Text -- 2 Kings 8:10-29 (NET)

8:10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 8:11 Elisha just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable. Then the prophet started crying. 8:12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 8:13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.” 8:14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 8:15 The next day Hazael took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.

Jehoram’s Reign over Judah

8:16 In the fifth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah. 8:17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 8:18 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did evil in the sight of the Lord. 8:19 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty. 8:20 During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king. 8:21 Joram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers. The Israelite army retreated to their homeland. 8:22 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day. At that same time Libnah also rebelled. 8:23 The rest of the events of Joram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah. 8:24 Joram passed away and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.

Ahaziah Takes the Throne of Judah

8:25 In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. 8:26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter of King Omri of Israel. 8:27 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of the Lord, like Ahab’s dynasty, for he was related to Ahab’s family. 8:28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 8:29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: 2Ki 8:10

Here is no contradiction: for the first words contain an answer to Benhadad's question, shall I recover? To which the answer is, thou mayest, notwithstanding thy disease, which is not mortal. The latter words contain the prophet's addition to that answer, which is, that he should die, not by the power of his disease, but by some other cause.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:11

The prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:11

'Till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending the prophet discerned something of an evil and shameful nature in him.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:13

So fierce, barbarous, and inhuman.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:13

And when thou shalt have power in thy hand, thou wilt discover that bloody disposition, and that hatred against God's people, which now lies hid from others, and possibly from thyself.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:15

So closely, that he choaked him therewith.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:16

Jehoram was first made king or vice - roy, by his father divers years before this time, at his expedition to Ramoth - Gilead, which dominion of his, ended at his father's return. But now Jehoshaphat, being not far from his death, and having divers sons and fearing some competition among them, makes Jehoram king the second time, as David did Solomon upon the like occasion.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:18

After his father's death.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:18

Athaliah. This unequal marriage, though Jehoshaphat possibly designed it as a means of uniting the two kingdoms under one head, is here and elsewhere noted, as the cause both of the great wickedness of his posterity, and of those sore calamities which befel them. No good could be reasonably expected from such an union.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:18

ruined.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:19

Until the coming of the Messiah: for so long, and not longer, this succession might seem necessary for the making good of God's promise and covenant made with David. But when the Messiah, was once come, there was no more need of any succession, and the scepter might and did without any inconvenience depart from Judah, and from all the succeeding branches of David's family, because the Messiah was to hold the kingdom forever in his own person, though not in so gross a way as the carnal Jews imagined.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:19

A son and successor.

Wesley: 2Ki 8:29

The same place with Ramoth, or Ramoth - Gilead.

JFB: 2Ki 8:10

There was no contradiction in this message. This part was properly the answer to Ben-hadad's inquiry [2Ki 8:9]. The second part was intended for Hazael, who, like an artful and ambitious courtier, reported only as much of the prophet's statement as suited his own views (compare 2Ki 8:14).

JFB: 2Ki 8:11

That is, Hazael. The steadfast, penetrating look of the prophet seemed to have convinced Hazael that his secret designs were known. The deep emotions of Elisha were justified by the horrible atrocities which, too common in ancient warfare, that successful usurper committed in Israel (2Ki 10:32; 2Ki 13:3-4, 2Ki 13:22).

JFB: 2Ki 8:15

A coverlet. In the East, this article of bedding is generally a thick quilt of wool or cotton, so that, with its great weight, when steeped in water, it would be a fit instrument for accomplishing the murderous purpose, without leaving any marks of violence. It has been supposed by many doubtful that Hazael purposely murdered the king. But it is common for Eastern people to sleep with their faces covered with a mosquito net; and, in some cases of fever, they dampen the bedclothes. Hazael, aware of those chilling remedies being usually resorted to, might have, with an honest intention, spread a refreshing cover over him. The rapid occurrence of the king's death and immediate burial were favorable to his instant elevation to the throne.

JFB: 2Ki 8:16

(See on 2Ki 3:1). His father resigned the throne to him two years before his death.

JFB: 2Ki 8:18

Athaliah, through whose influence Jehoram introduced the worship of Baal and many other evils into the kingdom of Judah (see 2Ch. 21:2-20). This apostasy would have led to the total extinction of the royal family in that kingdom, had it not been for the divine promise to David (2Sa 7:16). A national chastisement, however, was inflicted on Judah by the revolt of Edom, which, being hitherto governed by a tributary ruler (2Ki 3:9; 1Ki 22:47), erected the standard of independence (2Ch 21:9).

JFB: 2Ki 8:24

(See on 2Ch 22:1).

Clarke: 2Ki 8:10

Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die - That is, God has not determined thy death, nor will it be a necessary consequence of the disease by which thou art now afflicted; but this wicked man will abuse the power and trust thou hast reposed in him, and take away thy life. Even when God has not designed nor appointed the death of a person, he may nevertheless die, though not without the permission of God. This is a farther proof of the doctrine of contingent events: he might live for all his sickness, but thou wilt put an end to his life.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:11

He settled his countenance steadfastly - Of whom does the author speak? Of Hazael, or of Elisha? Several apply this action to the prophet: he had a murderer before him and he saw the bloody acts he was about to commit, and was greatly distressed; but he endeavored to conceal his feelings: at last his face reddened with anguish, his feelings overcame him, and he burst out and wept

The Septuagint, as it stands in the Complutensian and Antwerp Polyglots, makes the text very plain: Και ἑστη Αζαηλ κατα πρωσοπον αυτου, και παρεθηκεν ενωπιον αυτου δωρα, ἑως ῃσχυνετο· και εκλαυσεν ὁ ανθρωπος του Θεου, And Hazael stood before his face, and he presented before him gifts till he was ashamed; and the man of God wept

The Codex Vaticanus, and the Codex Alexandrinus, are nearly as the Hebrew. The Aldine edition agrees in some respects with the Complutensian; but all the versions follow the Hebrew.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:12

I know the evil that thou wilt do - We may see something of the accomplishment of this prediction, 2Ki 10:32, 2Ki 10:33; 2Ki 13:3, 2Ki 13:7.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:13

But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great things - I believe this verse to be wrongly interpreted by the general run of commentators. It is generally understood that Hazael was struck with horror at the prediction; that these cruelties were most alien from his mind; that he then felt distressed and offended at the imputation of such evils to him; and yet, so little did he know his own heart, that when he got power, and had opportunity, he did the whole with a willing heart and a ready hand. On the contrary, I think he was delighted at the prospect; and his question rather implies a doubt whether a person so inconsiderable as he is shall ever have it in his power to do such great, not such evil things; for, in his sight, they had no turpitude. The Hebrew text stands thus: כי מה עבדך הכלב כי יעשה הדבר הגדול הזה ki mah abdecha hakkeleb , ki yaaseh haddabar haggadol hazzeh ? "But, what! thy servant, this dog! that he should do this great work!"Or, "Can such a poor, worthless fellow, such a dead dog, [ ὁ κυων ὁ τεθνηκως, Sept.], perform such mighty actions? thou fillest me with surprise."And that this is the true sense, his immediate murder of his master on his return fully proves. "Our common version of these words of Hazael,"as Mr. Patten observes, "has stood in the front of many a fine declamation utterly wide of his real sentiment. His exclamation was not the result of horror; his expression has no tincture of it; but of the unexpected glimpse of a crown! The prophet’ s answer is plainly calculated to satisfy the astonishment he had excited. A dog bears not, in Scripture, the character of a cruel, but of a despicable animal; nor does he who is shocked with its barbarity call it a Great deed."- David Vindicated.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:15

A thick cloth - The versions, in general, understand this of a hairy or woollen cloth

Clarke: 2Ki 8:15

So that he died - He was smothered, or suffocated.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:16

In the fifth year of Joram - This verse, as it stands in the present Hebrew text, may be thus read: "And in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, [and of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah], reigned Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah."The three Hebrew words, ויהושפט מלך יהודה, and of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, greatly disturb the chronology in this place. It is certain that Jehoshaphat reigned twenty-five years, and that Jehoram his son reigned but eight; 1Ki 22:42; 2Ki 8:17; 2Ch 20:31; 2Ch 21:5. So that he could not have reigned during his father’ s life without being king twenty years, and eight years! These words are wanting in three of Kennicott’ s and De Rossi’ s MSS. in the Complutensian and Aldine editions of the Septuagint, in the Peshito Syriac, in the Parisian Heptapler Syriac, the Arabic, and in many copies of the Vulgate, collated by Dr. Kennicott and De Rossi, both printed and manuscript; to which may be added two MSS. in my own library, one of the fourteenth, the other of the eleventh century, and in what I judge to be the Editio Princeps of the Vulgate. And it is worthy of remark that in this latter work, after the fifteenth verse, ending with Quo mortuo regnavit Azahel pro eo , the following words are in a smaller character, Anno quinto Joram filii Achab regis Israhel, regnavit Joram filius Josaphat rex Juda. Triginta , etc. We have already seen that it is supposed that Jehoshaphat associated his son with him in the kingdom; and that the fifth year in this place only regards Joram king of Israel, and not Jehoshaphat king of Judah. See the notes on 2Ki 1:17.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:17

He reigned eight years in Jerusalem - Beginning with the fifth year of Joram, king of Israel. He reigned three years with Jehoshaphat his father, and five years alone; i.e., from A.M. 3112 to 3119, according to Archbishop Usher.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:18

The daughter of Ahab was his wife - This was the infamous Athaliah; and through this marriage Jehoshaphat and Ahab were confederates; and this friendship was continued after Ahab’ s death.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:19

To give him alway a light - To give him a successor in his own family.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:21

Joram went over to Zair - This is the same as Seir, a chief city of Idumea. So Isa 21:11 : The burden of Dumah (Idumea). He calleth to me out of Seir

Clarke: 2Ki 8:21

Smote the Edomites - It appears that the Israelites were surrounded by the Idumeans; and that in the night Joram and his men cut their way through them, and so got every man to his tent, for they were not able to make any farther head against these enemies; and therefore it is said, that Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:23

Are they not written in the book of the chronicles - Several remarkable particulars relative to Joram may be found in 2 Chron. 21.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:26

Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign - In 2Ch 22:2, it is said, forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; this is a heavy difficulty, to remove which several expedients have been used. It is most evident that, if we follow the reading in Chronicles, it makes the son two years older than his own father! for his father began to reign when he was thirty-two years old, and reigned eight years, and so died, being forty years old; see 2Ki 8:17. Dr. Lightfoot says, "The original meaneth thus: Ahaziah was the son of two and forty years; namely, of the house of Omri, of whose seed he was by the mother’ s side; and he walked in the ways of that house, and came to ruin at the same time with it. This the text directs us to look after, when it calleth his mother the daughter of Omri, who was indeed the daughter of Ahab. Now, these forty-two years are easily reckoned by any that will count back in the Chronicle to the second of Omri. Such another reckoning there is about Jechoniah, or Jehoiachin, 2Ki 24:8 : Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign. But, 2Ch 36:9, Jehoiachin was the son of the eight years; that is, the beginning of his reign fell in the eighth year of Nebuchadnezzar, and of Judah’ s first captivity."- Works, vol. i., p. 87

After all, here is a most manifest contradiction, that cannot be removed but by having recourse to violent modes of solution. I am satisfied the reading in 2Ch 22:2 (note), is a mistake; and that we should read there, as here, twenty-two instead of forty-two years; see the note there. And may we not say with Calmet, Which is most dangerous, to acknowledge that transcribers have made some mistakes in copying the sacred books, or to acknowledge that there are contradictions in them, and then to have recourse to solutions that can yield no satisfaction to any unprejudiced mind? I add, that no mode of solution yet found out has succeeded in removing the difficulty; and of all the MSS. which have been collated, and they amount to several hundred, not one confirms the reading of twenty-two years. And to it all the ancient versions are equally unfriendly.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:28

The Syrians wounded Joram - Ahaziah went with Joram to endeavor to wrest Ramoth-gilead out of the hands of the Syrians, which belonged to Israel and Judah. Ahab had endeavored to do this before, and was slain there; see 1Ki 22:3 (note), etc., and the notes there.

Clarke: 2Ki 8:29

Went back to be healed in Jezreel - And there he continued till Jehu conspired against and slew him there. And thus the blood of the innocents, which had been shed by Ahab and his wife Jezebel, was visited on them in the total extinction of their family. See the following chapters, where the bloody tale of Jehu’ s conspiracy is told at large

I Have already had to remark on the chronological difficulties which occur in the historical books; difficulties for which copyists alone are responsible. To remove them by the plan of reconciliation, is in many cases impracticable; to conjectural criticism we must have recourse. And is there a single ancient author of any kind, but particularly those who have written on matters of history and chronology, whose works have been transmitted to us free of similar errors, owing to the negligence of transcribers?

Defender: 2Ki 8:15

Hazael proceeded to implement Elisha's prophecy (2Ki 8:13) by murdering Ben-hadad and usurping his throne. However, he is mentioned on Assyrian inscriptions as "a nobody," even though he reigned for some forty years."

TSK: 2Ki 8:10

Thou mayest : 1Ki 22:15

the Lord : 2Ki 8:13; Gen 41:39; Jer 38:21; Eze 11:25; Amo 3:7, Amo 7:1, Amo 7:4, Amo 7:7, Amo 8:1; Zec 1:20; Rev 22:1

he shall surely die : 2Ki 8:15, 2Ki 1:4, 2Ki 1:16; Gen 2:17; Eze 18:13

TSK: 2Ki 8:11

stedfastly : Heb. and set it

wept : Gen 45:2; Psa 119:136; Jer 4:19, Jer 9:1, Jer 9:18, Jer 13:17, Jer 14:17; Luk 19:41; Joh 11:35; Act 20:19, Act 20:31; Rom 9:2; Phi 3:18

TSK: 2Ki 8:12

my Lord : 2Ki 4:28; 1Ki 18:13

the evil : 2Ki 10:32, 2Ki 10:33, 2Ki 12:17, 2Ki 13:3, 2Ki 13:7; Amo 1:3, Amo 1:4

dash : 2Ki 15:16; Psa 137:8, Psa 137:9; Isa 13:16, Isa 13:18; Hos 10:14, Hos 13:16; Amo 1:3-5, Amo 1:13; Nah 3:10

TSK: 2Ki 8:13

a dog : 1Sa 17:43; 2Sa 9:8; Psa 22:16, Psa 22:20; Isa 56:10, Isa 56:11; Mat 7:6; Phi 3:2; Rev 22:15

he should do : Jer 17:9; Mat 26:33-35

The Lord : 2Ki 8:10; 1Ki 19:15; Mic 2:1

TSK: 2Ki 8:14

He told me : 2Ki 8:10, 2Ki 5:25; Mat 26:16

TSK: 2Ki 8:15

And it came : 2Ki 8:13; 1Sa 16:12, 1Sa 16:13, 1Sa 24:4-7, 1Sa 24:13, 1Sa 26:9-11; 1Ki 11:26-37

on the morrow : Psa 36:4; Mic 2:1

that he took a thick cloth : There is a considerable degree of ambiguity in this passage. The pronoun he is generally referred to Hazael; but Dr. Geddes and others are decidedly of the opinion, that we should understand by it Ben-hadad; who, encouraged by the favourable answer of Elisha, as reported by Hazael, adopted a violent remedy to allay the heat of his fever, and put over his face the keever , or fly-net. (See note on 1Sa 19:13), dipped in water, which suddenly checked the perspiration, and occasioned his death.

so that he died : 2Ki 9:24, 2Ki 15:10-14, 2Ki 15:25, 2Ki 15:30; 1Ki 15:28, 1Ki 16:10, 1Ki 16:18; Isa 33:1

Hazael : 2Ki 8:13; 1Ki 19:15

TSK: 2Ki 8:16

am 3112, bc 892

Jehoram : 2Ki 1:17; 1Ki 22:50; 2Chr. 21:1-20

began to reign : Heb. reigned, ""Began to reign in concert with his father.""

