Bible Commentaries

evil = the evil. Hebrew. ra a. App-44.

his mother. Jezebel, who lived through the whole of his reign (2 Kings 9:30).

image = pillar, or statue (which Ahab had made. Compare 2 Kings 10:18). 1 Kings 19:18. Others remained (2 Kings 10:26, 2 Kings 10:27).

made Israel to sin. See note on 1 Kings 14:16.

Meslia. See App-54 on "the Moabite stone".

Ahab was dead. Compare 2 Kings 1:1. He and his son Ahaziah both died in the same year (800 B. C). See App-50.

I am, &c. Compare 1 Kings 22:4.

he said: i.e. Jehoram.

Which way . . . ? Either by crossing Jordan north of the Dead Sea and attacking Moab from the north; or by Edom, which was under Judah (1 Kings 22:47).

he answered: i.e. Jehoshaphat answered.

fetched a compass = made a circuit. Compare Acts 28:13.

Is there not here . . . ? A similar question asked before by Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:7).

poured water, &c. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Adjunct), App-6, for being an attendant.

Jehoshaphat. Some codices, with Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, add "king of Judah".

What . . . ? See note on 2 Samuel 16:10. Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

Nay = Say not so.

before, &c. Implying Elisha's priesthood.

not look. Jehoram was wicked in himself (2 Kings 3:2), as well as being the son of Ahab. Elisha less austere later (2Ki 6).

minstrel = harper. From Hebrew. nagan, to harp.

hand. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia (App-6). But some codices, with Aramaean, read "the Spirit".

valley = a dry watercourse.

ditches = trenches. Hebrew ditches ditches. Figure of speech Epizeuxis (App-6) = full of.

wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.

mar = spoil.

meat offering = meal offering. Hebrew. minhah. See App-43. = gift offering.

offered = offered up. there came water. Elisha's fourth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15.

put on armour. Hebrew gird a girdle.

red as blood. Implied as owing to the action of the sun. Equally a miracle.

slain = destroyed.

went forward. Some codices, &c, add "still further", and connect this with entering. Other codices, with six early printed editions, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, connect these words with the smiting, and read "still further smote", or "went on smiting".

Kir-haraseth = The city of the hill. The capital of Moab.

stones [in the wall] thereof. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis. App-6.

howbeit, &c. = and [till] the slingers should surround and smite it.

offered him = offered him up. App-43.

a burnt offering. App-43. Recording a fact on which Mesha is silent on the Moabite stone. App-54.

the wall. i.e., the higher of the two. Hebrew. homah not kir as in verses: 2 Kings 3:4, 2 Kings 3:10.

indignation = wrath. This led probably to Moab"s subsequent success.

they departed. This expresses the failure of Israel"s expedition, while Mesha goes on to record his subsequent successes, which were great all the cities taken by him (App-54) being those belonging to Reuben and Gad.

from him: i.e. from the king of Moab.

their own. The Syriac and Vulgate have these words in the text.