Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
Verſ. 1. NOw Jehoram the ſonne of Ah… began to reigne over Iſrael in Samaria, the eighteenth yeare of Jehoſhaphat, &c.] Chap. 1.17. it is ſaid, that he ſucceeded his brother Ahaziah, and began his reigne in the ſecond yeare of Jehoram the ſonne of Jehoſhaphat; but that was onelyonly, becauſe Jehoſhaphat when he went with Ahab againſt Ramoth Gi…ead, did deſigne his ſonne Jehoram to be king in his room, and to govern the kingdome in his abſence: howbeit at his return he reſumed the government of the kingdome to himſelf, as we ſee in this place; and indeed there was good cauſe: for the trouble that Jehoſhaphat was put to, to reform things at his return, 2. Chron. 19.4. argues no ſmall diſtemper of the whole countrey, through the miſgovernment of that his ungodly ſonne in his abſence: ſee the note, chap. 1.17.
Verſ. 2. He put away the image of Baal that his father had made.] That is, he ſuppreſſed the worſhip of Baal which his father had ſet up, though he continued ſtill the idolatry of Jeroboam in his golden calves: it was much indeed that this wicked king ſhould reform ſo much; eſpecially, his mother Jezebel being yet living, by whoſe means the worſhip of Baal was firſt brought in: but it may well be, that his conſcience was a little ſtartled with the death, firſt of his father, and then of his brother Ahaziah, occaſioned by the ſtrange fall that he got, and with the late revolt of the Moabites from them; and beſides, perhaps he knew that the Prophets of God attributed theſe things to the idolatry of the Iſraelites; and therefore intending an expedition againſt the Moabites, he reſolved firſt to ſuppreſſe the idolatry of Baal, that ſo his warre againſt Moab might ſpeed the better.
Verſ. 7. The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me againſt Moab to battel?] He rebelled in the dayes of Ahaziah, immediately after the death of Ahab their father, chap. 1.1. but Ahaziah was king little above a yeare, and the moſt of that time perhaps bedrid with his fall, and ſo could not undertake the reducing of Moab to their former obedience, and ſo now Jehoram his brother undertakes it ſo ſoon as ever he came to the crown.
And he ſaid, I will go up, &c.] Whether it were out of a deſire that Jehoſhaphat had to be avenged on the Moabites for their defection from the kings of Judah to Iſrael (for being formerly tributaries to David and Solomon, they had left the kings of Judah, and given themſelves for vaſſals unto this time to Jeroboam and his ſucceſſours) or for that they had lately with other nations made warre upon him, and invaded his land, 2. Chron. 20.1. or whether it were becauſe Joram king of Iſrael had put down the worſhip of Baal in his kingdome, and ſo in this regard he thought he might the more ſafely joyn with him in this warre againſt Moab, though he had been formerly reproved by Gods Prophets, firſt, for aiding Ahab when he went againſt Ramoth Gilead, 2. Chron. 19.2. and, ſecondly, for joyning himſelf with Amaziah to make ſhips to go to Tarſhiſh, 2. Chron. 20.37. Yet now again he joyned himſelf with Jehoram the ſonne of Ahab, and brother of Amaziah in this his warre againſt the Moabites.
Verſ. 8. And he ſaid Which way ſhall we go up? And he anſwered, The way through the wilderneſſe of Edom.] That is, Jehoram asked Jehoſhaphat which way they ſhould go; and Jehoſhaphat adviſed them to go the way through the wilderneſſe of Edom, to wit, either that they might come upon the Moabites by a way they looked not for them; or that they might take the king of Edom and his forces along with him; or elſe, the better to aſſure that nation of the Edomites by the way, of whom they had the more cauſe to be jealous, becauſe ſome of them had lately been in the field at Engaddi againſt Jehoſhaphat, together with the Moabites and the Ammonites, 2. Chron 20.22. The Lord ſet ambuſhments againſt the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come againſt Judah, and they were ſmitten: though at this time they were tributaries to Jehoſhaphat, and ſo continued till his ſonnes reigne, 2 Chron. 21.8.
Verſ. 9. So the king of Iſrael went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom.] That is, the Viceroy of Edom, whom Jehoſhaphat had ſet over them; for as yet they had no king of their own, 2. Chron. 21.8.
Verſ. 11. Here is Eliſha the ſonne of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.] That is, Here is Eliſha the ſervant or miniſter of Elijah: whether in this particular Elijah made uſe of Eliſhaes ſervice, we need not enquire, becauſe this was the ordinary imployment of ſervants that attended upon their maſters; therefore with this proverbiall kind of ſpeech this courtier ſpeaks of him as Elijahs attendant, Here is Eliſhah that poured water on the hands of Elijah: and no doubt it was by the ſpeciall inſtinct of Gods ſpirit, that Eliſha was come along with the armie into theſe deſerts of Edom.
