1 Then spake H1696 Elisha H477 unto the woman, H802 whose son H1121 he had restored to life, H2421 saying, H559 Arise, H6965 and go H3212 thou and thine household, H1004 and sojourn H1481 wheresoever H834 thou canst sojourn: H1481 for the LORD H3068 hath called H7121 for a famine; H7458 and it shall also come H935 upon the land H776 seven H7651 years. H8141
2 And the woman H802 arose, H6965 and did H6213 after the saying H1697 of the man H376 of God: H430 and she went H3212 with her household, H1004 and sojourned H1481 in the land H776 of the Philistines H6430 seven H7651 years. H8141
3 And it came to pass at the seven H7651 years' H8141 end, H7097 that the woman H802 returned H7725 out of the land H776 of the Philistines: H6430 and she went forth H3318 to cry H6817 unto the king H4428 for her house H1004 and for her land. H7704
4 And the king H4428 talked H1696 with Gehazi H1522 the servant H5288 of the man H376 of God, H430 saying, H559 Tell H5608 me, I pray thee, all the great things H1419 that Elisha H477 hath done. H6213
5 And it came to pass, as he was telling H5608 the king H4428 how he had restored H2421 a dead body H4191 to life, H2421 that, behold, the woman, H802 whose son H1121 he had restored to life, H2421 cried H6817 to the king H4428 for her house H1004 and for her land. H7704 And Gehazi H1522 said, H559 My lord, H113 O king, H4428 this is the woman, H802 and this is her son, H1121 whom Elisha H477 restored to life. H2421
6 And when the king H4428 asked H7592 the woman, H802 she told H5608 him. So the king H4428 appointed H5414 unto her a certain H259 officer, H5631 saying, H559 Restore H7725 all that was hers, and all the fruits H8393 of the field H7704 since the day H3117 that she left H5800 the land, H776 even until now.
7 And Elisha H477 came H935 to Damascus; H1834 and Benhadad H1130 the king H4428 of Syria H758 was sick; H2470 and it was told H5046 him, saying, H559 The man H376 of God H430 is come H935 hither. H2008
8 And the king H4428 said H559 unto Hazael, H2371 Take H3947 a present H4503 in thine hand, H3027 and go, H3212 meet H7125 the man H376 of God, H430 and enquire H1875 of the LORD H3068 by him, saying, H559 Shall I recover H2421 of this disease? H2483
9 So Hazael H2371 went H3212 to meet H7125 him, and took H3947 a present H4503 with him, H3027 even of every good thing H2898 of Damascus, H1834 forty H705 camels' H1581 burden, H4853 and came H935 and stood H5975 before H6440 him, and said, H559 Thy son H1121 Benhadad H1130 king H4428 of Syria H758 hath sent H7971 me to thee, saying, H559 Shall I recover H2421 of this disease? H2483
10 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto him, Go, H3212 say H559 unto him, Thou mayest certainly H2421 recover: H2421 howbeit the LORD H3068 hath shewed H7200 me that he shall surely H4191 die. H4191
11 And he settled H5975 his countenance H6440 stedfastly, H7760 until he was ashamed: H954 and the man H376 of God H430 wept. H1058
12 And Hazael H2371 said, H559 Why weepeth H1058 my lord? H113 And he answered, H559 Because I know H3045 the evil H7451 that thou wilt do H6213 unto the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 their strong holds H4013 wilt thou set H7971 on fire, H784 and their young men H970 wilt thou slay H2026 with the sword, H2719 and wilt dash H7376 their children, H5768 and rip up H1234 their women with child. H2030
13 And Hazael H2371 said, H559 But what, is thy servant H5650 a dog, H3611 that he should do H6213 this great H1419 thing? H1697 And Elisha H477 answered, H559 The LORD H3068 hath shewed H7200 me that thou shalt be king H4428 over Syria. H758
14 So he departed H3212 from Elisha, H477 and came H935 to his master; H113 who said H559 to him, What said H559 Elisha H477 to thee? And he answered, H559 He told H559 me that thou shouldest surely H2421 recover. H2421
15 And it came to pass on the morrow, H4283 that he took H3947 a thick cloth, H4346 and dipped H2881 it in water, H4325 and spread H6566 it on his face, H6440 so that he died: H4191 and Hazael H2371 reigned H4427 in his stead.
