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.
And Samuel H8050 said H559 unto Saul, H7586 I will not return H7725 with thee: for thou hast rejected H3988 the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 and the LORD H3068 hath rejected H3988 thee from being king H4428 over Israel. H3478 And as Samuel H8050 turned about H5437 to go away, H3212 he laid hold H2388 upon the skirt H3671 of his mantle, H4598 and it rent. H7167 And Samuel H8050 said H559 unto him, The LORD H3068 hath rent H7167 the kingdom H4468 of Israel H3478 from thee this day, H3117 and hath given H5414 it to a neighbour H7453 of thine, that is better H2896 than thou. And also the Strength H5331 of Israel H3478 will not lie H8266 nor repent: H5162 for he is not a man, H120 that he should repent. H5162 Then he said, H559 I have sinned: H2398 yet honour H3513 me now, I pray thee, before the elders H2205 of my people, H5971 and before Israel, H3478 and turn again H7725 with me, that I may worship H7812 the LORD H3068 thy God. H430 So Samuel H8050 turned again H7725 after H310 Saul; H7586 and Saul H7586 worshipped H7812 the LORD. H3068
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Ahijah, H281 Behold, the wife H802 of Jeroboam H3379 cometh H935 to ask H1875 a thing H1697 of thee for her son; H1121 for he is sick: H2470 thus H2090 and thus shalt thou say H1696 unto her: for it shall be, when she cometh in, H935 that she shall feign herself to be another H5234 woman. And it was so, when Ahijah H281 heard H8085 the sound H6963 of her feet, H7272 as she came in H935 at the door, H6607 that he said, H559 Come in, H935 thou wife H802 of Jeroboam; H3379 why feignest thou thyself to be another? H5234 for I am sent H7971 to thee with heavy H7186 tidings. Go, H3212 tell H559 Jeroboam, H3379 Thus saith H559 the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 Forasmuch as H3282 I exalted H7311 thee from among H8432 the people, H5971 and made H5414 thee prince H5057 over my people H5971 Israel, H3478 And rent H7167 the kingdom H4467 away H7167 from the house H1004 of David, H1732 and gave H5414 it thee: and yet thou hast not been as my servant H5650 David, H1732 who kept H8104 my commandments, H4687 and who followed H1980 H310 me with all his heart, H3824 to do H6213 that only which was right H3477 in mine eyes; H5869 But hast done H6213 evil H7489 above all that were before H6440 thee: for thou hast gone H3212 and made H6213 thee other H312 gods, H430 and molten images, H4541 to provoke me to anger, H3707 and hast cast H7993 me behind H310 thy back: H1458 Therefore, behold, I will bring H935 evil H7451 upon the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 and will cut off H3772 from Jeroboam H3379 him that pisseth H8366 against the wall, H7023 and him that is shut up H6113 and left H5800 in Israel, H3478 and will take away H1197 the remnant H310 of the house H1004 of Jeroboam, H3379 as a man taketh away H1197 dung, H1557 till it be all gone. H8552 Him that dieth H4191 of Jeroboam H3379 in the city H5892 shall the dogs H3611 eat; H398 and him that dieth H4191 in the field H7704 shall the fowls H5775 of the air H8064 eat: H398 for the LORD H3068 hath spoken H1696 it. Arise H6965 thou therefore, get H3212 thee to thine own house: H1004 and when thy feet H7272 enter H935 into the city, H5892 the child H3206 shall die. H4191 And all Israel H3478 shall mourn H5594 for him, and bury H6912 him: for he only of Jeroboam H3379 shall come H935 to the grave, H6913 because in him there is found H4672 some good H2896 thing H1697 toward the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel H3478 in the house H1004 of Jeroboam. H3379 Moreover the LORD H3068 shall raise him up H6965 a king H4428 over Israel, H3478 who shall cut off H3772 the house H1004 of Jeroboam H3379 that day: H3117 but what? even now. For the LORD H3068 shall smite H5221 Israel, H3478 as a reed H7070 is shaken H5110 in the water, H4325 and he shall root up H5428 Israel H3478 out of this good H2896 land, H127 which he gave H5414 to their fathers, H1 and shall scatter H2219 them beyond H5676 the river, H5104 because they have made H6213 their groves, H842 provoking the LORD H3068 to anger. H3707 And he shall give H5414 Israel H3478 up H5414 because H1558 of the sins H2403 of Jeroboam, H3379 who did sin, H2398 and who made Israel H3478 to sin. H2398 And Jeroboam's H3379 wife H802 arose, H6965 and departed, H3212 and came H935 to Tirzah: H8656 and when she came H935 to the threshold H5592 of the door, H1004 the child H5288 died; H4191 And they buried H6912 him; and all Israel H3478 mourned H5594 for him, according to the word H1697 of the LORD, H3068 which he spake H1696 by the hand H3027 of his servant H5650 Ahijah H281 the prophet. H5030
