6 And king H4428 Jehoram H3088 went out H3318 of Samaria H8111 the same time, H3117 and numbered H6485 all Israel. H3478
And when he numbered H6485 them in Bezek, H966 the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were three H7969 hundred H3967 thousand, H505 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 thirty H7970 thousand. H505
And Saul H7586 gathered H8085 the people H5971 together, H8085 and numbered H6485 them in Telaim, H2923 two hundred H3967 thousand H505 footmen, H7273 and ten H6235 thousand H505 men H376 of Judah. H3063
And again H3254 the anger H639 of the LORD H3068 was kindled H2734 against Israel, H3478 and he moved H5496 David H1732 against them to say, H559 Go, H3212 number H4487 Israel H3478 and Judah. H3063 For the king H4428 said H559 to Joab H3097 the captain H8269 of the host, H2428 which was with him, Go now through H7751 all the tribes H7626 of Israel, H3478 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba, H884 and number H6485 ye the people, H5971 that I may know H3045 the number H4557 of the people. H5971 And Joab H3097 said H559 unto the king, H4428 Now the LORD H3068 thy God H430 add H3254 unto the people, H5971 how many soever H1992 they be, an hundredfold, H3967 H6471 and that the eyes H5869 of my lord H113 the king H4428 may see H7200 it: but why doth my lord H113 the king H4428 delight H2654 in this thing? H1697 Notwithstanding the king's H4428 word H1697 prevailed H2388 against Joab, H3097 and against the captains H8269 of the host. H2428 And Joab H3097 and the captains H8269 of the host H2428 went out H3318 from the presence H6440 of the king, H4428 to number H6485 the people H5971 of Israel. H3478 And they passed over H5674 Jordan, H3383 and pitched H2583 in Aroer, H6177 on the right side H3225 of the city H5892 that lieth in the midst H8432 of the river H5158 of Gad, H1410 and toward Jazer: H3270 Then they came H935 to Gilead, H1568 and to the land H776 of Tahtimhodshi; H8483 and they came H935 to Danjaan, H1842 and about H5439 to Zidon, H6721 And came H935 to the strong hold H4013 of Tyre, H6865 and to all the cities H5892 of the Hivites, H2340 and of the Canaanites: H3669 and they went out H3318 to the south H5045 of Judah, H3063 even to Beersheba. H884 So when they had gone H7751 through all the land, H776 they came H935 to Jerusalem H3389 at the end H7097 of nine H8672 months H2320 and twenty H6242 days. H3117 And Joab H3097 gave up H5414 the sum H4557 of the number H4662 of the people H5971 unto the king: H4428 and there were in Israel H3478 eight H8083 hundred H3967 thousand H505 valiant H2428 men H376 H381 that drew H8025 the sword; H2719 and the men H376 of Judah H3063 were five H2568 hundred H3967 thousand H505 men. H376 And David's H1732 heart H3820 smote H5221 him after H310 that he had numbered H5608 the people. H5971 And David H1732 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 I have sinned H2398 greatly H3966 in that I have done: H6213 and now, I beseech thee, O LORD, H3068 take away H5674 the iniquity H5771 of thy servant; H5650 for I have done very H3966 foolishly. H5528 For when David H1732 was up H6965 in the morning, H1242 the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 came unto the prophet H5030 Gad, H1410 David's H1732 seer, H2374 saying, H559 Go H1980 and say H559 unto David, H1732 Thus saith H1696 the LORD, H3068 I offer H5190 thee three H7969 things; choose H977 thee one H259 of them, that I may do it unto thee. H6213 So Gad H1410 came H935 to David, H1732 and told H5046 him, and said H559 unto him, Shall seven H7651 years H8141 of famine H7458 come H935 unto thee in thy land? H776 or wilt thou flee H5127 three H7969 months H2320 before H6440 thine enemies, H6862 while they pursue H7291 thee? or that there be three H7969 days' H3117 pestilence H1698 in thy land? H776 now advise, H3045 and see H7200 what answer H1697 I shall return H7725 to him that sent H7971 me. And David H1732 said H559 unto Gad, H1410 I am in a great H3966 strait: H6887 let us fall H5307 now into the hand H3027 of the LORD; H3068 for his mercies H7356 are great: H7227 and let me not fall H5307 into the hand H3027 of man. H120 So the LORD H3068 sent H5414 a pestilence H1698 upon Israel H3478 from the morning H1242 even to the time H6256 appointed: H4150 and there died H4191 of the people H5971 from Dan H1835 even to Beersheba H884 seventy H7657 thousand H505 men. H376 And when the angel H4397 stretched out H7971 his hand H3027 upon Jerusalem H3389 to destroy H7843 it, the LORD H3068 repented H5162 him of the evil, H7451 and said H559 to the angel H4397 that destroyed H7843 the people, H5971 It is enough: H7227 stay H7503 now thine hand. H3027 And the angel H4397 of the LORD H3068 was by the threshingplace H1637 of Araunah H728 the Jebusite. H2983 And David H1732 spake H559 unto the LORD H3068 when he saw H7200 the angel H4397 that smote H5221 the people, H5971 and said, H559 Lo, I have sinned, H2398 and I have done wickedly: H5753 but these sheep, H6629 what have they done? H6213 let thine hand, H3027 I pray thee, be against me, and against my father's H1 house. H1004 And Gad H1410 came H935 that day H3117 to David, H1732 and said H559 unto him, Go up, H5927 rear H6965 an altar H4196 unto the LORD H3068 in the threshingfloor H1637 of Araunah H728 the Jebusite. H2983 And David, H1732 according to the saying H1697 of Gad, H1410 went up H5927 as the LORD H3068 commanded. H6680 And Araunah H728 looked, H8259 and saw H7200 the king H4428 and his servants H5650 coming on H5674 toward him: and Araunah H728 went out, H3318 and bowed H7812 himself before the king H4428 on his face H639 upon the ground. H776 And Araunah H728 said, H559 Wherefore is my lord H113 the king H4428 come H935 to his servant? H5650 And David H1732 said, H559 To buy H7069 the threshingfloor H1637 of thee, to build H1129 an altar H4196 unto the LORD, H3068 that the plague H4046 may be stayed H6113 from the people. H5971 And Araunah H728 said H559 unto David, H1732 Let my lord H113 the king H4428 take H3947 and offer up H5927 what seemeth good H2896 unto him: H5869 behold, H7200 here be oxen H1241 for burnt sacrifice, H5930 and threshing instruments H4173 and other instruments H3627 of the oxen H1241 for wood. H6086 All these things did Araunah, H728 as a king, H4428 give H5414 unto the king. H4428 And Araunah H728 said H559 unto the king, H4428 The LORD H3068 thy God H430 accept H7521 thee. And the king H4428 said H559 unto Araunah, H728 Nay; but I will surely H7069 buy H7069 it of thee at a price: H4242 neither will I offer H5927 burnt offerings H5930 unto the LORD H3068 my God H430 of that which doth cost me nothing. H2600 So David H1732 bought H7069 the threshingfloor H1637 and the oxen H1241 for fifty H2572 shekels H8255 of silver. H3701 And David H1732 built H1129 there an altar H4196 unto the LORD, H3068 and offered H5927 burnt offerings H5930 and peace offerings. H8002 So the LORD H3068 was intreated H6279 for the land, H776 and the plague H4046 was stayed H6113 from Israel. H3478
And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 were numbered, H6485 and were all present, H3557 and went H3212 against H7125 them: and the children H1121 of Israel H3478 pitched H2583 before them like two H8147 little flocks H2835 of kids; H5795 but the Syrians H758 filled H4390 the country. 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.