TSK: 2Ki 8:17

am 3112-3119, bc 892-885, 2Ki 8:17

TSK: 2Ki 8:18

in the way : 2Ki 3:2, 2Ki 3:3; 1Ki 22:52, 1Ki 22:53

the house : 2Ki 9:7, 2Ki 9:8, 2Ki 21:3, 2Ki 21:13; 2Ch 21:13; Mic 6:16

the daughter : 2Ki 8:26; 1Ki 21:25; 2Ch 18:1, 2Ch 19:2, 2Ch 21:6, 2Ch 22:1-4

his wife : Gen 6:1-5; Deu 7:3, Deu 7:4; 1Ki 11:1-5; Neh 13:25, Neh 13:26

TSK: 2Ki 8:19

for David : 2Ki 19:34; 2Sa 7:12, 2Sa 7:13, 2Sa 7:15; 1Ki 11:36, 1Ki 15:4, 1Ki 15:5; 2Ch 21:7; Isa 7:14, Isa 37:35; Jer 33:25, Jer 33:26; Hos 11:9; Luk 1:32, Luk 1:33

light : Heb. candle, or lamp, 1Ki 11:36

TSK: 2Ki 8:20

Edom : 2Ki 8:22, 2Ki 3:9, 2Ki 3:27; Gen 27:40; 2Ch 21:8-10

made a king : 2Sa 8:14; 1Ki 22:47

TSK: 2Ki 8:21

Zair : Zair is supposed by Calmet and others to be the same as Seir, the country of Seir the Horite, inhabited by the Edomites or Idumeans. Probably the former was a dialectical pronunciation of the latter. 2Ki 8:21

TSK: 2Ki 8:22

Yet : ""And so fulfilled. Gen 27:40.""2Ki 8:20

Libnah : 2Ki 19:8; Jos 21:13; 2Ch 21:10

TSK: 2Ki 8:23

2Ki 15:6, 2Ki 15:36; 1Ki 11:41, 1Ki 14:29, 1Ki 15:23; 2Ch 21:11-20

TSK: 2Ki 8:24

slept : 1Ki 2:10, 1Ki 11:43, 1Ki 14:20, 1Ki 14:31

Ahaziah : 1Ch 3:11; 2Ch 21:1, 2Ch 21:17, 2Ch 25:23, Jehoahaz, 2Ch 22:1, 2Ch 22:6, Azariah

TSK: 2Ki 8:25

am 3119-3120, bc 885-884, 2Ki 8:16, 2Ki 8:17, 2Ki 9:29; 2Ch 21:20

TSK: 2Ki 8:26

Two and twenty : In the parallel passage of Chronicles, it is said, ""forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign;""but this is evidently a mistake, as it makes the son two years older than his own father! For his father began to reign when he was thirty-two years old, and reigned eight years, and so died, being forty years old. See note on 2Ki 8:17, and see note on 2Ch 22:2.

one year : 2Ki 9:21-27; 2Ch 22:5-8

Athaliah : 2Ki 11:1, 2Ki 11:13-16

daughter : or, grand-daughter, 2Ki 8:18

TSK: 2Ki 8:27

he walked : 2Ki 8:18

the son in law : 2Ki 8:18; 2Ch 22:3, 2Ch 22:4; Ecc 7:26; 2Co 6:14-17

TSK: 2Ki 8:28

am 3120, bc 884

he went : 2Ki 3:7, 2Ki 9:15; 1Ki 22:4; 2Ch 18:2, 2Ch 18:3, 2Ch 18:31, 2Ch 19:2, 2Ch 22:5

Hazael : 2Ki 8:12, 2Ki 8:13; 1Ki 19:17

Ramothgilead : Jos 21:38; 1Ki 4:13, 1Ki 22:3

TSK: 2Ki 8:29

Joram : 2Ki 9:15

which the Syrians had given : Heb. wherewith the Syrians had wounded

Ramah : Called ""Ramoth,""2Ki 9:28.

Ahaziah : 2Ki 9:16; 2Ch 22:6, 2Ch 22:7

sick : Heb. wounded, 1Ki 22:34

Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: 2Ki 8:10

Translate - "Go, say unto him, Thou shalt certainly live: howbeit the Lord hath showed me that he shall certainly die."i. e.,"Say to him, what thou hast already determined to say, what a courtier is sure to say (compare 1Ki 22:15), but know that the fact will be otherwise."

Barnes: 2Ki 8:11

That is, "And he (Elisha) settled his conntenance, and set it (toward Hazael), until he (Hazael) was ashamed."Elisha fixed on Hazael a long and meaning look, until the latter’ s eyes fell before his, and his cheek flushed. Elisha, it would seem, had detected the guilty thought that was in Hazael’ s heart, and Hazael perceived that he had detected it. Hence the "shame."

Barnes: 2Ki 8:12

The evil that thou wilt do - The intention is not to tax Hazael with special cruelty, but only to enumerate the ordinary horrors of war, as it was conducted among the Oriental nations of the time. Compare the marginal references.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:13

But what, is thy servant a dog? - This is a mistranslation, and conveys to the English reader a sense quite different from that of the original. Hazael’ s speech runs thus - "But what is thy servant, this dog, that he should do this great thing?"He does not shrink from Elisha’ s words, or mean to say that he would be a dog, could he act so cruelly as Elisha predicts he will. On the contrary, Elisha’ s prediction has raised his hopes, and his only doubt is whether so much good fortune ("this great thing") can be in store for one so mean. "Dog"here, as generally (though not always) in Scripture, has the sense of "mean,""low,""contemptible."

Barnes: 2Ki 8:14

Hazael omitted the clause by which Elisha had shown how those words were to be understood. He thus deceived his master, while he could flatter himself that he had not uttered a lie.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:15

A thick cloth - Probably, a cloth or mat placed between the head and the upper part of the bedstead, which in Egypt and Assyria was often so shaped that pillows (in our sense) were unnecessary.

The objection that Elisha is involved in the guilt of having suggested the deed, has no real force or value. Hazael was no more obliged to murder Benhadad because a prophet announced to him that he would one day be king of Syria, than David was obliged to murder Saul because another prophet anointed him king in Saul’ s room 1Sa 16:1-13.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:16-19

The passage is parenthetic, resuming the history of the kingdom of Judah from 1Ki 22:50.

2Ki 8:16

The opening words are - "In the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah;"but they contradict all the other chronological notices of Jehoshaphat 1Ki 22:42, 1Ki 22:51; 2Ki 3:1; 2Ch 20:31, which give him a reign of at least twenty-three years. Hence, some have supposed that the words "Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah,"are accidentally repeated. Those, however, who regard them and 2Ki 1:17 as sound, suppose that Jehoshaphat gave his son the royal title in his 16th year, while he advanced him to a real association in the empire seven years later, in his 23rd year. Two years afterward, Jehoshatphat died, and Jehoram became sole king.

2Ki 8:17

The "eight years"are counted from his association in the kingdom. They terminate in the twelfth year of Johoram of Israel.

2Ki 8:18

Jehoshaphat’ s alliance, political and social, with Ahab and Ahab’ s family had not been allowed to affect the purity of his faith. Jehoram his son, influenced by his wife, Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab, "walked in the way of the kings of Israel;"he allowed, i. e., the introduction of the Baal-worship into Judaea.

Among the worst of Jehoram’ s evil doings must be reckoned the cruel murder of his six brothers 2Ch 21:4, whom he killed to obtain their wealth.

2Ki 8:19

The natural consequence of Jehoram’ s apostasy would have been the destruction of his house, and the transfer of the throne of Judah to another family. Compare the punishments of Jeroboam 1Ki 14:10, Baasha 1Ki 16:2-4, and Ahab 1Ki 21:20-22. But the promises to David (marginal references) prevented this removal of the dynasty; and so Jehoram was punished in other ways 2Ki 8:22; 2Ch 21:12-19.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:20

Edom, which had been reduced by David 2Sa 8:14; 1Ki 11:15-16, but had apparently revolted from Solomon 1Ki 11:14, was again subjected to Judah in the reign of Jehoshaphat 2 Kings 3:8-26. The Edomites had, however, retained their native kings, and with them the spirit of independence. They now rose in revolt, and fulfilled the prophecy Gen 27:40, remaining from henceforth a separate and independent people (Jer 25:21; Jer 27:3; Amo 1:11, etc.). Kings of Edom, who seem to be independent monarchs, are often mentioned in the Assyrian inscriptions.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:21

Zair - Perhaps Seir, the famous mountain of Edom Gen 14:6.

The people - i. e., The Edomites. Yet, notwithstanding his success, Joram was forced to withdraw from the country, and to leave the natives to enjoy that independence 2Ki 8:22, which continued until the time of John Hyrcanus, who once more reduced them.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:22

Libnah revolted - Libnah being toward the southwest of Palestine Jos 15:42, its revolt cannot well have had any direct connection with that of Edom. It had been the capital of a small Canaanite state under a separate king before its conquest by Joshua Jos 10:30; Jos 12:15, and may perhaps always have retained a considerable Canaanite population. Or its loss may have been connected with the attacks made by the Philistines on Jehoram’ s territories 2Ch 21:16-17.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:24

On the death of Jehoram, see 2Ch 21:12-19. His son is also called Jehoahaz (margin) by a transposition of the two elements of the name.

Barnes: 2Ki 8:26

Such names as Athaliah, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, indicate that the Baal-worshipping kings of Israel did not openly renounce the service of Yahweh. Athaliah is "the time for Yahweh;"Ahaziah "the possession of Yahweh;"Jehoram, or Joram, "exalted by Yahweh."

The daughter of Omri - " Son"and "daughter"were used by the Jews of any descendants (compare Mat 1:1). The whole race were "the children of Israel."Athaliah was the grand-daughter of Omri (see the margin). Her being called "the daughter of Omri"implies that an idea of special greatness was regarded as attaching to him, so that his name prevailed over that of Ahab. Indications of this ideal greatness are found in the Assyrian inscriptions, where the early name for Samaria is Beth-Omri, and where even Jehu has the title of "the son of Omri."

Barnes: 2Ki 8:28

This war of the two kings against Hazael seems to have had for its object the recovery of Ramoth-gilead, which Ahab and Jehoshaphat had vainly attempted fourteen years earlier 1 Kings 22:3-36. Joram probably thought that the accession of a new and usurping monarch presented a favorable opportunity for a renewal of the war. It may also have happened that Hazael was engaged at the time upon his northern frontier with repelling one of those Assyrian attacks which seem by the inscriptions to have fallen upon him in quick succession during his earlier years. At any rate, the war appears to have been successful. Ramoth-gilead was recovered 2Ki 9:14, and remained probably thenceforth in the hands of the Israelites.

The Syrians wounded Joram - According to Josephus, Joram was struck by an arrow in the course of the siege, but remained until the place was taken. He then withdrew to Jezreel 1Ki 18:45; 1Ki 21:1, leaving his army under Jehu within the walls of the town.

Poole: 2Ki 8:10

Here is no contradiction; for the first words contain an answer to Ben-hadad’ s question, 2Ki 8:8 ,

Shall I recover of this disease? To which the answer is, Thou mayest or shalt recover , i.e. notwithstanding thy disease, which is not mortal, and shall not take away thy life. The latter words contain the prophet’ s explication of or addition to that answer, which is, that he should die, not by the power of his disease, but by some other cause. But it is observable, that in the Hebrew text it is lo, the adverb, which signifies not; which though most affirm to be put for to, the pronoun, signifying to him; yet others take it as it lies, and translate the words thus, Say, Thou shalt not recover; for the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die . Or, according to the former reading, the first words may be taken interrogatively, Say unto him, Shalt thou indeed recover ? (as thou dost flatter thyself:) no; (which negation is implied in the very question, and gathered from the following words;) for the Lord hath showed me that he shall surely die .

Poole: 2Ki 8:11

He settled his countenance stedfastly the prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.

Until he was ashamed either till the prophet was ashamed to look any longer upon him; or till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending that the prophet suspected or discerned something extraordinary and of an evil and shameful nature in him. The Hebrew words are ambiguous, and may indifferently be referred to either of them; but they seem more properly to belong to Hazael, because it follows, by way of distinction, the man of God wept.

Poole: 2Ki 8:12

So here was a double cause of his grief and tears, the evil of sin in Hazael, and the evil of suffering upon Israel.

Poole: 2Ki 8:13

Is thy servant a dog? either so vile and unworthy, as this expression is used, 2Sa 3:8 9:8 ; or so impudent, for which dogs are noted; or so fierce, and barbarous, and inhuman. Compare Psa 22:16,20 59:6 .

Thou shalt be king over Syria and then thou shalt have power in thy hand, thou wilt discover that bloody disposition, and that hatred against God’ s people, which now lies hid from others, and possibly from thyself; and therefore with the kingdom thou wilt inherit their cruel dispositions.

Poole: 2Ki 8:14

He represents the prophet’ s answer by halves, that by his master’ s security he might have the fitter opportunity to execute his reasonable design.

Poole: 2Ki 8:15

Spread it on his face pretending, it may be, to cool his immoderate heat with it; but applying it so closely, that he choked him therewith; by which artifice his death seemed to be natural, there being no signs of a violent death upon his body. And this he the more boldly attempted, because the prophet’ s prediction made him confident of the success.

Hazael reigned in his stead having the favour of the people, and of the men of war.

Poole: 2Ki 8:16

Jehoram was first made king or viceroy by his father divers years before this time, to wit, at his expedition to Ramoth-gilead, as was noted before; which dominion of his ended at his father’ s return. But now Jehoshaphat, being not far from his death, and having divers sons, and fearing some competition and dissension among them, makes Jehoram king the second time, as David did Solomon upon the like occasion, 1Ch 29:22 , which is the thing here related. But of this See Poole "2Ki 1:17" ; See Poole "2Ki 3:1" .

Poole: 2Ki 8:17

Part with his father, and part by himself alone.

Poole: 2Ki 8:18

He walked in the way of the kings of Israel after his father’ s death. The daughter of Ahab ; Athaliah, 2Ki 8:26 . This unequal marriage, though Jehoshaphat possibly designed it as a mean of uniting the two kingdoms under one head, and in the true religion, is here and elsewhere noted as the cause both of the great wickedness of his posterity, and of those sore calamities which befell them.

Poole: 2Ki 8:19

Alway Heb. all days , until the coming of the Messiah, as it is elsewhere limited and explained; for so long, and not longer, this succession might seem necessary for the making good of God’ s promise and covenant made with David. But when the Messiah was once come, there was no more need of any succession, and the sceptre might and did without any inconvenience depart from Judah, and from all the succeeding branches of David’ s family, because the Messiah was to hold the kingdom for ever in his own person, though not in so gross a way as the carnal Jews imagined, but in a spiritual manner.

A light i.e. a son and successor. Of this phrase, See Poole "1Ki 11:36" .

Poole: 2Ki 8:20

From under the hand of Judah under which they had been from David’ s time, 2Sa 8:14 . Compare 1Ki 22:47 .

Poole: 2Ki 8:21

i.e. The common soldiers of the Edomites, herein following the example of their captains.

Poole: 2Ki 8:22

Edom revolted for though Joram had given them a defeat, yet it may seem to have been no great slaughter, but only a putting them to flight; and therefore they might easily rally again. And Joram could not pursue the victory, because he was recalled by the revolt of his own subjects, which had taken the occasion of his absence, and probably feared that others would follow their example, if they had the like occasion.

Libnah a considerable city in Judah, belonging to the priests, Jos 15:42 21:13 . Why Libnah revolted, see 2Ch 21:10,11 . It is probable they returned to their obedience, because those words, unto this day, which are added to the former clause, are omitted here.

Poole: 2Ki 8:23

of which See Poole "1Ki 14:19" .

Poole: 2Ki 8:25

In the twelfth year of Joram

Object. It was in the eleventh year of Joram, 2Ki 9:29 .

Answ Either, first, He began to reign in the confines of Joram’ s eleventh and twelfth year, in the very end of his eleventh year, or towards the beginning of the twelfth, whence it is indifferently ascribed to the one or the other. Or, secondly, The one year of Ahaziah did concur with the latter half of Joram’ s eleventh year, and the former half of his twelfth year: and if he could not be said to

begin to reign in both these years, yet he might unquestionably be said to reign in both of them; and the Hebrew word, both here and 2Ki 9:29 , properly signifies he reigned , and not he began to reign , as it is translated. Or, thirdly, Ahaziah began to reign with his father, and during his life, according to the late examples both in Judah and Israel, there being also special occasion for it, by reason of Joram’ s cruel and long sickness, 2Ch 21:18 , &c.; and this was in Joram’ s eleventh ear, and then his father died, and he began his single reign in Joram’ s twelfth year.

Ahaziah called also Jehoahaz , 2Ch 21:17 , and Azariah, 2Ch 22:6 .

Poole: 2Ki 8:26

How this agrees with 2Ch 22:2 , See Poole "2Ch 22:2" on that place.

The daughter of Omri i.e. his granddaughter. See above 2Ki 8:18 .

Poole: 2Ki 8:27

He was the proper son of Athaliah, daughter of Ahab, and the grandson-in-law of Ahab, because his father was Ahab’ s son-in-law, 2Ki 8:18 .

Poole: 2Ki 8:29

The same place with Ramoth, or Ramoth-gilead.

Haydock: 2Ki 8:10

Tell him: Thou shalt recover. By these words the prophet signified that the king's disease was not mortal: and that he would recover, if no violence were used. Or he might only express himself in this manner, by way of giving Hazael to understand that he knew both what he would say and do; that he would indeed tell the king he should recover, but would be himself the instrument of his death. (Challoner) -- The imperative is often used for the future tense. (Gloss iii. 3.) (John ii. 19.) The present Hebrew reads, "Thou shalt not live: for," &c., which removes the difficulty. But the Chaldean, Septuagint, Syriac, &c., agree with the Vulgate, (Calmet) as the Protestant version also does. "Thou mayst certainly recover, howbeit the Lord," &c. (Haydock) ---

Lo, "not," in the Hebrew text, seems however preferable to the marginal reading, lu, "to him." This mistake has been sometimes made elsewhere, and ought to be carefully examined. (Kennicott, 1 Paralipomenon xi. 20.)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:11

Blush. This may be referred either to Hazael, who was astonished at the words and looks of the prophet, (Haydock) or to Eliseus. (Menochius) ---

Septuagint (Complutensian) , "and Hazael stood before his face, and he displayed the presents before him, till he blushed, and the," &c. Though this has the appearance of a gloss, it is perhaps more conformable to the Hebrew and to an ancient Greek version. (Calmet) ---

Protestants, "he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed."

