2 Kings 8
Butler1. Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD 2 hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years. And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God: and she went with her 3 household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she 4 went forth to cry unto the king for her house and for her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things 5 that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the 6 woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now. 7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was 8 told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, 9 Shall I recover of this sickness? So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover 10 of this sickness? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou shalt surely recover; 11 howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die. And he settled his countenance 12 steadfastly upon him, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with 13 child. And Hazael said, But what is thy servant, which is but a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt be king 14 over Syria. Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What 15 said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldst surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.
1-15. ELISHA is still the protagonistes of the historical drama. The writer brings together in the present section two more occasions of a public character in which he was concerned, and in which kings also bore a part. One of the occasions is domestic, and shows the interest which Jehoram took in the miracles of the prophet, and in those who were the objects of them (verses 1-6). The other belongs to Syrian rather than to Israelite history, and proves that the influence of Elisha was not confined to Palestine (verses 7-15). Hammond.
In chronological order this narrative seems to precede the cure of Naaman, while Gehazi was still the servant of the prophet. A famine of long duration was about to descend on the land, and Elisha gave timely warning to the Shunammite to take refuge somewhere else. J. O.
Seven years had this Shunammite sojourned in Philistia; now she returns to her own, and is excluded. She that found harbor among Philistines finds oppression and violence among Israelites; those of her kindred, taking advantage of her absence, had shared her possessions. How oft doth it fall out that the worst enemies of a man are those of his own house! All went by contraries with this Shunammite. In the famine she had enough; in the common plenty she was scanted: Philistines were kind unto her; Israelites, cruel. How happily doth God contrive all events for the good of His! This suppliant shall fall upon that instant for her suit when the king shall be talking with Gehazi; when Gehazi shall be talking of her to the king. The words of Gehazi, the thoughts of the king, the desires of the Shunammite shall be all drawn together by the wise providence of God into the centre of one moment, that his oppressed servant might receive a speedy justice. Bp. H.
1. Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman. The reference is to a time long anterior to the siege of Samaria. A famine is mentioned in chap. 4 : 38, which must belong to the reign of Jehoram, and which is probably identified with that here spoken of. Elisha, on its approach, recommended the Shunammite, though she was a woman of substance (chap. 4 : 8), to quit her home and remove to some other residence, where she might escape the pressure of the calamity. He left it to her to choose the place of her temporary abode. The phrase, “God hath called for a famine,” means no more and no less than “God has determined that there shall be a famine.” With God to speak the word is to bring about the event.
4. Now the king was talking with Gehazi. The king, that is, happened to be talking with Gehazi at the moment when the woman came into his presence and “cried” to him. It has been reasonably concluded from this that chronological order is not observed in the portion of the narrative which treats of Elisha and his doings, since a king of Israel would scarcely be in familiar conversation with a leper (Keil). It may be added that Gehazi can scarcely have continued to be the servant of Elisha, as he evidently now was, after his leprosy. He must have dwelt “without the gate.”
5. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he—i.e., Elisha—had restored a dead body to life. This was undoubtedly the greatest of all Elisha’s miracles, and Gehazi naturally enlarged upon it. As an eye-witness he could give all the details. That, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. The coincidence can scarcely have been accidental. Divine Providence so ordered matters that, just when the king’s interest in the woman was most warm, she should appear before him to urge her claim. At another time, Jehoram would, it is probable, have been but slightly moved by her complaint. Under the peculiar circumstances, he was deeply moved, and at once granted the woman the redress for which she asked. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. The Shunammite was accompanied by her son, now a boy of at least ten or eleven years old—the actual object of Elisha’s miracle. The king’s interest in the woman would be still more roused by this circumstance.
6. The order was, that not only was the Shunammite to receive back her house and estate, but that she was also to have the full value of all that the land had produced beyond the expense of cultivation during the seven years of her absence. English law lays down the same rule in cases of unlawful possession for which there is no valid excuse.
