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
I shall see H7200 him, but not now: I shall behold H7789 him, but not nigh: H7138 there shall come H1869 a Star H3556 out of Jacob, H3290 and a Sceptre H7626 shall rise H6965 out of Israel, H3478 and shall smite H4272 the corners H6285 of Moab, H4124 and destroy H6979 all the children H1121 of Sheth. H8352 H8351
When thou shalt besiege H6696 a city H5892 a long H7227 time, H3117 in making war H3898 against it to take H8610 it, thou shalt not destroy H7843 the trees H6086 thereof by forcing H5080 an axe H1631 against them: for thou mayest eat H398 of them, and thou shalt not cut them down H3772 (for the tree H6086 of the field H7704 is man's H120 life) to employ H935 them in the siege: H6440 H4692 Only the trees H6086 which thou knowest H3045 that they be not trees H6086 for meat, H3978 thou shalt destroy H7843 and cut them down; H3772 and thou shalt build H1129 bulwarks H4692 against the city H5892 that maketh H6213 war H4421 with thee, until it be subdued. H3381
Now go H3212 and smite H5221 Amalek, H6002 and utterly destroy H2763 all that they have, and spare H2550 them not; but slay H4191 both man H376 and woman, H802 infant H5768 and suckling, H3243 ox H7794 and sheep, H7716 camel H1581 and ass. H2543
Therefore David H1732 enquired H7592 of the LORD, H3068 saying, H559 Shall I go H3212 and smite H5221 these Philistines? H6430 And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto David, H1732 Go, H3212 and smite H5221 the Philistines, H6430 and save H3467 Keilah. H7084
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.
And he said, H559 Open H6605 the window H2474 eastward. H6924 And he opened H6605 it. Then Elisha H477 said, H559 Shoot. H3384 And he shot. H3384 And he said, H559 The arrow H2671 of the LORD'S H3068 deliverance, H8668 and the arrow H2671 of deliverance H8668 from Syria: H758 for thou shalt smite H5221 the Syrians H758 in Aphek, H663 till thou have consumed H3615 them.
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.