Verſ. 12. And Jehoſhaphat ſaid, The word of the Lord is with him.] So he judged, both becauſe he was the diſciple of ſo great a prophet, and perhaps his fame was already ſpread abroad; as alſo, becauſe he conceived there was ſomething in it, that he ſhould be now come with the army.
So the king of Iſrael, and Jehoſhaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him.] It was very much that three kings ſhould go down to the prophet, and that they did not rather ſend for Eliſha to come to them, as at other times the kings of Iſrael and Judah were wont to do: but firſt, the great extremity they were now in, might make them deſirous to ingratiate themſelves to Eliſha by all poſſible meanes: ſecondly, it is like enough, that Jehoſhaphat might adviſe him hereto; and that becauſe knowing how much the prophets of God were deſpiſed and ſlighted in thoſe dayes, he thought it requiſite, by this great honour done to Eliſha, to let the people ſee how highly they ought to eſteem them▪
Verſ. 13. And Eliſha ſaid unto the king of Iſrael, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, &c.] Though the king of Iſrael had ſuppreſſed the idolatry of Baal in his kingdome, yet becauſe he continued ſtill in the idol-worſhip of his golden calves, therefore Eliſha profeſſeth to him with great boldneſſe, as became him upon whom the ſpirit of Elijah did reſt; that there was no reaſon that a worſhiper of idols ſhould come to the prophet of the true God, in the time of his extremitie, but ironically wills him, to go to the prophets of his father, and the prophets of his mother, to ſee if they could now yield him any comfort.
Nay: for the Lord hath called theſe three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.] As if he ſhould have ſaid; Nay Eliſha, do not now charge theſe things upon me, for as it is the Lord that hath brought us into theſe ſtraits, ſo it is he onelyonly I know, that can halp us out, and not theſe idol-gods; which thoſe falſe prophets worſhip thou ſpeakeſt of: yea if ſuccour come not ſpeedily we are like to be undone: you ſee we are like to fall into the hands of the Moabites, if they ſhould come upon us; not I onelyonly, but even theſe kings that are with me, whom I know thou doeſt highly eſteem: it is no time therefore now to chide, but to help; wherefore enquire I pray of the Lord for us, and call upon him that we may be delivered.
Verſ. 14. As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I ſtand.] See the note, 1. Kings 17.1.
Verſ. 15. But now bring me a minſtrell,] This he called for, either to compoſe his affection and to quiet his mind, that was ſomewhat moved againſt Jehoram; or rather, that by ſinging ſome holy pſalm or hymn, both himſelf, and thoſe that were with him preſent, might have their hearts raiſed to ſuch holy and heavenly meditations, as might render him the fitter to ask and receive propheticall inſpirations, and them the fitter to heare what God would ſay unto them.
The hand of the Lord came upon him.] That is, the ſpirit of propheſie.
Verſ. 19. And ye ſhall ſmite every fenced citie, and every choice citie, and ſhall fell every good tree.] Thus God by this ſpeciall direction of the prophet gave allowance to the Iſraelites, to do that for the puniſhing of the Moabites, as devoted to utter deſtruction, which by the generall rule of the law they might not have done, Deut. 20.19. When thou ſhalt beſiege a city a long time, in making warre againſt it to take it, thou ſhalt not deſtroy the trees thereof by forcing an ax againſt them: or elſe, that law was meant onelyonly of the warres they were to make againſt the cities in the land of Canaan.
Verſ. 20. And it came to paſſe in the morning when the meat-offering was offered, that behold, there came water, &c.] This time God was pleaſed to chooſe wherein to ſend them water, thereby to honour that ſervice which was done him then by his people, and to teach them that all bleſſings come to us by Chriſt (who was the ſumme of all thoſe ſacrifices) and are to be obtained by the prayers of his people: for the time of the morning ſacrifice was alſo the time of publick prayer, Acts 3.1. Now Peter and John went up together into the temple, at the houre of prayer, being the ninth houre.
Verſ. 23. And they ſaid, This is bloud, &c.] The gliſtering of the ſunne-beams upon the waters made them think the place where the Iſraelites were to be covered over with bloud; which conceit, was doubtleſſe the more readily entertained: Firſt, becauſe they never dreamed of any water in thoſe deſerts of Edom, where the Iſraelites lay now encamped: Secondly, becauſe not long before the like had befallen their people, when they went with the Ammonites and Edomites againſt Jehoſhaphat; diſſenſion ariſing among them, they fell upon, and ſlew one another, 2 Chron. 20.22, 23. and why might not the ſame now happen amongſt theſe kings that had combined together againſt them? And thus the Moabites were by a miſconceit drawn forth from their borders, which were happely ſtrong, and through which the Iſraelites could not ſo eaſily have broken; being ſo confident of what they ſuppoſed, that they ſent not forth ſcouts to ſee whether it were ſo as they conceived, or no.
