We are now called to attend the public affairs of
Israel, in which we shall find Elisha concerned. Here is, I. The
general character of Jehoram, king of Israel,
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
Jehoram, the son of Ahab, and brother of Ahaziah, is here upon the throne of Israel; and, though he was but a bad man, yet two commendable things are here recorded of him:—
I. That he removed his father's idols. He
did evil in many things, but not like his father Ahab or his mother
Jezebel,
II. That he did what he could to recover
his brother's losses. As he had something more of the religion of
an Israelite than his father, so he had something more of the
spirit of a king than his brother. Moab rebelled against Israel,
immediately upon the death of Ahab,
6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab! 11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is 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, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches. 17 For 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 your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.
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 (
II. The great straits that the army of the
confederates was reduced to in this expedition. Before they saw the
face of an enemy they were all in danger of perishing for want of
water,
III. Jehoshaphat's good motion to ask
counsel of God in this exigency,
IV. Elisha recommended as a proper person
for them to consult with
V. The application which the kings made to
Elisha. They went down to him to his quarters,
VI. The entertainment which Elisha gave
them. 1. He was very plain with the wicked king of Israel
(
20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And 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 blood: 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. 25 And 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 felled all the good trees: only in Kir-haraseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. 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 swords, to break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.
I. We have here the divine gift of both those things which God had promised by Elisha—water and victory, and the former not only a pledge of the latter, but a means of it. God, who created, and commands, all the waters, both above and beneath the firmament, sent them an abundance of water on a sudden, which did them double service.
1. It relieved their armies, which were
ready to perish,
2. It deceived their enemies, who were
ready to triumph, into the destruction. Notice was given to the
Moabites of the advances of the confederate army, to oppose which
all that were able to put on armour were posted upon the
frontiers, where they were ready to give the Israelites a warm
reception (
(1.) How easily they were drawn into their
own delusions. Observe the steps of their self-deceit. [1.] They
saw the water in the valley where the army of Israel encamped, and
conceited it was blood (
(2.) How fatally they thereby ran upon
their own destruction. They rushed carelessly into the camp of
Israel, to plunder it, but were undeceived when it was too late.
The Israelites, animated by the assurances Elisha had given them of
victory, fell upon them with the utmost fury, routed them, and
pursued them into their own country (
II. In the close of the chapter we are told
what the king of Moab did when he found himself reduced to the last
extremity by the besiegers, and that his capital city was likely to
fall into their hands. 1. He attempted that which was bold and
brave. He got together 700 choice men, and with them sallied out
upon the intrenchments of the king of Edom, who, being but a
mercenary in this expedition, would not, he hoped, make any great
resistance if vigorously attacked, and so he might make his escape
that way. But it would not do; even the king of Edom proved too
hard for him, and obliged him to retire,