2Ki 21:1

TWELVE YEARS OLD WHEN HE BECAME KING: Thus he was not born until 3 years after Hezekiah’s life was extended (cp Isa 53:8).

2Ki 21:2

HE DID EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD…: The tragedy is that Hezekiah, the good king, had a son in his old age who was an appalling example of evil. So faithful men do not always have faithful sons. A comfort to those righteous ones with children who have not accepted the gospel (yet! — for, remember that Manasseh repented at the end of his life!).

2Ki 21:3

ASHERAH: See Lesson, Asherah.

2Ki 21:4

IN JERUSALEM I WILL PUT MY NAME: Cp Deu 12:5; 2Sa 7:13; 1Ki 8:29; 9:3; Psa 78:68,69; 132:13,14.

2Ki 21:7

ASHERAH: See Lesson, Asherah.

2Ki 21:12

THE EARS OF EVERYONE WHO HEARS OF IT WILL TINGLE: The dreadful news will affect him like a sharp piercing sound. This phrase, which is first used in the time of Samuel, passes into use by the prophets to remind Israel that they are following the sins of the house of Eli: 1Sa 3:11; Jer 19:3.

2Ki 21:13

I WILL WIPE OUT JERUSALEM AS ONE WIPES A DISH, WIPING IT AND TURNING IT UPSIDE DOWN: (1) As one wipes a dish clean, turning it over so that no drop is left, so Jerusalem’s destruction would be total. None would remain. Yet the dish is not destroyed, “signifying hereby the emptying of Jerusalem of its palaces and houses, wealth and riches and of all its inhabitants; and yet the empty dish being preserved, seems to denote the restoration of Jerusalem after the seventy years’ captivity” (Gill).

Or… (2) ” ‘I will blot out Jerusalem as tablets are wont to be blotted out’ [Vulgate]. This is a metaphor taken from the ancient method of writing: they traced their letters with a stylus on boards thinly spread over with wax; for this purpose one end of the stylus was sharp, the other end blunt and smooth, with which they could rub out what they had written, and so smooth the place and spread back the wax, as to render it capable of receiving any other word. Thus the Lord had written down Jerusalem, never intending that its name or its memorial should be blotted out. It was written down The Holy City, The City of the Great King; but now God turns the stylus and blots this out; and the Holy Jerusalem, the City of the Great King, is no longer to be found! This double use of the stylus is pointed out in this ancient riddle: ‘I am flat at the top, but sharp at the bottom; I turn either end, and perform a double function: One end destroys what the other end has made’ ” (Clarke).

Ct with Rev 14:1; 3:10-12: God’s name written on their foreheads. Also ct Rev 3:5: “I will never blot out his name from the book of life.”

2Ki 21:17

See 2Ch 33:11-19. Manasseh is carried captive to Babylon, where he repents and is heard by God. He returns and begins his reforms.

2Ki 21:18

AMON: Poss named after Egyptian sun-god.

2Ki 15:4

THE HIGH PLACES, HOWEVER, WERE NOT REMOVED: Specific mention is made, several times, of the high places not being taken away: by Asa (1Ki 15:14); Jehoshaphat (1Ki 22:43); Jehoash (2Ki 12:3); Amaziah (2Ki 14:4); Azariah/Uzziah (2Ki 15:4); and Jotham (2Ki 15:35) — demonstrating the importance of this action in God’s sight. These kings did not make a full return to God. The high places (which had been used for idol worship) might have been out of use for the time being, but it seems they were not totally destroyed until the time of Hezekiah (2Ki 18:4; 2Ch 32:12); and even then their prohibition did not last beyond his reign (2Ch 33:3).

Do we have other shrines at which we worship? We must be sure that we remove the “high places” from our lives completely, even if they are currently “out of use”.

2Ki 15:5

THE LORD AFFLICTED THE KING WITH LEPROSY: Because he presumed to offer incense before God (2Ch 26:19-21). Whilst the Kings account does not mention this specifically, we should not forget the presumption of Uzziah.

2Ki 15:16

TIPHSAH: “The Jewish writers commonly take this Tiphsah to be without the land of Israel, the same with that in 1Ki 4:24 on the borders of Syria, and near the Euphrates; but it seems to be some place nearer Samaria, and Tirzah; it was but six miles from Samaria” (Gill). “Since it is clearly associated with Tirzah in the territory of Manasseh, it is not to be identified with the city on the Euphrates. However, the variant readings of the name in the Gr versions and the otherwise singularity of its reference have led the RSV to adopt the Lucianic reading Taphoe and to identify the name with Tappuah, a town in the north of Ephraim not far from Shiloh (cf Jos 16:8; 17:7)” (WyE).

2Ki 15:30

THE TWENTIETH YEAR OF JOTHAM: That is, the 20th year of his life, not the 20th year of his reign: he only reigned 16 years (v 33; 2Ch 27:1). Thus, this is 4th year of reign of Ahaz — cp Isa 7.

