And he said, thus saith the Lord, make this valley full of ditches. In which the allied army lay encamped, that they might be ready to receive large quantities of water, sufficient for the whole army and cattle, when it came. read more
For thus saith the Lord, ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see the rain ,.... Neither perceive the south wind blow, which usually brings rain, nor clouds gathering in the heavens, as portending it, nor any filling from thence: yet that valley shall be filled with water ; and all the ditches dug in it: that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle, and all your beasts ; there would be such a quantity as would be enough for them all, the soldiers, the horses they rode on, and the... read more
Make this valley full of ditches - The word נחל nachal may be translated brook, as it is by the Vulgate and Septuagint. There probably was a river here, but it was now dry; and the prophet desires that they would enlarge the channel, and cut out various canals from it, and reservoirs, where water might be collected for the refreshment of the army and of the cattle; and these were to be made so wide that the reflection of the sun's rays from this water might be the means of... read more
Ye shall not see wind - There shall be no wind to collect vapours, and there shall be no showers, and yet the whole bed of this river, and all the new made canals, shall be filled with water. read more
THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF JEHORAM 'S REIGN OVER ISRAEL ; HIS WAR WITH MOAB . read more
THE WAR WITH MOAB . The historian goes back to the origin of the war. He had already, in 2 Kings 1:1 , mentioned the revolt of Moab at the death of Ahab; but he now recalls his readers' attention to the fact, and to some extent explains it and accounts for it. Moab had been treated oppressively—had been forced to pay an extraordinarily heavy tribute—and was in a certain sense driven into rebellion ( 2 Kings 1:4 , 2 Kings 1:5 ). Jehoram, when he came to the kingdom, determined to... read more
Man's extremity is God's opportunity. This expedition, begun without consulting God, soon landed the allies in dire straits. I. THE STRAITS OF THE ARMY . 1. The failure of water . The host must have been a large one, and they had much cattle with them for sustenance. For some reason, the journey occupied seven days, and the desert was waterless. They were in the same distress that the Israelites were in centuries before under Moses ( Exodus 17:1-3 ; Numbers 20:1-5 ... read more
The servant of God in the presence of the great of the earth. Three lessons may be learnt from the conduct of Elisha before the confederate kings. I. A LESSON OF ZEAL FOR GOD . Elisha does not allow himself to be abashed by the earthly grandeur and dignity of his visitors, or to be rendered yielding and complaisant by the compliment which they have paid him in seeking him out, instead of summoning him to their presence. As the servant and minister of God, he is always in a... read more
Aspects of a godly man. "And Elisha said unto the King of Israel, What have I to do with thee?' etc. Elisha was confessedly a godly man of a high type, and these verses reveal him to us in three aspects. I. AS RISING SUPERIOR TO KINGS . When these three kings—Jehoshaphat the King of Judah, Jehoram the King of Israel, and the King of Edom—approached Elisha, was he overawed by their splendor? or was he elated by their visit? No. He was no flunkey ; no true man ever is. Here... read more
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Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 3:6-19
Jehoram has no sooner got the sceptre into his hand than he takes the sword into his hand, to reduce Moab. Crowns bring great cares and perils to the heads that wear them; no sooner in honour than in war. Now here we have, I. The concerting of this expedition between Jehoram king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah. Jehoram levied an army (2 Kgs. 3:6), and such an opinion he had of the godly king of Judah that, 1. He courted him to be his confederate: Wilt thou go with me against Moab? And... read more