View 2nd Kings 8 in the note window.
Elisha's advice to the Shunamite, ver. 1, 2.
The king restores her land, ver. 3 - 6.
Elisha's prophecy to Hazael, and the death of Ben - hadad,
ver. 7 - 15.
The reign of Jehoram, ver. 16 - 24.
Succeeded by Ahaziah, ver. 25 - 29.
1: Sojourn - In any convenient place out of the land of Israel.
The Lord, &c. - Hath appointed to bring a famine. This expression
intimates, that all afflictions are sent by God, and come at his call
or command. Seven years - A double time to the former famine under
Elijah, which is but just, because they were still incorrigible under
all the judgments of God, and the powerful ministry of Elisha.
3: Her house - Which having been forsaken by her, were possessed by
her kindred.
4: Gehazi the servant - Formerly his servant. The law did not
forbid conversing with lepers, but only dwelling with them.
8: Enquire of the Lord, &c - In his health he bowed down in the
house of Rimmon; but now he tends to enquire of the God of Israel.
Among other instances of the change of mens minds by affliction or sickness,
this is one; that it often gives them other thoughts of God's ministers,
and teacheth them to value those whom they before hated and despised.
9: Thy son - He who before persecuted him as an enemy, now in his
extremity honours him like a father.
10: Howbeit - 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.
11: He settled - The prophet fixed his eyes upon Hazael.
Until - 'Till Hazael was ashamed, as apprehending the prophet
discerned something of an evil and shameful nature in him.
13: A dog - So fierce, barbarous, and inhuman. King - 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.
15: Spread it - So closely, that he choaked him therewith.
16: Jehoram - 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.
18: He walked - After his father's death.
The daughter - 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. Those that are ill matched are already half - ruined.
19: Alway - 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. A light - A son and successor.
29: Ramah - The same place with Ramoth, or Ramoth - Gilead.