2Ki 15:32

Vv 32-38: “The career of Jotham was relatively short but enormously successful. He came to the throne as a coregent with his father Uzziah who was forced out of public life through the leprosy contracted in the temple as a result of his presumption. It appears that Jotham’s sole reign lasted only about six years but throughout his short reign he followed the example of his father’s early years and sought Yahweh who in turn blessed him.

“The history of Jotham’s reign is very short but sufficient is recorded to clearly indicate that Jotham was one of Judah’s finest rulers. Like his father he was successful at home and abroad; his military campaigns and internal projects to fortify Judah were all divinely blessed until he ‘became mighty’. The only deficiency of his reign was that his dedication to Yahweh was not shared by the majority of the people of Judah. After the divine estimation of Jotham the record concludes ominously: ‘And the people did yet corruptly.’ Jotham’s personal integrity was beyond question but he appears to have been unaware of the desperate need for a reformation in the ecclesia. This had to wait till the reign of Hezekiah his grandson.

“The most important feature of Jotham’s life was that his success was directly related to his godliness. The account is explicit: ‘So Jotham became mighty, BECAUSE he prepared (established or fixed) his ways before Yahweh his God.’ The grounds upon which present and ultimate success are predicated have not changed: ‘To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word’ (Isa 66:2)” (CKi).

2Ki 15:35

THE HIGH PLACES, HOWEVER, WERE NOT REMOVED: Specific mention is made, several times, of the high places not being taken away: by Asa (1Ki 15:14); Jehoshaphat (1Ki 22:43); Jehoash (2Ki 12:3); Amaziah (2Ki 14:4); Azariah/Uzziah (2Ki 15:4); and Jotham (2Ki 15:35) — demonstrating the importance of this action in God’s sight. These kings did not make a full return to God. The high places (which had been used for idol worship) might have been out of use for the time being, but it seems they were not totally destroyed until the time of Hezekiah (2Ki 18:4; 2Ch 32:12); and even then their prohibition did not last beyond his reign (2Ch 33:3).

Do we have other shrines at which we worship? We must be sure that we remove the “high places” from our lives completely, even if they are currently “out of use”.

2Ki 11:1

Vv 1-3: “The king of Judah has been killed, his alliance with the king of Israel having involved him in the latter’s fate. Jehu had also murdered ‘the brethren of Ahaziah,’ forty-two in number. Next, Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah and a daughter of Ahab, killed all the males of the royal family, and planted herself on the throne. She had Jezebel’s force of character, unscrupulousness and disregard of human life. She was a tigress of a woman, and, no doubt, her six years’ usurpation was stained with blood and with the nameless abominations of Baal worship. Never had the kingdom of Judah been at a lower ebb. One infant was all that was left of David’s descendants. The whole promises of God seemed to depend for fulfilment on one little, feeble life. The tree had been cut down, and there was but this one sucker pushing forth a tiny shoot from ‘the root of Jesse.’

“We have in the passage, first, the six years of hiding in the temple. It is a pathetic picture, that of the infant rescued by his brave aunt from the blood-bath, and stowed away in the storeroom where the mats and cushions which served for beds were kept when not in use, watched over by two loving and courageous women, and taught infantile lessons by the husband of his aunt, Jehoiada the high priest. Many must have been aware of his existence, and there must have been loyal guarding of the secret, or Athaliah’s sword would have been reddened with the baby’s blood. Like the child Samuel, he had the Temple for his home, and his first impressions would be of daily sacrifices and white-robed priests. It was a better school for him than if he had been in the palace close by. The opening flower would have been soon besmirched there, but in the holy calm of the Temple courts it unfolded unstained. A Christian home should breathe the same atmosphere as surrounded Joash, and it, too, should be a temple, where holy peace rules, and where the first impressions printed on plastic little minds are of God and His service” (MacL).

The careful planning of Jehoiada the priest paid off. It would have been easy for him to reason that as Athaliah was on the throne and there was no obvious son to sit on the throne that there was nothing he could do about it. However, being provided with one of the king’s sons, he was willing to wait and plan for seven years before implementing his plan to remove Athaliah from the throne.

May we have the foresight and determination to plan to do the will of God even if it seems that our work will not come to fruition for many years.

THE WHOLE ROYAL FAMILY: Her own grandchildren!

2Ki 11:2

A BEDROOM: “Bedchamber” (AV). A closet or storage chamber, off the sleeping area, where mats and quilts were kept (StrScr 53).

2Ki 11:4

JEHOIADA: The husband of Jehosheba (2Ch 22:11).

2Ki 11:6

THE SUR GATE: A side exit from the palace to the temple.

2Ki 11:8

WHEREVER HE GOES: That is, back and forth between temple and palace.

2Ki 11:12

A COPY OF THE COVENANT: “The testimony” (AV). Prob meaning a copy of the written Law of God.

