2 Kings 3
DOYLYChap. III. ver. 2.—he put away the image of Baal] It is probable that his mother Jezebel, as well as himself, was alarmed at the judgments which God had sent upon the family, and was therefore now content to worship Baal in private. Perhaps, too, Jehoshaphat refused to assist him in his war with the Moabites, till he had renounced the publick profession of idolatry. Bp. Patrick.
— the hand of the Lord] The power of the Lord, a Divine inspiration. Bp. Wilson.
— there was great indignation against Israel: ] These words should be translated, “there was great remorse in Israel,” or “there was great indignation in Israel:” for the Hebrew words will bear either sense. The sight of this sacrifice was so shocking, and so moved the hearts of the kings of Israel and Judah, that they raised the siege by common consent, and returned home. Pyle.
Chap. IV. ver. 1. — the creditor is come to take — my two sons] The Jewish law looked upon children as the proper goods of their parents, who had power to sell them for seven years, as their creditors had to compel them to do it, in order to pay their debts; and from the Jews this custom was propagated to the Athenians, and from them to the Romans. It seemed a little hard that the children of a poor man, who have no manner of inheritance left them, should be compelled into slavery, in order to pay their deceased father’s debts; and yet this was the custom, as appears from this passage, wherein the Prophet does not pretend to reprove the creditors, but only puts the woman in a method to pay the debts. Calmet.
How thick did the miseries of this poor afflicted woman light upon her; her husband lost, her estate clogged with debts, her children ready to be taken for slaves! Her creditors are cruel, and rake in the half-closed wounds of her sorrow, passing an arrest worse than death upon her sons. Widowhood, poverty, servitude, have conspired to make her perfectly miserable. Bp. Hall.
2 Kings 3:4
4.—was a sheepmaster.] In ancient times, as has been before observed, the riches not only of private persons, but also of kings, consisted very much in sheep and cattle: and such is the meaning of the expression here, that Mesha was a ‘sheepmaster,’ that is, a great possessor of sheep. The number of sheep which, as is stated in this verse, he ‘rendered’ to the king of Israel, appears to be prodigious; but then it should be considered, that sheep in those countries were far more abundant than is consistent with our experience. Also, this does not appear to be stated as an annual tribute, but a satisfaction for the damage the Israelites had sustained in the war with them, and by the revolt from them. Bp. Patrick.
2 Kings 3:7
- Then she came and told the men of God.] While
she is justly affected by the sight, she is not transported from her duty. We do not see her running forth into the street to proclaim her store, nor calling in her neighbours, either to admire or to bargain. We see her running immediately to the Prophet’s door, gratefully acknowledging the favour, and depending on his directions; as not daring to dispose of that which was so wondrously given her, without the advice of him by whose powerful means she had received it. Bp. Hall.
2 Kings 3:8
8.—The way through the wilderness of Edom.] Their nearest and most direct way to invade Moab, which lay over Jordan, was through the tribe of Reuben, or the south part of the country beyond Jordan; but they fetched a compass through the wilderness of Edom, which probably lay on the southwest of the Salt sea, and so invaded Moab on those parts, which were most distant from Israel, and on which, in consequence, they least expected to be invaded. Dr. Wells.
Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle † that followed them.
- — Shunem, where was a great woman;] Shunem was a city in the tribe of Issachar, “where was a great woman,” one who had a great estate, and probably kept a great house. Bp. Patrick.
— she constrained him] Meaning, she prevailed upon him by importunity and earnestness. Dr. S. Clarke.
2 Kings 3:9
9.—the king of Edom.] That is, the viceroy appointed by the king of Judah: it appears from 1 Kings xxii. 47, that there was no king of Edom.
2 Kings 3:10
10.—Alas! that the Lord hath called &c.] Jehoram has so much grace as to confess the impotency of those he trusted, and the power of that God whom he had neglected. Every sinner cannot see and acknowledge the hand of God in his sufferings. Already has the distressed prince gained something by his misery. Bp. Hall.
- — a little chamber — on the wall;] A private room, remote from the house; where he might retire, and without noise or disturbance give himself to prayer and meditation, and follow his sacred studies. Bp. Patrick.
To most of the houses in the East there is usually a small back house annexed, in which strangers are generally lodged and entertained, and whither men retire from the bury and noise of their families to be more at leisure for meditation or diversion. “The little chamber” built by the Shunammite for Elisha may have probably been of this description. Dr. Shaw, Harmer.
— a bed,] The beds of the Hebrews were nothing more than couches without curtains; except indeed they had light coverings, which the Greeks called canopies, because they served to keep off the gnats. Fleury. — and a stool,] The ancient inhabitants of the East did not universally sit on the floor on some mat
Or, creditor. Elisha giveth a son to the Shunammite. II. KINGS. The child dieth. Before CHRIST 803. shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.