And the LORD H3068 was with Jehoshaphat, H3092 because he walked H1980 in the first H7223 ways H1870 of his father H1 David, H1732 and sought H1875 not unto Baalim; H1168 But sought H1875 to the LORD God H430 of his father, H1 and walked H1980 in his commandments, H4687 and not after the doings H4639 of Israel. H3478 Therefore the LORD H3068 stablished H3559 the kingdom H4467 in his hand; H3027 and all Judah H3063 brought H5414 to Jehoshaphat H3092 presents; H4503 and he had riches H6239 and honour H3519 in abundance. H7230 And his heart H3820 was lifted up H1361 in the ways H1870 of the LORD: H3068 moreover he took away H5493 the high places H1116 and groves H842 out of Judah. H3063 Also in the third H7969 year H8141 of his reign H4427 he sent H7971 to his princes, H8269 even to Benhail, H1134 and to Obadiah, H5662 and to Zechariah, H2148 and to Nethaneel, H5417 and to Michaiah, H4322 to teach H3925 in the cities H5892 of Judah. H3063 And with them he sent Levites, H3881 even Shemaiah, H8098 and Nethaniah, H5418 and Zebadiah, H2069 and Asahel, H6214 and Shemiramoth, H8070 and Jehonathan, H3083 and Adonijah, H138 and Tobijah, H2900 and Tobadonijah, H2899 Levites; H3881 and with them Elishama H476 and Jehoram, H3088 priests. H3548 And they taught H3925 in Judah, H3063 and had the book H5612 of the law H8451 of the LORD H3068 with them, and went about H5437 throughout all the cities H5892 of Judah, H3063 and taught H3925 the people. H5971
Nevertheless H61 there are good H2896 things H1697 found H4672 in thee, in that thou hast taken away H1197 the groves H842 out of the land, H776 and hast prepared H3559 thine heart H3824 to seek H1875 God. H430 And Jehoshaphat H3092 dwelt H3427 at Jerusalem: H3389 and he went out H3318 again H7725 through the people H5971 from Beersheba H884 to mount H2022 Ephraim, H669 and brought them back H7725 unto the LORD H3068 God H430 of their fathers. H1
Then H116 Daniel H1841 answered H6032 and said H560 before H6925 the king, H4430 Let thy gifts H4978 be H1934 to thyself, and give H3052 thy rewards H5023 to another; H321 yet H1297 I will read H7123 the writing H3792 unto the king, H4430 and make known H3046 to him the interpretation. H6591 O thou H607 king, H4430 the most high H5943 God H426 gave H3052 Nebuchadnezzar H5020 thy father H2 a kingdom, H4437 and majesty, H7238 and glory, H3367 and honour: H1923 And for H4481 the majesty H7238 that he gave H3052 him, all H3606 people, H5972 nations, H524 and languages, H3961 trembled H1934 H2112 and feared H1763 before H4481 him: H6925 whom he would H1934 H6634 he slew; H1934 H6992 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he kept alive; H1934 H2418 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he set up; H1934 H7313 and whom he would H1934 H6634 he put down. H1934 H8214 But when his heart H3825 was lifted up, H7313 and his mind H7308 hardened H8631 in pride, H2103 he was deposed H5182 from H4481 his kingly H4437 throne, H3764 and they took H5709 his glory H3367 from him: H4481 And he was driven H2957 from H4481 the sons H1123 of men; H606 and his heart H3825 was made H7739 like H5974 the beasts, H2423 and his dwelling H4070 was with the wild asses: H6167 they fed H2939 him with grass H6211 like oxen, H8450 and his body H1655 was wet H6647 with the dew H2920 of heaven; H8065 till H5705 he knew H3046 that the most high H5943 God H426 ruled H7990 in the kingdom H4437 of men, H606 and that he appointeth H6966 over H5922 it whomsoever H4479 he will. H6634 And thou H607 his son, H1247 O Belshazzar, H1113 hast not H3809 humbled H8214 thine heart, H3825 though H6903 thou knewest H3046 all H3606 this; H1836 But hast lifted up H7313 thyself against H5922 the Lord H4756 of heaven; H8065 and they have brought H858 the vessels H3984 of his house H1005 before H6925 thee, and thou, H607 and thy lords, H7261 thy wives, H7695 and thy concubines, H3904 have drunk H8355 wine H2562 in them; and thou hast praised H7624 the gods H426 of silver, H3702 and gold, H1722 of brass, H5174 iron, H6523 wood, H636 and stone, H69 which see H2370 not, H3809 nor H3809 hear, H8086 nor H3809 know: H3046 and the God H426 in whose hand H3028 thy breath H5396 is, and whose are all H3606 thy ways, H735 hast thou not H3809 glorified: H1922
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.