1. THE REIGN OF AHAZIAH CONTINUED. EPISODE CONCERNING ELIJAH. (1) THEN. — And. MOAB REBELLED AGAINST ISRAEL. — David reduced Moab to vassalage (2 Samuel 8:2; comp. 2 Kings 23:20). After that event, Scripture is silent as to the fortunes of Moab. It probably took occasion of the troubles which ens... [ Continue Reading ]
THROUGH A LATTICE. — Rather, the _lattice_, i.e., the latticed window of the chamber on the palace roof, looking into the court below. The word rendered “through” (_bĕ‘ad_) implies that Ahaziah was leaning out over the window-sill. (Comp. 2 Kings 9:30; Psalms 14:2.) He perhaps fell into a gallery un... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE ANGEL... SAID. — Rather, _Now the angel... had said._ “_The angel_” is right. (Comp. 2 Kings 19:35.) Reuss strangely renders: “Mais une révélation de l’Eternel parla;” and adds the note, “Et non pas un ange” (!). ARISE, GO UP. — Samaria lay on a hill, and the prophet was to meet the messeng... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE. — For this act of faithlessness, and to prove by the event that there is a God in Israel, whose oracle is unerring. (Comp. 1 Kings 18:24, seq.) THUS SAITH. — Or,_ hath said._ After these words the prophetic announcement comes in rather abruptly. Perhaps the verse has been abridged by... [ Continue Reading ]
TURNED BACK UNTO HIM. — Unto Ahaziah, as the Syriac and Vulgate actually read. Literally, _And the messengers returned unto him, and he said, &c._ Though Elijah was unknown to the envoys, such a menacing interposition would certainly be regarded as’ a Divine warning, which it was perilous to disrega... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SENDEST. — _Art sending_. Elijah had said, _ye are going_, in his question to the messengers (2 Kings 1:3). (See Note on 2 Kings 1:4.) Bähr is wrong in supposing the servants anxious to shift the prophet’s blame from themselves to their lord, or that Elijah had addressed them as accomplices in... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SAID. — Spake. (See Note on 2 Kings 1:3.) WHAT MANNER OF MAN? — See margin. The word _mishpat_ here denotes the _external_ characteristics and visible peculiarities by which a man is _distinguished_ (_shâphat_) from his fellows. (Comp. our expressions “sort,” “fashion,” “style,” and the Vulgate,... [ Continue Reading ]
ANSWERED. — Said unto. AN HAIRY MAN. — Literally, a lord of hair. This might refer to length of hair and beard (so LXX., δασὺς, “hirsute,” “shaggy”); or to a hairy cloak or mantle. The second alternative is right, because a hairy mantle was a mark of the prophetic office from Elijah downwards. (Com... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING SENT. — Heb., _And he sent._ With hostile intentions, as is proved by his sending soldiers, and by the words of the angel in 2 Kings 1:15. (Comp. 1 Kings 18:8; 1 Kings 22:26, _seq._) HE SAT. — _Was sitting._ The LXX. has “Elias was sitting,” which is probably original. A CAPTAIN OF FI... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH ANSWERED AND SAID. — So Syriac and LXX. Heb., _and spake_. IF. — Heb., _And if a man of the god I_ (truly be). This “and” closely connects the prophet’s reply with the captain’s demand. All the versions except the LXX. omit it, with some Hebrew MSS. THEN. — Omit. LET FIRE COME DOWN FRO... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN ALSO HE SENT. — Although he had heard what had befallen his former envoys. HE ANSWERED. — LXX., “went up” (_way-ya’al for way-ya’an_), as in 2 Kings 1:9; 2 Kings 1:13. AND SAID. — Heb., _spake._ Yet some MSS., and Vulgate, Syriac, Arabic, as Authorised Version. THUS HATH THE KING SAID. — Or... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID (SPAKE) UNTO THEM. — LXX. and Syriac, “unto him,” which seems original. THE FIRE OF GOD. — “The” is not in the Hebrew. The LXX., Vulgate, Arabic, and Targum, with some MSS., omit “of God.” The phrase occurs in the sense of lightning (Job 1:16). CONSUMED HIM AND HIS FIFTY. — According to Theniu... [ Continue Reading ]
A CAPTAIN OF THE THIRD FIFTY. — Literally, _a captain of a third fifty._ But 2 Kings 1:11, “another captain of fifty,” and the phrase which follows here, “the third captain of fifty,” indicate the right reading, “a third captain of fifty.” (So LXX. and Vulg.) FELL. — Margin. (Comp. Isaiah 46:1, “Be... [ Continue Reading ]
BURNT. — _Eat, or devoured_ (2 Kings 1:10; 2 Kings 1:12). THE TWO CAPTAINS OF THE FORMER FIFTIES. — Rather, _the former two captains of fifties_. THEREFORE LET MY LIFE NOW. — And _now_ (i.e., this time) _let my life_. Some MSS., and LXX., Vulg., and Arabic add the precative “now,” that is, “I pray... [ Continue Reading ]
SAID. — So LXX. (εἶπεν). Heb., _spake_. Vulgate and Arabic add “saying.” (See Note on 2 Kings 1:3.) GO DOWN. — From the mountain top into the city. WITH HIM. — ’_Othô_, later form for ’_ittô_, which some MSS. read here. BE NOT AFRAID OF HIM — _i.e.,_ the captain. The former two, as being the will... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID. — Heb., _spake_. The LXX. adds, “and Elijah said.” IS IT NOT BECAUSE. — Omit “not.” The question is here parenthetic, the connection of the main sentence being, “Forasmuch as thou hast sent... therefore thou shalt not come down,” &c. OFF. — _From,_ as in 2 Kings 1:4; 2 Kings 1:6. The... [ Continue Reading ]
AND JEHORAM. — LXX. (Alex.), Syriac, and Vulgate add “his brother,” an expression which has fallen out of the Hebrew text, owing to its resemblance to the next (_tahtâw,_ “in his stead”). (Comp. 2 Kings 3:1, “son of Ahab.”) IN THE SECOND YEAR OF JEHORAM. — Vat. LXX., “in the eighteenth year,” which... [ Continue Reading ]
Concluding remarks added by the compiler.... [ Continue Reading ]
THE ACTS. — _Dibrê, i.e._, history. WHICH HE DID. — Some MSS. and the Syriac read “and all that he did,” which seems correct. THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS. — See Introduction, and 1 Kings 14:19.... [ Continue Reading ]