2 Kings 3 Commentary

“And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.”

Nourished. Hebrew noked, a term which the Septuagint leave untranslated, means literally, “marked” with some colour by the master.

“But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.”

Wife. She was otherwise of no nobility, but perhaps loved by David more than the rest, as Rachel was by Jacob. The Rabbins would infer that Egla and Michol are the same person. But the latter had no children, (chap. vi. 23.; Salien) and is mentioned [in] ver. 13.

“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.”

He entered cordially into this war, as he perceived that if Moab succeeded, Edom would follow the same plan. (Menochius)

“And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.”

Edom though more circuitous (Calmet) than to cross over the Jordan at Galgal, as the enemy might thus be taken unawares, (Menochius) and fresh recruits might be procured from the tributary king of Edom, ver. 9. (Haydock) Yet the want of water made this road more dangerous.

“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. that: Heb. at their feet”

Sworn. It seems therefore that he knew of God’s appointment, and had hitherto resisted it for his own temporal convenience. (Haydock) — If both he and Isboseth were ignorant of this decree, Abner had no right to deprive the latter of the crown. (Abulensis, q. 7.) (Menochius)

“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.”

Elias, a proverbial expression to denote that he waited upon him, though the prophet’s rough manner of living would require but little attendance. So John the Baptist speaks of untying our Saviour’s shoes, Matthew iii. (Calmet) — Providence had sent Eliseus to attend the army (Haydock) contrary to his custom. (Calmet)

“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.”

With him. I am content. (Haydock) — Others read with an interrogation, as if the reputation of Eliseus was not yet established. (Menochius) — Him: they go to his tent. No one ever supported the character of God’s envoy, or shewed his authority over the most haughty, better than Eliseus. (Calmet)

“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.”

Mother, whom thou supportest. This is not an order, but a sarcasm (Haydock) which the king deserved. (Calmet) — Christ said to Judas, what thou dost, do quickly, John xiii. 27. (Haydock) — With what liberty does the prophet speak to an impious king! shewing himself worthy to succeed Elias, and actuated by the like zeal for God.

“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.”

Reverence, (erubescerem) “blush at,” may imply a degree of censure at Josaphat’s being again found in such bad company, ver. 2. (Haydock) — Hebrew, “If I did not receive (Calmet) or regard the face.” (Haydock)

“But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.”

Minstrel. The priests and Levites, who officiated in the temple, accompanied the army. Eliseus wants no profane music, (Calmet) but, by this request, shews his respect for the true religion, (Haydock) and by sounding forth the divine praises, in some of David’s psalms, wishes to obtain of God the favour which was desired. (Theodoret) (Menochius) — He had felt some emotion at the sight of Joram, and was sensible that God required a calm. (Calmet) — He dwells not in a violent wind, &c., 3 Kings xix. 11. (Haydock) — The surprising effects of ancient music to calm the passions are well attested, 1 Kings xvi. 17. By this means St. Francis was raised to the contemplation of heavenly things; and St. Augustine says of himself: “How I wept when I heard thy hymns and canticles, being greatly moved at the delightful harmony of thy church:” suavesonantis Ecclesiæ tuæ vocibus commotus acriter. (Conf. ix. 6. de C. xiv. 24.) — Upon him, so that he experienced that enthusiasm which shewed that he was actuated by the divine spirit, to speak with all the authority requisite. The pagans strove to imitate the true prophets, but the difference was very evident; no less than the spirit with which they were filled; the former were agitated in a furious manner; the latter were composed and majestic. (Calmet)

“And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches.”

Ditches. It was then quite dry; the water which should come in the night, would both refresh the army, and bring on the ruin of the Moabites.

“And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.”

Enemies. We read not of this promise elsewhere. But how many other things are omitted in the sacred books? (Calmet) — Abner alleges God’s decree, that he may not be deemed a traitor. (Cajetan)

“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. mar: Heb. grieve”

Tree. This was an exception from the general law; (Deuteronomy xx. 19.; Calmet) or it might only regard the land of Chanaan, which the Hebrews should occupy. (Menochius) (Worthington) — Stones, which had been gathered off into heaps, Isaias v. 1. Persius calls a field thus cleared, Exossatus ager; (Calmet) as if the bones were taken out. (Haydock)

“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.”

Offered, at sun-rise, Exodus xxix. 38. — Water, produced miraculously, without any rain being seen; (ver. 17.; Calmet) though it might fall at a distance in Idumea. (Haydock)

“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. gathered: Heb. were cried together put on: Heb. gird himself with a girdle”

Upon them. Hebrew, “and upward,” both soldiers and those who were usually exempt from service.

“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:”

Blood. The clouds have frequently a reddish colour at sun-rise, which would be reflected in the waters: the sand might also be red. As the Moabites knew that no water could be expected there at that season of the year, and as some examples had occurred of people turning their arms one against another in the night, (Judges vii. 11., and 1 Kings xiv. 20.) they concluded that what they saw was blood. (Calmet) — God had also destined them for slaughter, (Abulensis, q. 21.) and suffered their imagination and judgment to be deluded. (Haydock)

“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. they went: or, they smote in it even smiting”

Moab. Hebrew adds, “even in the country.”