2 Kings 3:11
11.—which poured water on the hands of Elijah.] Which was his servant, and ministered unto him. Bp. Patrick. The expression, ’to pour water on the hands of a person,’ signifies, in allusion to a Jewish custom, ’to minister unto,’ or ’to serve.’ As this phrase is not understood in English, perhaps it were better to translate, ‘who attended upon,’ or ‘ministered unto’ Elijah. Pilkington.
2 Kings 3:13
13.—Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings] The king of Israel means to say, ‘However I may have deserved to be disregarded in this suit, yet have pity on these other princes who are joined with me; let us not, for the mere want of water, be delivered into the hand of Moab.’ Bp. Hall.
- — I dwell among mine own people.] She answers, that she lived very quietly and contentedly on her own means of subsistence, and had no favours to beg of any body. Pyle. I have no occasion to complain, or to seek redress, nor do I want any thing. Bp. Wilson.
2 Kings 3:15
- But now bring me a minstrel.] He sent for a minstrel to compose his spirits by musick, so much was his indignation roused at Jehoram’s behaviour, and particularly at the irreligious expressions which he used, ver. 10. Pyle. Who wonders not to hear a Prophet call for a minstrel, in the midst of that mournful distress
† Heb. at their feet. Jehoram is promised victory. The Moabites are overcome. Before CHRIST 806.
And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
2 Kings 3:16
- — About this season, according to the time of life,] About the set time, according to the ordinary time of conception and birth. Bp. Hall.
2 Kings 3:17
- — Ye shall not see wind.] It is very common in these Eastern countries for a squall of wind to precede rain; on which account he says, “Ye shall not see wind.” Harmer. The circumstances here mentioned deserve attention, and furnish a certain proof of a miracle. It commonly happens in these countries, after a long drought, that the rains are accompanied with violent winds, which break the clouds against each other;
and without rain the rivers do not overflow. But, on this occasion, without wind or rain, “there came water by the way of Edom,” (that is, down the rocks and mountains of Edom) Thus it issued by the express command of God from the bowels of the earth, and flowed into the camp of the allied princes. Schenckser.
2 Kings 3:19
- — shall fell every good tree.] This is a mode of distressing an enemy still practised in this country. The Arabs of the Holy Land, in the present times, make war on each other by burning the corn, cutting down the olive trees, carrying off the sheep, and doing all possible damage of this description. Harmer.
— stop all wells of water.] See the note on Gen. xxvi. 15.
2 Kings 3:22
- — that I may run to the man of God,] The good Shunammite had lost her son; she had not lost her faith. Sorrow had not robbed her of her wisdom. Her strong faith could not be discouraged by the seizure and continuance of death: raising up her heart still to an expectation of that life, which to the eyes of nature had been impossible, irrevocable. O infinite goodness of the Almighty, that would not suffer such faith to be frustrate, that would rather reverse the laws of nature, in returning a guest from heaven, and raising a corpse from death, than disappoint the confidence of a believing heart! Bp. Hall.
2 Kings 3:23
- — it is neither new moon, nor sabbath.] It appears by this that the Prophets were the publick instructors of the people: and their houses were a kind of school or synagogue, unto which the people resorted, upon the days here mentioned, to be taught their duty out of the law of God, and to be resolved in their doubts. And the Prophets accordingly were constantly in some certain place upon these days, to give the people their instruction. Bp. Patrick.
2 Kings 3:24
- — Drive, and go forward:] It is the modern custom in these countries of the East, when a female rides, for a servant to follow on foot, and to drive, (as the expression here is,) and not lead, the animal. Harmer.
2 Kings 3:25
- — only in Kir-haraseth] They left no walls standing, excepting in the royal city, where they were exceedingly strong, Isa. xvi. 7, 11. Bp. Patrick.
2 Kings 3:26
- — she answered, It is well.] It appears she did not think fit to tell Gehazi all the truth, but chose rather to deliver it to the Prophet himself. Bp. Patrick. It is
2 Kings 3:27
- Then he took his eldest son &c.] He sacrificed his son as a last desperate act. We find, not only from the Scriptures, but from several heathen writers, that it was customary among the heathens, on some occasions, to sacrifice to their gods whatever was most dear to them. Caesar tells us, among others, that when the Gauls were afflicted with grievous diseases, or in time of war and great danger, they offered men for sacrifices, or made vows to that effect. It has been supposed by some writers, that the king of Moab, in this instance, sacrificed his son to the God of Israel, hoping to appease His wrath, and to move the compassion of the kings who were besieging him: but it is more probable that he offered the sacrifice to some false deity, perhaps to Chemosh the national god. Stackhouse. Or the meaning may be, that he sacrificed the king of Edom’s eldest
Elisha multiplieth the widow’s oil.
and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.