The piety of the Shunammite had been sufficiently shown in the previous record left us of her (chap. 4 : 8-37). The sequel of her story indicates how, in a wonderful way, events and circumstances seemingly fortuitous and unconnected work together for the advantage and happiness of one who lives virtuously, and seeks in all things to serve God and advance the cause of religion. “The series of incidents,” it has been well said, “forms a marvellous web of Divine dispensations” (Bähr). 1. The coincidence of the king’s desire to learn more about Elisha with the return of the woman to her own land. It was, humanly speaking, a pure accident that the curiosity of the king with respect to Elisha happened to be aroused just as the famine was over, and the woman, having returned from Philistia into the land of Israel, found her estate occupied by another. It was another accident that she bethought herself of appealing to the king, instead of having recourse to any other remedy. 2. The coincidence of Gehazi being speaking of her case exactly as she made her appearance. Gehazi had many miracles to relate, and might have been discoursing of any one of them; but events were so ordered that it was of her child’s resurrection that he was telling the king, and not of any other miracle, when she came into the royal presence. This coincidence it was which so interested the king in her, that he at once gave the order for restoring her estate to her. We may learn from the entire narrative that our lives are divinely ordered; that nothing happens to us by mere chance; that events which seem to us, at the time when they happen, of the least possible importance, may be necessary links in the chain which Divine providence is forging for the ordering of our lives, and for the working out through them of the Divine purpose. Hammond.
Verses 7-15.
7,8. The Lord has won to Himself honor among the heathen. In Israel we have seen kings sending to consult heathen gods; among the heathen we behold a king sending to consult the God of Israel through His prophet. The great Benhadad lies on a sick bed; and having heard that the famous prophet of Israel, who had healed his general Naaman, was come to Damascus, he sent a great officer named Hazael to Elisha to ask if he should recover from this sickness. Kitto.—The miracles of Elisha had had, at any rate, this effect—they had convinced the Syrians that Jehovah was a great and powerful God, and made them regard Elisha himself as a true prophet. Their faith in their own superstitions must have been at least partially shaken by these convictions. It was by these and similar weakenings of established errors that the world was gradually educated, and the way prepared for the introduction of Christianity. There was very early among the Syrians a flourishing Christian Church. Hammond.
10-15. The disease which laid him upon his bed was not mortal; he might certainly recover from it, and would recover if let alone. This was all that was required from him, and he gave it. But he knew more, about which he was not consulted. He read the heart, the purposes, and the future life of the man who stood before him, and was willing to let him know it. So, after a pause, he added, as addressed to Hazael himself and not as part of his response to the king, “Howbeit, the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die.” Much misapprehension has arisen from regarding this as part of the response to be borne to the sick king, though the change of personal pronouns in the two sentences might alone suffice to show the difference: “thou” in the first; “he” in the second. Having said this, the prophet looked steadfastly at Hazael, until the latter quailed beneath that searching gaze; and then the man of God turned his head aside and wept. Why wept he? Hazael himself respectfully asked that question. Elisha answered that he wept because he clearly saw the misery and desolation which this man would hereafter inflict upon Israel. On hearing this, the Syrian exclaimed, “But what is thy servant, a mere dog, that he should do this great deed?” He was not offended, as the current version would seem to imply, or he would not have called it a great deed. But he asked how could a person of comparatively low condition like himself have such high influence upon the fate of nations. The prophet answered that the Lord had disclosed to him that he should become king over Syria. Hazael then returned to his master, and in reply to his anxious inquiries delivered the message the prophet intended for him, but suppressed the intimation given to himself that he should really die. But the very next day, it would seem that Hazael accomplished the purpose he had probably long contemplated, and which the prophet had detected. He put his master to death, and in such a manner that the crime remained undiscovered, and the king was supposed to have died of his disease; and dying apparently childless, the wicked and unscrupulous general was enabled to secure the object of his ambition. Kitto.
11. And he settled his countenance steadfastly**—literally, and he settled his countenance and set it—i.e., Elisha fixed on Hazael a long and meaning look—until he was ashamed—i.e., until Hazael felt embarrassed, and his eyes fell. It may be gathered that the ambitious courtier had already formed a murderous design against his master, and understood by the peculiar gaze which the prophet fixed upon him that his design was penetrated. And the man of God wept. There flashed on the prophet’s mind all the long series of calamities which Israel would suffer at the hands of Syria during Hazael’s reign, and he could not but weep at the thought of them. Hammond.
