2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:1 Like Elijah before him, Elisha becomes involved in politics. Here, he is consulted about a military campaign (compare 1 Kings 22:1). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0, len=images.length, img; i [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:2 Although Jehoram allowed his people to worship BAAL (see v. 2 Kings 3:13; 2 Kings 9:22; 2 Kings 10:18), he himself did not worship Baal as did HIS FATHER AND MOTHER (that is, Ahab and Jezebel). Instead, he removed Baal’s PILLAR from the temple (see 1 Kings 14:23).... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:4 MESHA was a ninth-century B.C. KING OF MOAB. He began his reign under the authority of Israel and was required to give Israel a percentage of his agricultural produce (LAMBS and WOOL). After Ahab’s death, Mesha rebelled. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName(... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:7 Confronted with the Moabite rebellion, Jehoram, like his father Ahab before him, seeks help from JEHOSHAPHAT, king of Judah. Jehoshaphat responds to Jehoram just as he did to Ahab: I AM AS YOU ARE, MY PEOPLE AS YOUR PEOPLE, MY HORSES AS YOUR HORSES (compare 1 Kings 22:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:11 IS THERE NO PROPHET OF THE LORD HERE? Faced with disaster, Jehoshaphat finally seeks divine guidance (compare 1 Kings 22:7). They find Elisha, the one WHO POURED WATER ON THE HANDS OF ELIJAH (probably a reference to Elisha’s having been Elijah’s servant). ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var imag... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:15 BRING ME A MUSICIAN. Music plays a part in Elisha receiving his message from God (compare 1 Samuel 10:5). The immediate crisis (no water, 2 Kings 3:9) is to be dealt with by a miracle, as the nearby STREAMBED SHALL BE FILLED WITH WATER from a mysterious source (neither W... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:20 Water mysteriously flows FROM THE DIRECTION OF EDOM. This fools the Moabites into thinking Israel and Judah have slaughtered each other, because in the morning sunlight the water appears RED AS BLOOD. ⇐ ⇔ ⇒ var images = document.getElementsByTagName("img"); for (var i=0... [ Continue Reading ]
2 KINGS—NOTE ON 2 KINGS 3:27 Just as Israel seemed to have defeated him, Mesha offered his son as BURNT OFFERING ON THE WALL. As a consequence, THERE CAME GREAT WRATH AGAINST ISRAEL. This does not refer to divine__ anger. Instead, it seems, Mesha’s troops respond to his desperate act with an anger a... [ Continue Reading ]