Haydock: 2Ki 8:13

A dog. He speaks with indignation, as if he could not be so brutal; (Tirinus) or he could not yet think that he should be king. (Calmet) ---

He afterwards proved as cruel as the prophet had signified, chap. x. 32., and Amos i. 3. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:15

Blanket. Hebrew macber, a word which the Septuagint retain. (Haydock) ---

It denotes a hairy coverlet, pillow, &c. Tiberius and Frederic II met with the like fate. (Calmet) ---

some think that Hazael was only guilty of imprudence; (Menochius) or that Benadad killed himself; as the Hebrew might be rendered, if the sequel did not evince that his death was caused by Hazael's malice. (Calmet) ---

He might pretend that the wet cloth would give Benadad refreshment. (Haydock) ---

But it would bring on present death, with most exquisite torture. (Tirinus) ---

The names of both these kings were in great veneration among the Syrians, who paid them divine honours. (Josephus, [Antiquities?] ix. 4.) ---

Perhaps they might not know that the latter had been guilty of such a base murder. (Haydock)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:16

Fifth. Houbigant would read "third," p. 100. See chap. i. 17. (Haydock) ---

Josaphat. That is, Josaphat being yet alive, who some time before his death made his son Joram king; as David had done before by his son Solomon. (Challoner) ---

The words are omitted in some copies of the Septuagint (Du Hamel) and are perhaps inserted from the end of the verse. (Haydock) ---

Protestants, "Jehosaphat being then king," in his 22d year. (Haydock) ---

Joram had been appointed viceroy in the sixteenth year of his father's reign, and was now raised to sit on the throne with him. Thus the Scripture may be reconciled. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:18

Achab, Athalia. She led her husband into all wickedness. (Tirinus) (2 Paralipomenon xxi.)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:19

Light, or lamp, posterity and regal power, 3 Kings xi. 36. (Haydock)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:20

King. The one under Josaphat was dependant, chap. iii. 9., and 3 Kings xxii. 48. Thus the prediction of Jacob was verified, (Genesis xxvii. 40.; Calmet) and Joram punished. (Haydock)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:21

Seira, or Idumea, Genesis xiv. 6. ---

Defeated. The Syriac and Arabic explain it in a contrary sense, as the Hebrew may well signify, and the sequel seems to prove, as the Edomites became independent. Hebrew, "He rose....and attacked Edom that surrounded him, (with superior numbers) and the princes... and the people (of Israel) fled." But the text will also bear the sense of the Vulgate, which is conformable to 2 Paralipomenon xxi. 9., which does not say the people, &c., though these words may be understood of the Edomites. Joram could not derive such advantage from his victory, as to reduce the nation under his obedience. (Calmet)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:22

Day, when Jeremias, the author lived. (Tostat) ---

Lobna, a frontier town bordering on Idumea. It was a strong place assigned to priests; but strangers had probably again taken possession of it, and caused it now to revolt. The kings of Juda had retaken it when Sennacherib laid siege to the place. See chap. xix. 8., and Josue x. 30., and xxi. 13.

Haydock: 2Ki 8:24

Slept, after a lingering and painful illness of two years' continuance. Joram was not buried in the tomb of the other kings, nor were perfumes burnt over his corpse; (Calmet) as his memory was abhorred, 2 Paralipomenon xxi.

Haydock: 2Ki 8:25

Twelfth, more correctly than "the eleventh," chap. ix. 29. (Houbigant)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:26

Twenty. In 2 Paralipomenon xxii. 2., we read forty, by mistake of the transcribers, as Ochozias, (Joachaz, or Azarias, 2 Paralipomenon xxi. 17.) would thus be older than his father, who died at the age of forty, 2 Paralipomenon xxi. 20. All the original versions, and many copies of the Septuagint read "twenty-two" in both passages; and those who would admit no mistake, are forced to have recourse to explanations which can give no satisfaction. De Dieu would include in the reign of Ochozias the six years of Athalia's usurpation, and the thirteen of Joas, during his minority. Others would date from the separation of the two kingdoms, &c. But would the Holy Ghost cause the same fact to be recorded in two places in such a different manner? The best chronologists acknowledge a mistake in the Hebrew text of Paralipomenon. (Cajetan; Salien; Petau; Tirinus, &c.; Calmet) as the letters which denote these numbers are not unlike (Mariana:) c (20) might easily be exchanged for m (40.) (Haydock) ---

Daughter. That is, grand-daughter; for she was daughter of Achab, son of Amri, ver. 18., (Challoner) unless she was only adopted by Achab. (Worthington)

Haydock: 2Ki 8:28

Galaad. The same city had proved fatal to Achab, 3 Kings xxii. Joram took it, but received (Calmet) many wounds; so that he left Jehu to attack the citadel. The latter was anointed king, and acknowledged by the army. He immediately proceeded to Jezrahel, and put his master to death. (Haydock)

Gill: 2Ki 8:10

And Elisha said unto him, go, say unto him, thou mayest certainly recover,.... That is, of the disease; and there was not only a probability that he might recover of it, it not being a mortal one, but a certainty that he should not die of it, as he did not, but die a violent death, which the prophet predicts in the next clause; though some take these words not as a command, what he should say, but as a prediction of what he would say; that he would go and tell him he should certainly recover, because he would not discourage him, though the prophet assures him in the next clause that he should die: there is a various reading of these words; we follow the marginal reading, but the textual reading is, "say, thou shall not certainly recover", or "in living live"; which agrees with what follows:

howbeit or "for"

the Lord hath showed me, that he shall surely die; though not of that sickness, nor a natural death, but a violent one, and that by the hand of this his servant, though he does not express it.

Gill: 2Ki 8:11

And he settled his countenance steadfastly,.... Refrained himself as much as possible, that he might not weep, as some Jewish writers interpret it; or, as others, he turned his face on one side, and covered it with his hands, that Hazael might not see him weep; or rather he set his face on Hazael, and looked at him so wistly:

until he was ashamed; that is, Hazael; the prophet looked him out of countenance:

and the man of God wept; at the thought of what calamities the man before him, he looked on, would be the cause of in Israel, as the following words show.

Gill: 2Ki 8:12

And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord?.... Imagining it was for the death of Benhadad he had predicted, for which he could see no reason; of the title, "my lord", see 1Ki 18:7.

and he answered, because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel; which he foresaw by a spirit of prophecy; and Israel being his own people, he sympathized in their calamities before they came:

their strong holds wilt thou set on fire; which should be taken by him, see 2Ki 10:32

and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword; in battle:

and wilt dash their children; against rocks and stones, or stone walls, or upon the ground, floor, or pavement, as was usual in war ^g, see Psa 137:9,

and rip up their women with child: which was the height of barbarity and cruelty. Ben Gersom and Ben Melech interpret this of breaking down the walls of fortified cities, built strong, like hills and mountains; but this is supposed in the first clause.

Gill: 2Ki 8:13

And Hazael said, but what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing?.... What dost thou take me to be, a vile, impudent, fierce, and cruel creature, as a dog, to be guilty of so great inhumanity and barbarity as this? or what is thy servant? a dog, a mean abject creature, of no power and authority, incapable of doing such great things spoken of? to which sense not only what is predicted of him, said to be great, inclines, but what follows:

and Elisha answered, the Lord hath showed me that thou shall be king over Syria; and that thou shalt have power enough to do this; this declaration, according to Ben Gersom, was the anointing of him, predicted 1Ki 19:15.

Gill: 2Ki 8:14

So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master,.... Benhadad king of Syria:

who said to him, what said Elisha to thee? concerning his recovery, which was the thing uppermost in his mind, and he was eagerly desirous to know how it would be:

and he answered, he told me that thou shouldest surely recover; which was false; for he only said that he "might", and not that he should; and he concealed what he also declared, that though he might recover of his disease, yet that he should surely die in another way.

Gill: 2Ki 8:15

And it came to pass on the morrow,.... In such haste was Hazael to be king, as the prophet said he would be:

that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died; not that Benhadad took or ordered such a cloth to be dipped and laid on his own face, to allay the violent heat in him; but Hazael did this, and perhaps under such a pretence; but his real design was to strike in the heat, or suffocate him; for such a thick cloth, one of the bedclothes, made of goats' hair, as is supposed, being dipped in water, would suck in a great deal; and being laid on his face, would press hard, and he not able to throw it off, it would let in much water into his mouth and nostrils, and suffocate him, without leaving any marks of violence, which might render his death suspicious:

and Hazael reigned in his stead; having an interest in the army, of which he was general, and perhaps had done some exploits which had recommended him to the regard of the people.

Gill: 2Ki 8:16

And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel,.... Who began his reign in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, 2Ki 3:1.

Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah; as he continued to be two years more; for this must be in the twenty third year of his reign, and he reigned twenty five years, 1Ki 22:42.

Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign; according to Dr. Lightfoot ^h, there were three beginnings of his reign; "first", when his father went with Ahab to Ramothgilead, when be was left viceroy, and afterwards his father reassumed the kingdom; the "second" time was, when Jehoshaphat went with the kings of Israel and Edom against Moab; and this is the time here respected, which was in the fifth of Joram king of Israel; and the "third" time was, at the death of his father; but knew his father was living.

Gill: 2Ki 8:17

Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign,.... The second time, in the lifetime of his father:

and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem; which ended in the twelfth year of Joram king of Israel, 2Ki 8:25.

Gill: 2Ki 8:18

And he walked in the way of the king's of Israel, as did the house of Ahab,.... Imitated them in idolatry:

for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; whose name was Athaliah, 2Ki 8:26, and by her he was drawn into idolatrous practices; of such bad consequence are marriages with idolaters; it is very much that so good a king as Jehoshaphat his father was should contract such an affinity; he suffered for it in more instances than one:

and he did evil in the sight of the Lord; was guilty of idolatry, than which nothing was more displeasing to the Lord; for he made high places, and compelled his subjects to commit idolatry, 2Ch 21:11.

Gill: 2Ki 8:19

Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake,.... Not for his merits, but for the mercy he assured him of:

as he promised him to give to him always a light, and to his children; or a kingdom, as the Targum; therefore he would not utterly destroy the tribe, nor suffer the sceptre or government to depart from it till the Messiah came, see Psa 132:11.

Gill: 2Ki 8:20

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah,.... Who had been tributary to Judah ever since the times of David, for the space of one hundred and fifty years:

and made a king over themselves; for though they are said to have kings, those were only deputy kings, as in 1Ki 22:47 and now the prediction of Isaac began to be accomplished, Gen 27:40.

Gill: 2Ki 8:21

So Joram went over to Zair,.... A city in Edom, the same with the Zaara of Ptolemy ⁱ; some take it to be the same with Seir, the mountain or country of that name:

and all the chariots with him; all the chariots of war he had:

and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about; who came out of their cities in great numbers, and surrounded him, he having entered into their country in an hostile way, to subdue them:

and the captains of the chariots: which belonged to the Edomites; those he smote, 2Ch 21:9.

and the people fled into their tents; the army being routed.

Gill: 2Ki 8:22

Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day,.... Joram not pursuing the enemy, and taking the advantage of the victory, but returning to his own land, the reason of which follows:

then Libnah revolted at the same time; a considerable city in his own kingdom, a Levitical one; this revolt was occasioned, perhaps, by his idolatrous practices, and which he compelled his subjects to; of this city, see Jos 10:29.

Gill: 2Ki 8:23

And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Not in the canonical book of Chronicles, though some of his acts are recorded there, see 2Ch 21:1 but in the annals of the kings of Judah, written by persons appointed for that purpose.

Gill: 2Ki 8:24

And Joram slept with his fathers,.... Died as they did:

and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; but not in the sepulchres of the kings, and without any funeral pomp, and without any mourning and lamentation for him, he being not beloved, and his life not at all desirable, 2Ch 21:19,

and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead; of whom more is said in the following verses.

Gill: 2Ki 8:25

In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign. He is called Jehoahaz, and said to be the youngest son of Jehoram, 2Ch 21:17.

Gill: 2Ki 8:26

Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign,.... In 2Ch 22:2 he is said to be forty two years of age; for the solution of that difficulty See Gill on 2Ch 22:2,

and he reigned one year in Jerusalem; which was the whole of his reign:

and his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel; that is, his granddaughter; for she was the daughter of Ahab the son of Omri, 2Ki 8:18, it was usual for grandchildren to be called children, sons and daughters, and perhaps she might be educated in the family of Omri.

Gill: 2Ki 8:27

And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord, as did the house of Ahab,.... Worshipping the calves, and Baal also:

for he was the son in law of the house of Ahab; he was the son of Jehoram, who was son-in-law to Ahab, having married his daughter, which accounts for his being guilty of the same idolatrous practices.

Gill: 2Ki 8:28

And he went with Joram the son of Ahab,.... His mother's brother, and so his uncle:

to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; which he went to recover out of the hands of the king of Syria, as his father Ahab had attempted in his time; in which he was assisted by Jehoshaphat, as now Joram was by a grandson of his:

and the Syrians wounded Joram; as they did his father Ahab at the same place, though his wound was not mortal, as his father's was.

Gill: 2Ki 8:29

From Ramoth, having taken it, and left his army there:

to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah; the same with Ramothgilead:

when he fought against Hazael king of Syria; for Benhadad being dead, he was now king in his room, 2Ki 8:15.

and Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick; of the wounds which he had received, which might occasion a feverish disorder; and so it was brought about in Providence that Ahaziah should here meet with the destruction appointed for him, of which in the following chapter. See 2Ch 22:7.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:10

¹ tc The consonantal text (Kethib) reads, “Go, say, ‘Surely you will not (לֹא, lo’) recover” In this case the vav beginning the next clause should be translated, “for, because.” The marginal reading (Qere) has, “Go, say to him (לוֹ, lo), ‘You will surely recover.” In this case the vav (ו) beginning the next clause should be translated, “although, but.” The Qere has the support of some medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions, and is consistent with v. 14, where Hazael tells the king, “You will surely recover.” It is possible that a scribe has changed לוֹ, “to him,” to לֹא, “not,” because he felt that Elisha would not lie to the king. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 90. Another possibility is that a scribe has decided to harmonize Elisha’s message with Hazael’s words in v. 14. But it is possible that Hazael, once he found out he would become the next king, decided to lie to the king to facilitate his assassination plot by making the king feel secure.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:11

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “and he made his face stand [i.e., be motionless] and set [his face?] until embarrassment.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:13

¹ tn Heb “Indeed, what is your servant, a dog, that he could do this great thing?” With his reference to a dog, Hazael is not denying that he is a “dog” and protesting that he would never commit such a dastardly “dog-like” deed. Rather, as Elisha’s response indicates, Hazael is suggesting that he, like a dog, is too insignificant to ever be in a position to lead such conquests.

² tn Heb “The Lord has shown me you [as] king over Syria.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:14

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:15

¹ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

² tn Heb “his”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:16

¹ tc The Hebrew text reads, “and in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, and [or, ‘while’?] Jehoshaphat [was?] king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.” The first reference to “Jehoshaphat king of Judah” is probably due to a scribe accidentally copying the phrase from the later in the verse. If the Hebrew text is retained, the verse probably refers to the beginning of a coregency between Jehoshaphat and Jehoram.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:17

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:18

¹ tn Heb “he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife.”

² tn Heb “in the eyes of.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:19

¹ tn The Hebrew has only one sentence, “and the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah for the sake of.” The translation divides it for the sake of clarity.

² tn Heb “just as he had promised to give him and his sons a lamp all the days.” The metaphorical “lamp” symbolizes the Davidic dynasty; this is reflected in the translation.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:20

¹ tn Heb “in his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and enthroned a king over them.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:21

¹ sn Joram is a short form of the name Jehoram.

² tn Heb “and he arose at night and defeated Edom, who had surrounded him, and the chariot officers.” The Hebrew text as it stands gives the impression that Joram was surrounded and launched a victorious night counterattack. It would then be quite natural to understand the last statement in the verse to refer to an Edomite retreat. Yet v. 22 goes on to state that the Edomite revolt was successful. Therefore, if the MT is retained, it may be better to understand the final statement in v. 21 as a reference to an Israelite retreat (made in spite of the success described in the preceding sentence). The translation above assumes an emendation of the Hebrew text. Adding a third masculine singular pronominal suffix to the accusative sign before Edom (reading אֶתוֹ [’eto], “him,” instead of just אֶת [’et]) and taking Edom as the subject of verbs allows one to translate the verse in a way that is more consistent with the context, which depicts an Israelite defeat, not victory. There is, however, no evidence for this emendation.

³ tn Heb “and the people fled to their tents.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:22

¹ tn Heb “and Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah until this day.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:23

¹ tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Joram and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:24

¹ tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.”

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:26

¹ map For location see Map5 B1; Map6 F3; Map7 E2; Map8 F2; Map10 B3; JP1 F4; JP2 F4; JP3 F4; JP4 F4.

² tn Hebrew בַּת (bat), “daughter,” can refer, as here to a granddaughter. See HALOT 166 s.v. בַּת.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:27

¹ tn Heb “in the eyes of.”

² tn Heb “and he walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord like the house of Ahab, for he was a relative by marriage of the house of Ahab.” For this use of חֲתַן (khatan), normally “son-in-law,” see HALOT 365 s.v. חָתָן. Ahab was Ahaziah’s grandfather on his mother’s side.

NET Notes: 2Ki 8:29

¹ tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.”