2Ki 11:14

THERE WAS THE KING, STANDING BY THE PILLAR, AS THE CUSTOM WAS: It seems that it was traditional for the king to stand by a pillar — perhaps as a security measure against attack: 2Ki 23:3.

ATHALIAH TORE HER ROBES AND CALLED OUT, “TREASON! TREASON!”: Ironically, she was pronouncing her own sentence, and demonstrating the end of her authority — just as Caiaphas (Mar 14:63).

2Ki 11:16

HORSES: Who, just like Athaliah, should never have been in the king’s house (Deu 17:16).

AND THERE SHE WAS PUT TO DEATH: Jehoiada — the High Priest who acted as king — destroys the wicked harlot who has reigned for six years!

2Ki 11:18

THEY SMASHED THE ALTARS AND IDOLS TO PIECES: This destruction of instruments of idol worship happens a number of times, but sadly, each time man has created more to destroy. There are certainly many lessons for us to learn if we will. Do we do any better? Are we destroying the idols and the ‘high places’ in our lives — at which we idolize and worship our own desires?

THE PRIEST OF BAAL: Jezebel began Baal-worship in Israel, and Athaliah began the same in Judah.

2Ki 12:3

THE HIGH PLACES, HOWEVER, WERE NOT REMOVED; THE PEOPLE CONTINUED TO OFFER SACRIFICES AND BURN INCENSE THERE: Although Jehoash was described as a good king, this goodness did not extend to making the people good by removing their high places where they worshipped their idols. Hezekiah was the only one to do this (2Ki 18:22), and even this was immediately be reversed by his son (2Ki 21:3). We are under a great responsibility to remove the “high places”, as it were, not just from our own lives, but that of the whole community of believers.

Specific mention is made, several times, of the high places not being taken away: by Asa (1Ki 15:14); Jehoshaphat (1Ki 22:43); Jehoash (2Ki 12:3); Amaziah (2Ki 14:4); Azariah/Uzziah (2Ki 15:4); and Jotham (2Ki 15:35) — demonstrating the importance of this action in God’s sight. These kings did not make a full return to God. The high places (which had been used for idol worship) might have been out of use for the time being, but it seems they were not totally destroyed until the time of Hezekiah (2Ki 18:4; 2Ch 32:12); and even then their prohibition did not last beyond his reign (2Ch 33:3).

Do we have other shrines at which we worship? We must be sure that we remove the “high places” from our lives completely, even if they are currently “out of use”.

2Ki 12:7

Misappropriation of funds.

2Ki 12:15

THEY ACTED WITH COMPLETE HONESTY: “Well done, good and faithful servant!” (Mat 25:21). “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1Co 4:2).

Examples of faithfulness in service: Samuel (1Sa 3:20); David (1Sa 22:14); the temple overseers (2Ki 12:15); the workers (2Ch 34:12); Hananiah (Neh 7:2); Abraham (Neh 9:8); the treasurers (Neh 13:13); Daniel (Dan 6:4); Timothy (1Co 4:17); Epaphras (Col 1:7); Tychicus (Col 4:7); Onesimus (Col 4:9); Paul (1Ti 1:12); Moses (Heb 3:2,5); Gaius (3Jo 1:5); Jesus Christ (Rev 1:5); Antipas (Rev 2:13).

Cp Luk 16:10; 2Ch 31:12.

“An inscription attributed to Jehoash, the king of Judea who ruled in Jerusalem at the end of the ninth century BCE, has been authenticated by experts from the National Infrastructure Ministry’s Geological Survey of Israel following months of examination. The 10-line fragment, which was apparently found on the Temple Mount, is written in the first person on a black stone tablet in ancient Phoenician script. The inscription’s description of Temple ‘house repairs’ ordered by King Jehoash strongly resembles passages in 2Ki 12.

“Dr Gabriel Barkai, a leading Israeli archaeologist from Bar Ilan University’s Land of Israel Studies Department, says that if the inscription proves to be authentic, the finding is a ‘sensation’ of the greatest import. It could be, he says, the most significant archaeological finding yet in Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. It would be a first-of-its kind piece of physical evidence describing events in a manner that adheres to the narrative in the Bible.

“According to Dr Barkai, such a finding, which appears to furnish proof of the existence of the Temple, must be made available for examination by scholars, and can not be kept a virtual secret… Sources have indicated that the writing surfaced in the Temple Mount area as a result of wide-scale excavation work done in recent years in the area by Muslims, and that Palestinians relayed the fragment to a major collector of antiquities in Jerusalem…

“The inscription lauds repairs carried out by King Jehoash in ways reminiscent of the description in 2Ki. It includes the king’s request that priests collect public money to be used for the repair of the First Temple; and there are references to the purchase of timber and quarried stones for the carrying out of repairs on the Temple.

“The inscription contains fragments from 2Ki 12:15: ‘And they did not ask an accounting from the men into whose hands they delivered the money to pay out to the workmen; for they dealt honestly’ ” (BAR).