13. He does not shrink from Elisha’s words, or mean to say that he would be a dog, could he act so cruelly as Elisha predicts he will. On the contrary, Elisha’s prediction has raised his hopes, and his only doubt is whether so much good fortune (“this great thing”) can be in store for one so mean. “Dog” here, as generally (though not always) in Scripture, has the sense of “mean,” “low,” “contemptible.” B. C.—Hazael does not accuse Elisha of making him out a dog in the future, but calls himself a dog in the present. Hazael means to say: How is it possible that he, occupying, as he does, so poor and humble a position as that of a mere courtier, should ever wage war with Israel, and do the “great things” which Elisha has predicted of him? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath showed me that thou shalt be king over Syria. Elisha explains how it would be possible. Hazael would not continue in his poor and humble condition. Jehovah has revealed it to him that the mere courtier will shortly mount the Syrian throne.
14. He told me that thou shouldst surely recover.** This was giving half Elisha’s answer, and suppressing the other half. The suppressio veri is a suggestio falsi; and the suppression was Hazael’s act, not Elisha’s. Had Hazael repeated the whole of Elisha’s answer, “Say unto him, Thou shalt surely recover; howbeit the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die,” Benhadad might have been puzzled, but he would not have been deceived. Hammond.—Hazael repeated the exact words of Elisha: “Thou shalt certainly live;” but he omitted the clause by which Elisha had shown how those words were to be understood. He thus deceived his master, while he could flatter himself that he had not uttered a lie. B. C.
15. A thick cloth.** The fatal prediction is accomplished in every point. Hazael smothers his master with a wet cloth, seizes the throne, and his first measure is a bloody battle at Ramoth against the combined forces of both the Jewish kingdoms under Jehoram, king of Israel, and Ahaziah, who had just succeeded his father, Jehoram of Judah. In this calamitous field Jehoram was wounded, and retreated to Jezreel, where Ahaziah came to meet him. Milman.
Hazael succeeded in repulsing the Assyrians, and maintaining his independence, notwithstanding all their efforts to conquer him. He reduced Israel to a species of semi-subjection (chap. 13:7). He compelled even Judea to purchase peace at his hands (chap. 12:18). He was, on the whole, the most warlike of all the early kings of Syria; and, though he suffered one great defeat at the hands of the Assyrian king, Shalmaneser II., yet he issued from the struggle unsubdued, and left his dominions intact to his son and successor, Benhadad III. Hammond.
Even in the practice of the purest and loftiest souls there are oftentimes slight variances from truth or rectitude, waverings of a kind, generous, unselfish spirit, neglects of that love which is heart-expanding and enriching, and even unchecked pulsations of temper, pride, and evil passions, and the soul’s own knowledge of these concealed weaknesses, so inconsistent with its apparent life, will cause the face to flush at the thought of unveiling its secret feelings to another soul. B.—Is there one who can affirm that he could stand with unblenched cheek before the man whom he believed to be viewing his naked soul? Is there one who could endure, without confusion of face, without a quivering frame, the keen anatomy of his character, his conduct, his spirit, by even the most friendly hand in the world? Would he be content that any human eye should trace the tortuous meanderings of feeling in regard to any one matter in which he has ever been engaged—the unholy thought, the ungenerous imputation, the low suspicion, the doubt, the dislike, the covetousness, the hate, the contention, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life—that more or less enter into and defile, with the prints of villainous hoofs, the fairest gardens of life?
To us it is of infinitely less concernment what man thinks of us than what God thinks; what man knows than what God knows; yet while we shrink with such instinctive dread from the too near survey of a fellow-sinner, we manage to get on quietly, with small trouble of mind, in the perfect knowledge that One who cannot be mistaken, who sees through all disguises, and from whom nothing can be for a moment hid, and who understands us far better than we ourselves know or than our nearest friends or keenest enemies imagine, has a sleepless eye fixed with unceasing vigilance upon our hearts. This keen susceptibility to the inspection and good opinion of man, and this comparative indifference to the constant survey of God, is a familiar thing, and strikes us little because it is familiar; but it is nevertheless one of the strangest anomalies of our nature, and is beheld with astonishment and grief by the angels of God. In their view it is an inversion of the whole order of life and being. To them God is all, His inspection is all.
