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
And he smote H5221 Moab, H4124 and measured H4058 them with a line, H2256 casting them down H7901 to the ground; H776 even with two H8147 lines H2256 measured H4058 he to put to death, H4191 and with one full H4393 line H2256 to keep alive. H2421 And so the Moabites H4124 became David's H1732 servants, H5650 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503
And Abram H87 was very H3966 rich H3513 in cattle, H4735 in silver, H3701 and in gold. H2091
And the man H376 waxed great, H1431 and went H3212 forward, H1980 and grew H1432 until he became H1431 very H3966 great: H1431 For he had possession H4735 of flocks, H6629 and possession H4735 of herds, H1241 and great store H7227 of servants: H5657 and the Philistines H6430 envied H7065 him.
And he smote H5221 Moab; H4124 and the Moabites H4124 became David's H1732 servants, H5650 and brought H5375 gifts. H4503
Also he built H1129 towers H4026 in the desert, H4057 and digged H2672 many H7227 wells: H953 for he had much H7227 cattle, H4735 both in the low country, H8219 and in the plains: H4334 husbandmen H406 also, and vine dressers H3755 in the mountains, H2022 and in Carmel: H3760 for he loved H157 husbandry. H127
His substance H4735 also was seven H7651 thousand H505 sheep, H6629 and three H7969 thousand H505 camels, H1581 and five H2568 hundred H3967 yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and five H2568 hundred H3967 she asses, H860 and a very H3966 great H7227 household; H5657 so that this man H376 was the greatest H1419 of all the men H1121 of the east. H6924
So the LORD H3068 blessed H1288 the latter end H319 of Job H347 more than his beginning: H7225 for he had fourteen H702 H6240 thousand H505 sheep, H6629 and six H8337 thousand H505 camels, H1581 and a thousand H505 yoke H6776 of oxen, H1241 and a thousand H505 she asses. H860
Send H7971 ye the lamb H3733 to the ruler H4910 of the land H776 from Sela H5554 to the wilderness, H4057 unto the mount H2022 of the daughter H1323 of Zion. H6726 For it shall be, that, as a wandering H5074 bird H5775 cast out H7971 of the nest, H7064 so the daughters H1323 of Moab H4124 shall be at the fords H4569 of Arnon. H769
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.