2Ki 12:18

WHO THEN WITHDREW FROM JERUSALEM: But he soon returned: 2Ch 24.

2Ki 13:1

2Ki 13: “In this ch the record returns to the history of Israel, taking it from the death of Jehu (1Ki 10:35) and briefly sketching the reign of Jehu’s son Jehoahaz and that of his grandson, Jehoahaz, known also as Joash. The Syrian oppression was the great event of the reign of Jehoahaz. But amidst the evil and wickedness of Jehoahaz reign (v 2), Yahweh revealed Himself as tender and compassionate, in spite of the duplicity of the king. His divine character is seen when ‘Jehoahaz besought Yahweh’, an expression which literally means ‘stroked the face of’. The same metaphor is used in Exo 32:11, 1Ki 13:6. It expresses the pleading of a man thoroughly humbled by the reverses of life. To such the Father responds, as does every true father similarly treated (cp Eph 3:15). Thus Yahweh provided a saviour (2Ki 13:5). Israel was saved through the victories of Joash and Jeroboam (v 25; 14:27), but the real source of salvation seems to have been Elisha. He must have been an influence for good in Israel, helping the king by his wise counsel. This explains the concern and despair of Joash on the impending death of Elisha (v 14)” (GEM).

2Ki 13:3

BEN-HADAD: A dynastic title of the Aramean, or Syrian kings. It is first seen in 1Ki 15:18 and the last reference, chronologically, is Jer 49:27.

2Ki 13:4

It is comforting that even in the midst of this apparently irretrievable immoral idolatry, God would listen to the pleas of one unrighteous man and allow him to be the saviour of the nation at that moment. How disappointing that even with this deliverance afforded them by God, none of them turned to Him (v 6).

2Ki 13:5

A DELIVERER: That is, Joash son of Jehoahaz.

2Ki 13:6

ASHERAH: See Lesson, Asherah.

2Ki 13:14

MY FATHER! MY FATHER!… THE CHARIOTS AND HORSEMEN OF ISRAEL!: These are the same words uttered by Elisha himself about his predecessor, Elijah (2Ki 2:12). Even the wicked king Jehoash realizes that Elisha, as God’s prophet, is more powerful than chariots and horses, and expresses here something of his awareness of the presence of the Almighty. It is true enough, that wherever the word of the prophet is found, there is the power of the LORD! And that power is infinitely greater than all the “chariots” and “horses” of all the armies that ever were.

What the younger Elisha had seen earlier in the old prophet Elijah, as he was being taken away from him, is finally seen by another in the now older Elisha, as he also is being taken away. Elisha may scarcely have realized how and when it was happening, but over time the “mantle” of Elijah had truly come to rest on his shoulders, spiritually as well as literally. He had grown up to the office, and now — at the end — it was as though Elijah was once more taking his leave of men. In a similar way, many a young man has wondered if he might ever attain to the wisdom, and experience, and authority, and strength of his father — to find, one day years later, that he has indeed. It has happened even as Jesus’ parable suggests: “Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how”… until finally “the grain is ripe” (Mar 4:27,29)!

2Ki 13:17

APHEK: An area immediately east of Israel; site of recent Syrian conflicts. Though Syria is basically north of Israel, this explains “east” of v 17a.

2Ki 13:18

STRIKE THE GROUND: “Smite” in AV, meaning ‘shoot the arrows so they strike the ground.’

2Ki 13:19

We are given here no indication of whether Joash could possibly have known how many times he was expected to “strike”, but the implication is that he acted in a half-hearted manner in carrying out Elisha’s bidding, thus giving Elisha reason to be angry. Let us be sure not to respond half-heartedly to the things that are revealed to us.

2Ki 13:20

EVERY SPRING: Lit, “at the coming in of the year” (cp similar phrase, Exo 34:22): probably the fall, the time of Feast of Tabernacles.

2Ki 14:1

2Ki 14: “A last opportunity for the nation presented itself, as in Israel and Judah there reigned three able sovereigns in Amaziah, Uzziah, and Jeroboam II. The weakness of surrounding nations was their opportunity. A vigorous struggle broke out to raise the nations from the depression into which it had fallen. Syria and Edom were reduced. The borders were extended, the struggle partly successful. But it was frustrated by calamities beyond human power. The kings conquered their enemies, but not themselves, and thus failed in the struggle for complete independence. Those whose pride makes them too eager to fight may get enough of it in quick order. Many would have honour and wealth enough, if they but know when they had enough. But the prosperity of Israel under Jeroboam was a delusion and a snare. Two prophets raised their voices in warning and rebuke. Hosea and Amos, sounded forth their stern, harsh language, revealing the true state of the ecclesia. Hosea was a citizen of the north, for he speaks of the land (Hos 1:2) and ‘our king’ (Hos 7:5). The rough shepherd Amos was from Judah. He beheld with indignation the soft luxury and abandoned life in the northern kingdom. He gives a frightful picture of an apostate, licentious and decadent Israel. It was the ‘last days’ of the Davidic monarchy, and little time remained before the divine judgment came upon both northern and southern elements of the nation” (GEM).