How different would be our conversation and our walk if we lived and moved in the ever-present consciousness that the unseen Eye was upon us and noted all our steps, and that the opinion of us, hereafter to be pronounced in the presence of the assembled universe, as the foundation of final and unchangeable judgment, fixing our lot forever, shutting us up in despair or opening all the golden doors of joy, is a matter of inconceivably more importance to us than all that the world can think or say, can offer to us or deprive us of! Let us believe that to walk and act from day to day with this as a vital consciousness about us, as a check to sin, an encouragement to faith, and a stimulus to duty, without any supreme anxiety but to walk so as to please God, is a most pleasant life, is the very antepast of heaven. There is no bondage in it. It is perfect freedom, and is happiness as complete as this world allows. It relieves us from many masters, and redeems from bondage to a thousand fears. Oh, the blessedness of being freed from this slavish reference to erring man’s judgment of our conduct and our motives, by being enabled to realize the presence and to welcome the inspection of One who, although He be of purer eyes than to endure iniquity, is incapable of harsh, unjust, or unkind judgment—who has become to us in Christ Jesus a kind and loving Father, and longs with deep yearnings of paternal affection to pour out upon us all the fulness of His everlasting love! It is quite impossible for any one to be truly happy until this great work, the reversal of the ordinary influences upon his life, has been wrought within him, making God first and man second in all his thoughts; until the great matter becomes God’s judgment of us, and the small matter man’s; until, in answer to all injurious thoughts and imputations, we can answer with Paul, “It is a small matter for me to be judged of you or of man’s judgment; for I serve the Lord Christ.” Kitto.
This man, Hazael, who was ashamed at the idea of perpetrating such enormities at first, actually enacted them a few hours afterward. The elements of the devil are in every man, though he may not know it. Men have often deprecated courses of action which afterward they have pursued with alacrity and delight. The virtue of many men is only vice sleeping. The evil elements of the heart are like gunpowder, passive, until the spark of temptation falls on them. The greatest monsters in human history were at one time considered innocent and kind. “Many a man,” says a modern author, “could he have a glimpse in innocent youth of what he would be twenty or thirty years after, would pray in anguish that he might be taken in youth before coming to that.” What is the moral of this? The necessity of a change of heart. A. Mackay.
When temptation is at a distance, and all goes on smoothly, we are apt to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think; but let a strong temptation work upon a suitable corruption in the heart (Satan and opportunity blowing up the flame), and there is no saying what may happen. It was well observed that “heed ought to be taken by the best of saints against the worst of sins.” “Watch and pray, therefore, that ye enter not into temptation.” And “let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.” But if thou hast fallen, let not thy sin drive thee to despair, but to Christ, that thou mayest be delivered both from its guilt and its power. Hill.
REIGN OF JEHU, 28 YEARS (Begun).
1st of Athaliah to 22d of Joash, in Judah.
8: 16 AND in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. Howbeit the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his sercities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he was the firstborn. 4 Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him and to his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand: because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, and led Judah astray. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah; but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like as the house of Ahab did; and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thy-self: behold, the LORD will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy substance: and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, day by day. And the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians which are beside the Ethiopians: and they came up against Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king’s house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. And after all this the LORD smote vant’s sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp for his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled to their tents. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day. Then did Libnah revolt at the same time. And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. 25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. 26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter (or, granddaughter) of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. 29 And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. 11 Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. But Jehoshaba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. 4 And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains over hundreds, of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD; and he made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king’s son. And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, shall be keepers of the watch of the king’s house; and a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. And the two companies of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh him in his bowels with an incurable disease. 19 And it came to pass, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.
22:1 And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter (or, granddaughter) of Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his destruction. He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians within the ranks, let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and when he cometh in. And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. And the priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been king David’s, which were in the house of the LORD. And the guard stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, along by the altar and the house, by the king round about. Then he brought out the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, God save the king. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people into the house of the LORD: and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, treason. And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and him that followeth her slay with the sword: for the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of the LORD. So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses’ entry to the king’s house: and there was she slain.
6 wounded Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. Now the destruction of Ahaziah was of God, in that he went unto Joram: for when he was come, he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. And it came to pass, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, that he found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, ministering to Ahaziah, and slew them. And he sought Ahaziah, and they caught him, (now he was hiding in Samaria,) and they brought him to Jehu, and slew him; and they buried him, for they said, He is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. And the house of Ahaziah had no power to hold the kingdom.
10. Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons that were slain, and put him and his nurse in the bedchamber. So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.
