7 And he went H3212 and sent H7971 to Jehoshaphat H3092 the king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The king H4428 of Moab H4124 hath rebelled H6586 against me: wilt thou go H3212 with me against Moab H4124 to battle? H4421 And he said, H559 I will go up: H5927 I am as thou art, my people H5971 as thy people, H5971 and my horses H5483 as thy horses. H5483
And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 saw H7200 Jehoshaphat, H3092 that they said, H559 Surely it is the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And they turned aside H5493 to fight H3898 against him: and Jehoshaphat H3092 cried out. H2199 And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 perceived H7200 that it was not the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 that they turned back H7725 from pursuing H310 him.
And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Jehoshaphat, H3092 I will disguise H2664 myself, and will go H935 to the battle; H4421 but put H3847 thou on thy robes. H899 So the king H4428 of Israel H3478 disguised H2664 himself; and they went H935 to the battle. H4421 Now the king H4428 of Syria H758 had commanded H6680 the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 that were with him, saying, H559 Fight H3898 ye not with small H6996 or great, H1419 save only with the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 And it came to pass, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 saw H7200 Jehoshaphat, H3092 that they said, H559 It is the king H4428 of Israel. H3478 Therefore they compassed about H5437 him to fight: H3898 but Jehoshaphat H3092 cried out, H2199 and the LORD H3068 helped H5826 him; and God H430 moved H5496 them to depart from him. For it came to pass, that, when the captains H8269 of the chariots H7393 perceived H7200 that it was not the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 they turned back again H7725 from pursuing H310 him.
Now when Jehoram H3088 was risen up H6965 to the kingdom H4467 of his father, H1 he strengthened H2388 himself, and slew H2026 all his brethren H251 with the sword, H2719 and divers also of the princes H8269 of Israel. H3478 Jehoram H3088 was thirty H7970 and two H8147 years H8141 old H1121 when he began to reign, H4427 and he reigned H4427 eight H8083 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And he walked H3212 in the way H1870 of the kings H4428 of Israel, H3478 like as did H6213 the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for he had the daughter H1323 of Ahab H256 to wife: H802 and he wrought H6213 that which was evil H7451 in the eyes H5869 of the LORD. H3068 Howbeit the LORD H3068 would H14 not destroy H7843 the house H1004 of David, H1732 because of the covenant H1285 that he had made H3772 with David, H1732 and as he promised H559 to give H5414 a light H5216 to him and to his sons H1121 for ever. H3117
He also walked H1980 in the ways H1870 of the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for his mother H517 was his counsellor H3289 to do wickedly. H7561 Wherefore he did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD H3068 like the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for they were his counsellors H3289 after H310 the death H4194 of his father H1 to his destruction. H4889
But when Athaliah H6271 the mother H517 of Ahaziah H274 saw H7200 that her son H1121 was dead, H4191 she arose H6965 and destroyed H1696 all the seed H2233 royal H4467 of the house H1004 of Judah. H3063 But Jehoshabeath, H3090 the daughter H1323 of the king, H4428 took H3947 Joash H3101 the son H1121 of Ahaziah, H274 and stole H1589 him from among H8432 the king's H4428 sons H1121 that were slain, H4191 and put H5414 him and his nurse H3243 in a bedchamber. H2315 H4296 So Jehoshabeath, H3090 the daughter H1323 of king H4428 Jehoram, H3088 the wife H802 of Jehoiada H3077 the priest, H3548 (for she was the sister H269 of Ahaziah,) H274 hid H5641 him from H6440 Athaliah, H6271 so that she slew H4191 him not. And he was with them hid H2244 in the house H1004 of God H430 six H8337 years: H8141 and Athaliah H6271 reigned H4427 over the land. 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.