2Ki 14:4

THE HIGH PLACES, HOWEVER, WERE NOT REMOVED: Specific mention is made, several times, of the high places not being taken away: by Asa (1Ki 15:14); Jehoshaphat (1Ki 22:43); Jehoash (2Ki 12:3); Amaziah (2Ki 14:4); Azariah/Uzziah (2Ki 15:4); and Jotham (2Ki 15:35) — demonstrating the importance of this action in God’s sight. These kings did not make a full return to God. The high places (which had been used for idol worship) might have been out of use for the time being, but it seems they were not totally destroyed until the time of Hezekiah (2Ki 18:4; 2Ch 32:12); and even then their prohibition did not last beyond his reign (2Ch 33:3).

Do we have other shrines at which we worship? We must be sure that we remove the “high places” from our lives completely, even if they are currently “out of use”.

2Ki 14:7

THE VALLEY OF SALT: The southern Dead Sea area, site of overthrown cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

SELA: Petra: a city of immense strength and a wonder of the ancient world. From here, trade routes ran to Egypt, Palestine, and Syria.

2Ki 14:8

Background: Amaziah had borrowed a mercenary army from Joash of Israel. The prophet intervened, and they were sent back. They were angry, and pillaged cities of Judah: 2Ch 25.

MEET ME FACE TO FACE: A declaration of war (v 11).

2Ki 14:9

Vv 9,10: Figurative language: ‘You were recently asking for my help, and now you are challenging me?!’ Thistle = king of Judah; cedar = king of Israel.

GIVE YOUR DAUGHTER TO MY SON: That is, ‘Give me an army!’

THEN A WILD BEAST IN LEBANON CAME ALONG AND TRAMPLED THE THISTLE UNDERFOOT: The pillaging of Judah’s cities by the mercenary army (see 2Ki 14:8n).

2Ki 14:10

Amaziah planned to fight the 10 tribes, win, and thus unify all Israel (Josephus).

2Ki 14:12

Reason: Amaziah had begun to practice idolatry with Edom’s “gods” (2Ch 25:14,20).

2Ki 14:16

JEROBOAM HIS SON: Jeroboam II.

2Ki 14:27

UNDER HEAVEN: A phrase suggesting the universality of Yahweh’s judgement: Gen 6:17; Exo 17:14; Deu 7:24; 9:14; 25:19; 29:20; 2Ki 14:27. The two NT references (Acts 4:12; Col 1:23) expand the theme to show that the Father is indeed concerned with salvation for all mankind.

2Ki 14:28

HOW HE RECOVERED FOR ISRAEL BOTH DAMASCUS AND HAMATH: Prob Jeroboam just recovered portions of territory previously taken from Israel by Damascus and Hamath.

2Ki 9:3

I ANOINT YOU KING OVER ISRAEL: The full message in vv 6-10.

2Ki 9:7

Vv 7-10: Not in the original message (v 3), but given in 2Ki 21:21-24.

2Ki 9:10

AND NO ONE WILL BURY HER: By Jewish reckoning, this is a horrendous thing (Psa 79:3). Here the Spirit is seeking to highlight the awful nature of the woman. Later it becomes the lament of the prophet when speaking of the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem (Jer 14:16). In this way Jezebel’s death is seen to be as unpleasant as the final overthrow of the kingdom of God.

THEN HE OPENED THE DOOR AND RAN: Here the young man obeys the command of Elisha in v 3 to flee. Principle: God helps us only if we comply with His requirements. God would not look after the young man once this message was delivered unless he complied with God’s exact instruction, which was to flee as soon as it was done. Let us have our ears open to God’s instructions so that we too know what action is required of us by Him in each of the circumstances of our lives.

2Ki 9:11

THIS MADMAN: Ridicule of soldiers for a “holy man”.

YOU KNOW THE MAN AND THE SORT OF THINGS HE SAYS: ‘If you know he is mad, then you know his message is of no consequence.’

2Ki 9:30

2Ki 9:30:

Jezebel had one last defense: being a harlot, she could try to seduce Jehu.

2Ki 9:31

HIS MASTER: That is, Baasha (1Ki 16:9-15).

2Ki 9:33

THROW HER DOWN: “Lord, throw down the Jezebel of our unbelief, and let the dogs devour it” (CHS).

AS THEY TRAMPLED HER UNDERFOOT: Cp Isa 63:3, where Jesus is portrayed as treading down the enemies of the LORD: “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.”

