1Jehoram's evil reign. 4Mesha king of Moab rebelleth. 6Jehoram with Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom goeth against him; being distressed for want of water they apply to Elisha, who promiseth them water, and assureth them of victory. 20The water cometh in great plenty, and is mistaken by the Moabites for blood; they come in hopes of spoil, and are entirely defeated. 26The king of Moab, failing in his attempt to break through unto the king of Edom, sacrificeth his son, and raiseth the siege.
1NOW Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the 1eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
1 Which was the second year of Ahaziah’s reign. Compare herewith 2 Kings 1:17 and the annotation.
2And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: fora he put away 2the image of Baal that his father had made.
a 1 Kings 16:32.
2 Understand the reared image of the idol of the Zidonians, reared up at Samaria by Ahab. See 1 Kings 16:32.
3Nevertheless he cleaved unto 3the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
3 For he served the golden calves, which Jeroboam had caused to be made, 1 Kings 12:28, 29, etc.
4¶And Mesha king of Moab was a 4sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.
4 That is, he had much business and riches in cattle and animals, of which he was to pay tribute from that time that David had brought him under his subjection, 2 Sam. 8:12. Now, after the separation of the ten tribes from the house of Judah, the kings of Israel took this jurisdiction over the Moabites to themselves, as the kings of Judah on the contrary kept to themselves the command over the Edomites, who revolted under Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, 2 Kings 8:20 as the Moabites revolted from Israel under Joram the son of Ahab, in the following verse, and 2 Kings 1:1.
5But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, thatb the king of Moab rebelled against 5the king of Israel.
b 2 Kings 1:1.
5 Hebr. transgressed against the king of Israel: so in the sequel. This revolt was made in the reign of his brother Ahaziah; after the death of his father Ahab, 2 Kings 1:1.
6¶And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.
7And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against 6me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: 7Icam as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.
6 Who am the lawful successor in my father’s kingdom, and therefore must take such revolt to heart, although it has been committed heretofore. See 2 Kings 1:1.
7 Compare 1 Kings 22:4 and see the annotation.
c 1 Kings 22:4.
8And 8he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, 9The way through the wilderness of Edom.
8 Namely, Jehoshaphat asked this, because he would take the king of Edom along with him. It may also be understood of Jehoram, as willing to deliberate with Jehoshaphat.
9 Namely, to surprise the Moabites from behind.
9So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the 10king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle 11that followed them.
10 Who was still at this time the deputy of the king of Judah, 1 Kings 22:48. Compare herewith the annotation on verse 4. He is called here a king, because he maintained the place of a king, as this word is also used elsewhere for a governor or ruler. See Judges 17 on verse 6.
11 Hebr. that was in, or at their feet. See Judges 4 on verse 10.
10And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
11But Jehoshaphat said, Isd there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, 12which poured water on the hands of Elijah.
d 1 Kings 22:7.
12 That is, who ministered unto Elijah. For this is one of the services, which the servants and ministers were wont to perform to their lords and masters.
12And Jehoshaphat said, 13The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down 14to him.
13 Intimating that he was a prophet of the true God, and consequently was able to give them good counsel from God.
14 Namely, to Elisha, who is perceived to have followed the camp by God’s direction, and to have been not far away outside the camp at that time.
13And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, 15What have I to do with thee? gete thee 16to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, 17Nay: 18for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
15 Hebr. What me and thee? Also 2 Sam. 16:10; Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34; John 2:4.
e 1 Kings 18:19.
16 Understand to the remaining prophets of Baal, of the idolatrous grove, and of the calves of Jeroboam. Of such, see 1 Kings 18:19.
17 That is, touch not upon those things, or do not make mention of them.
18 He implies that the reason, for which they desired his advice, was of great moment, in regard that by the present distress, not only his life, but likewise that of the two other kings were brought in great danger.
14And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, 19before whomf I stand, surely, 20were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, 21I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.
19 That is, Whom I serve. See Deut. 10 on verse 8.
f 1 Kings 17:1.
20 That is, if I did not with affection regard his person for his piety and virtue’s sake, etc. See Gen. 32 on verse 20.
21 Hebr. if I would look toward thee, or if I would see thee.
15But now 22bring me a 23minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that 24the hand of the LORD 25came upon him.
22 Hebr. take me. See 2 Kings 2:20.
23 The Hebrew word signifies properly one that plays upon musical instruments, as harp, citer, lute, etc. Such music the prophet seems to have called for, partly to quiet his heart about the discontentedness which he bare toward the king Jehoram, partly to stir it up unto God by songs of praise and prayers, which were played, and so to prepare himself for the receiving of that which God would reveal unto him, in a well prepared heart. Compare 1 Sam. 10:5.
