802 to 800 B.C.
1)
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel (Moab had been subdued by David [2 Sam.8:2; 23:20]; and when the kingdom was divided it went to Israel. It was greatly oppressed by Omri and Ahab, and, on the death of the later [cp. 3:5], Mesha, king of Moab, rebelled. See record of the event on "the Moabite stone" [see below] The verse is introduced here to complete the symmetry of the introversion. See "G" in the Stucture on 1 Kings 22:51) after the death of Ahab (the inscription on the Moabite stone leaves the exact date indefinate. Line 5, "Israel perished", may refer to the death of Ahab).
1. I, Mesha son of Chemosh-Melech King of Moab, the Di-
2. bonite. My father reigned over Moab thirty years and I reign-
3. ed after my father. I made this monument to Chemosh at Korkah. A monument of sal-
4. vation, for he saved me from all invaders, and let me see my desire upon all my enemies. Om-
5. ri [was] king of Israel, and he oppressed Moab many days, for Chemosh was angry with his
6. land. His son followed him, and he also said: I will oppose Moab. In my days Che[mosh] said;
7. I will see my desire on him and his house. And all Israel shall perish forever. Omri took the land of
8. Medeba and [Israel] dwelt in it during his days and half the days of his son , altogether forty years. But there dwelt in it
9. Chemosh in my days. I built Baal-Meon and made therein the ditches; I built
F H a 2. Mission to Baal-zebub.
b 3. Reproof of Elijah.
c 4. Assurance of death.
J 5. Messengers. Inquiry.
J 6-8. Messengers. Report.
H a 9-15. Missions to Elijah.
b 16-. Reproof of Elijah.
c -16. Assurance of death.2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that [was] in Samaria (= network or balustrade, which protected the open window of the open chamber . Cp. Judg.30:20; 5:28. 1 Kings 17:19. 2 Kings 4:10.), and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said to them, Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god (= lord of flies. Later Jews polluted it by changing it to Beel-zebul [Lord of dung or dunghills]. In Matt.12:24 it is in Greek Baal-zebul lord of abominable idols; the prince of idols and idolatry; the worst chief of all wickedness. Imagine the blasphemy) of Ekron (= torn up by roots, emigration. One of the 5 Philistine cities. Josh.13:3) whether I shall recover of this disease.
3 But the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) (see Ex.3:2. He Who directs Moses directs Elijah) said to Elijah (= EL [God] is Yah [or Yehovah]) the Tishbite (= recourse), Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria (watch-mountain), and say to them, [Is it] not because [there is] not an Elohim in Israel, [that] you all go to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?
4 Now therefore thus says the Lord (Yehovah), You shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die (same as Gen.2:17). And Elijah departed.
5 And when the messengers turned back to him, he said to them, Why are you all now turned back?
6 And they said to him, There came a man up to meet us, and said to us, Go, turn again to the king that sent you, and say to him, Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), [Is it] not because [there is] not an God (Elohim) in Israel, [that] you send to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.
7 And he said to them, What manner of man [was he] which came up to meet you, and told you these words?
8 And they answered him, [He was] an hairy man (= clad in a garment consisting of a skin. Prophets wore coarse clothing [Zech.13:4. Matt.3:4.), and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins (Worn by Palestinian peasants today). And he said, It [is] Elijah the Tishbite.
9 Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spoke to him, You man of God (Elohim) (the people's name for a prophet.), the king has said, Come down.
10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I [be] a man of God (Elohim), then let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. (quoted in Luke 9:54) And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said to him, O man of God (Elohim), thus has the king said, Come down quickly.
12 And Elijah answered and said to him, If I [be] a man of God (Elohim), let fire come down from heaven, and consume you and your fifty. And the fire of God (Elohim) came down from heaven (some codices omit "of Elohim" as in v.10), and consumed him and his fifty.
13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said to him, O man of God (Elohim), I pray you, let my soul, and the soul of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and consumed the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my soul now be precious in your sight.
15 And the Angel of the Lord (Yehovah) said to Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him to the king.
16 And he said to him, Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), Forasmuch as you have sent messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron, [is it] not (or "was it ") because [there is] no God (Elohim) in Israel to enquire of His word?
therefore you shall not come down off that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die.
17 So he died according to the word of the Lord (Yehovah) which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son.
18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, [are] they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
D d 1-. Translation purposed.
e -1. Elisha accompanies Elijah from Gilgal.
d 2-24. Translation effected.
e 25. Elisha returns to Samaria.2)
1 And it came to pass, when the Lord (Yehovah) would take up Elijah into heavens and elsewhere by a whirlwind (see v.11), that Elijah went with Elisha (my God is salvation. See his call [1 Kings 19:16] 10 years before) from Gilgal (the reverse route taken by Israel on entering the Land).
d f 2,3. Beth-el. Journey.
g 4,5. Jericho."
h 6-18. Jordan. Translation.
g 19-22. Jericho. Return.
f 23,24. Beth-el."