2Ki 9:35

HER SKULL, HER FEET AND HER HANDS: But they did not eat everything! There is undoubtedly a lesson here, expressed symbolically: so wicked was Jezebel, that even the wild scavenger dogs of the streets — capable of eating the most disgusting garbage and offal — did not consider her head (symbolizing her thoughts), her feet (symbolizing her walk), or her hands (symbolizing her actions) fit to consume! When these dogs — which may readily consume their own vomit (Pro 26:11; 2Pe 2:22) — turn their backs on any “dish”, then it must be abhorrent to the last degree!

HER FEET AND HER HANDS: It is said, also, that dogs dislike small bones and never touch them (Tes 36:313).

2Ki 10:1

2Ki 10: “Jehu sets himself on vengeance bent. The terrible apostasy of the house of Ahab is to be answered on a pathway marked with blood. [1] Fear sweeps Samaria as Jehu now turns his attention to that city, and threatens war on Samaria: vv 1-5. He provides [2] terms of capitulation: vv 6,7, and then opens [3] condemnation upon the rulers: vv 8-11. The heaps of dead bodies were to be placed in an area of public resort that all might see and fear. It demonstrated the treachery of Ahab’s nobles, and the folly and danger of Jehu. This gives rise to the [4] slaughter of Ahaziah’s kinsmen: vv 12-14. Then [5] the vengeful Jehu received support from Jehonadab: vv 15,16, until finally, there is [6] further slaughter in Samaria: v 17. Fear lay heavily on the people at the approach of the ruthless and energetic captain, a fear that was fully justified in the massacre that took place. The people suffered for their support of Ahab. [7] Jehu traps the Baal worshippers: vv 18-28, as the proclamation went throughout the Land. Death was the penalty of non-compliance. The people had ample evidence that Jehu would carry out his threat if they disobeyed. From all parts of Israel, the devotees of Baal converged on the huge temple in Samaria. But it was to no avail, for he ‘destroyed Baal out of Israel’ (v 28), and its worship never effectively recovered. To that extent the revolution was a success. Finally, the record outlines: [8] Jehu’s shortcomings: vv 29-31, [9] Israel oppressed by Hazael: vv 32,33, and [10] the death of Jehu: vv 34-36. All attempts to frustrate Yahweh’s purpose fail” (GEM).

“Jehu is one of the most curious characters to appear in the report of the kings. He manifested an unquenchable zeal for Yahweh while undertaking the mission of wiping out Ahab’s house, but as soon as he came to the throne he casually reintroduced the apostasy of Jeroboam and completely ignored the Law of Yahweh concerning Israel’s worship. In order to ascertain his character, attention must therefore be focused on what motivated his professed zeal for Yahweh.

“Jehu massacred, in succession, Jehoram, Ahaziah, Jezebel, seventy sons of Ahab, 42 princes of Judah, and many thousands of Baal worshippers gathered by his decree to a special conference in Samaria. The cool and calculated ruthlessness with which he accomplished the vengeance of Yahweh upon Ahab’s house is a clear indication of the real essence of Jehu’s character. Yahweh commended him for destroying the house of Ahab (2Ki 10:30), but not for the attitude he adopted in accomplishing it. Jehu relished bloodshed and derived great satisfaction from the destruction of his fellow-Israelites, as is revealed in the death of Ahab’s seventy sons — whose heads he piled up in two heaps at the gate of Jezreel (2Ki 10:8-11). His zeal for Yahweh was really only a cloak for a blood-thirstiness unequalled in the history of the kings; hence Yahweh declared that He would in turn ‘avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu’ (Hos 1:4)” (CKi).

Jehu was anointed to be king by Elijah (1Ki 19:16; 2Ki 9:5,6). However, even though he was anointed by the prophet of God, he turned out to be an evil king. It is as if his anointing made him think that he could do nothing wrong. He was lifted above his station. We must take care that we are not presumptuous because we are the “sons of God”.

2Ki 10:4

TWO KINGS: That is, Jehoram and Ahaziah.

2Ki 10:11

“But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers” (Psa 125:5).

2Ki 10:16

COME WITH ME AND SEE MY ZEAL FOR THE LORD: “A zeal for the LORD, but not according to knowledge” (Rom 10:2). While “zeal” for the LORD MAY result in bloodshed, it may also be true that professed “zeal” may be a cloak for a bloodthirsty spirit. Also, it is good to remember that — quite often — true “zeal” may be manifested WITHOUT bloodshed! The one who showed, always, the greatest “zeal” for the LORD and His house (Psa 69:9; John 2:17) demonstrated it by shedding HIS OWN blood, and not someone else’s!

2Ki 10:21

THEY CROWDED INTO THE TEMPLE OF BAAL UNTIL IT WAS FULL…: Ct Gen 15:16: “The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.” Now it has!

2Ki 10:23

SEE THAT NO SERVANTS OF THE LORD ARE HERE WITH YOU: Special care taken not to kill any of the righteous: Eze 9:6; Rev 7:3; Gen 19:22; Amo 9:9.