² tn Heb “to see.”

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:10

And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly ^{( f )} recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely die.

^{( f )} Meaning that he would recover of this disease: but he knew that this messenger Hazael would slay him to obtain the kingdom.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:13

And Hazael said, But what, [is] thy servant ^{( g )} a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou [shalt be] king over Syria.

^{( g )} That I should be without all humanity and pity.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:15

And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped [it] in water, and ^{( h )} spread [it] on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

^{( h )} Under pretence to refresh or ease him, he suffocated him with his cloak.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:16

And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat [being] then king of Judah, ^{( i )} Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.

^{( i )} Read (2Ki 1:17).

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:18

And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for the ^{( l )} daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

^{( l )} The Holy Spirit shows by this the danger of joining with infidels.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:20

In his days Edom ^{( m )} revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

^{( m )} Which had been subject from David's time until this time of Jehoram.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:22

Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then ^{( n )} Libnah revolted at the same time.

^{( n )} This was a city in Judah given to the Levites, (Jos 21:13) that later turned from king Jehoram, because of his idolatry.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:26

^{( o )} Two and twenty years old [was] Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name [was] Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

^{( o )} Which is to be understood, that he was made king when his father reigned, but after his father's death he was confirmed king when he was forty-two years old, as in (2Ch 22:2).

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:28

And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in ^{( p )} Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

^{( p )} Which was a city in the tribe of Gad beyond Jordan.

Geneva Bible: 2Ki 8:29

And king Joram went back to be healed in ^{( q )} Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

^{( q )} This is a city belonging to the tribe of Issachar.

Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: 2Ki 8:1-29

1 The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the forewarned famine, for Elisha's miracle's sake has her land restored by the king.

7 Hazael, being sent with a present by Ben-hadad to Elisha at Damascus, after he had heard the prophecy, kills his master, and succeeds him.

16 Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah.

20 Edom and Libnah revolt.

23 Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram.

25 Ahaziah's wicked reign.

28 He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel.

MHCC: 2Ki 8:7-15

Among other changes of men's minds by affliction, it often gives other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they have hated and despised. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha read what he would do, but God revealed it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes: the more foresight men have, the more grief they are liable to. It is possible for a man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience, to express great abhorrence of a sin, yet afterwards to be reconciled to it. Those that are little and low in the world, cannot imagine how strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, which, if ever they arrive at, they will find how deceitful their hearts are, how much worse than they suspected. The devil ruins men, by saying they shall certainly recover and do well, so rocking them asleep in security. Hazael's false account was an injury to the king, who lost the benefit of the prophet's warning to prepare for death, and an injury to Elisha, who would be counted a false prophet. It is not certain that Hazael murdered his master, or if he caused his death it may have been without any design. But he was a dissembler, and afterwards proved a persecutor to Israel.

MHCC: 2Ki 8:16-24

A general idea is given of Jehoram's badness. His father, no doubt, had him taught the true knowledge of the Lord, but did ill to marry him to the daughter of Ahab; no good could come of union with an idolatrous family.

MHCC: 2Ki 8:25-29

Names do not make natures, but it was bad for Jehoshaphat's family to borrow names from Ahab's. Ahaziah's relation to Ahab's family was the occasion of his wickedness and of his fall. When men choose wives for themselves, let them remember they are choosing mothers for their children. Providence so ordered it, that Ahaziah might be cut off with the house of Ahab, when the measure of their iniquity was full. Those who partake with sinners in their sin, must expect to partake with them in their plagues. May all the changes, troubles, and wickedness of the world, make us more earnest to obtain an interest in the salvation of Christ.

Matthew Henry: 2Ki 8:7-15

Here, I. We may enquire what brought Elisha to Damascus, the chief city of Syria. Was he sent to any but the lost sheep of the house of Israel? It seems he was. Perhaps he went to pay a visit to Naaman his convert, and to confirm him in his choice of the true religion, which was the more needful now because, it should seem, he was not out of his place (for Hazael is supposed to be captain of that host); either he resigned it or was turned out of it, because he would not bow, or not bow heartily, in the house of Rimmon. Some think he went to Damascus upon account of the famine, or rather he went thither in obedience to the orders God gave Elijah, 1Ki 19:15, " Go to Damascus to anoint Hazael, thou, or thy successor."

II. We may observe that Ben-hadad, a great king, rich and mighty, lay sick. No honour, wealth, or power, will secure men from the common diseases and disasters of human life; palaces and thrones lie as open to the arrests of sickness and death as the meanest cottage.

III. We may wonder that the king of Syria, in his sickness, should make Elisha his oracle.

1. Notice was soon brought him that the man of God (for by that title he was well known in Syria since he cured Naaman) had come to Damascus, 2Ki 8:7. "Never in better time,"says Ben-hadad. " Go, and enquire of the Lord by him. "In his health he bowed in the house of Rimmon, but now that he is sick he distrusts his idol, and sends to enquire of the God of Israel. Affliction brings those to God who in their prosperity had made light of him; sometimes sickness opens men's eyes and rectifies their mistakes. This is the more observable, (1.) Because it was not long since a king of Israel had, in his sickness, sent to enquire of the god of Ekron (2Ki 1:2), as if there had been no God in Israel. Note, God sometimes fetches to himself that honour from strangers which is denied him and alienated from him by his own professing people. (2.) Because it was not long since this Ben-hadad had sent a great force to treat Elisha as an enemy (2Ki 6:14), yet now he courts him as a prophet. Note, Among other instances of the change of men's minds by sickness and affliction, this is one, that it often gives them other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches them to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they had hated and despised.

2. To put an honour upon the prophet, (1.) He sends to him, and does not send for him, as if, with the centurion, he thought himself not worthy that the man of God should come under his roof. (2.) He sends to him by Hazael, his prime-minister of state, and not by a common messenger. It is no disparagement to the greatest of men to attend the prophets of the Lord. Hazael must go and meet him at a place where he had appointed a meeting with his friends. (3.) He sends him a noble present, of every good thing of Damascus, as much as loaded forty camels (2Ki 8:9), testifying hereby his affection to the prophet, bidding him welcome to Damascus, and providing for his sustenance while he sojourned there. It is probable that Elisha accepted it (why should he not?), though he refused Naaman's. (4.) He orders Hazael to call him his son Ben-hadad, conforming to the language of Israel, who called the prophets fathers. (5.) He puts an honour upon him as one acquainted with the secrets of heaven, when he enquires of him, Shall I recover? It is natural to us to desire to know things to come in time, while things to come in eternity are little thought of or enquired after.

IV. What passed between Hazael and Elisha is especially remarkable.

1. Elisha answered his enquiry concerning the king, that he might recover, the disease was not mortal, but that he should die another way (2Ki 8:10), not a natural but a violent death. There are many ways out of the world, and sometimes, while men think to avoid one, they fall by another.

2. He looked Hazael in the face with an unusual concern, till he made Hazael blush and himself weep, 2Ki 8:11. The man of God could outface the man of war. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha read what he would do, but God did, at this time, reveal it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes. The more foresight men have the more grief they are liable to.

3. When Hazael asked him why he wept he told him what a great deal of mischief he foresaw he would do to the Israel of God (2Ki 8:12), what desolations he would make of their strong-holds, and barbarous destruction of their men, women, and children. The sins of Israel provoked God to give them up into the hands of their cruel enemies, yet Elisha wept to think that ever Israelites should be thus abused; for, though he foretold, he did not desire the woeful day. See what havock war makes, what havock sin makes, and how the nature of man is changed by the fall, and stripped even of humanity itself.

4. Hazael was greatly surprised at this prediction (2Ki 8:13): What, says he, Is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? This great thing he looks upon to be, (1.) An act of great power, not to be done but by a crowned head. "It must be some mighty potentate that can think to prevail thus against Israel, and therefore not I."Many are raised to that dominion which they never thought of and it often proves to their own hurt, Ecc 8:9. (2.) An act of great barbarity, which could not be done but by one lost to all honour and virtue: "Therefore,"says he, "it is what I shall never find in my heart to be guilty of: Is thy servant a dog, to rend, and tear, and devour? Unless I were a dog, I could not do it."See here, [1.] What a bad opinion he had of the sin; he looked upon it to be great wickedness, fitter for a brute, for a beast of prey, to do than a man. Note, It is possible for a wicked man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience, to express great abhorrence of a sin, and yet afterwards to be well reconciled to it. [2.] What a good opinion he had of himself, how much better than he deserved; he thought it impossible he should do such barbarous things as the prophet foresaw. Note, We are apt to think ourselves sufficiently armed against those sins which yet we are afterwards overcome by, as Peter, Mat 26:35.

5. In answer to this Elisha only told him he should be king over Syria; then he would have power to do it, and then he would find in his heart to do it. Honours change men's tempers and manners, and seldom for the better: "Thou knowest not what thou wilt do when thou comest to be king, but I tell thee this thou wilt do."Those that are little and low in the world cannot imagine how strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, and, if ever they arrive at them, they will find how deceitful their hearts were and how much worse than they suspected.

V. What mischief Hazael did to his master hereupon. If he took any occasion to do it from what Elisha had said the fault was in him, not in the word. 1. He basely cheated his master, and belied the prophet (2Ki 8:14): He told me thou shouldst certainly recover. This was abominably false; he told him he should die (2Ki 8:10), but he unfairly and unfaithfully concealed that, either because he was loth to put the king out of humour with bad news or because hereby he might the more effectually carry on that bloody design which he conceived when he was told he should be his successor. The devil ruins men by telling them they shall certainly recover and do well, so rocking them asleep in security, than which nothing is more fatal. This was an injury to the king, who lost the benefit of this warning to prepare for death, and an injury to Elisha, who would be counted a false prophet. 2. He barbarously murdered his master, and so made good the prophet's word, 2Ki 8:15. He dipped a thick cloth in cold water, and spread it upon his face, under pretence of cooling and refreshing him, but so that it stopped his breath, and stifled him presently, he being weak (and not able to help himself) or perhaps asleep: such a bubble is the life of the greatest of men, and so much exposed are princes to violence. Hazael, who was Ben-hadad's confidant, was his murderer, and some think, was not suspected, nor did the truth ever come out but by the pen of this inspired historian. We found this haughty monarch (1 Kings 20) the terror of the mighty in the land of the living, but he goes down slain to the pit with his iniquity upon his bones, Eze 32:27.

Matthew Henry: 2Ki 8:16-24

We have here a brief account of the life and reign of Jehoram (or Joram), one of the worst of the kings of Judah, but the son and successor of Jehoshaphat, one of the best. Note, 1. Parents cannot give grace to their children. Many that have themselves been godly have had the grief and shame of seeing those that came forth out of their bowels wicked and vile. Let not the families that are thus afflicted think it strange. 2. If the children of good parents prove wicked, commonly they are worse than others. The unclean spirit brings in seven others more wicked than himself, Luk 11:26. 3. A nation is sometimes justly punished with the miseries of a bad reign for not improving the blessings and advantages of a good one.

Concerning this Jehoram observe,

I. The general idea here given of his wickedness (2Ki 8:18): He did as the house of Ahab, and worse he could not do. His character is taken from the bad example he followed, for men are according to the company they converse with and the copies they write after. No mistake is more fatal to young people than a mistake in the choice of those whom they would recommend themselves to and take their measures from, and whose good opinion they value themselves by. Jehoram chose the house of Ahab for his pattern rather than his father's house, and this choice was his ruin. We have a particular account of his wickedness (2 Chr. 21), murder, idolatry, persecution, everything that was bad.

II. The occasions of his wickedness. His father was a very good man, and no doubt took care to have him taught the good knowledge of the Lord, but, 1. It is certain he did ill to marry him to the daughter of Ahab; no good could come of an alliance with an idolatrous family, but all mischief with such a daughter of such a mother as Athaliah the daughter of Jezebel. The degeneracy of the old world took rise from the unequal yoking of professors with profane. Those that are ill-matched are already half-ruined. 2. I doubt he did not do well to make him king in his own life-time. It is said here (2Ki 8:16) that he began to reign, Jehoshaphat being then king; hereby he gratified his pride (than which nothing is more pernicious to young people), indulged him in his ambition, in hopes to reform him by humouring him, and so brought a curse upon his family, as Eli did, whose sons made themselves vile and he restrained them not. Jehoshaphat had made this wicked son of his viceroy once when he went with Ahab to Ramoth-Gilead, from which Jehoshaphat's seventeenth year (1Ki 22:51) is made Jehoram's second (2Ki 1:17), but afterwards, in his twenty-second year, he made him partner in his government, and thence Joram's eight years are to be dated, three years before his father's death. It has been hurtful to many young men to come too soon to their estates. Samuel got nothing by making his sons judges.

III. The rebukes of Providence which he was under for his wickedness. 1. The Edomites revolted, who had been under the government of the kings of Judah ever since David's time, about 150 years, 2Ki 8:20. He attempted to reduce them, and gave them a defeat (2Ki 8:21), but he could not improve the advantage he had got, so as to recover his dominion over them: Yet Edom revolted (2Ki 8:22), and the Edomites were, after this, bitter enemies to the Jews, as appears by the prophecy of Obadiah and Psa 137:7. Now Isaac's prophecy was fulfilled, that this Esau the elder should serve Jacob the younger; yet, in process of time, he should break that yoke from off his neck, Gen 27:40. 2. Libnah revolted. This was a city in Judah, in the heart of his country, a priests' city; the inhabitants of this city shook off his government because he had forsaken God, and would have compelled them to do so too, 2Ch 21:10, 2Ch 21:11. In order that they might preserve their religion they set up for a free state. Perhaps other cities did the same. 3. His reign was short. God cut him off in the midst of his days, when he was but forty years old, and had reigned but eight years. Bloody and deceitful men shall not live out half their days.

IV. The gracious care of Providence for the keeping up of the kingdom of Judah, and the house of David, notwithstanding the apostasies and calamities of Jehoram's reign (2Ki 8:19): Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah. He could easily have done it; he might justly have done it; it would have been no loss to him to have done it; yet he would not do it, for David's sake, not for the sake of any merit of his which could challenge this favour to his family as a debt, but for the sake of a promise made to him that he should always have a lamp (that is, a succession of kings from one generation to another, by which his name should be kept bright and illustrious, as a lamp is kept burning by a constant fresh supply of oil), that his family should never be extinct till it terminated in the Messiah, that Son of David on whom was to be hung all the glory of his Father's house and in whose everlasting kingdom that promise to David is fulfilled (Psa 132:17), I have ordained a lamp for my anointed.

V. The conclusion of this impious and inglorious reign, 2Ki 8:23, 2Ki 8:24. Nothing peculiar is here said of him; but we are told (2Ch 21:19, 2Ch 21:20) that he died of sore diseases and died without being desired.

Matthew Henry: 2Ki 8:25-29

As among common persons there are some that we call little men, who make no figure, are little regarded, as less valued, so among kings there are some whom, in comparison with others, we may call little kings. This Ahaziah was one of these; he looks mean in the history, and in God's account vile, because wicked. It is too plain an evidence of the affinity between Jehoshaphat and Ahab that they had the same names in their families at the same time, in which, we may suppose, they designed to compliment one another. Ahab had two sons, Ahaziah and Jehoram, who reigned successively; Jehoshaphat had a son and grandson names Jehoshaphat had a son and grandson names Jehoram and Ahaziah, who, in like manner, reigned successively. Names indeed do not make natures, but it was a bad omen to Jehoshaphat's family to borrow names from Ahab's; or, if he lent the names to that wretched family, he could not communicate with them the devotion of their significations, Ahaziah - Taking hold of the Lord, and Jehoram - The Lord exalted. Ahaziah king of Israel had reigned but two years, Ahaziah king of Judah reigned but one. We are here told that his relation to Ahab's family was the occasion, 1. Of his wickedness (2Ki 8:27): He walked in the way of the house of Ahab, that idolatrous bloody house; for his mother was Ahab's daughter (2Ki 8:26), so that he sucked in wickedness with his milk. Partus sequitur ventrem - The child may be expected to resemble the mother. When men choose wives for themselves they must remember they are choosing mothers for their children, and are concerned to choose accordingly. 2. Of his fall. Joram, his mother's brother, courted him to join with him for the recovery of Ramoth-Gilead, an attempt fatal to Ahab; so it was to Joram his son, for in that expedition he was wounded (2Ki 8:28), and returned to Jezreel to be cured, leaving his army there in possession of the place. Ahaziah likewise returned, but went to Jezreel to see how Jehoram did, 2Ki 8:29. Providence so ordered it, that he who had been debauched by the house of Ahab might be cut off with them, when the measure of their iniquity was full, as we shall find in the next chapter. Those who partake with sinners in their sins must expect to partake with them in their plagues.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:10