2 And Elijah said to Elisha, Tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord (Yehovah) has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said [to him, As] the Lord (Yehovah) lives, and [as] yourself lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Beth-el (therefore Gigal in v.1 canot be the well-known Gilgal near Jericho, but another between Tibneh and Shiloh. See 4:38 Gilgal = circle; and there may have been several such).
3 And the sons of the prophets that [were] at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said to him, Know you that the Lord (Yehovah) will take away your master from over you today? ("head" put by fig., for himself) And he said, Yes, I know [it]; hold you all your peace.
4 And Elijah said to him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray you; for the Lord (Yehovah) has sent me to Jericho. And he said, [As] the Lord (Yehovah) lives, and [as] yourself lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the sons of the prophets that [were] at Jericho came to Elisha, and said to him, "Know you that the Lord (Yehovah) will take away your master from over you today"? And he answered, "Yes, I know [it]; hold you all your peace".
h i 6. There journey to that place.
k 7. Sons of the prophets. Observation.
l 8. Passage of Jordan. From Jericho
m 9,10. Elisha. Reques made.
n 11. Translation of Elijah.
m 12. Elisha. Request granted.
l 13,14. Repassage of Jordan. To Jericho.
k 15. Sons of the pophets. Observation.
i 16-18. Their journey to that place, and return.
6 And Elijah said to him, Tarry, I pray you, here; for Yehovah has sent me to Jordan. And he said, [As] the Lord (Yehovah) lives, and [as] yourself lives, I will not leave you. And they two went on.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped [it] together, and smote the waters, and they were divided to this place and to that place, so that they two went over on dry ground.
9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I be taken away from you. And Elisha said, I pray you, let a double portion (see v.15) of your spirit be upon me (= ruach. Fig., put for the gifts and operations of the Spirit of God).
10 And he said, You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you clearly see me [when I am] taken from you, it shall be so to you; but if not, it shall not be [so].
11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, [there appeared] a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven (not a fiery chariot, according to a certain hymn. See Isaiah 6:1-13. Ezek.1:4-28).
12 And Elisha saw [it], and he cried, My father, my father (the repitition = my reverend, or beloved father), the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.
13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;
14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where [is] the Lord God (Yehovah Elohim) of Elijah? (or, Where is Yehovah the Elohim of Elijah? After this the Hebrew text has aph hu = "even he". The Vulgate reads this as the end of the question. But the Massorites, by the accent [ath-nach], throw it onto the next sentence, "and when even he smote the waters") and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted from this place and to that place (the 1st of 16 miracles [#16 = love]. See v.15): and Elisha went over (the 19th Sedar ends here. See note on 1 & 2 Samuel intro).
15 And when the sons of the prophets which [were] to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah has rested on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. (Cp. 1 Pe.4:14.Rest in "double portion" according to v.9. Seen in the fact that Elijah wrought 8 miracles [8 = new beginnings] and Elisha 16 [16 = love], and all were parables in action)
1. Shutting heaven [17:1].5. Rain [18:45]. 2. Oil multiplied [17:14].6. Fire on 50 [2 Kings 1:10]. 3. Widow's son raised 7. Fire on 50 [2 Kings 1:12]. [17:22,23]. 4. Fire from heaven[18:38]. 8. Jordan [2 Kings 2:8].
1. Jordan divded [2:14]. 9. Bread multiplied [4:43]. 2. Waters healed [2:21]. 10. Naaman healed [5:10]. 3. Bears from wood [2:24]. 11. Gehazi smitten [5:27]. 4. Water for kings [3:20]. 12. Iron to swim [6.6]. 5. Oil for widow [4:1-6]. 13. Sight to blind [6:17]. 6. Gift of son [4:16,17]. 14. Smitting blindess [6:18]. 7. Raising from dead[4:35] 15. Restoring sight [6:20]. 8. Healing of pottage[4:11] 16. One after death [13:21].
16 And they said to him, Behold now, there be with your servants fifty strong men; let them go, we pray you, and seek your master: lest perhaps the Spirit of the Lord (Yehovah) has taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said, You all shall not send.
17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not.
18 And when they came again to him, {for he tarried at Jericho,} he said to them, Did I not say to you, Go not?
19 And the men of the city said to Elisha, Behold, I pray you, the situation of this city [is] pleasant, as my lord sees: but the water [is] nothing, and the ground barren.�
20 And he said, �Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought [it] to him.
21 And he went forth to the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there (Elisha's 2nd miracle), and said, Thus says the Lord (Yehovah), I have healed these waters; there shall not be from that place any more death or barren [land].
22 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spoke.
23 And he went up from that place to Bethel (one of the seats of Israel's calf-worship [1 kings 12:26-30]): and as he was going up by the way, there came forth young men out of the city (Heb. na ar. Used of Isaac [28 years old]; Joseph [39]; Rehoboam [40]), and mocked him, and said to him, Go up, you bald head; go up, you bald head. (An open insult, avenged by Elisha's God in a way that suited for that dispensation, though not for this. "Go up" may have refered to Elijah's translation; and thus a blasphemous insult outraging Yehovah's own act. Elisha's baldness premature. He lived 50 years longer [13:14])
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord (Yehovah). And there came forth two she bears out of the wood (see 1 Sam. 17:34-36), and tore forty and two progeny of them (not the same word as v.23. #43 = Israel's oppression...Lord's advent).