2Ki 10:30

YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL SIT ON THE THRONE OF ISRAEL TO THE FOURTH GENERATION: (1) Jehu; (2) Jehoahaz (v 35); (3) Jehoash (2Ki 13:10); (4) Jeroboam II (2Ki 13:13); (5) Zachariah (2Ki 15:12).

2Ki 7:1

2Ki 7: “When the king rushed in with his bold and impious threat (2Ki 6:33), it appeared that he had the upper hand. The city was on the point of extinction, people were dying on all sides, the most horrible acts were being committed. In such circumstances, men who remain calm and unruffled because they possess divine vision become the mark for attack on the part of those lacking these resources and jealous of their power of immunity. Their worship of God is mere superstitious convenience. If he exists, demonstrate it by miracle. Life thus becomes a demand for more and more miracles. They forget that their repudiation of Yahweh has produced the very conditions they lament. On this occasion Elisha was able to demonstrate Yahweh’s power. To the astonishment of his hearers, the prophet was able to predict that the corn market at the gate of Samaria would present an extremely busy scene the following day. 2Ki 7 reveals: [1] Elisha’s incredible prophecy: vv 1,2. [2] The leper’s incredible discovery: vv 3-11. [3] The Syrian’s incredible flight: vv 12-15. [4] The incredible fulfilment of the prophecy: vv 16-20” (GEM).

This ch typifies the calling of the disciples, and the preaching of the gospel.

This very practical ch demonstrates how God knows the future. We have here a turn of events so dramatic and unlikely that no one could have predicted it, but by the power of God, Elisha was able to make this proclamation and so convince those around him of his truth as a prophet. Here was an immediate fulfilment of the prophecy of the day before — the test of a prophet.

Things and circumstances can change, as it were, in a moment, or as in this case, over night. What may be deemed most important and precious one day can become trivial the next day.

In these closing days of Gentile times we should be keeping our eyes, thoughts and actions on “the joy set before us” Or as Heb 10:25 tells us: “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”

2Ki 7:2

Scoffers and unbelievers will never be rewarded with a sign from heaven.

2Ki 7:3

Four men carry a message of salvation to the city: sym the four writers of the gospels.

2Ki 7:4

LET’S GO OVER TO THE CAMP OF THE ARAMEANS: Thinking they might be welcomed as spies.

2Ki 7:9

THIS IS A DAY OF GOOD NEWS: “Good news” = the “gospel”!

AND WE ARE KEEPING IT TO OURSELVES: Lesson for us: we should not be “silent Christians”.

IF WE WAIT UNTIL DAYLIGHT: // ‘if we do nothing until the resurrection!’

“Make sure that you have found the Savior. Eat and drink of him; enrich yourself with him; and then go and publish the glad tidings. I shall not object to your going as early as possible; but still, I would prefer that you should not go to assure others until you are quite certain yourself. I would have you go with a personal witness, for this will be your chief power with others. If you run too soon, and do not first taste and see that the Lord is good, you may say to others, ‘There is abundance in the camp’; and they may reply, ‘Why have you not eaten of it yourself?’ Thus your testimony will be weakened, if not destroyed; and you will wish you had held your peace. It is better that you first of all delight yourself in fatness before you proclaim the fact of a festival. It is good that your faith should grasp the exceeding great and precious promises; and then, when you run as a tidings-bearer, you will testify what you have seen. If any say to you, ‘Are you sure that it is true?’ you will answer, ‘Ay, that I am, for I have tasted and handled of the good word of life.’ Personal enjoyments of true godliness assist us in our testimony for truth and grace.

“But the point I desire to bring out is this: if those lepers had stopped in the camp all night, if they had remained lying on the Syrian couches, singing, ‘Our willing souls would stay in such a place as this’; and if they had never gone at all to their compatriots, shut up and starving within the city walls, their conduct would have been brutal and inhuman. I am going to talk to some at this time… who think that they have found the Savior… who write themselves down as having truly enjoyed religion, and who imagine that now their sole business is to enjoy themselves. They delight to feed on the word, and to this I do not object at all; but then, if it is all feeding and nothing comes of it, I ask to what end are they fed? If the only result of our religion is the comfort of our poor little souls, if the beginning and the end of piety is contained within one’s self, why, it is a strange thing to be in connection with the unselfish Jesus, and to be the fruit of his gracious Spirit. Surely, Jesus did not come to save us that we might live unto ourselves. He came to save us from selfishness.

“I am afraid that some… have never yet confessed the work of God… They feel that, whereas they were once blind, now they see; but they have never declared what the Lord has done for them. Has all this work been done in a corner for their personal [enjoyment]? I want to have a drive at them, and at all others who have not yet considered that the object of their receiving grace from the Lord is that God may, through them, communicate grace to others. No man liveth unto himself. No man should attempt so to live” (CHS).

2Ki 7:13

FIVE OF THE HORSES: Cp 5 brethren of rich man = all Israel (Luk 16:29).