According to the Chethîb חיה לא , Elisha's answer was, "Thou wilt not live, and (for) Jehovah has shown me that he will die;" according to the Keri חיה לו , "tell him: Thou wilt live, but Jehovah,"etc. Most of the commentators follow the ancient versions, and the Masoretes, who reckon our לא among the fifteen passages of the O.T. in which it stands for the pronoun לו (vid., Hilleri Arcan. Keri , p. 62f.), and some of the codices, and decide in favour of the Keri . (1) because the conjecture that לו was altered into לא in order that Elisha might not be made to utter an untruth, is a very natural one; and (2) on account of the extreme rarity with which a negative stands before the inf. abs. with the finite verb following. But there is not much force in either argument. The rarity of the position of לא before the inf. abs. followed by a finite verb, in connection with the omission of the pronoun לו after אמר , might be the very reason why לא was taken as a pronoun; and the confirmation of this opinion might be found in the fact that Hazael brought back this answer to the king: "Thou wilt live"(2Ki 8:14). The reading in the text לא ( non ) is favoured by the circumstance that it is the more difficult of the two, partly because of the unusual position of the negative, and partly because of the contradiction to 2Ki 8:14. But the לא is found in the same position in other passages (Gen 3:4; Psa 49:8, and Amo 9:8), where the emphasis lies upon the negation; and the contradiction to 2Ki 8:14 may be explained very simply, from the fact that Hazael did not tell his king the truth, because he wanted to put him to death and usurp the throne. We therefore prefer the reading in the text, since it is not in harmony with the character of the prophets to utter an untruth; and the explanation, "thou wilt not die of thine illness, but come to a violent death,"puts into the words a meaning which they do not possess. For even if Benhadad did not die of his illness, he did not recover from it.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:11

Elisha then fixed Hazael for a long time with his eye, and wept. וגו ויּעמד literally, he made his face stand fast, and directed it (upon Hazael) to shaming. עד־בּשׁ as in Jdg 3:25; not in a shameless manner (Thenius), but till Hazael was embarrassed by it.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:12

When Hazael asked him the cause of his weeping, Elisha replied: "I know the evil which thou wilt do to the sons of Israel: their fortresses wilt thou set on fire ( בּאשׁ שׁלּח , see at Jdg 1:8), their youths wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children to pieces, and cut asunder their women with child"( בּקּע , split, cut open the womb). This cruel conduct towards Israel which is here predicted of Hazael, was only a special elaboration of the brief statement made by the Lord to Elijah concerning Hazael (1Ki 19:17). The fulfilment of this prediction is indicated generally in 2Ki 10:32-33, and 2Ki 13:3.; and we may infer with certainty from Hos 10:14 and Hos 14:1, that Hazael really practised the cruelties mentioned.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:13-15

But when Hazael replied in feigned humility, What is thy servant, the dog (i.e., so base a fellow: for כּלב see at 1Sa 24:15), that he should do such great things? Elisha said to him, "Jehovah has shown thee to me as king over Aram;"whereupon Hazael returned to his lord, brought him the pretended answer of Elisha that he would live (recover), and the next day suffocated him with a cloth dipped in water. מכבּר , from כּבר , to plait or twist, literally, anything twisted; not, however, a net for gnats or flies (Joseph., J. D. Mich., etc.), but a twisted thick cloth, which when dipped in water became so thick, that when it was spread over the face of the sick man it was sufficient to suffocate him.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:16-17

Reign of Joram of Judah (cf. 2 Chron 21:2-20). - Joram became king in the fifth year of Joram of Israel, while Jehoshaphat his father was (still) king, the latter handing over the government to him two years before his death (see at 2Ki 1:17), and reigned eight years, namely, two years to the death of Jehoshaphat and six years afterwards.

(Note: The words יהוּדה מלך ויהושׁפט have been improperly omitted by the Arabic and Syriac, and by Luther, Dathe, and De Wette from their translations; whilst Schulz, Maurer, Thenius, and others pronounce it a gloss. The genuineness of the words is attested by the lxx (the Edit. Complut. being alone in omitting them) and by the Chaldee: and the rejection of them is just as arbitrary as the interpolation of מת , which is proposed by Kimchi and Ewald ("when Jehoshaphat was dead"). Compare J. Meyer, annotatt. ad Seder Olam, p. 916f.)

The Chethîb שׁנה שׁמנה is not to be altered, since the rule that the numbers two to ten take the noun in the plural is not without exception (cf. Ewald, §287, i.).

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:18-19

Joram had married a daughter of Ahab, namely Athaliah (2Ki 8:26), and walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, transplanting the worship of Baal into his kingdom. Immediately after the death of Jehoshaphat he murdered his brothers, apparently with no other object than to obtain possession of the treasures which his father had left them (2Ch 21:2-4). This wickedness of Joram would have been followed by the destruction of Judah, had not the Lord preserved a shoot to the royal house for David's sake. For ניר לו לתת see 1Ki 11:36. The following word לבניו serves as an explanation of ניר לו , "a light with regard to his sons," i.e., by the fact that he kept sons (descendants) upon the throne.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:20-22

Nevertheless the divine chastisement was not omitted. The ungodliness of Joram was punished partly by the revolt of the Edomites and of the city of Libnah from his rule, and partly by a horrible sickness of which he died (2Ch 21:12-15). Edom, which had hitherto had only a vicegerent with the title of king (see 2Ki 3:9 and 1Ki 22:48), threw off the authority of Judah, and appointed its own king, under whom it acquired independence, as the attempt of Joram to bring it back again under his control completely failed. The account of this attempt in 2Ki 8:21 and 2Ch 21:9 is very obscure. "Joram went over to Zair, and all his chariots of war with him; and it came to pass that he rose up by night and smote the Edomites round about, and indeed the captains of the war-chariots, and the people fled (i.e., the Judaean men of war, not the Edomites) to their tents."It is evident from this, that Joram had advanced to Zair in Idumaea; but there he appears to have been surrounded and shut in, so that in the night he fought his way through, and had reason to be glad that he had escaped utter destruction, since his army fled to their homes. צעירה is an unknown place in Idumaea, which Movers, Hitzig, and Ewald take to be Zoar, but without considering that Zoar was in the land of Moab, not in Edom. The Chronicles have instead שׂריו עם , "with his captains,"from a mere conjecture; whilst Thenius regards צעירה as altered by mistake from שׂעירה ("to Seir"), which is very improbable in the case of so well-known a name as שׂעיר . הסּביב is a later mode of writing for הסּובב , probably occasioned by the frequently occurring word סביב . "To this day,"i.e., to the time when the original sources of our books were composed. For the Edomites were subjugated again by Amaziah and Uzziah (2Ki 14:7 and 2Ki 14:22), though under Ahaz they made incursions into Judah again (2Ch 28:17). - At that time Libnah also revolted. This was a royal city of the early Canaanites, and at a later period it was still a considerable fortress (2Ki 19:8). It is probably to be sought for in the ruins of Arak el Menshiyeh, two hours to the west of Beit-Jibrin (see the Comm. on Jos 10:29). This city probably revolted from Judah on the occurrence of an invasion of the land by the Philistines, when the sons of Joram were carried off, with the exception of the youngest, Jehoahaz (Ahaziah: 2Ch 21:16-17).

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:23-24

According to 2Ch 21:18., Joram died of a terrible disease, in which his bowels fell out, and was buried in the city of David, though not in the family sepulchre of the kings.

(Note: "The building of Carthage, Dido, her husband Sichaeus, her brother Pygmalion king of Tyre ( scelere ante alios immanior omnes ), all coincide with the reign of Joram. This synchronism of the history of Tyre is not without significance here. The Tyrian, Israelitish, and Judaean histories are closely connected at this time. Jezebel, a Tyrian princess, was Ahab's wife, and again her daughter Athaliah was the wife of Joram, and after his death the murderess of the heirs of the kingdom, and sole occupant of the throne. Tyre, through these marriages, introduced its own spirit and great calamity into both the Israelitish kingdoms."- J. D. Michaelis on 2Ki 8:24.)

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:25-26

Reign of Ahaziah of Judah (cf. 2Ch 22:1-6). - Ahaziah, the youngest son of Joram, ascended the throne in the twenty-second year of his age. The statement in 2Ch 22:2, that he was forty-two years old when he became king, rests upon a copyist's error, namely, a confusion of כ twenty with מ forty. Now, since his father became king at the age of thirty-two, and reigned eight years, Ahaziah must have been born in the nineteenth year of his age. Consequently it may appear strange that Ahaziah had brothers still older than himself (2Ch 21:17); but as early marriages are common in the East, and the royal princes had generally concubines along with their wife of the first rank, as is expressly stated of Joram in 2Ch 21:17, he might have had some sons in his nineteenth year. His mother was called Athaliah, and was a daughter of the idolatrous Jezebel. In 2Ki 8:26 and 2Ch 22:2 she is called the daughter, i.e., grand-daughter, of Omri; for, according to 2Ki 8:18, she was a daughter of Ahab. Omri, the grand-father, is mentioned in 2Ki 8:26 as the founder of the dynasty which brought so much trouble upon Israel and Judah through its idolatry.

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:27

Ahaziah, like his father, reigned in the spirit of Ahab, because he allowed his mother to act as his adviser (2Ch 22:3-4).

Keil-Delitzsch: 2Ki 8:28-29

Ahaziah went with Joram of Israel, his mother's brother, to the war with the Syrians at Ramoth. The contest for this city, which had already cost Ahab his life (1 Kings), was to furnish the occasion, according to the overruling providence of God, for the extermination of the whole of Omri's family. Being wounded in the battle with the Syrians, Joram king of Israel returned to Jezreel to be healed of his wounds. His nephew Ahaziah visited him there, and there he met with his death at the same time as Joram at the hands of Jehu, who had conspired against Joram (see 2Ki 9:14. and 2Ch 22:7-9). Whether the war with Hazael at Ramoth was for the recapture of this city, which had been taken by the Syrians, or simply for holding it against the Syrians, it is impossible to determine. All that we can gather from 2Ki 9:14 is, that at that time Ramoth was in the possession of the Israelites, whether it had come into their possession again after the disgraceful rout of the Syrians before Samaria (2 Kings 7), or whether, perhaps, it was not recovered till this war. For ארמּים without the article see Ewald, §277, c .

2Ki 8:29

בּרמה = בּלעד בּרמת , 2Ki 8:28; see at 1Ki 22:4.

Constable: 2Ki 2:1--8:16

4. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:15

Jehoram reigned 12 years in Israel (852-841 B.C.). His reign overlapped with Jehoshaphat and Jehoshaphat's son Jehoram's coregency (853-848 B.C.) as well as Jehoram of Judah's sole reign (848-841 B.C.). During these 12 years Elisha, whose name means "my God is salvation," was very active in Israel. In keeping with his theological purpose the writer of Kings again emphasized incidents of spiritual significance that took place at this time (cf. 1 Kings 17-19, the Elijah narrative).⁹

Constable: 2Ki 8:7-15

Elisha's preparation of God's instrument of judgment on Israel 8:7-15

Hazael was the governor of Damascus.⁵⁰ The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. It was also common to have one camel carry only one gift to make the present appear even greater.

Ben-Hadad would have recovered (v. 10) if Hazael had not murdered him (v. 15). Elisha probably knew Hazael would murder him. The prophet fixed his gaze steadily on Hazael perhaps hoping to embarrass him out of doing the deed (v. 11). Hazael evidently became ashamed because he felt Elisha could read his mind (v. 11). Hazael would be God's instrument of judgment on Israel (v. 12; cf. 1 Kings 19:15). He referred to himself humbly as a mere dog incapable of such a feat (v. 13). Hazael did come from lowly stock. On one Assyrian record Shalmaneser referred to him as "the son of a nobody."⁵¹

Like Saul, David, and Solomon, Hazael learned he would be king by special revelation from the Lord (v. 13). Whether this announcement accompanied Elisha's anointing by Elijah (1 Kings 19:15) or whether that took place at another time we do not know. Rather than waiting for God to place him on Aram's throne at the proper time, as David so admirably did, Hazael murdered Ben-Hadad. He did so in a manner that made it look as though the king had died of natural causes (v. 15).

Ben-Hadad II died in 841 B.C. and Hazael ruled from 841-801 B.C. during the reigns of Jehoram, Jehu, and Jehoahaz of Israel, and Ahaziah, Athaliah, and Joash of Judah.

Kings of Aram in 2 Kings52
Kings	Dates	References
Ben-Hadad II	860-841 B.C.	1 Kings 20; 2 Kings 6:24; 8:7, 9, 14
Hazael	841-801 B.C.	1 Kings 19:15, 17: 2 Kings 8; 9:14-15; 10:32; 12:17-18; 13:3, 22, 24-25
Ben-Hadad III	801-773 B.C.	2 Kings 13:3, 24-25
Rezin	773-732 B.C.	2 Kings 15:37; 16:5-6, 9 (cf. Isa. 7:1, 4, 8; 8:6; 9:11)

The incidents in this Elisha narrative (2:1-8:15) give us many insights into Jehoram and his reign over Israel. Like Ahab and Ahaziah before him he had little regard for Yahweh. Consequently he did not enjoy much blessing from God personally, and Israel experienced severe discipline in the form of famines, invasions by foreign neighbors, and lack of influence. Nevertheless there were a few in Israel who remained faithful to the Lord including the prophets (about 7,000 individuals; 1 Kings 19:18).

The meanings of the miracles Elisha performed that I have suggested rest on standard principles of historical grammatical interpretation. I have sought to understand what the original readers of Kings would have seen these miracles as signifying. The meanings of the words in the text, the relationship of the miracle to its context, and the meaning of symbols as biblical and extrabiblical references reveal are key interpretive factors. Commentators differ, of course, in their understandings of these matters as well as the interpretive problems. However on the basis of the study I have done the views expressed above seem to me to be what these miracles signified when they occurred.⁵³

Constable: 2Ki 8:16-24

5. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-24

Jehoshaphat appointed his son Jehoram coregent the year Jehoshaphat went off to do battle with Ahab at Ramoth-gilead (853 B.C.). For the next five years Jehoram served with his father. In 848 B.C. he began ruling alone and did so for the next eight years (until 841 B.C.). His reign overlapped the reigns of Ahaziah and Jehoram (whom the NASB called Joram from now on) in Israel. It is quite possible that the writing prophet Obadiah ministered and wrote the Bible book that bears his name during Jehoram's reign.⁵⁴

Rather than following the godly example of his father, Jehoram chose to pursue idolatry and infidelity to Yahweh like his wife Athaliah, the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. If it had not been for His promise to David (2 Sam. 7:12-15), God would have cut off Jehoram's line for his wickedness (v. 19). Instead he disciplined him and Judah by allowing Edom and Libnah to revolt successfully. Edom had come under Judah's control during Jehoshaphat's administration (2 Chron. 20:1-29; cf. 1 Kings 22:47). Zair is another name for Seir or Edom. Chariots did not save Jehoram from defeat (v. 21). Libnah was a town near the border between Judah and Philistia that seems to have revolted when the Philistines invaded Judah (2 Chron. 21:16-17). Judah became weaker under Jehoram because of his wickedness. The king himself died a painful death (2 Chron. 21:18-19).

Constable: 2Ki 8:25--9:30

6. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29

There were two King Ahaziahs as there were two King Jehorams, one of each in each kingdom. Both Ahaziahs reigned only one year each, but their administrations did not overlap. Ahaziah of Israel reigned 11 years earlier than Ahaziah of Judah, who ruled from 853-852 B.C.

Constable: 2Ki 8:25-29

Ahaziah's wickedness 8:25-29

Ahaziah continued the policies and preferences of his great-grandfather Omri that his grandfather Ahab and his father Joram had perpetuated (v. 27). Israel and Judah were now still allies. The battle of Ramoth-gilead in which Ahaziah fought took place 12 years after the one in which Ahab and Jehoshaphat engaged the Arameans and in which Ahab died (1 Kings 22:3, 29). In the second battle of Ramoth-gilead the Israelite king Joram was wounded. He returned to his winter capital to convalesce (v. 29). Ahaziah then visited his uncle, the Israelite king, there (v. 29).

Guzik: 2Ki 8:1-29

2 Kings 8 - New Kings in Syria and Judah

A. The restoration of the Shunammite's land.

1. (1-3) The Shunammite returns to Israel after seven years.

Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, "Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years." So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years. It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land.

a. Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life: 2 Kings 4 describes Elisha's previous dealings with this woman. She and her husband were godly, generous people who helped the prophet. Through Elisha's prayer they were blessed with a son, who was also brought miraculously back to life.

b. She went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years: On the advice of the prophet, the woman and her family left Israel because of a coming famine. In the land of the Philistines, they were spared the worst of the famine.

c. She went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land: Upon leaving Israel and going to the land of the Philistines, the woman forfeited her claim to her ancestral lands. She made this appeal so she would not be a loser for listening to God's prophet and for saving her family from famine.

2. (4-6) Her land is restored.

Then the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, "Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done." Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had restored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, "My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life." And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, "Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now."

a. Then the king talked with Gehazi: This was the same servant of Elisha who was cursed with leprosy in 2 Kings 5:20-27. It seems strange that a severely afflicted leper would be a counselor to a king, so it seems that either Gehazi was granted healing from his leprosy or that this actually took place before the events of 2 Kings 5.

i. Of course, it is still possible that the king had this conversation with Gehazi when the former prophet's assistant was a leper and the king simply kept his distance. "Some think that this conversation might have taken place after Gehazi became leprous; the king having an insatiable curiosity to know the private history or a man who had done such astonishing things: and from whom could he get this information, except from the prophet's own confidential servant?" (Clarke)

b. Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done: Perhaps his motive was nothing more than curiosity, yet it was still a significant testimony to the King of Israel. He knew that God was with the actions of Elisha, giving evidence that He was also with the word of Elisha.

c. As he was telling the king: The woman came to make her request at the exact time Gehazi told the king about the miracles associated with her life. This was perfect, God-ordained timing.

d. Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left: The king understood that if God was obviously supportive of this woman, then it also made sense for him to support her and to answer her request. In the end, her obedience to God's word was not penalized.

i. "This act was in striking contrast to the notorious land-grabbing of Jehoram's father, Ahab." (Dilday)

B. A new king in Syria.

1. (7-9) Elisha is questioned by Ben-Hadad.

Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, "The man of God has come here." And the king said to Hazael, "Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, 'Shall I recover from this disease?' " So Hazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, "Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, 'Shall I recover from this disease?' "

a. The man of God has come here: The leaders of Syria once tried to capture or kill Elisha. Since God miraculously delivered the prophet so many times, he was now respected and welcomed in the courts of the Syrian King. He was especially welcome on account of the king's illness.

b. Take a present in your hand: Wanting to know the outcome of his present illness, the king of Syria asked the prophet - and with his extravagant gift did whatever he could to prompt a favorable message.

i. "Whether the prophet received it or not, is not here mentioned; but it is most probable that he did not, from his former practice, chapter 5, and because the reasons which then swayed him were still of the same force." (Poole)

2. (10-13) Elisha's enigmatic revelation.

And Elisha said to him, "Go, say to him, 'You shall certainly recover.' However the LORD has shown me that he will really die." Then he set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, "Why is my lord weeping?" He answered, "Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you will dash their children, and rip open their women with child." So Hazael said, "But what is your servant; a dog, that he should do this gross thing?" And Elisha answered, "The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria."

a. Go, say to him, "You shall certainly recover." However the LORD has shown me that he will really die: God gave Elisha insight into more than the health of the king of Syria. He also saw the inevitable and ultimately God-ordained political machinations that would unfold.

i. Elisha rightly said that the king would certainly recover from his illness, and he did. However, he also saw that the same servant he spoke with at that moment would engineer an assassination and take the throne.

ii. This is how Elisha's statement was true. The king certainly did recover from his illness, and he really did die soon - but not from the illness.

b. He set his countenance in a stare . . . I know the evil that you will do: This was a dramatic, personal confrontation between this prophet and the high official of the king of Syria. Elisha stared at him so because he had prophetic knowledge of future events, and how this man would trouble Israel in the future.

i. "The prophet gazed long and fixedly into the eyes of Hazael. It would seem that he saw far more in the soul of the man than any other had seen, perhaps more than the man himself was conscious of." (Morgan)

c. And the man of God wept: God told Elisha more about the coming situation than he wanted to know. He showed the prophet that the messenger of the king (Hazael), after he took the throne from the present king of Syria, would do evil to the children of Israel.

i. Elisha's prophetic calling and gift was at times more of a burden than a blessing. He could clearly see what would befall Israel through Hazael, but he was powerless to prevent it.

ii. "The nearer we live to God, the more we deserve to be known as men and women of God, the more will our tears flow for the slain of the daughters of our people." (Meyer)

iii. "His tears were in themselves signs of his understanding of the necessity for those severe judgment which must fall upon the guilty nation; but they were the outcome of his deep love for his people." (Morgan)

d. But what is your servant; a dog, that should do this gross thing? Perhaps Hazael had planned this assassination and simply acted ignorant at Elisha's announcement. Perhaps he had not yet planned it, but did not know the evil capabilities in his own heart.

i. Either way, his offence was inappropriate. He should have taken this warning as an opportunity to confront himself and to do right, instead of turning an accusation back upon Elisha.

ii. "Our ignorance of the depravity of our own hearts is a startling fact, Hazael did not believe that he was bad enough to do any of the things here anticipated. . . . I appeal to you, Christian men and women, if anyone had told you that you would have loved your Savior so little as you have done; if any prophet had told you, in the hour of your conversion, that you would have served him so feebly as you have done, would you have believed it!" (Spurgeon)

e. The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria: It may be asked if Elisha should have told Hazael this; perhaps he set in motion a self-fulfilling prophecy and actually inspired the assassination of the king of Syria.

i. However, there are many reasons for thinking that Elisha did exactly the right thing when he said this to Hazael.

· Elisha did not tell Hazael how the king would die; he did not reveal that it would be through assassination.

· Elisha did not tell Hazael how he would become the next king of Syria; he did not tell Hazael to assassinate the king.

· Elisha went against his own compassionate and patriotic interests in telling Hazael this, making it more likely that he did it at God's prompting.

· Elisha perhaps hoped that this amazing prophecy would touch Hazael's heart and turn him away from the evil he could later commit against Israel.

ii. As it turned out, God knew the actions of Hazael, but He did not make Hazael do it. "It was absolutely foretold that Hazael would be king of Syria. The prophet knew the fact right well, and he clearly descried the means; else, why should he look into Hazael's face, and weep? God foreknew the mischief that he would do when he came to the throne; yet that foreknowledge did not in the least degree interfere with his free agency." (Spurgeon)

3. (14-15) The assassination of the King of Syria.

Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, "What did Elisha say to you?" And he answered, "He told me you would surely recover." But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place.

a. He told me you would surely recover: Which he certainly did or would have, had not the wicked Hazael committed murder.

i. "He represents the prophet's answer by halves, that by his master's security he might have the fitter opportunity to execute his treasonable design." (Poole)

b. So that he died: Hazael took an evil inference from Elisha's prophecy and seized the throne. He should have taken the prophet's announcement as a warning to check his own heart; instead he acted on that evil - and was fully responsible for his own actions.

i. "The predestination of God does not destroy the free agency of man, or lighten the responsibility of the sinner. It is true, in the matter of salvation, when God comes to save, his free grace prevails over our free agency, and leads the will in glorious captivity to the obedience of faith. But in sinning, man is free, - free in the widest sense of the term, never being compelled to do any evil deed, but being left to follow the turbulent passions of his own corrupt heart, and carry out the prevailing tendencies of his own depraved nature." (Spurgeon)

ii. "An ancient Assyrian inscription, called the Berlin inscription, says, 'Hazael the son of nobody, seized the throne.' This designation indicates that he was an usurper with no dynastic line." (Dilday)

C. Two new kings in Judah.

1. (16-24) The reign of Jehoram over Judah.

Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David, as He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever. In his days Edom revolted against Judah's authority, and made a king over themselves. So Joram went to Zair, and all his chariots with him. Then he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; and the troops fled to their tents. Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah's authority to this day. And Libnah revolted at that time. Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? So Joram rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

a. Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as king of Judah: The story of the kings of Judah really paused at 1 Kings 22:50, where Jehoshaphat the son of Asa ended his 25-year reign and his son Jehoram came to the throne. Now we pick up the story of Jehoram again.

i. This King Jehoram of Judah should not be confused with the King Jehoram of Israel mentioned in 2 Kings 3. That Jehoram is called Joram in this passage and following.

b. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel: This was not a compliment. While the southern Kingdom of Judah had a mixture of godly and wicked kings, the northern Kingdom of Israel had nothing but evil, God-rejecting kings.

i. The Chronicler adds that Jehoram made all Judah to sin according to the religion of the Canaanites (2 Chronicles 21:11).

c. For the daughter of Ahab was his wife: The wickedness of Jehoram was not a surprise, considering how much he allowed himself to be influenced by the house of Ahab. Perhaps this marriage made sense politically or socially, but it was a spiritual calamity for Judah.

i. Arranged by his father, Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel - her name was Athaliah. In order to consolidate his throne, he murdered his many brothers and many other leaders (1 Chronicles 21:1-6). "Josephus expands on this, indicating that he committed the murders at the prompting of Athaliah." (Dilday)

ii. Perhaps some people thought that the marriage between the royal families of the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Israel would lift up the Kingdom of Israel spiritually. It didn't work that way. Instead, it brought the Kingdom of Judah down spiritually.

iii. "It was all the result of his ill-advised alliance with the ungodly house of Ahab, and what he sowed he, by dread anticipation at least, reaped. And his posterity were made to reap it actually, in a most terrible way." (Knapp)

d. Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of his servant David: The implication is that Jehoram's evil was great enough to justify such judgment, but God withheld it out of faithfulness to his ancestor David.

i. "The lamp was more than a symbol of life and of testimony, it reminded the hearer of the covenant (Psalm 132:17, c.f. 2 Chronicles 21:7)." (Wiseman)

e. In his days Edom revolted against Judah's authority: This is evidence of the weakness of the kingdom of Jehoram. He thought that the marriage alliance with Ahab and the Kingdom of Israel would make Judah stronger, but this act of disobedience only made them weaker.

f. So Joram rested with his fathers: It is easy to get confused with the variation between Jehoram and Joram, but they are two variant names for the same king of Judah. He died and was buried in Jerusalem, but not in the honored tombs of his ancestors (2 Chronicles 21:20).

i. According to 2 Chronicles 21:12-15, Elijah wrote Jehoram a letter, condemning him for his sins and predicting that judgment would come upon him and disaster upon the nation. At the age of 40, Jehoram was struck with a fatal intestinal disease and he died in terrible pain (2 Chronicles 21:19).

ii. "He is one of the most unlovely of all the kings of Judah. 'Exalted by Jehovah,' he was for his wickedness thrust down to a dishonoured grave." (Knapp)

2. (25-29) The reign of Ahaziah over Judah.

In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. Now he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. Then King Joram went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

a. Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign: The short life and reign of Jehoram (he reigned only eight years and died at 40 years of age) should have warned Ahaziah. His brief reign (one year) shows he was even less blessed than his father Jehoram.

i. "Ahaziah succeeded his father, Jehoram, in the critical year 841 B.C. He was not to survive the momentous waves of the political events that were to inundate the ancient Near East in that year. Indeed, in 841 B.C. Shalmaneser III of Assyria (859-824 B.C.) at last was able to break the coalition of western allies with whom he had previously fought a long series of battles (853, 848, 845)." (Patterson and Austel)

ii. Twenty-two years old: This is at odds with 2 Chronicles 22:2, which says that Ahaziah took the throne when 42 years old. "I am satisfied the reading in 2 Chronicles 22:2, is a mistake; and that we should read there, as here, twenty-two instead of forty-two year. . . . "Is there a single ancient author of any kind, but particularly those who have written on matters of history and chronology, whose works have been transmitted to us free of similar errors, owing to the negligence of transcribers?" (Clarke)

b. Now he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria: His close association with the wicked house of Ahab developed into a war alliance with Israel against Syria. His connection with his mother's family (she was a daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, 2 Kings 8:18) was so strong and sympathetic that he paid a visit to the injured and sick King of Israel (Joram).

© 2006 David Guzik - No distribution beyond personal use without permission

Commentary -- Other

Contradiction: 2Ki 8:26

5. Was Ahaziah 22 (2 Kings 8:26) or 42 (2 Chronicles 22:2) when he began to rule over Jerusalem?

(Category: copyist error)

Because we are dealing with accounts which were written thousands of years ago, we would not expect to have the originals in our possession today, as they would have disintegrated long ago. We are therefore dependent on the copies taken from copies of those originals, which were in turn continually copied out over a period of centuries. Those who did the copying were prone to making two types of scribal errors. One concerned the spelling of proper names, and the other had to do with numbers.

The two examples of numerical discrepancy here have to do with a decade in the number given. Ahaziah is said to have been 22 in 2 Kings 8:26; while in 2 Chronicles 22:2 Ahaziah is said to have been 42. Fortunately there is enough additional information in the Biblical text to show that the correct number is 22. Earlier in 2 Kings 8:17 the author mentions that Ahaziah's father Joram ben Ahab was 32 when he became King, and he died eight years later, at the age of 40. Therefore Ahaziah could not have been 42 at the time of his father's death at age 40! Such scribal errors do not change Jewish or Christian beliefs in the least. In such a case, another portion of scripture often corrects the mistake (2 Kings 8:26 in this instance). We must also remember that the scribes who were responsible for the copies were meticulously honest in handling Biblical texts. They delivered them as they received them, without changing even obvious mistakes, which are few indeed.

(Refer to the next question for a more in-depth presentation on how scribes could misconstrue numbers within manuscripts)

(Archer 1982:206 and Light of Life II 1992:201)

Critics Ask: 2Ki 8:25

2 KINGS 8:25 —Did Ahaziah become king in the twelfth year of Jehoram or in the eleventh year of Jehoram?

PROBLEM: According to 2 Kings 8:25 , Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah in the twelfth year of the reign of Jehoram son of Ahab, king of Israel. However, 2 Kings 9:29 states that Ahaziah became king of Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of Jehoram over Israel. Which is right?

SOLUTION: Both are correct. The difference stems from the manner in which the reign of a king was calculated in Israel and in Judah. At the time of the reign of Ahaziah in Judah, the system used to calculate the years of the reign of a king was the accession- year system. According to this system, the first official year of the reign of a king did not begin until the beginning of the new year after that king had taken the throne. The calculation system employed in Israel, however, was the nonaccession-year system in which the year that a king came to the throne was counted as his first official year. Consequently, what was the eleventh year according to the accession-year system was the twelfth year according to the nonaccession-year system.   

Critics Ask: 2Ki 8:26

2 KINGS 8:26 —Was Ahaziah 22 years old when he began to reign in Judah, or was he 42 years old?

PROBLEM: According to the statement in 2 Kings 8:26 , Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign in Judah. However, in 2 Chronicles 22:2 ( KJV ) we find the claim that Ahaziah was age 42 when he took the throne in Judah. Which is correct?

SOLUTION: This is clearly a copyist error, and there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to reign in Judah. In 2 Kings 8:17 , we find that Joram, father of Ahaziah and son of Ahab, was 32 years old when he became king. Joram died at age 40, eight years after becoming king. Consequently, his son Ahaziah could not have been 42 when he took the throne after his father’s death, otherwise he would have been older than his father.   

Introduction / Outline

JFB: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

THE FIRST AND SECOND BOOKS OF KINGS, in the ancient copies of the Hebrew Bible, constitute one book. Various titles have been given them; in the Septuagint and the Vulgate they are called the Third and Fourth Books of Kings. The authorship of these books is unknown; but the prevailing opinion is that they were compiled by Ezra, or one of the later prophets, from the ancient documents that are so frequently referred to in the course of the history as of public and established authority. Their inspired character was acknowledged by the Jewish Church, which ranked them in the sacred canon; and, besides, it is attested by our Lord, who frequently quotes from them (compare 1Ki 17:9; 2Ki 5:14 with Luk 4:24-27; 1Ki 10:1 with Mat 12:42).

JFB: 2 Kings (Outline)

