2 Kings 1:8 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

We have here Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel, under God's rebukes both by his providence and by his prophet, by his rod and by his word. I. He is crossed in his affairs. How can those expect to prosper that do evil in the sight of the Lord, and provoke him to anger? When he rebelled against God, and revolted from his allegiance to him, Moab rebelled against Israel, and revolted from the subjection that had long paid to the kings of Israel, 2 Kgs. 1:1. The Edomites that bordered on Judah,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 1:8

And they answered him, he was an hairy man ,.... Either the hair of his head and beard were grown very long, having been much neglected for a great while; or he had an hairy garment on, either of goats' hair, such as the Chinese wear F6 Semedo's History of China, part 1. ch. 3. , whose women spin it, see Exodus 35:26 and of which garments are made; or of camels' hair, such as John the Baptist wore, who came in his spirit and power, and imitated him in his dress, being also, as Elijah... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 1:8

He was a hairy man - That is, he wore a rough garment, either made of camels' hair, as his successor John Baptist's was, or he wore a skin dressed with the hair on. Some think that the meaning is, he had very long hair and a long beard. The ancient prophets all wore rough garments, or upper coats made of the skins of beasts: They wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins, says the apostle, Hebrews 11:37 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

Worldly royalty and personal godliness. "Then Moab rebelled against Israel," etc. The two Books of Kings, which form but one in the most correct and ancient edition of the Hebrews, whilst they constitute a very strange and significant history, are fraught with much moral and practical suggestion. These verses bring under our notice two subjects of thought—worldly royalty in a humiliating condition, and personal godliness truly majestic. I. WORLDLY ROYALTY IN A HUMILIATING ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

Ahaziah's sickness. Son of a doomed house ( 1 Kings 21:29 ), Ahab's successor on the throne reigned for two inglorious years. His evil character is described in the words, "He walked m the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin" ( 1 Kings 22:52 ). A weak ruler, he was probably the mere tool of his mother Jezebel, whose worst qualities he inherited. In determined idolatry, open defiance of Jehovah, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-18

THE REVOLT OF MOAB . THE ILLNESS , IMPIETY , AND DEATH OF AHAZIAH The narrative of the Second Book of Kings follows on that of the First Book in the closest possible sequence. The history of Ahaziah's reign begins in 1 Kings 22:51 , and is carried on, without any real break or pause in the sense, to 2 Kings 1:18 . How the two books came to be divided at this point is quite inexplicable. The division is most unhappy. Not only does it, without apparent reason, draw... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-18

The short reign of Ahaziah: his sins, and their punishment. For homiletic purposes we must attach to this chapter the last three verses of the First Book of the Kings. We find in that passage a short but very complete account of the general character of Ahaziah's sins; we find in this chapter a tolerably full account of one great act of sin, and a clear declaration of the manner in which that act and his other sins were punished. It will be well to consider separately I. THE SINS .... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:5-16

Fire from heaven. Ahaziah's messengers were intercepted by Elijah. They brought back to Ahaziah the fearless prophet's announcement of his doom. Elijah's message was God's message. He began it by "Thus saith the Lord." The statement that Ahaziah would surely die was in reality the sentence of him who knows the future of every life, and in whose band is the breath of every human being, be he peasant or be he king. But such a terrible sentence had not brought Ahaziah to his senses. He does not... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:8

A hairy man ; literally, a lord of hair ( בַּעַל שַׂעָר ). Some take the meaning to be that he was rough and unkempt, with his hair and beard long; and so the LXX ; who give ἀνὴρ δασύς . But the more usual explanation is that he wore a shaggy coat of untanned skin, with the hair outward. Such a garment seems certainly to have been worn by the later prophets ( Zechariah 13:4 ; Matthew 3:4 ), and to have been regarded as a sign of their profession. But there is no... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 1:8

An hairy man - Either in allusion to his shaggy cloak of untanned skin; or, more probably, an expression descriptive of the prophet’s person, of his long flowing locks, abundant beard, and general profusion of hair. His costume was that of a thorough ascetic. Generally the Jews wore girdles of linen or cotton stuff, soft and comfortable. Under the girdle they wore one or two long linen gowns or shirts, and over these they had sometimes a large shawl. Elijah had only his leather girdle and his... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 1:8

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 1:8

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-8

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:1-18

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:5-16

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 1:8

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 1:8

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