2Ki 7:15

AS FAR AS: Or “toward”.

2Ki 7:19

YOU WILL SEE IT WITH YOUR OWN EYES, BUT YOU WILL NOT SEE ANY OF IT: “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out” (Luk 13:28).

2Ki 8:1

Vv 1-6: “It appears that ‘a great woman’ of Shechem had befriended the prophet, finding him and his servant, from time to time, as they passed by that place, food and lodging. In return for this he sends her a message: ‘Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?’ (2Ki 4:13) Now we should have gathered from previous passages in Elisha’s history, that Jehoram, who was then king of Israel, was not one with whom he was upon such terms as this proposition to the Shunammite implies. Jehoram was the son of Ahab, his old master Elijah’s enemy, and apparently no friend of his own; for when the three kings, the king of Israel, the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, in their distress for water, in their expedition against Moab, wished to inquire of the Lord through Elisha, his answer to the king of Israel was, ‘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’ (2Ki 3:14). What, then, had occurred in the interval betwixt this avowal, and his proposal to the Shunammite to use his influence in her favour at court, which had changed his position with respect to the king of Israel? It may be supposed that it was the sudden supply of water, which he had furnished these kings with, by God’s permission, thus saving the expedition; and the defeat of the enemy, to which it had been instrumental (2Ki 3:16,17). This would naturally make Elisha feel that the king of Israel was under obligations to him and that he could ask a slight favour of him without seeming to sanction the character of the man by doing so. And this solution of the case appears to be the more probable, from Elisha coupling the ‘captain of the host’ with the king; as though his interest was equally good with him too, which he might reasonably consider it to be, when he had done the army such signal service; and it is further confirmed by another incident related of this same Shunammite in a subsequent chapter. For having fled from the seven years’ famine into another country, she lost her house and land in her own, on which she appealed to king Jehoram. Accordingly, ‘the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things Elisha hath done’ (2Ki 8:4). Elisha having now, no doubt, actually recommended her case to the king. And when Gehazi had named some of these miracles, ‘the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers’; so that the event shows that Elisha on the former occasion had not miscalculated his powers, or the grounds on which he might challenge the king’s favours” (USC).

A FAMINE IN THE LAND THAT WILL LAST SEVEN YEARS: Exactly twice the length of the drought in the days of Elijah (Jam 5:17). A review of the Scriptural record suggests that Elisha’s ministry lasted twice the length of Elijah’s, and that he performed twice as many miracles as Elijah. Is this a fulfilment of the request of Elisha (2Ki 2:9), where he asked for a double portion of Elijah’s spirit?

2Ki 8:2

AND STAYED IN THE LAND OF THE PHILISTINES: The lowlands would not be so subject to a drought.

2Ki 8:3

TO BEG FOR HER HOUSE AND LAND: Possibly squatters had now moved in, and refused to leave.

2Ki 8:4

Vv 4-6: A direct example of how God works through circumstances for the benefit of those that love him (Rom 8:31). It is a direct example of the truth of the words: “When a man’s ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him” (Pro 16:7).

2Ki 8:6

“A sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous” (Pro 13:22).

2Ki 8:7

Had Naaman’s healing and conversion (2Ki 5) improved relations between the two countries?

2Ki 8:8

HE SAID TO HAZAEL: Having heard of Naaman (2Ki 5)?

HAZAEL: “El hath seen, or foreseen.”

2Ki 8:10

YOU WILL CERTAINLY RECOVER: Left to its own course, the disease would not prove fatal.

2Ki 8:11

HE STARED AT HIM WITH A FIXED GAZE UNTIL HAZAEL FELT ASHAMED: Elisha read his mind — he knew of the plotting, and Hazael shrank from his stares.

THEN THE MAN OF GOD BEGAN TO WEEP: Because he saw Hazael’s terrible judgments upon Israel?

2Ki 8:12

RIP OPEN THEIR PREGNANT WOMEN: Cp 2Ki 2:23,24 and Lev 19:28, where God “prohibits the ritual slitting of the womb of expectant women to deliver them to the Syrian god at whose hand the victims were supposed to believe the land had been invaded. The abortion was a dedication to the invading god. This is referred to in 2Ki 8:12 (and Amos, etc), where the same Heb word is translated ‘rip’ ” (AG, Tes 54:306).

2Ki 8:15

The fulfillment of this prophecy begins immediately, demonstrating the sort of man Hazael was: he went straight home and killed the king, starting his reign of terror. This is a terrible thing, but let us be sure not to stand on a pedestal and consider ourselves above such behavior. How many of us can truthfully say that at no point in our lives have we denied someone something in order to get what we want ourselves? However detached from our experience these stories are, there is always the potential for a humbling lesson.

2Ki 8:21

ZAIR: Mt Seir in Edom?

2Ki 9:1

TUCK YOUR CLOAK INTO YOUR BELT: ‘Prepare yourself for a journey.’