16 And in the fifth H2568 year H8141 of Joram H3141 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 Jehoshaphat H3092 being then king H4428 of Judah, H3063 Jehoram H3088 the son H1121 of Jehoshaphat H3092 king H4428 of Judah H3063 began to reign. H4427
17 Thirty H7970 and two H8147 years H8141 old H1121 was he when he began to reign; H4427 and he reigned H4427 eight H8083 years H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389
18 And he walked H3212 in the way H1870 of the kings H4428 of Israel, H3478 as did H6213 the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for the daughter H1323 of Ahab H256 was his wife: H802 and he did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD. H3068
19 Yet the LORD H3068 would H14 not destroy H7843 Judah H3063 for David H1732 his servant's H5650 sake, as he promised H559 him to give H5414 him alway H3117 a light, H5216 and to his children. H1121
20 In his days H3117 Edom H123 revolted H6586 from under the hand H3027 of Judah, H3063 and made H4427 a king H4428 over themselves.
21 So Joram H3141 went over H5674 to Zair, H6811 and all the chariots H7393 with him: and he rose H6965 by night, H3915 and smote H5221 the Edomites H123 which compassed him about, H5437 and the captains H8269 of the chariots: H7393 and the people H5971 fled H5127 into their tents. H168
22 Yet Edom H123 revolted H6586 from under the hand H3027 of Judah H3063 unto this day. H3117 Then Libnah H3841 revolted H6586 at the same H1931 time. H6256
23 And the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Joram, H3141 and all that he did, H6213 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Judah? H3063
24 And Joram H3141 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 with his fathers H1 in the city H5892 of David: H1732 and Ahaziah H274 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
25 In the twelfth H8147 H6240 H8141 year H8141 of Joram H3141 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 king H4428 of Israel H3478 did Ahaziah H274 the son H1121 of Jehoram H3088 king H4428 of Judah H3063 begin to reign. H4427
26 Two H8147 and twenty H6242 years H8141 old H1121 was Ahaziah H274 when he began to reign; H4427 and he reigned H4427 one H259 year H8141 in Jerusalem. H3389 And his mother's H517 name H8034 was Athaliah, H6271 the daughter H1323 of Omri H6018 king H4428 of Israel. H3478
27 And he walked H3212 in the way H1870 of the house H1004 of Ahab, H256 and did H6213 evil H7451 in the sight H5869 of the LORD, H3068 as did the house H1004 of Ahab: H256 for he was the son in law H2860 of the house H1004 of Ahab. H256
28 And he went H3212 with Joram H3141 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 to the war H4421 against Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria H758 in Ramothgilead; H7433 H1568 and the Syrians H761 wounded H5221 Joram. H3141
29 And king H4428 Joram H3141 went back H7725 to be healed H7495 in Jezreel H3157 of the wounds H4347 which the Syrians H761 had given H5221 him at Ramah, H7414 when he fought H3898 against Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria. H758 And Ahaziah H274 the son H1121 of Jehoram H3088 king H4428 of Judah H3063 went down H3381 to see H7200 Joram H3141 the son H1121 of Ahab H256 in Jezreel, H3157 because he was sick. H2470
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 8
Commentary on 2 Kings 8 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 8
2Ki 8:1-6. The Shunammite's Land Restored.
1. Then spake Elisha unto the woman—rather "had spoken." The repetition of Elisha's direction to the Shunammite is merely given as an introduction to the following narrative; and it probably took place before the events recorded in chapters 5 and 6.
the Lord hath called for a famine—All such calamities are chastisements inflicted by the hand of God; and this famine was to be of double duration to that one which happened in the time of Elijah (Jas 5:17)—a just increase of severity, since the Israelites still continued obdurate and incorrigible under the ministry and miracles of Elisha (Le 26:21, 24, 28).
