2 Kings 9:23

9:23 Jehoram turned his chariot around and took off. ¹  He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap, ²  Ahaziah!”

2 Kings 5:26

5:26 Elisha ³  replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you. ⁴  This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants. ⁵ 

2 Kings 21:13

21:13 I will destroy Jerusalem the same way I did Samaria ⁶  and the dynasty of Ahab. ⁷  I will wipe Jerusalem clean, just as one wipes a plate on both sides. ⁸ 

[9:23]  ¹ tn Heb “and Jehoram turned his hands and fled.” The phrase “turned his hands” refers to how he would have pulled on the reins in order to make his horses turn around.

[9:23]  ² tn Heb “Deceit, Ahaziah.”

[5:26]  ³ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[5:26]  ⁴ tn Heb “Did not my heart go as a man turned from his chariot to meet you?” The rhetorical question emphasizes that he was indeed present in “heart” (or “spirit”) and was very much aware of what Gehazi had done. In the MT the interrogative particle has been accidentally omitted before the negative particle.

[5:26]  ⁵ tn In the MT the statement is phrased as a rhetorical question, “Is this the time…?” It expects an emphatic negative response.

[21:13]  ⁵ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[21:13]  ⁶ tn Heb “I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab.” The measuring line and plumb line are normally used in building a structure, not tearing it down. But here they are used ironically as metaphors of judgment, emphasizing that he will give careful attention to the task of judgment.

[21:13]  ⁷ tn Heb “just as one wipes a plate, wiping and turning [it] on its face.” The word picture emphasizes how thoroughly the Lord will judge the city.