 of Samaria H8111 the same time, H3117 and numbered H6485 all Israel. H3478
7 And he went H3212 and sent H7971 to Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The king H4428 of Moab H4124 hath rebelled H6586 against me: wilt thou go H3212 with me against Moab H4124 to battle? H4421 And he said, H559 I will go up: H5927 I am as thou art, my people H5971 as thy people, H5971 and my horses H5483 as thy horses. H5483
8 And he said, H559 Which way H1870 shall we go up? H5927 And he answered, H559 The way H1870 through the wilderness H4057 of Edom. H123
9 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went, H3212 and the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 and the king H4428 of Edom: H123 and they fetched a compass H5437 of seven H7651 days' H3117 journey: H1870 and there was no water H4325 for the host, H4264 and for the cattle H929 that followed H7272 them.
10 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said, H559 Alas! H162 that the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 these three H7969 kings H4428 together, H7121 to deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Moab! H4124
11 But Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 Is there not here a prophet H5030 of the LORD, H3068 that we may enquire H1875 of the LORD H3068 by him? And one H259 of the king H4428 of Israel's H3478 servants H5650 answered H6030 and said, H559 Here is Elisha H477 the son H1121 of Shaphat, H8202 which poured H3332 water H4325 on the hands H3027 of Elijah. H452
12 And Jehoshaphat H3092 said, H559 The word H1697 of the LORD H3068 is H3426 with him. So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 and Jehoshaphat H3092 and the king H4428 of Edom H123 went down H3381 to him.
13 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 What have I to do with thee? get H3212 thee to the prophets H5030 of thy father, H1 and to the prophets H5030 of thy mother. H517 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto him, Nay: for the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 these three H7969 kings H4428 together, H7121 to deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of Moab. H4124
14 And Elisha H477 said, H559 As the LORD H3068 of hosts H6635 liveth, H2416 before H6440 whom I stand, H5975 surely, were it not that H3884 I regard H5375 the presence H6440 of Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 I would not look H5027 toward thee, nor see H7200 thee.
15 But now bring H3947 me a minstrel. H5059 And it came to pass, when the minstrel H5059 played, H5059 that the hand H3027 of the LORD H3068 came upon him.
16 And he said, H559 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Make H6213 this valley H5158 full of ditches. H1356
17 For thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 Ye shall not see H7200 wind, H7307 neither shall ye see H7200 rain; H1653 yet that valley H5158 shall be filled H4390 with water, H4325 that ye may drink, H8354 both ye, and your cattle, H4735 and your beasts. H929
18 And this is but a light thing H7043 in the sight H5869 of the LORD: H3068 he will deliver H5414 the Moabites H4124 also into your hand. H3027
19 And ye shall smite H5221 every fenced H4013 city, H5892 and every choice H4004 city, H5892 and shall fell H5307 every good H2896 tree, H6086 and stop H5640 all wells H4599 of water, H4325 and mar H3510 every good H2896 piece H2513 of land with stones. H68
20 And it came to pass in the morning, H1242 when the meat offering H4503 was offered, H5927 that, behold, there came H935 water H4325 by the way H1870 of Edom, H123 and the country H776 was filled H4390 with water. H4325
21 And when all the Moabites H4124 heard H8085 that the kings H4428 were come up H5927 to fight H3898 against them, they gathered H6817 all that were able to put H2296 on armour, H2290 and upward, H4605 and stood H5975 in the border. H1366
22 And they rose up early H7925 in the morning, H1242 and the sun H8121 shone H2224 upon the water, H4325 and the Moabites H4124 saw H7200 the water H4325 on the other side H5048 as red H122 as blood: H1818
23 And they said, H559 This is blood: H1818 the kings H4428 are surely H2717 slain, H2717 and they have smitten H5221 one H376 another: H7453 now therefore, Moab, H4124 to the spoil. H7998
24 And when they came H935 to the camp H4264 of Israel, H3478 the Israelites H3478 rose up H6965 and smote H5221 the Moabites, H4124 so that they fled H5127 before H6440 them: but they went forward H5221 smiting H5221 the Moabites, H4124 even in their country.
25 And they beat down H2040 the cities, H5892 and on every good H2896 piece H2513 of land cast H7993 every man H376 his stone, H68 and filled H4390 it; and they stopped H5640 all the wells H4599 of water, H4325 and felled H5307 all the good H2896 trees: H6086 only in Kirharaseth H7025 left H7604 they the stones H68 thereof; howbeit the slingers H7051 went about H5437 it, and smote H5221 it.
26 And when the king H4428 of Moab H4124 saw H7200 that the battle H4421 was too sore H2388 for him, he took H3947 with him seven H7651 hundred H3967 men H376 that drew H8025 swords, H2719 to break through H1234 even unto the king H4428 of Edom: H123 but they could H3201 not.
27 Then he took H3947 his eldest H1060 son H1121 that should have reigned H4427 in his stead, and offered H5927 him for a burnt offering H5930 upon the wall. H2346 And there was great H1419 indignation H7110 against Israel: H3478 and they departed H5265 from him, and returned H7725 to their own land. H776
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 3
Commentary on 2 Kings 3 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 3
2Ki 3:1-3. Jehoram's Evil Reign over Israel.
