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.
And Samuel H8050 grew, H1431 and the LORD H3068 was with him, and did let none of his words H1697 fall H5307 to the ground. H776 And all Israel H3478 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba H884 knew H3045 that Samuel H8050 was established H539 to be a prophet H5030 of the LORD. H3068 And the LORD H3068 appeared H7200 again H3254 in Shiloh: H7887 for the LORD H3068 revealed H1540 himself to Samuel H8050 in Shiloh H7887 by the word H1697 of the LORD. H3068
And he took H3947 the mantle H155 of Elijah H452 that fell H5307 from him, and smote H5221 the waters, H4325 and said, H559 Where is the LORD H3068 God H430 of Elijah? H452 and when he also had smitten H5221 the waters, H4325 they parted H2673 hither and thither: and Elisha H477 went over. H5674 And when the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 which were to view at Jericho H3405 saw H7200 him, they said, H559 The spirit H7307 of Elijah H452 doth rest H5117 on Elisha. H477 And they came H935 to meet H7125 him, and bowed H7812 themselves to the ground H776 before him.
And he turned H6437 back, H310 and looked H7200 on them, and cursed H7043 them in the name H8034 of the LORD. H3068 And there came forth H3318 two H8147 she bears H1677 out of the wood, H3293 and tare H1234 forty H705 and two H8147 children H3206 of them. And he went H3212 from thence to mount H2022 Carmel, H3760 and from thence he returned H7725 to Samaria. H8111
And it was so, when Elisha H477 the man H376 of God H430 had heard H8085 that the king H4428 of Israel H3478 had rent H7167 his clothes, H899 that he sent H7971 to the king, H4428 saying, H559 Wherefore hast thou rent H7167 thy clothes? H899 let him come H935 now to me, and he shall know H3045 that there is H3426 a prophet H5030 in Israel. H3478 So Naaman H5283 came H935 with his horses H5483 and with his chariot, H7393 and stood H5975 at the door H6607 of the house H1004 of Elisha. H477
And he returned H7725 to the man H376 of God, H430 he and all his company, H4264 and came, H935 and stood H5975 before H6440 him: and he said, H559 Behold, now I know H3045 that there is no God H430 in all the earth, H776 but in Israel: H3478 now therefore, I pray thee, take H3947 a blessing H1293 of thy servant. H5650
And kings H4428 shall be thy nursing fathers, H539 and their queens H8282 thy nursing mothers: H3243 they shall bow down H7812 to thee with their face H639 toward the earth, H776 and lick up H3897 the dust H6083 of thy feet; H7272 and thou shalt know H3045 that I am the LORD: H3068 for they shall not be ashamed H954 that wait H6960 for me.
The sons H1121 also of them that afflicted H6031 thee shall come H1980 bending H7817 unto thee; and all they that despised H5006 thee shall bow themselves down H7812 at the soles H3709 of thy feet; H7272 and they shall call H7121 thee, The city H5892 of the LORD, H3068 The Zion H6726 of the Holy One H6918 of Israel. H3478
Behold, G2400 I will make G1325 them of G1537 the synagogue G4864 of Satan, G4567 which G3588 say G3004 they G1438 are G1511 Jews, G2453 and G2532 are G1526 not, G3756 but G235 do lie; G5574 behold, G2400 I will make G4160 them G846 to G2443 come G2240 and G2532 worship G4352 before G1799 thy G4675 feet, G4228 and G2532 to know G1097 that G3754 I G1473 have loved G25 thee. G4571
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.