INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 1 This chapter begins with the rebellion of Moab against Israel, 2 Kings 1:1, relates a fall of the king of Israel in his house, which brought on him a sickness, about which he sent messengers to inquire of the god of Ekron, who were stopped by Elijah, and bid to return, as... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN MOAB REBELLED AGAINST ISRAEL AFTER THE DEATH OF AHAB. Which had been in subjection to them from the times of David, 2 Samuel 8:2 refusing to pay a tribute as they had done; taking advantage of Ahab's ill success with the king of Syria, and of his death, and the condition and circumstances of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AHAZIAH FELL DOWN A LATTICE IN HIS UPPER CHAMBER THAT WAS IN SAMARIA,.... Which was either a window or lattice in the form of network, to let in light; or rather were the rails of a balcony or battlement on the roof of his palace, in this form, on which leaning, it broke down, and he fell into t... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO ELIJAH,.... One of the ministering spirits sent by the Lord to him: ARISE, GO UP TO MEET THE MESSENGERS OF THE KING OF SAMARIA: that is, the king of Israel, whose capital city was Samaria: IS IT NOT BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A GOD IN ISRAEL; known, acknowledged, and... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD,.... Jehovah, the only true God: THOU SHALT NOT COME DOWN FROM THAT BED ON WHICH THOU ART GONE UP, BUT SHALL SURELY DIE; this sickness should be unto death, and the bed he had betaken himself to should be his deathbed. The phrases of going up to bed, and coming dow... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THE MESSENGERS TURNED BACK UNTO HIM,.... To Ahaziah king of Israel, as they did as soon as Elijah was gone from them; concluding from his habit, his gravity, and the authority with which he spoke, that he was a prophet of the Lord, and especially from his knowledge of them, and of what they... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY SAID UNTO HIM, THERE CAME A MAN UP TO MEET US, AND SAID UNTO US, GO, TURN AGAIN UNTO THE KING THAT SENT YOU,.... King Ahaziah: AND SAY UNTO HIM; and then they repeated all that is said by the angel to Elijah, and he had delivered to them, 2 Kings 1:3 and which was a sufficient reason for t... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHAT MANNER OF MAN WAS HE,.... What appearance or figure did he make? what his habit or clothing? WHICH CAME UP TO MEET YOU, AND TOLD YOU THESE WORDS? they had related to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEY ANSWERED HIM, HE WAS AN HAIRY MAN,.... Either the hair of his head and beard were grown very long, having been much neglected for a great while; or he had an hairy garment on, either of goats' hair, such as the Chinese wear f, whose women spin it, see Exodus 35:26 and of which garments are... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN THE KING SENT UNTO HIM A CAPTAIN OF FIFTY WITH HIS FIFTY,.... Not in honour to him, but to bring him by force if he refused to come willingly: AND HE WENT UP TO HIM, AND, BEHOLD, HE SAT ON THE TOP OF AN HILL; generally supposed to be Mount Carmel; AND HE SPAKE UNTO HIM; at the bottom of the h... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE CAPTAIN OF FIFTY, IF I BE A MAN OF GOD,.... As I am, and thou shalt know it by the following token, though thou callest me so jeeringly: THEN LET FIRE COME DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND CONSUME THEE AND THY FIFTY; this he said not in a passion, and from a private spirit... [ Continue Reading ]
AGAIN ALSO HE SENT UNTO HIM ANOTHER CAPTAIN OF FIFTY WITH HIS FIFTY,.... The king, not being at all terrified with the awful judgment upon the former, sends another: AND HE ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, O MAN OF GOD, THUS HATH THE KING SAID, COME DOWN QUICKLY; he flouts the prophet in the same manner... [ Continue Reading ]
AND ELIJAH ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO THEM,.... The same as he had to the first captain, and made the same request of fire from heaven; which accordingly came down, and destroyed this captain and his fifty also.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SENT AGAIN A CAPTAIN OF THE THIRD FIFTY WITH HIS FIFTY,.... Which was most daring and insolent, and showed him to be dreadfully hardened, to persist in his messages after such rebuffs: and the third captain of fifty went up; instead of calling to the prophet at the bottom of the hill as the o... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, THERE CAME FIRE DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND BURNT UP THE TWO CAPTAINS OF THE FORMER FIFTIES WITH THEIR FIFTIES,.... He owns the facts, and ascribes the death of them to the true cause, and appears to have an awful sense of the judgment of God on them, fearing the same would befall him and his: THE... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD SAID UNTO ELIJAH, e.] The same as in 2 Kings 1:3 or "had said" g, as some render it, before this captain came: GO DOWN WITH HIM the captain and his men: AND BE NOT AFRAID OF HIM; of King Ahaziah, whom he might fear, because of the message he had sent him, that he should d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,.... Elijah to King Ahaziah when introduced into his chamber; and after some discourse passed between them, he confirmed what he had said to his messengers, and expressed it in the same language as in 2 Kings 1:3 2 Kings 1:3 2 Kings 1:4... [ Continue Reading ]
SO HE DIED, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH ELIJAH HAD SPOKEN,.... How long or how soon after this is not said; however, he died of the sickness, and on the bed to which he went up, as he said: AND JEHORAM REIGNED IN HIS STEAD: who was another son of Ahab, and brother of Ahaziah, 2 Kings 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THE REST OF THE ACTS OF AHAZIAH WHICH HE DID,.... During his two years' reign, which yet were imperfect, and his acts must be but few: ARE THEY NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES OF THE KINGS OF ISRAEL? in which were written his father Ahab's also, and his predecessors', see 1 Kings 22:3... [ Continue Reading ]