• MOAB REBELS. (2Ki 1:1)
• AHAZIAH'S JUDGMENT BY ELIJAH. (2Ki 1:2-8)
• ELIJAH BRINGS FIRE FROM HEAVEN ON AHAZIAH'S MESSENGERS. (2Ki 1:9-16)
• AHAZIAH DIES, AND IS SUCCEEDED BY JEHORAM. (2Ki 1:17-18)
• ELIJAH DIVINES JORDAN. (2Ki 2:1-10)
• HE IS TAKEN UP TO HEAVEN IN A CHARIOT OF FIRE. (2Ki 2:11-18)
• ELISHA HEALS THE WATERS. (2Ki 2:19-25)
• JEHORAM'S EVIL REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (2Ki 3:1-3)
• MESHA, KING OF MOAB, REBELS. (2Ki 3:4-5)
• ELISHA PROMISES WATER AND VICTORY OVER MOAB. (2Ki. 3:6-24)
• ELISHA AUGMENTS THE WIDOW'S OIL. (2Ki 4:1-7)
• PROMISES A SON TO THE SHUNAMMITE. (2Ki 4:8-17)
• RAISES HER DEAD SON. (2Ki. 4:18-37)
• PURIFIES DEADLY POTTAGE. (2Ki 4:38-41)
• SATISFIES A HUNDRED MEN WITH TWENTY LOAVES. (2Ki 4:42-44)
• NAAMAN'S LEPROSY. (2Ki 5:1-7)
• ELISHA SENDS HIM TO JORDAN, AND HE IS HEALED. (2Ki 5:8-15)
• ELISHA REFUSES NAAMAN'S GIFTS. (2Ki 5:15-19)
• GEHAZI, BY A LIE, OBTAINS A PRESENT, BUT IS SMITTEN WITH LEPROSY. (2Ki 5:20-27)
• ELISHA CAUSES IRON TO SWIM. (2Ki 6:1-7)
• DISCLOSES THE KING OF SYRIA'S COUNSEL. (2Ki 6:8-17)
• HIS ARMY SMITTEN WITH BLINDNESS. (2Ki 6:18-23)
• BEN-HADAD BESIEGES SAMARIA. (2Ki 6:24-33)
• ELISHA PROPHESIES INCREDIBLE PLENTY IN SAMARIA. (2Ki. 7:1-16)
• THE UNBELIEVING LORD TRODDEN TO DEATH. (2Ki 7:17-20)
• THE SHUNAMMITE'S LAND RESTORED. (2Ki 8:1-6)
• HAZAEL KILLS HIS MASTER, AND SUCCEEDS HIM. (2Ki 8:7-15)
• JEHORAM'S WICKED REIGN. (2Ki 8:16-23)
• AHAZIAH SUCCEEDS HIM. (2Ki 8:24)
• JEHU IS ANOINTED. (2Ki. 9:1-23)
• AHAZIAH IS SLAIN. (2Ki 9:27-35)
• JEZEBEL EATEN BY DOGS. (2Ki 9:36-37)
• JEHU CAUSES SEVENTY OF AHAB'S CHILDREN TO BE BEHEADED. (2Ki. 10:1-17)
• HE DESTROYS THE WORSHIPPERS OF BAAL. (2Ki 10:18-29)
• JEHOASH SAVED FROM ATHALIAH'S MASSACRE. (2Ki 11:1-3)
• HE IS MADE KING. (2Ki 11:4-12)
• ATHALIAH SLAIN. (2Ki 11:13-16)
• JEHOIADA RESTORES GOD'S WORSHIP. (2Ki 11:17-20)
• JEHOASH REIGNS WELL WHILE JEHOIADA LIVED. (2Ki. 12:1-18)
• HE IS SLAIN. (2Ki 12:19-21)
• JEHOAHAZ'S WICKED REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (2Ki 13:1-7)
• JOASH SUCCEEDS HIM. (2Ki. 13:8-25)
• AMAZIAH'S GOOD REIGN OVER JUDAH. (2Ki 14:1-6)
• HE SMITES EDOM. (2Ki 14:7)
• JOASH DEFEATS HIM. (2Ki 14:8-16)
• HE IS SLAIN BY A CONSPIRACY. (2Ki 14:17-20)
• AZARIAH SUCCEEDS HIM. (2Ki 14:21-22)
• JEROBOAM'S WICKED REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (2Ki 14:23-29)
• AZARIAH'S REIGN OVER JUDAH. (2Ki 15:1-7)
• ZECHARIAH'S REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (2Ki 15:8-16)
• MENAHEM'S REIGN. (2Ki 15:17-21)
• PEKAHIAH'S REIGN. (2Ki 15:22-24)
• PEKAH'S REIGN. (2Ki 15:27-31)
• JOTHAM'S REIGN OVER JUDAH. (2Ki 15:32-38)
• AHAZ' WICKED REIGN OVER JUDAH. (2Ki. 16:1-16)
• HE SPOILS THE TEMPLE. (2Ki 16:17-19)
• HOSHEA'S WICKED REIGN. (2Ki 17:1-6)
• SAMARIA TAKEN, AND ISRAEL FOR THEIR SINS CARRIED CAPTIVE. (2Ki. 17:7-41)
• HEZEKIAH'S GOOD REIGN. (2Ki 18:1-3)
• HE DESTROYS IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 18:4-37)
• SENNACHERIB BESIEGES JERUSALEM. (2Ki. 18:17-37)
• HEZEKIAH IN DEEP AFFLICTION. (2Ki 19:1-5)
• COMFORTED BY ISAIAH. (2Ki 19:6-7)
• SENNACHERIB SENDS A BLASPHEMOUS LETTER TO HEZEKIAH. (2Ki 19:8-13)
• HEZEKIAH'S PRAYER. (2Ki. 19:14-34)
• AN ANGEL DESTROYS THE ASSYRIANS. (2Ki 19:35-36)
• SENNACHERIB SLAIN. (2Ki 19:37)
• HEZEKIAH'S LIFE LENGTHENED. (2Ki 20:1-7)
• THE SUN GOES TEN DEGREES BACKWARD. (2Ki 20:8-20)
• MANASSEH'S WICKED REIGN, AND GREAT IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 21:1-18)
• AMON'S WICKED REIGN. (2Ki 21:19-26)
• JOSIAH'S GOOD REIGN. (2Ki 22:1-2)
• HE PROVIDES FOR THE REPAIR OF THE TEMPLE. (2Ki 22:3-7)
• HILKIAH FINDS THE BOOK OF THE LAW. (2Ki 22:8-15)
• JOSIAH CAUSES THE LAW TO BE READ. (2Ki 23:1-3)
• HE DESTROYS IDOLATRY. (2Ki. 23:4-28)
• JEHOIAKIM PROCURES HIS OWN RUIN. (2Ki 24:1-7)
• JEHOIACHIN SUCCEEDS HIM. (2Ki 24:8-9)
• JERUSALEM TAKEN. (2Ki 24:10-16)
• ZEDEKIAH'S EVIL REIGN. (2Ki 24:17-20)
• JERUSALEM AGAIN BESIEGED. (2Ki 25:1-3)
• ZEDEKIAH TAKEN. (2Ki. 25:4-30)

TSK: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

The events detailed in these books (Kings) are highly interesting and important. The account of the wisdom, magnificence, and extended commerce of Solomon; the rash and impolitic conduct of Rehoboam; the disobedient prophet; the widow of Zarephath; Elijah and the prophets of Baal; Ben-hadad’s pride and defeat; Elijah’s assumption into heaven; Elisha’s succession to his ministry, and the series of illustrious miracles he performed; the panic flight of the Syrians; the history of Ben-hadad and Hazael; and the predicted death of Ahab and Jezebel, and their children, are all pregnant with instruction, and have furnished themes for frequent dissertation. We perceive in these impressive histories the characters and qualities of men painted with the utmost fidelity, and the attributes of God displayed with great effect. we contemplate the exact accomplishment of God’s promises and threatenings, the wisdom of his dispensations, and the mingled justice and mercy of his government. The particulars and circumstances are sketched out with a brief and lively description, and the imagination lingers with pleasure in filling up the striking outlines presented to our view. The authenticity of these books is attested by the prophecies they contain, which were subsequently fulfilled; by the citation of our Saviour and his Apostles; by their universal reception by the Jewish and Christian churches; and by the corresponding testimonies of profane authors and ancient sculptures.

TSK: 2 Kings 8 (Chapter Introduction)

Overview

2Ki 8:1, The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the forewarned famine, for Elisha’s miracle’s sake has her land restored by the king; 2Ki 8:7, Hazael, being sent with a present by Ben-hadad to Elisha at Damascus, after he had heard the prophecy, kills his master, and succeeds him; 2Ki 8:16, Jehoram’s wicked reign in Judah; 2Ki 8:20, Edom and Libnah revolt; 2Ki 8:23, Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram; 2Ki 8:25, Ahaziah’s wicked reign; 2Ki 8:28, He visits Joram, being wounded, at Jezreel.

Poole: 2 Kings 8 (Chapter Introduction)

KINGS CHAPTER 8

The Shunammite having, by Elisha’ s advice, left the land because of the famine, returneth home; and hath her whole estate restored to her for Elisha’ s sake, 2Ki 8:1-6 . He cometh to Damascus. Ben-hadad is sick, and sendeth Hazael to him with presents. Elisha foretelleth Ben-hadad’ s violent death, and Hazael’ s cruel reign, with tears. Hazael’ s answer: he killeth his master, and succeedeth him, 2Ki 8:7-15 . Jehoram’ s wicked reign in Judah: Edom and Libnah revolt, 2Ki 8:16-23 . He dieth, and Ahaziah his son succeedeth him: his wicked reign: he entertaineth friendship with Joram king of Israel, 2Ki 8:24-29 .

MHCC: 2 Kings 8 (Chapter Introduction)

(2Ki 8:1-6) A famine in Israel, The Shunammite obtains her land.

(2Ki 8:7-15) Elisha consulted by Hazael, Death of Benhadad.

(2Ki 8:16-24) Jehoram's wicked reign in Judah.

(2Ki 8:25-29) Ahaziah's wicked reign in Judah.

Matthew Henry: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Second Book of Kings

This second book of the Kings (which the Septuagint, numbering from Samuel, called the fourth ) is a continuation of the former book; and, some think, might better have been made to begin with the fifty-first verse of the foregoing chapter, where the reign of Ahaziah begins. The former book had an illustrious beginning, in the glories of the kingdom of Israel, when it was entire; this has a melancholy conclusion, in the desolations of the kingdoms of Israel first, and then of Judah, after they had been long broken into two: for a kingdom divided against itself cometh to destruction. But, as Elijah's mighty works were very much the glory of the former book, towards the latter end of it, so were Elisha's the glory of this, towards the beginning of it. These prophets out-shone their princes; and therefore, as far as they go, the history shall be accounted for in them. Here is, I. Elijah fetching fire from heaven and ascending in fire to heaven, ch. 1 and 2. II. Elisha working many miracles, both for prince and people, Israelites and foreigners, ch. 3-7. III. Hazael and Jehu anointed, the former for the correction of Israel, the latter for the destruction of the house of Ahab and the worship of Baal, ch. 8-10. IV. The reign of several of the kings, both of Judah and Israel, ch. 11-16. V. The captivity of the ten tribes, ch. 17. VI. The good and glorious reign of Hezekiah, ch. 18-20. VII. Manassah's wicked reign, and Josiah's good one, ch. 21-23. VIII. The destruction of Jerusalem by the king of Babylon, ch. 24 and 25. This history, in the several passages of it, confirms that observation of Solomon, That righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is the reproach of any people.

Matthew Henry: 2 Kings 8 (Chapter Introduction)

The passages of story recorded in this chapter oblige us to look back. I. We read before of a Shuuammite woman that was a kind benefactor to Elisha; now here we are told how she fared the better for it, afterwards, in the advice Elisha gave her, and the favour the king showed her for his sake (2Ki 8:1-6). II. We read before of the designation of Hazael to be king of Syria (1Ki 19:15), and here we have an account of his elevation to that throne and the way he forced for himself to it, by killing his master (2Ki 8:7-15). III. We read before of Jehoram's reigning over Judah in the room of his father Jehoshaphat (1Ki 22:50), now here we have a short and sad history of his short and wicked reign (2Ki 8:16-24), and the beginning of the history of the reign of his son Ahaziah (2Ki 8:25-29).

Constable: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

Introduction

Second Kings continues the narrative begun in 1 Kings. It opens with the translation of godly Elijah to heaven and closes with the transportation of the ungodly Jews to Babylon. For discussion of title, writer, date, and scope of 2 Kings, see the introductory section in my notes on 1 Kings.

Message¹

Second Kings is a sequel to 1 Kings. First Kings covers about one and a half centuries and 2 Kings about three centuries. In both books the two thrones are in view: the earthly and the heavenly.

First Kings emphasizes the facts of these thrones. The earthly throne consistently failed, but the heavenly throne consistently prevailed. Second Kings emphasizes the consequences that result from each of these situations. Its major value is its revelation of the failure of man and the victory of God.

The failure of man comes through the content of this book, but the victory of God comes through the pre-exilic prophets who wrote during the three centuries covered in 2 Kings. These prophets were Hosea, Amos, and Jonah in Israel. In Judah they were Isaiah, Jeremiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, and Zephaniah.

Notice first the revelation of this book concerning human failure.

The reason the nations failed was the people lost their vision of Yahweh. We can see this quite clearly in the attitudes and actions of the kings. Most of the kings were evil because they had no vision of the throne in heaven. They did not appreciate their position under God. A few of them were good, but even these fell short of the standard of devotion to God that David had set. Some of them conducted reforms, but none of them removed the places of pagan worship in the land (the "high places"). Essentially they conducted state business with little concern for God. Idolatry and foreign alliances are the evidence that the people lacked a vision of God. Another evidence of this is the people's inability to perceive their national setbacks as divine discipline. The prophets were constantly trying to help the people see this.

The method by which the nations failed was the people forgot their national vocation. They developed, on the one hand, an improper exclusiveness. They did not believe God could have any pity or mercy on any other people but themselves. Jonah demonstrated this attitude. On the other hand, they failed to be exclusive as God meant them to be. They formed alliances with other nations contrary to God's will. God intended His people to be a blessing to all other people and to trust in Him alone. The people not only lost their vision of God, they also lost their vision of their own vocation as a unique nation in the world (Exod. 19:5).

The evidence that the nations failed was the people lost their spiritual sensitivity. It is amazing but true that the ministry of the writing prophets that occupies so much space in the Old Testament was very ineffective in their own day (e.g., Isa. 53:1). The religious reformations that did take place were fairly superficial (cf. 2 Kings 22:8-20). When Hezekiah began his reform it took 16 days simply to carry the accumulated rubbish out of the temple (2 Chron. 29:17). In Josiah's day not even one copy of the Law was available until someone discovered one among the debris in the temple. When the people heard it read they were completely unfamiliar with it (2 Chron. 34:14-21).

Notice too in this book the revelation concerning the victory of God. There is much evidence of this as well.

The reason for God's victory is traceable to His promise, with an oath, to bless Abraham's descendants (Gen. 22:16-18). He will allow nothing to keep Him from fulfilling that promise. His covenant with Abraham underlies all of His dealings with the Israelites that this book documents. Remember that the Davidic Covenant grew out of the Abrahamic Covenant. God's covenants rested on His love.

The method by which God accomplished victory was by using the prophets as His messengers to communicate with His people and by using direct intervention to control their history.

The evidence of God's victory is the continued existence of the physical seed of Abraham. The Jews still exist today. Arnold Toynbe, the historian, called the Jews a fossil race. God has preserved them to fulfill His purposes on the earth. So even though they failed Him, He has not failed them.

I would summarize the message of 2 Kings, therefore, as follows. Though people fail God, God will not fail people. This is foundational to the doctrine of eternal security that the New Testament expounds more fully.

The main reason the Israelites failed God was they lost sight of Him. Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision (of God) the people cast off restraint." When people lose sight of God their ideals deteriorate. They turn to idolatry to fill the vacuum left by God's absence. Also, their purposes suffer defeat. They do not achieve fulfillment or realize their destiny. Furthermore their consciences become dead. They become unresponsive to the Word of God. You have a high calling. Point people to God.

On the other hand, God will never fail humanity (Isa. 42:1, 4). The man who said this, Isaiah, could do so because He did not lose sight of God. His vision of God was clear and great (Isa. 1:1; 6:1). It enabled him to maintain confidence in the throne in heaven when the throne on earth was failing terribly (Isa. 40:27-31). Is your confidence in God? Many evangelicals are wringing their hand in distress because the Christian cause seems to be suffering in America. God is still on His throne.

If we are to serve our generation faithfully, we must see God. When we do, we will find inspiration in the certainty of His ultimate victory. How can we keep God in our view? Read the Word daily. Pray. Bring Him into all your decisions, your worries, your fears. Do not lose sight of Him for one day. Do not forget your vocation in life (Matt. 28:19-20). Ask God to keep you spiritually sensitive.

Constable: 2 Kings (Outline)

Outline

(Continued from notes on 1 Kings)

3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:18

4. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:15

5. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-24

6. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29

C. The second period of antagonism 9:30-17:41

1. Jehu's evil reign in Israel 9:30-10:36

2. Athaliah's evil reign in Judah 11:1-20

3. Jehoash's good reign in Judah 11:21-12:21

4. Jehoahaz's evil reign in Israel 13:1-9

5. Jehoash's evil reign in Israel 13:10-25

6. Amaziah's good reign in Judah 14:1-22

7. Jeroboam II's evil reign in Israel 14:23-29

8. Azariah's good reign in Judah 15:1-7

9. Zechariah's evil reign in Israel 15:8-12

10. Shallum's evil reign in Israel 15:13-16

11. Menahem's evil reign in Israel 15:17-22

12. Pekahiah's evil reign in Israel 15:23-26

13. Pekah's evil reign in Israel 15:27-31

14. Jotham's good reign in Judah 15:32-38

15. Ahaz's evil reign in Judah ch. 16

16. Hoshea's evil reign in Israel 17:1-6

17. The captivity of the Northern Kingdom 17:7-41

III. The surviving kingdom chs. 18-25

A. Hezekiah's good reign chs. 18-20

1. Hezekiah's goodness 18:1-12

2. Sennacherib's challenge to Hezekiah 18:13-37

3. Yahweh's immediate encouragement 19:1-13

4. Hezekiah's prayer 19:14-19

5. Yahweh's answer 19:20-37

6. Hezekiah's illness and recovery 20:1-11

7. The prophecy of Babylonian captivity 20:12-19

8. Hezekiah's death 20:20-21

B. Manasseh's evil reign 21:1-18

C. Amon's evil reign 21:19-26

D. Josiah's good reign 22:1-23:30

1. Josiah's goodness 22:1-2

2. Josiah's reforms 22:3-23:27

3. Josiah's death 23:28-30

E. Jehoahaz's evil reign 23:31-35

F. Jehoiakim's evil reign 23:36-24:7

G. Jehoiachin's evil reign 24:8-17

H. Zedekiah's evil reign 24:18-25:7

I. The captivity of the Southern Kingdom 25:8-30

Constable: 2 Kings

2 Kings

Bibliography

Ackroyd, Peter R. "An Interpretation of the Babylonian Exile: A Study of 2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38-39." Scottish Journal of Theology 27:3:(August 1974):329-52.

Albright, William F. The Archaeology of Palestine. 1949. Revised ed. Pelican Archaeology series. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, Eng.: Penguin Books, 1956.

_____. "Seal of Eliakim." Journal of Biblical Literature 51 (1932):77-106.

Aharoni, Yohanan, and Michael Avi-Yonah. The Macmillan Bible Atlas. Revised ed., New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1977.

Archer, Gleason L., Jr. "Old Testament History and Recent Archaeology From Solomon to Zedekiah." Bibliotheca Sacra 127:502 (July-September 1970):195-211.

_____. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Revised ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1974.

Auld, A. Graeme. I & II Kings. Daily Study Bible series. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1986.

_____. "Prophets and Prophecy in Jeremiah and Kings." Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenschaft 96:1 (1984):66-82.