Verſ. 25. And they beat down the cities, and on every good peice of land cast every man his ſtone, &c.] That is, whereever they came in the land of Moab, they did what they could utterly to ſpoile their countrey, razing their cities, caſting ſtones upon their lands, ſtopping their wells, and felling their trees.
OnelyOnly in Kir-haraſeth left they the ſtones thereof, &c.] That is, onelyonly the city of Kir-haraſeth ſtood in her ſtrength and was not razed: to wit, becauſe thither the king of Moab fled with his ſouldiers, and ſo manned it, and defended it againſt the Iſraelites: Kir-haraſeth was indeed the chief and beſt fortified citie in the land of Moab, as we may ſee, Eſay 16.7. and therefore no marvell it is, though that endured a ſiege when the other were preſently taken; the king being alſo retired thither for ſhelter with all his forces.
Howbeit the ſlingers went about it, and ſmote it. &c.] That is, though they could not preſently take this city, yet they beſieged it; the ſlingers ſeeking to beat the defendants from the walls, that they might ſcale them, or batter them with engines, or dig them down with mattocks, and ſo take the city; yet ſome by ſlingers here underſtand engineers, which with their engines did force ſtones againſt the walls, to batter them with violence, as now gunners ſhoot bullets.
Verſ. 26. And when the king of Moab ſaw that the battell was too ſore for him, &c.] That is, when he ſaw that his enemies were too ſtrong for him, and were like to prevail and take the city, he ſallied forth with ſeven hundred men upon that quarter where the king of Edom lay, hoping to break through, and ſo to eſcape: neither was it perhaps without cauſe that he choſe to make his ſalley upon Edoms quarter, for it might be, either, becauſe that quarter was weakeſt; or, becauſe his rage was moſt againſt thoſe their neighbours for helping the Iſraelites; eſpecially, conſidering that a while before the Edomites and they had joyned together againſt Jehoſhaphat, 2. Chron. 20.22. or, becauſe he might hope to find them no ſure friends to this enterprize of the Iſraelites againſt him.
Verſ. 27. Then he took his eldeſt ſonne that ſhould have reigned in his ſtead, &c.] This may be meant of the king of Edoms eldeſt ſonne; and ſo it is evident by the contents of this chapter; our tranſlatours underſtood it; to wit, that the king of Moab having the king of Edoms eldeſt ſonne in his power, whether left with him as an hoſtage formerly, or now taken lately in that ſalley which he had made upon the king of Edoms quarters; he took him and ſacrificed him upon the walls of the city: whereupon the Edomites being enraged againſt the king of Iſrael, becauſe by his preſſing the continuance of this ſiege, ſo lamentable a miſchief was fallen upon their king and his ſonne, they brake up, and went in a fury away from the camp, and ſo the ſiege was raiſed. But I rather conceive it was the king of Moabs own ſonne whom he ſacrificed: Firſt, becauſe the king of Edom was but a vice-roy, choſen, and ſet over them by Jehoſhaphat (for in his time they had no king of their own, 2. Chron. 21.8.) and therefore he could not have a ſonne that ſhould have ſucceeded him in his throne: Secondly, becauſe this barbarous fact would rather have enraged both the king of Edom himſelf and the other kings to have preſſed the ſiege the more vehemently, that they might come to be revenged on him: better therefore do moſt of Expoſitours underſtand this of the king of Moabs ſonne; to wit, firſt, that finding himſelf in extremity of diſtreſſe, he fled to this laſt refuge, of ſacrificing his own ſonne and heir to his idol-gods, that with ſo pretious a ſacrifice he might prevail with them for help: and ſecondly, that this he did on the wall, both to let his enemies ſee how reſolved he was ſtill to hold out, and that they might be afraid of the event of ſuch a ſacrifice: and thirdly, that the great indignation againſt Iſrael here ſpoken of, was either that the Edomites moved with this lamentable ſpectacle, were offended with the Iſraelites for it, and ſo broke up their quarters and went away; or rather, that after this prodigious act of blind devotion, both the king of Moab, and the inhabitants of the city, were more bitterly enraged againſt the Iſraelites then ever, and were reſolved to fight it out to the laſt man; which the Iſraelites perceiving, and withall perhaps moved with ſome compaſſion, upon that lamentable ſpectacle, they raiſed the ſiege and went away home: As for that place, whereby ſome would prove it was the king of Edoms ſonne that was ſlain, Amos 2.1. Thus ſaith the Lord, for three tranſgreſsions of Moab and for foure, I will not turn away the puniſhment thereof, becauſe he burnt the bones of the king of Edom into lime: that ſpeaks of burning the king of Edom not the kings ſonne; how ever it may be meant of any other ſalvage act of cruelty in the Moabites againſt the king of Edom.