19 And the men of the city say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the site of the city `is' good, as my lord seeth, and the waters `are' bad, and the earth sterile.'
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, `Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thy hand against the waters of Egypt, against their streams, against their rivers, and against their ponds, and against all their collections of waters; and they are blood -- and there hath been blood in all the land of Egypt, both in `vessels of' wood, and in `those of' stone.'
and they come in to Marah, and have not been able to drink the waters of Marah, for they `are' bitter; therefore hath `one' called its name Marah.
And Aaron saith unto Moses, `O, my lord, I pray thee, lay not upon us sin `in' which we have been foolish, and `in' which we have sinned;
and all these blessings have come upon thee, and overtaken thee, because thou dost hearken to the voice of Jehovah thy God: `Blessed `art' thou in the city, and blessed `art' thou in the field. `Blessed `is' the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, increase of thine oxen, and wealth of thy flock.
`And it hath been, if thou dost not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah thy God to observe to do all His commands, and His statutes, which I am commanding thee to-day, that all these revilings have come upon thee, and overtaken thee: `Cursed `art' thou in the city, and cursed `art' thou in the field. `Cursed `is' thy basket and thy kneading-trough. `Cursed `is' the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, increase of thine oxen, and wealth of thy flock.
and the city hath been devoted, it and all that `is' in it, to Jehovah; only Rahab the harlot doth live, she and all who `are' with her in the house, for she hid the messengers whom we sent;
In his days hath Hiel the Beth-Elite built Jericho; in Abiram his first-born he laid its foundation, and in Segub his youngest he set up its doors, according to the word of Jehovah that He spake by the hand of Joshua son of Nun.
and Obadiah `is' in the way, and lo, Elijah -- to meet him; and he discerneth him, and falleth on his face, and saith, `Art thou he -- my lord Elijah?'
Give to them, Jehovah -- what dost Thou give? Give to them miscarrying womb, and dry breasts.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on 2 Kings 2
Commentary on 2 Kings 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter we have,
This revolution in prophecy makes a greater figure than the revolution of a kingdom.
2Ki 2:1-8
Elijah's times, and the events concerning him, are as little dated as those of any great man in scripture; we are not told of his age, nor in what year of Ahab's reign he first appeared, nor in what year of Joram's he disappeared, and therefore cannot conjecture how long he flourished; it is supposed about twenty years in all. Here we are told,
2Ki 2:9-12
Here,
2Ki 2:13-18
We have here an account of what followed immediately after the translation of Elijah.
2Ki 2:19-25
Elisha had, in this respect, a double portion of Elijah's spirit, that he wrought more miracles than Elijah. Some reckon them in number just double. Two are recorded in these verses-a miracle of mercy to Jericho and a miracle of judgment to Bethel, Ps. 101:1.