24 Understand by this the power of prophesying, to give counsel and advice to these kings, and to foretell what would come to pass. Such powers the prophets had not at all times, but when it pleased the Lord to give this assistance unto them. See 2 Kings 4:27; Ezek. 1 on verse 3; although they were to prepare themselves by fasting, singing, praying, and reading the Holy Scripture, for the receiving of them, Dan. 2:17, 18.
25 Hebr. was, or caused.
16And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of 26ditches.
26 Hebr. ditches, ditches; that is, many ditches, here and there. See of this doubling of a word, Gen. 14 on verse 10.
17For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and 27your cattle, and your beasts.
27 See Gen. 36 on verse 6.
18And this is but a 28light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.
28 Or, bad. Hebr. light; that is, besides the mercy which you have asked, namely, abundance of water, the Lord will give you yet the thing which you have not asked: victory over your enemies.
1929And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fellg every 30good tree, and stop all wells of water, and 31mar every good piece of land 32with stones.
29 This is not only a command of what they were to do, but also a promise of what they should do with it for their own benefit and advantage, and to the damage of the enemy.
g chop down
30 This is a particular and special command, excepted from the general and common rule, Deut. 20:19, or, this rule is to be understood only of the long-continuing siege of a particular city, and not of the speedy desolation of a country.
31 Hebr. cause to grieve, or, lament.
32 That is, make them barren and useless, by casting stones upon them; so that it shall be therewith by means of this devastation or laying waste, as it is with a man, who, being damaged and forsaken by all, mourns and languishes.
20And it came to pass in the morning, 33when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.
33 See 1 Kings 18 on verse 29.
21¶And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able 34to put on armour, and upward, and stood in 35the border.
34 Hebr. gird himself with a girdle. Namely, an armorial girdle with the weapons or arms belonging to it, and that for their first time; that is, who were now first found fit to bear arms and to go to wars.
35 Understand of their land, namely, to keep their enemies out.
22And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as 36blood:
36 This redness was caused by the sun beams, which now first began to appear on the earth.
23And they said, This is blood: the kings are 37surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.
37 Hebr. spoiling spoiled themselves; that is, surely or utterly marred, undone, or destroyed. The Hebrew word signifies properly to lay waste, from whence the word sword, with the Hebrews, has its name, because it causes desolation or wasting. The meaning than is, that they have destroyed themselves by mutual murdering and killing and so have made the camp desolate, and laid it waste.
24And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but 38they went forward smiting the Moabites, even 39in their country.
38 Namely, the Israelites, who following their victory, have chased the Moabites into their own country, and smote them there also, and quelled them.
39 Hebr. in her. Understand the land of the Moabites, out of which these intended to turn out the Israelites, verse 21. These words may be otherwise thus translated: and they smote them in their land, smiting also the land of the Moabites. The meaning is one and the same.
25And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the wells of water, and felledh all the good trees: only in 40Kir-haraseth left they 41the stones thereof; howbeit the 42slingers went about it, and smote it.
h chop down
40 One of the most important and strongest cities of the Moabites, having a wall of stone, whereof it seems to have gotten its name. See of this city likewise, Isa. 16:7.
41 Understand the stone-wall of the forenamed city which the Israelites left unbroken, after they had broken down all other cities, and over-ran and laid waste the open field.
42 That is, they committed so much violence with their slings and other instruments of war that the citizens were not able to defend their city walls and many of them were slain.
26¶And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew 43swords, to break through even 44unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
43 See the significance of this phrase, Judges 8 on verse 10.
44 Or, unto, or, through the king’s army.
27Then 45he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. 46And there was great indignation 47against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
45 Namely, the king of Moab, who, to obtain the aid and assistance of his idol Chamos in this distress, offered up his eldest son for a burnt-offering upon the wall of the city in the view of the besiegers; for by such kind of sacrifice the idolaters thought they performed the greatest service and honor that could be unto their Idols; vainly persuading themselves that they were herein followers of Abraham. Others perceive that he did not offer up his own son, but the son of the king of Edom, whom (as they say) he took prisoner in the sally, when he attempted with seven hundred men to break through the king of Edom’s army; in the previous verse. For proof of this opinion is alleged Amos 2:1. See examples of those who have offered up their children unto idols, Psalm 106:37; Ezek. 20:31, which God had forbidden upon pain of death, Lev. 20:2.
46 Namely, because they, by this hard siege and implacable war, had brought the king of the Moabites to this desperate and cruel act.
47 Other, in Israel, understanding by this wrath or indignation to be meant especially the wrath or indignation of the king of Edom, and his army, because of the abominable murder of his son.