2. she … sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years—Their territory was recommended to her from its contiguity to her usual residence; and now that this state had been so greatly reduced, there was less risk than formerly from the seductions of idolatry; and many of the Jews and Israelites were residing there. Besides, an emigration thither was less offensive to the king of Israel than going to sojourn in Judah.
3. she went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land—In consequence of her long-continued absence from the country, her possessions were occupied by her kindred, or had been confiscated by the crown. No statute in the law of Moses ordained that alienation. But the innovation seems to have been adopted in Israel.
4-6. the king talked with Gehazi—Ceremonial pollution being conveyed by contact alone, there was nothing to prevent a conference being held with this leper at a distance; and although he was excluded from the town of Samaria, this reported conversation may have taken place at the gate or in one of the royal gardens. The providence of God so ordained that King Jehoram had been led to inquire, with great interest, into the miraculous deeds of Elisha, and that the prophet's servant was in the act of relating the marvellous incident of the restoration of the Shunammite's son when she made her appearance to prefer her request. The king was pleased to grant it; and a state officer was charged to afford her every facility in the recovery of her family possession out of the hands of the occupier.
2Ki 8:7-15. Hazael Kills His Master, and Succeeds Him.
7, 8. Elisha came to Damascus—He was directed thither by the Spirit of God, in pursuance of the mission formerly given to his master in Horeb (1Ki 19:15), to anoint Hazael king of Syria. On the arrival of the prophet being known, Ben-hadad, who was sick, sent to inquire the issue of his disease, and, according to the practice of the heathens in consulting their soothsayers, ordered a liberal present in remuneration for the service.
9. forty camels' burden—The present, consisting of the rarest and most valuable produce of the land, would be liberal and magnificent. But it must not be supposed it was actually so large as to require forty camels to carry it. The Orientals are fond of display, and would, ostentatiously, lay upon forty beasts what might very easily have been borne by four.
Thy son Ben-hadad—so called from the established usage of designating the prophet "father." This was the same Syrian monarch who had formerly persecuted him (see 2Ki 6:13, 14).
10. Go, say … Thou mayest certainly recover—There was no contradiction in this message. This part was properly the answer to Ben-hadad's inquiry [2Ki 8:9]. The second part was intended for Hazael, who, like an artful and ambitious courtier, reported only as much of the prophet's statement as suited his own views (compare 2Ki 8:14).
11. he settled his countenance stedfastly until he was ashamed—that is, Hazael. The steadfast, penetrating look of the prophet seemed to have convinced Hazael that his secret designs were known. The deep emotions of Elisha were justified by the horrible atrocities which, too common in ancient warfare, that successful usurper committed in Israel (2Ki 10:32; 13:3, 4, 22).
15. took a thick cloth, &c.—a coverlet. In the East, this article of bedding is generally a thick quilt of wool or cotton, so that, with its great weight, when steeped in water, it would be a fit instrument for accomplishing the murderous purpose, without leaving any marks of violence. It has been supposed by many doubtful that Hazael purposely murdered the king. But it is common for Eastern people to sleep with their faces covered with a mosquito net; and, in some cases of fever, they dampen the bedclothes. Hazael, aware of those chilling remedies being usually resorted to, might have, with an honest intention, spread a refreshing cover over him. The rapid occurrence of the king's death and immediate burial were favorable to his instant elevation to the throne.
2Ki 8:16-23. Jehoram's Wicked Reign.
16. Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat … began to reign—(See on 2Ki 3:1). His father resigned the throne to him two years before his death.
18. daughter of Ahab—Athaliah, through whose influence Jehoram introduced the worship of Baal and many other evils into the kingdom of Judah (see 2Ch 21:2-20). This apostasy would have led to the total extinction of the royal family in that kingdom, had it not been for the divine promise to David (2Sa 7:16). A national chastisement, however, was inflicted on Judah by the revolt of Edom, which, being hitherto governed by a tributary ruler (2Ki 3:9; 1Ki 22:47), erected the standard of independence (2Ch 21:9).
2Ki 8:24. Ahaziah Succeeds Him.
24. Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead—(See on 2Ch 22:1).