1, 2. Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat—(compare 1Ki 22:51). To reconcile the statements in the two passages, we must suppose that Ahaziah, having reigned during the seventeenth and the greater part of the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, was succeeded by his brother Joram or Jehoram, in the end of that eighteenth year, or else that Ahaziah, having reigned two years in conjunction with his father, died at the end of that period when Jehoram ascended the throne. His policy was as hostile as that of his predecessors to the true religion; but he made some changes. Whatever was his motive for this alteration—whether dread of the many alarming judgments the patronage of idolatry had brought upon his father; or whether it was made as a small concession to the feelings of Jehoshaphat, his ally, he abolished idolatry in its gross form and restored the symbolic worship of God, which the kings of Israel, from the time of Jeroboam, had set up as a partition wall between their subjects and those of Judah.
2Ki 3:4, 5. Mesha, King of Moab, Rebels.
4-6. Mesha king of Moab, &c.—As his dominions embraced an extensive pasture country, he paid, as annual tribute, the wool of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams. It is still common in the East to pay custom and taxes in the fruits or natural produce of the land.
5. king of Moab rebelled—This is a repetition of 2Ki 1:1, in order to introduce an account of the confederate expedition for crushing this revolt, which had been allowed to continue unchecked during the short reign of Ahaziah.
2Ki 3:6-24. Elisha Promises Water and Victory over Moab.
6. King Jehoram … numbered Israel—made a levy from his own subjects, and at the same time sought an alliance with Jehoshaphat, which, as on the former occasion with Ahab, was readily promised (1Ki 22:4).
8-12. Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom—This was a long and circuitous route, by the southern bend of the Dead Sea. Jehoshaphat however preferred it, partly because the part of the Moabite territory at which they would arrive, was the most defenseless; and partly because he would thereby enlist, in the expedition, the forces of the king of Edom. But, in penetrating the deep, rocky valley of Ahsy, which forms the boundary between Edom and Moab, the confederate army was reduced, both man and beast, to the greatest extremities for want of water. They were disappointed by finding the wady of this valley, the brook Zered (De 2:13-18) [Robinson], dry. Jehoram was in despair. But the pious mind of Jehoshaphat inquired for a prophet of the Lord; and, on being informed that Elisha was at hand, the three kings "went down to him"; that is, to his tent, which was either in the camp, or close by it. He had been directed thither by the Spirit of God for this special purpose. They went to him, not only as a mark of respect, but to supplicate for his assistance.
11. which poured water on the hands of Elijah—that is, was his servant—this being one of the common offices of a servant. The phrase is used here as synonymous with "a true and eminent prophet," who will reveal God's will to us.
13, 14. What have I to do with thee? &c.—Wishing to produce a deep spirit of humility and contrition, Elisha gave a stern repulse to the king of Israel, accompanied by a sarcastic sneer, in bidding him go and consult Baal and his soothsayers. But the distressed condition, especially the imploring language, of the royal suppliants, who acknowledged the hand of the Lord in this distress, drew from the prophet the solemn assurance, that solely out of respect to Jehoshaphat, the Lord's true servant, did he take any interest in Jehoram.
15. bring me a minstrel—The effect of music in soothing the mind is much regarded in the East; and it appears that the ancient prophets, before entering their work, commonly resorted to it, as a preparative, by praise and prayer, to their receiving the prophetic afflatus.
the hand of the Lord—a phrase significantly implying that the gift of prophecy was not a natural or inherent gift, but conferred by the power and grace of God.
16. Make this valley full of ditches—capable of holding water.
17. Ye shall not see wind—It is common in the East to speak of seeing wind, from the clouds of straw, dust, or sand, that are often whirled into the air, after a long drought.
20-24. when the meat offering was offered—that is, at the time of the morning sacrifice, accompanied, doubtless, with solemn prayers; and these led, it may be, by Elisha on this occasion, as on a similar one by Elijah (1Ki 18:36).
behold, there came water by the way of Edom—Far from the Israelitish camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain, a kind of cloudburst, took place, by which the wady was at once filled, but they saw neither the wind nor the rains. The divine interposition was shown by introducing the laws of nature to the determined end in the predetermined way [Keil]. It brought not only aid to the Israelitish army in their distress, by a plentiful supply of water, but destruction on the Moabites, who, perceiving the water, under the refulgent rays of the morning sun, red like blood, concluded the confederate kings had quarrelled and deluged the field with their mutual slaughter; so that, rushing to their camp in full expectation of great spoil, they were met by the Israelites, who, prepared for battle, fought and pursued them. Their country was laid waste in the way, which has always been considered the greatest desolation in the East (2Ki 3:24).
25. Kir-haraseth—(now Kerak)—Castle of Moab—then, probably, the only fortress in the land.
27. took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering, &c.—By this deed of horror, to which the allied army drove the king of Moab, a divine judgment came upon Israel; that is, the besiegers feared the anger of God, which they had incurred by giving occasion to the human sacrifice forbidden in the law (Le 18:21; 20:3), and hastily raised the siege.