“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 Kirharaseth left they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. only in: Heb. until he left its stones in Kirharaseth”

Brick walls. It was the proper name of the city of the Moabites. In Hebrew, Kir-Charaseth. (Challoner) — Isaias xv., and xvi. 7. It was also called Ar, or Arcopolis. — Remained. Hebrew adds, “with the stones unmolested.” They laid siege to it. (Haydock) — Slingers. Grotius would understand those who attended the machines designed to throw stones, &c. But the slingers kept off the enemy, while others undermined the walls. (Calmet)

“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.”

Edom, hoping that he would favour their escape, or because that part seemed the weakest.

“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.”

Wall, to Chamos, the idol of Moab; (Menochius) or to Moloc, to appease the wrath of the gods. Horrible blindness! The pagans believed, that the most precious thing ought to be sacrificed in very imminent dangers. (Philo Biblius, following Eusebius, præp. iv. 16.) — The Phœnicians offered such victims to Saturn. Many devoted themselves to death for the safety of the Roman republic; and some were ready to do so, to preserve the lives of Caligula and Nero, before they had given proof of their evil dispositions. (Seutonius xiv.) — It is thought that Sennacherib intended to treat his two sons in this manner, if they had not prevented him. (Abulensis, in 4 Kings xix. 37.) — Some imagine that Mesa sacrificed his son to the God of Israel, in imitation of Abraham; (Josephus; Grotius) others, that he slew the son of the king of Edom, out of revenge. (Kimchi, in Amos ii. 1.) — The Hebrew is ambiguous. (Amama) — But interpreters generally believe, that the heir of Mesa fell a victim (Calmet) to his father’s mistaken zeal, or to his desire to make the enemy retire, when they saw him reduced to such a state of desperation. It had, at least, this effect. (Haydock) — Indignation, at such a cruel action. (Menochius) — Septuagint, “there was great repentance” and sorrow. The text may also imply, that God was displeased at Israel for pushing the king to such an extremity; or, they became an object of horror to the surrounding nations. (Calmet) — The first explanation seems the best; as the Israelites thought the king had been sufficiently punished, and therefore retired. They had no reason to suspect that he would have given way to such madness, nor were they to blame for it. (Haydock)

Innocent. I would not purchase a kingdom at such a price. (Calmet) — I beg that the crime may not be imputed to us, who are innocent. (Haydock) — God sometimes punishes a whole kingdom for the sins of the rulers. (Menochius) — Yet not without some fault of the subjects. (Haydock)

Issue. Such were looked upon as unclean, (Leviticus xv. 3,) and incapable of having children. Aquila translates zab, “blind.” Septuagint, “afflicted with the gonorrhœa.” — Distaff, like eunuchs. (Delrio, adag. 190.) (Claud in Eutrop.) Tu telas non tela pati, &c. Some translate a stick, with which the blind, lame and aged endeavour to walk. (Calmet) — Any of these conditions would be very mortifying to great warriors. (Haydock) — Bread. Hunger and famine were considered as a scourge of God, Psalm lviii. 7, 15., and cviii. 10. David is not moved with hatred, but foretells what will befall the posterity of these men, whose crime he abhors. (Calmet)

Joab. Requiring him to make some reparation, at least, for the offence, and to render the funeral pomp more solemn. All were obliged to rend their garments, and to put on sackcloth, on such occasions. It was very rough, and consisted chiefly of goat and camel’s hair. — Bier, contrary to the custom of kings. Some copies of the Septuagint say, he “went before the bier,” (Calmet) where women commonly were placed. (Grotius)

Died. Hebrew, “Is Abner dead, like Nabal,” “a fool,” (Chaldean) “like the wicked?” “Ought so brave a man to have died in this treacherous manner?”

Iniquity. David does not spare Joab, in this canticle, which was sung by all the people. (Calmet) — He intimates, that if he had not used deceit, Abner would not have been so easily overcome. (Haydock)

David. Hebrew, “to cause David to eat meat” (Haydock) at the feast, which usually accompanied funerals, Genesis l, 3. (Calmet)

Israel. And that all this pomp is not unseasonable. (Menochius) — The chief, if not the only virtue of Abner, was military skill, or a blunt valour.

King. Septuagint, “and that I am to-day a relation, (by my wife) and appointed king by the king?” (Haydock) — He seemed as yet to have little more than the title. His throne was not well established; (Calmet; Worthington) and to undertake to punish the offenders now, might have had so pernicious consequences as the attempt of Isboseth to correct his general. (Haydock) — It is better to temporize than to increase the distemper, (Calmet) by a fruitless zeal for justice. (Haydock) — The punishment was only deferred, 3 Kings ii. 5. (Menochius) — Hard. Powerful or insupportable. (Calmet) — This year was memorable for the death of Codrus, king of Athens. (Salien, the year of the world 2985.)