2 Kings 8

The Shunamite by Elisa’s advice having left the land because of the famine, returneth home, v.1.&c. and hather whole estate restored to her by the Kings command, 4. Elisa foretelleth the death of Benhadad, 7. and Hazaels reign over Syria, 12. Joram becometh King after Josaphat.16. He forsaketh the LORD, 18. wherefore the Edomites revolt from him, and likewise those of Libna, 20. He dieth, and Ahazia becometh King in his stead, 24. He entertaineth friendship with Joram King of Israel, 28.

1. Now Elisa had spoken unto that woman, whose son he had restored to life, [See above chap.4.34.] saying; get thee up, and go thy ways, thou and thy household, [Heb. house. See Gen 8.v.1.] and sojourn, where so ever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a famine, which shall also come upon the land seven years. [i.e. he hath in his justice sent a famine upon the land; as his minister and executioner, to execute his judgement. See likewise Psa.105.v.10. Thus God is also said to call for other judgements, as if they were living and reasonable creatures, apt to understand, and wishing to obey, Jer.25.29. Hag.1.11.]

2. And the woman had gat her up, and had done according to the word of the man of God: for she was gone with her household, and had sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

3. And it came to pass at the seven years end, that the woman returned out of the Philistines; and she went forth, to cry unto the King for her house, and for her field. [That is, she did earnestly, and with importunity beg, to have house and land, which some possessed in her absence, restored to her. Compare the following 6.verse.]

4. Now the King talked with Gehasi, the lad of the man of God, [It seemeth that this happened before the History Naaman the Syrian, and the leprosy of Gehasi, whereof see above chap.5. because none might easily talk or discourse with Lepers, who by the Law of God were separated from the society of men, Lev.13.46. Others conceive that this Law onely forbade co-habitation, and not conference, which the Israelites as well permitted, above chap.7.10. as the Heathen, above chap.5. vers.4.5.] saying; Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisa hath done. [i.e. the miracles and wonders done by him, which this idolatrous King was desirous to hear of, not out of true faith, but out of vain curiosity.]

5. And it came to pass, when he told the King how he had restored a dead (body) to life, behold, the woman whose son he had restoreth to life, cried then to the King, for her house, and for her field: Then said Gehazi; My Lord, (O) King, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisa restoreth to life.

6. And the King examined the woman, [To wit, whether her son was raised from death to life by Elisa] and she related it to him: then the King appointed to her one of the chamber, [See Gen.37.on ver.36.] saying; cause (her) to have again all that was hers, besides, all revenues of the field, from the day that she left the land, until now.

7. After that Elisa came to Damascus, [See Gen.14.on ver.15.] when Benhadad the King of Syria was sick, and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.

8. Then said the King unto Hazael; Take a Present in thine hand, [i.e. With thee: see above chap.5.on ver.5. So in the following verse] and go meet the man of God: [see 1 Kings 14.on ver.3.] and enquire of the LORD by him, saying; shall I recover [Heb. live. So Numb.21.8. & Jos.5.8. and below ver.9,10,14. Joh.4.50.] of this disease.

9. So Hazael went to meet him, and took a Present in his hand, to wit, (of) all (or every) [i.e. All manner of] good (thing) of Damascus, fourty camels burden; and he came, and stood before his face, and said; Thy son Benhadad [i.e. that honoureth thee as his Father. Thus King Joram called this Prophet his Father, above chap.6.21.] King of Syria hath sent me unto thee, to say; shall I recover of this disease?

10. And Elisa said unto him; Go, say, thou shalt not recover at all; [Heb. Thou shalt living not live. Oth. thus: tell him thou shalt living live: understanding this to be spoken ironically. Compare 1 King.22.15. The words are likewise translated thus: Thou mayest certainly recover. And the meaning then is, that Benhadads sickness in its own nature was not indeed unto death, so that he might recover and get up from it, but not with standing that he should die some other way, before the sickness should have an end: see below v.15.] for the LORD hath shewed me, that he shall die the death. [Heb. dying die.]

11. And he [To wit, the Prophet] held his countenance standing, and set it fast, till very shame: [see this phrase also Judg.3.25. and above chap.2.17. otherw. along while, or, until weariness] and the man of God wept. [because of the evil which by revelation from God he foresaw would befall the children of Israel by Hazaels means. Compare Jer.14.17. and Luke 19:41. The meaning of the words of this verse is, that the Prophet Elisa having cast his eyes on Hazael, held them so long six upon him, till he was ashamed to look any longer upon him, or, till Hazael was ashamed to be look upon any longer. Others understand this thus; that the Prophet held his countenance fixed, not upon Hazael, but upon somewhat else, being in contemplation of the cruelty that Hazael should act against Israel, until tears trickled down from his eyes threat, although he strove to refrain himself as much as possibly he could. According to the other translation, some take it to be meant of Hazael, as if he should have had his countenance stedfastly fixed upon the Prophet, admiring why he should seem to enjoin him to report unto his Lord Benhadad, things that were repugnant and contradictory.]