25 And he went from that place to mount Carmel, and from that place he returned to Samaria.
C K 3:1-3. Events. Personal.
K 3:4-8:15. Events. Political.
801 to 788 B.C.
3)
1 Now Jehoram (= whom Yehovah has exalted) the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah (18 = bondage), and reigned twelve years (= Governmental completeness).
2 And he wrought the evil in the sight of the Lord (Yehovah); but not like his father, and like his mother(Jezebel, who lived through the whole his reign [9:30]): for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made (or statue [cp. 10:18]. 1 Kings 19:18. Others remained [10:26,27]).
3 Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin (see 1 Kings 14:16); he departed not therefrom.
K L O 3:4-27. War with Moab. Mesha.
P 4:1-7. Elisha. Creditor and widow.
M Q 4:8-37. Shunamite.
R 4:38-44. Famine. Miraculous supplies.
N 5:1-27. Mission to Elisha (Naaman).
L P 6:1-7. Elisha. Residence and axe-head.
O 6:8-23. War with Syria.
M R 6:24-7:20. Famine. Miraculous supplies.
Q 8:1-8. Shumanite.
N 8:7-15. Mission to Elisha (Ben-hadad).
O o 4,5. Mesha's rebellion.
p q 6-9-. Allies advance.
r s -9. Exigence.
t 10-25. How met.
o 26-. Mesha's defeat.
p r s -26. Exigence.
t 27-. How met.
q -27. Allies retie.
4 And Mesha (= freedom) king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered to the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead (cp. 1:1. He and his son Ahaziah both died in the same year [800 B.C.]), that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up (cp. 1 Kings 22:4): I [am] as you [are], my People as your People, [and] my horses as your horses.
8 And he said (i.e. Jehoram), Which way shall we go up? (either by crossing Jordan north of the Dead Sea and attacking Moab from the north; or by Edom, which was under Judah [1 Kings 22:47) And he answered (i.e. Jehoshaphat), The way through the wilderness of Edom.
9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass (= made a circuit. Cp. Acts 28:13) of seven days' journey:
and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them.
t u 10. Trouble of the three kings.
v w 11,12. Elisha. Help sought.
x 13-. Reproof.
u -13. Trouble of the three kings.
v x 14. Reproof.
w 15-25. Elisha. Help given.
10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord (Yehovah) has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11 But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the Lord (Yehovah), that we may enquire of the Lord (Yehovah) by him? (a similar question asked before by Jehoshaphat [1 Kings 22:7) And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here [is] Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah (fig., put for being an attendant).
12 And Jehoshaphat (some codices add "king of Judah") said, The word of the Lord (Yehovah) is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? (see 2 Sam.16:10) get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of thy mother.
And the king of Israel said to him, Say not so: for the Lord (Yehovah) has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
14 And Elisha said, [As] the Lord of host (Yehovah Sabaioth) lives, before Whom I stand (implying Elisha's priesthood), surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you (Jehoram was wicked within himself [v.2], as well as being the son of Ahab. Elisha less austere later [ch. 6]).
w S 15,16. Means. S 17-25. Ends.
15 But now bring me a harper. And it came to pass, when the harper played, that the hand of the Lord (Yehovah) came upon him (some codices read "the Spirit").
16 And he said, Thus saith the Lord (Yehovah), Make this valley (a dry water-course) full of trenches.
S T y 17. Water. Prophecy.
z 18,19. Victory."
T y 20. Water. Fulfilment.
z 21-25. Victory."
17 For thus says the Lord (Yehovah), You all shall not see wind (ruach), neither shall you all see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you all may drink, both all you, and your cattle, and your beasts. <>
18 And this is [but] a light thing in the sight of Yehovah: He will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
19 And you all shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and spoil every good piece of land with stones.
20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meal offering (= gift offering) was offered up, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom (Elisha's 4th miracle. See 2:15), and the country was filled with water.
21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour (heb. gird a girdle), and upward, and stood in the border.
22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side [as] red as blood (implied as owing to the action of the sun. Equally a miracle):
23 And they said, This [is] blood: the kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites (some codices read "still further", and connect this with entering. Others connect this word with smitting, and read �still futher smote", or "went on smitting"), even in [their] country.
25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth (= the city of the hill. The capital of Moab) left they the stones [in the wall] thereof; and till the slingers should surround and smite it.
26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to break through [even] to the king of Edom: but they could not.
27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him up [for] a burnt offering (recording a fact on which Misha was silent on the Moabite stone. See 1:1) upon the wall (i.e. the higher of the two). And there was great wrath against Israel (this led probably to Moab's subsequent success): and they departed from him (this expresses the failure of Israel's expedition, while Misha goes on to record his subsequent successes, which were great - all the cities taken by him being those belonging to Reuben and Gad), and returned to [their own] land.