B., J. G. Short Meditations on Elisha. New York: Loizeaux Brothers, n.d.

Baillie, Rebecca A., and Eugene Baillie. "Biblical Leprosy as Compared to Present-Day Leprosy." Christian Medical Society Journal 14:3 (Fall 1983):27-29.

Baker, Walter L. "Obadiah." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, pp. 1453-59. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1985.

Battenfield, James R. "YHWH's Refutation of the Baal Myth through the Actions of Elijah and Elisha." In Israel's Apostasy and Restoration: Essays in Honor of Roland K. Harrison, pp. 19-37. Edited by Avraham Gileadi. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988.

Baxter, J. Sidlow. Explore the Book. 6 vols. London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1965.

Beek, M. A. "The Meaning of the Expression The Chariots and the Horsemen of Israel' (II Kings ii 12)." Oudtestamentische Studiën 17 (1972):1-10.

Begg, Christopher T. "The Reading at 1 Kings XX 13." Vetus Testamentum 36:3 (July 1986):339-41.

Blake, Ian M. "Jericho (Ain es-Sultan): Joshua's Curse and Elisha's Miracles--One Possible Explanation." Palestine Exploration Quarterly 99 (1967):86-97.

Bright, John A. A History of Israel. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1959.

Brinkman, J. A. "Additional Texts from the Reigns of Shalmaneser III and Shamshi-Adad V." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 32 (1973):40-46.

Bronner, Leah. The Stories of Elijah and Elisha. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1968.

Buccellali, Giorgio. Cities and Nations of Ancient Syria. Rome: Universita Di Roma, 1966.

Burney, C. F. Judges and Kings. Reprint ed. New York: KTAV Publishing House, 1970.

Bury, J. B.; S. A. Cook; and F. E. Adcock, eds. The Cambridge Ancient History. 12 vols. 2nd ed. reprinted. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1928.

Chafer, Lewis Sperry. Systematic Theology. 8 vols. Dallas Seminary Press, 1947-48.

Chisholm, Robert B., Jr. "Joel." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, pp. 1409-24. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1985.

Constable, Thomas L. "Analysis of Bible Books--Old Testament." Paper submitted for course 685 Analysis of Bible Books--Old Testament. Dallas Theological Seminary, January 1967.

_____. "2 Kings." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, pp. 537-88. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1985.

Cogan, M., and H. Tadmor. II Kings. Anchor Bible series. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1988.

Crockett, William Day. A Harmony of the Books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1973.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Books of the Bible. 5 vols. Revised ed. New York: Loizeaux Brothers Publishers, 1942.

Davis, John J., and John C. Whitcomb. A History of Israel. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980.

Day, John. "The Problem of So, King of Egypt' in 2 Kings 17:4." Vetus Testamentum 42:3 (July 1992):289-301.

de Vaux, Roland. Ancient Israel: Its Life and Institutions. 2 vols. Translated by John McHugh. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1961.

Eslinger, Lyle. "Josiah and the Torah Books: Comparison of 2 Kgs 22:1-23:28 and 2 Chr 34:1-35:19." Hebrew Annual Review 10 (1986):37-62.

Farrar, F. W. The Second Book of Kings. Reprint ed. Minneapolis: Klock and Klock, 1981.

Fass, David E. "Elisha's Locks and the She-Bears." Journal of Reform Judaism 34:3 (Summer 1987):23-29.

Fensham, F. Charles. "A Possible Explanation of the Name Baal-Zebub of Ekron." Zeitschrift für die Alttestamentliche Wissenchaft 79 (1967):361-64.

Frangipane, Francis. The Three Battlegrounds. Cedar Rapids, Iowa: Arrow Publications, 1989.

Freeman, Hobart E. An Introduction to the Old Testament Prophets. Chicago: Moody Press, 1974.

Gaebelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible. 4 vols. Reprint ed. Chicago: Moody Press, and New York: Loizeaux Brothers, Inc., 1970.

Gates, John T., and Harold Stigers. "First and Second Kings." In The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, pp. 307-66. Edited by Charles F. Pfeiffer and Everett F. Harrison. Chicago: Moody Press, 1962.

Gilchrist, Paul R. "Israel's Apostasy: Catalyst of Assyrian World Conquest." In Israel's Apostasy and Restoration: Essays in Honor of Roland K. Harrison, pp. 99-113. Edited by Avraham Gilendi. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988.

Gray, John. I & II Kings. Old Testament Library series. London: SCM Press, 1964; revised ed., Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1970.

Green, Alberto R. W. "The Identity of King So of Egypt--An Alternative Interpretation." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 52:2 (April 1993):99-108.

_____. "Regnal Formulas in the Hebrew and Greek Texts of the Books of Kings." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 42 (1983):167-80.

Hallo, W. W., and W. K. Simpson. The Ancient Near East: A History. New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1971.

Harton, George M. "Fulfillment of Deuteronomy 28-30 in History and in Eschatology." Th.D. dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1981.

Heater, Homer, Jr. "A Theology of Samuel and Kings." In A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, pp. 115-55. Edited by Roy B. Zuck. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991.

Hendricks, Howard G. Taking A Stand. Portland: Multnomah Press, 1983.

Herrmann, Siegfried. A History of Israel in Old Testament Times. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1975.

Hickman, D. "The Chronology of Israel and Judah." Catastrophism and Ancient History 7:2 (July 1985):57-70; 8:1 (January 1986):5-23.

Hobbs, T. R. 2 Kings. Word Biblical Commentary series. Waco: Word Books, 1985.

House, Paul R. 1, 2 Kings. New American Commentary series. N.c.: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995.

Hubbard, R. L., Jr. First and Second Kings. Everyman's Bible Commentary series. Chicago: Moody Press, 1991.

Hurowitz, Victor. "Another Fiscal Practice in the Ancient Near East: 2 Kings 12:5-17 and a Letter to Esarhaddon (Las 277)." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 45:4 (October 1986):289-94.

Jones, Gwilym H. 1 and 2 Kings. 2 vols. New Century Bible Commentary series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., and London: Marshall, Morgan, and Scott, 1984.

Josephus, Flavius. The Works of Flavius Josephus. Translated by William Whiston. Antiquities of the Jews. London: T. Nelson and Sons, 1866.

Kaiser, Walter C., Jr. Hard Sayings of the Old Testament. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1988.

Keil, C. F. The Books of the Kings. Translated by James Martin. Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., n.d.

Kenyon, Kathleen. Jerusalem. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1967.

Kitchen, K. A. The Bible In the World. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1977.

_____. "The Old Testament in its Context: 4 The Twin Kingdoms, Judah and Assyria (c. 930-640 BC)." Theological Students' Fellowship Bulletin 62 (1972):2-10.

_____. "The Old Testament in its Context: 5 Judah, Exile and Return." Theological Students' Fellowship Bulletin 63 (1972):1-5.

Krummacher, F. W. Elijah the Tishbite. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, n.d.

_____. Elisha. Reprint ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1976.

Lemaire, Andre. "Name of Israel's Last King Surfaces in a Private Collection." Biblical Archaeology Review 21:6 (November-December 1995):49-52.

Lange, John Peter, ed. Commentary on the Holy Scriptures. 12 vols. Reprint ed., Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1960. Vol. 3: Samuel-- Kings, by Chr. Fr. David Erdmann and Karl Chr. W. T. Bahr. Translated, enlarged, and edited by C. H. Toy, John A. Broadus, Edwin Harwood, and W. G. Sumner.

LaSor, William Sanford. "The Prophets during the Monarchy: Turning Points in Israel's Decline." In Israel's Apostasy and Restoration, pp. 59-70. Edited by Avraham Gilendi. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1988.

Livingston, J. Herbert. The Pentateuch in Its Cultural Environment. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1974.

Long, B. O. 2 Kings. Forms of Old Testament Literature series. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1991.

Luckenbill, Daniel David, ed. Ancient Records of Assyria and Babylonia. 2 vols. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1926-27.

Lundbom, Jack R. "Elijah's Chariot Ride." Journal of Jewish Studies 24:1 (Spring 1973):39-50.

Malamat, A. "The Last Kings of Judah and the Fall of Jerusalem." Israel Exploration Journal 18:3 (1968):137-56.

Margalit, Baruch. "Why King Mesha of Moab Sacrificed His Oldest Son." Biblical Archaeology Review 12:6 (November-December 1986):62-63, 76.

Martin, John A. "Isaiah." In The Bible Knowledge Commentary: Old Testament, pp. 1029-1121. Edited by John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck. Wheaton: Scripture Press Publications, Victor Books, 1985.

McFall, Leslie. "A Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles." Bibliotheca Sacra 148:589 (January-March 1991):3-45.

McNeely, Richard I. First and Second Kings. Everyman's Bible Commentary series. Chicago: Moody Press, 1979.

Merrill, Eugene H. Kingdom of Priests. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1987.

Meyer, F. B. Elijah and the Secret of His Power. Chicago: Fleming H. Revell, n.d.

Miller, J. M. "The Fall of the House of Arab." Vetus Testamentum 17 (1967):307-24.

Monson, James M. The Land Between. Jerusalem: By the author, P.O. Box 1276, 1983.

Montgomery, James A. A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Books of Kings. International Critical Commentary series. Edited by Henry Snyder Gehman. Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1967.

_____. "Archival Data in the Books of Kings." Journal of Biblical Literature 53 (1934):46-52.

Morgan, G. Campbell. Living Messages of the Books of the Bible. 2 vols. New York: Fleming H. Revell Co., 1912.

Na'aman, Nadav. "Historical and Chronological Notes on the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah in the Eighth Century B.C." Vetus Testamentum 36 (1986):83-91.

Nelson, Richard D. "The Altar of Ahaz: A Revisionist View." Hebrew Annual Review 10 (1986):267-76.

Newsome, James D., Jr. ed. A Synoptic Harmony of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1986.

Oded. B. "The Historical Background of the Syro-Ephraimitic War Reconsidered." Catholic Biblical Quarterly 34:2 (April 1972):153-65.

Olyan, Saul M. "2 Kings 9:31--Jehu as Zimri." Harvard Theological Review 78:1-2 (January-April 1985):203-7.

Oppenheim, A. L. "A Fiscal Practice of the Ancient Near East." Journal of Near Eastern Studies 6 (1947):116-20.

Parker, S. "Jezebel's Reception of Jehu." Maarav 1 (1978):67-78

Parrot, Andre. Babylon and the Old Testament. New York: Philosophical Library, 1956.

Patterson, Richard D., and Hermann J. Austel. "1, 2 Kings." In 1 Kings-Job. Vol. 4 of The Expositor's Bible Commentary. 12 vols. Edited by Frank E. Gaebelein and Richard P. Polcyn. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1988.

Payne, J. Barton. "The Relationship of the Reign of Ahaz to the Accession of Hezekiah." Bibliotheca Sacra 125:501 (January-March 1969):40-52.

_____. The Theology of the Older Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1962.

Pfeiffer, Charles F., and Howard F. Vos. The Wycliffe Historical Geography of Bible Lands. Chicago: Moody Press, 1967.

Piper, John. Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist. Portland: Multnomah Press, 1986.

Pritchard, James B., ed. Ancient Near Eastern Texts Relating to the Old Testament. 3rd ed. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1969.

Rainey, Anson F. "The Saga of Eliashib." Biblical Archaeology Review 13:2 (March-April 1987):36-39.

Rendsburg, Gary. "A Reconstruction of Moabite-Israelite History." Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University 13 (1981):67-73.

Robertson, O. Palmer. The Christ of the Covenants. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1980.

Robinson, J. The Second Book of Kings. Cambridge Bible Commentary on the New English Bible series. Cambridge, Eng.: University Press, 1976.

Schwantes, Siegfried J. A Short History of the Ancient Near East. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1965.

Skinner, J. I and II Kings. Century Bible series. Edinburgh: T. C. & E. C. Jack, 1904.

Slotki, I. W. Kings. London: Soncino Press, 1950.

Smith, James E. "Prolegomena to the Study of Kings." Seminary Review 21:3 (September 1975):77-115.

Steinmann, Andrew E. "The Chronology of 2 Kings 15-18." Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 30:4 (December 1987):391-97.

Student Map Manual. Jerusalem: Pictorial Archive (Near Eastern History) Est., 1979.

Thiele, Edwin R. A Chronology of the Hebrew Kings. Contemporary Evangelical Perspectives series. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981.

_____. "Coregencies and Overlapping Reigns Among the Hebrew Kings." Journal of Biblical Literature 93:2 (1974):174-200.

_____. The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1965.

Viviano, Pauline A. "2 Kings 17: A Rhetorical and Form-Critical Analysis." Catholic Biblical Quarterly 49 (October 1987):548-59.

Walvoord, John F. The Holy Spirit. Findlay, Ohio: Dunham Publishing Co., 1958.

Wiseman, Donald J. 1 and 2 Kings: An Introduction and Commentary. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1993.

Wood, Leon J. Elijah, Prophet of God. Des Plaines, Ill.: Regular Baptist Press, 1968.

_____. The Holy Spirit in the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1976.

_____. Israel's United Monarchy. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1979.

_____. A Survey of Israel's History. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1970.

Copyright 2003 by Thomas L. Constable

Haydock: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

THE FOURTH BOOK OF KINGS.

INTRODUCTION.

This Book brings us to the conclusion of the kingdom of Israel, (chap. xvii.) and to the captivity of Juda, at Babylon, chap. xxv. We behold some virtuous princes reigning over the two tribes [of Juda and Benjamin], while the ten were uniformly governed by men of perverse morals. (Worthington) --- Yet there were some who adhered to the Lord in both kingdoms. David and his descendants (Haydock) occupy the throne near 480 years; and, after the captivity, continue in some degree of honour till the coming of Christ. (Worthington) --- But various families rule over Israel; some by usurpation, (Haydock) others by God's appointment: who thus chooses to chastise the wicked. He still watches over his Church, and sends his prophets for the instruction of all. (Worthington) --- We have enquired in the preface of the former Book, who composed this. (Haydock) --- The kingdom of Israel subsists about 250, (Worthignton) or 254 years. This Book contains the transactions of 308 years. (Calmet) --- But the chronology is extremely perplexed. To the sixth year of Ezechias, when Israel was led away captive, the kingdom of Juda seems to have lasted 260, and that of Israel only 241 years, though they both commenced at the same period. The errors regard the kings of Isreal, according to Houbigant, who would assign the following years to the respective kings of Juda and Israel. 1. Of Juda: Solomon, 40; Roboam, 17; Abiam, 3; Asa, 41, Josaphat, 25; Joram, 8; Ochozias, 1; (the same is said to have begun to reign in the preceding year, the 11th of Joram, 4 Kings ix. 29, incorrectly) Athalia, 6; Joas, 40; Amasias, 29p; (he reigns 15 after the death of Joas, king of Isreal) Azarias, 52; Joatham, 16; Achaz, 16; Ezechias, 6; in which year, the three hundredth from the commencement of Solomon's reign, and the two hundred and sixtieth of the kingdom of Juda, Samaria was taken. 2. The kings of Israel: Jeroboam, 22; Nadab, 2; Baasa, 24; Ela, 2; Zambri, 7 days; Amri, 12; Achab, 22; Ochozias, 2; Joram, 12; Jehu, 28; Joachaz, 17; Joas, 16; Jeroboam, 41; Zacharias, 10½; (in the text 10 is omitted.; Haydock) Sellum, 1 month; Manahem, 10; Phaceia, 2; Phacee, 30; (in the text, 20.; Haydock) Osee, 9; in all, 261½ years, (Houbigant, Chron. Sac.) or 261 years and 7 months. The variation of 19 months, which still appears, may be owing to some of the years being incomplete. (Haydock) --- 3. After a reign of 28 years over Juda, Ezechias is succeeded by Manasses, who reigns 55: Amon, 2; Josias, 31; Joachaz, a few months; Eliacim, or Joakim, 11; Joachin, Conias, or Jechonias, had reigned ten years with his father. After three months and ten days reigning alone, he is led away to Babylon with part of the people. Matthanias, or Sedecias, is appointed in his stead; but proving refractory, is also, after nine years, deprived of his sight, and conducted with 832 of his subjects to Babylon. Nabuchodonosor had already led away 3023, under Joachin. After the death of Godolias, who was left to govern the miserable remains of the people, the year of the world 3417, he made 745 more captives, and thus an end was put to the kingdom of Juda. The scourge had been retarded for some time, by the repentance of Manasses, and the prayers of the prophets. (Calmet)

Gill: 2 Kings (Book Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS

This, and the preceding book, are properly but one book divided into two parts, because of the size of it, as the book of Samuel; it is a continuation of the history of the kings of Israel and Judah; and for a further account of it the reader is referred to the title of the preceding book.

Gill: 2 Kings 8 (Chapter Introduction)

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 8

This chapter gives an account of some advice Elisha had formerly given to the Shunammite woman, and of the success of it, 2Ki 8:1 and of the sickness of the king of Syria, who sent to Elisha, then being at Damascus, by Hazael, to know whether he should recover; by whom a message was returned, and Hazael was told by the prophet he should be king of Syria, and exercise great cruelty in Israel, 2Ki 8:7 and of the bad reign of Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, over Judah, 2Ki 8:16 and of the reign of his son Ahaziah, 2Ki 8:25.