12. Then said Hazael; Why weepeth my Lord? and he said; Because I know what evil thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: thou wilt set their strong holds on fire, and slay their young men with the sword, and dash their young children in pieces, and rip up their women with child.

13. And Hazael said; But what is thy servant, that is a dog, [i.e. Most unworthy despised, and impotent Compare 1.Sam.24.15. 2 Sam.3.8. & 9.8. Job 30:1. Oth. What is thy servant? a dog? i.e. So cruel, fierce.murderous, and merciless, as a dog. Thus wicked and blood-thirty men are resembled to dogs, Psal.22.17,21. & 59.7.] that he should do this great thing? and Elisa said; The LORD hath shewed me, that thou shall be King over Syria.

14. So he departed from Elisa, and came to his Lord, [The King of Syria] who said unto him; What said Elisa unto thee? and he said; He said unto me, Thou shalt surely recover. [Heb. being living thou shalt live: that is, surely recover. He relateth the clean contrary to what Elisa had told him, according to the translation of v.10.]

15. And it came to pass on the next day, that he took a blanket, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his [Namely, King Benhadads] face, that he died: [Hazael did this of set purpose to kill him] and Hazael became King in his stead.

16. Now in the fifth year of Joram, the son of Achab, King of Israel, [Which was the 22. year of Josaphats reign. Compare above chap.3.1.] when Josaphat was King of Juda, [for being yet alive, and holding still a right and interest in the Kingly Throne, he had made his son his Deputy, and reigned jointly with him some certain years. Compare herewith the annotate. 1 King.22. 42. and above chap.1.17.] Jehoram the son of Josaphat, King of Juda, (began) to reign.

17. He was two and thirty years old when he became King: and he reigned 8.years at Jerusalem.

18. And he walked in the way of the Kings of Israel, according as the house of Achab did: for the daughter of Achab [Called Athalia, below v.26. where she is said to be the daughter of Omri, because he was Achabs Father, and consequently her Grandfather] became his wife, and he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. [see 1 King.11.on v.6.]

19. Yet the LORD would not destroy Juda, for David his servant sake: [See 1 King.11.on v.12.] according as he had said unto him; [see 2 Sam.7.13. 1 King.11. 36. and 15.4. Psal.132.17.] that he would give to him at all times [Heb. all days. See 1 King.11.on ver.36.] a lamp for his sons. [see 1 Kings 11.on verse 36.]

20. In his days the Edomites revolted from under the Dominion [Heb. hand: i.e. Power and Dominion. So below v.22. See Gen.16.on v.6.] of Juda, [thus was Isaacs prophecy fulfilled, Gen.27.40.] and made a King over themselves. [For since Davids time there had been no king among them, but onely a Kings Deputy, appointed by the King of Juda. See 1 King.22.48. and the annotate. thereon.]

21. Therefore Joram went over to Zair, [Hebr. Tsair: the name of a city, or place, lying in Idumea] and all the charets with him, and he gat him up by night, and smote the Edomites that were round about him; moreover the Captains of the charets, and the people fled into their tents.

22. Not with standing the Edomites revolted from under the Dominion of Juda, unto this day: [i.e. Which revolt lasteth unto this day, in which this Book was written] then Liban [a city lying in the tribe of Juda, Jos.15.42. and given to the Priest to inhabit, Jos.21.13.] revolted at the same time. [the cause of this cities revolted was, because Joram had forsaken the Lord, the God of his Fathers, 2 Chron.21.10. By this revolt Joram was hindered from prosecuting his Victory against the Edomites, whereby they continued still in their revolt.]

23. Now the rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, is not that written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Juda? [See 1 King.14.on v.29.]

24. And Joram fell a sleep with his Fathers, [See Deut.21.on v.16. and 1 King.1.on v.21.] and was buried by his fathers in the city of David; [but not in the Sepulchres of the Kings, but in a private Sepulchre, severed from the rest, and without the usual solemnity: see 2 Chron.21.19,20.] and Ahazia his son became King in his stead.

25. In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Achab, King of Israel, Ahazia the son of Joram King of Juda (began) to reign. [Heb. reigned.]

26. Ahazia was two and twenty years old, [Heb. A son of two and twenty years] when he became King, and reigned one year at Jerusalem: and his mothers name was Athalia, the daughter of Omri, King of Israel. [understand his sons daughter: for this Athalia was the daughter of Achab, above v.18. and Achab was the son Omri, 1 King.16.28,29.]

27. And he walked in the way of the house of Achab, [See 1 King.15.on v.26.] and did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, [see 1 King.11.on v.6.] as (did) the house of Achab: for he was a son in law of the house of Achab. [to wit, by marriage of Athalia the daughter of Achab, with Joram the son of Josaphat King of Juda.]

28. And he went with Joram, the son of Achab, to battle, at Ramoth in Gilead, against Hazael the King of Syria: and the Syrians smote [i.e. wounded, or hurt] Joram.

29. Then King Joram went back to cause himself to be healed of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Rama, when he fought against Hazael King of Syria: and Ahazia the son of Jehoram, the King of Juda, came down to see Jeram the son of Achab at Jezreel, for he was sick.