23:1 And in the seventh year Jehoiada strengthened himself, and took the captains of hundreds, Azariah the son of Jehoram, and Ishmael the son of Jehohanan, and Azariah the son of Obed, and Maaseiah the son of Adaiah, and Elishaphat the son of Zichri, into covenant with him. And they went about in Judah, and gathered the Levites out of all the cities of Judah, and the heads of fathers’ houses of Israel, and they came to Jerusalem. And all the congregation made a covenant with the king in the house of God. And he said unto them, Behold, the king’s son shall reign, as the LORD hath spoken concerning the sons of David.
4. This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, of the 5 priests and of the Levites, shall be porters of the doors; and a third part shall be at the king’s house; and a third part at the gate of the foundation: and all the people shall be in 6 the courts of the house of the LORD. But let none come into the house of the LORD, save the priests, and they that minister of the Levites; they shall come in, for they are holy: but all 7 the people shall keep the watch of the LORD. And the Levites shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whosoever cometh into the house, let 8 him be slain: and be ye with the king when he cometh in, and when he goeth out. So the Levites and all Judah did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded: and they took every man his men, those that were to come in on the sabbath, with those that were to 9 go out on the sabbath; for Jehoiada the priest dismissed not the courses. And Jehoiada the priest delivered to the captains of hundreds the spears, and bucklers, and shields, that had 10 been king David’s, which were in the house of God. And he set all the people, every man with his weapon in his hand, from the right side of the house to the left side of the house, 11 along by the altar and the house, by the king round about. Then they brought out the king’s son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony, and made him king: and 12 Jehoiada and his sons anointed him; and they said, God save the king. And when Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and praising the king, she came to the people into the 13 house of the LORD: and she looked, and, behold, the king stood by his pillar at the entrance, and the captains and the trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets; the singers also played on instruments of music, and led the singing of 14 praise. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and said, Treason, treason. And Jehoiada the priest brought out the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks; and whoso followeth her, let him be slain with the sword: for 15 the priest said, Slay her not in the house of the LORD. So they made way for her; and she went to the entry of the horse gate to the king’s house: and they slew her there.
Summary of the Section. The story of Jeho- ram is very sad and painful, yet full of valua- ble suggestions. On his accession he murdered all his own brothers. As far as he could he ob- literated the pure worship, the righteous laws, and excellent institutions established by his fa- ther. In their place he established the vile Baal-worship, and the foul institutions of Ahab and Jezebel, and compelled the people to fall in with idolatry and its iniquities. And the reason assigned is, that he had Ahab’s daughter as his wife. Under the influence of three such monsters in iniquity as Ahab, Jezebel and Athaliah, it was not surprising that “he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab; and wrought evil in the eyes of the Lord.” As a written message from Eli- jah predicted, God punished his gross and defi- ant iniquity. Edom successfully revolted from his sway; and the Philistines and Arabians in- vaded his capital, slew all his sons save one (because “the Lord would not destroy the house of David”) and carried away his wives and his substance. And then “the Lord smote him with an incurable and agonizing disease.”
A still briefer but similarly wicked reign was that of his son Ahaziah. “He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother (Athaliah) was his counsellor to do wickedly!” “To his destruction,” it is added. He was slain by Jehu, when he allied the forces of Judah with those of his uncle Jehoram of Israel. Then his mother, Athaliah, slew all his children save one (whom the covenant God kept) that she might retain the sway over Judah. But a true and devout woman, daughter of Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, and wife of the faithful priest Jehoiada, saved an infant son of Ahaziah from the murderous grandmother. Six years she hid him in the Temple precincts—a place where he was safest, for God’s house was un- visited and unnoticed by Athaliah.
In the seventh year of the spared infant’s life, the true-hearted priest Jehoiada silently gathered the chiefs of the families of the Le- vites into a covenant of allegiance to the youth- ful king Joash. The coronation speedily fol- lowed; and the slaying of Athaliah in the city street, as her mother Jezebel had been slain. One of the noblest and wisest characters of the Old Testament history we find in this doubly loyal priest Jehoiada, loyal to both Divine and helpless human king. And the interposition of such characters as himself and his like-hearted wife, with the providential circumstances at- tending the transfer of the throne from Ahaziah to Joash, are also instructive. We see how the natural flow of wickedness, by ordinary descent from father to son, was checked by the very excesses of wickedness itself; and how a new beginning of character, like that of Asa and Jehoshaphat, was made possible. B.