2 Reis 3
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Reis 3
NJB (MT versing) Jehoram Meets Moab Rebellion Moab Rebels Against Israel The War with Moab War Between Israel and Moab Introduction to the Reign of Jehoram in Israel (852-841) 3:1-3 3:1-3 3:1-3 3:1-3 3:1-3 The Expedition of Israel and Judah Against Moab 3:4-8 3:4-5 3:4-8 3:4-7a 3:4-5 3:6-12 3:6-8 3:7b-8 3:9-12 3:9-12 3:9-10 3:9-20 3:11a 3:11b 3:12 3:13-20 3:13-19 3:13-20 3:13a 3:13b 3:14-15a 3:15b-19 3:20-25 3:20 3:21-27 3:21-27 3:21-23 3:21-27 3:24-25 3:26-27 3:26-27 Etc.
2 Reis 3:1-3
3:1 "in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat" See full note at 2 Kgs. 1:17. SPECIAL TOPIC: KINGS OF THE DIVIDED MONARCHY 3:2-3 Jehoram did not follow in the Ba'al worship of his parents but still he maintained the two rival temples at Dan and Bethel. Though the king did not follow Ba'al the people of Israel did. The "sacred pillar of Baal" refers to local high places where the fertility gods of Canaan were worshiped by pillar and pole the MT has the SINGULAR (cf. 1 Kgs. 16:32) but the LXX and Vulgate have the PLURAL
2 Reis 3:4-8
3:4-5 This is first mentioned in 2 Kgs. 1:1. 3:4 Does this verse refer to the animals or only to their wool? 3:7 The godly king Jehoshaphat had to close a connection to idolatrous Israel. Israel and Judah still saw themselves as one ethnic group (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:4). They were related by royal marriage. Israel wanted to attack Moab from the south and needed permission from Judah and her vassal Edom (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:47) to cross their land. 3:8 The Moabite campaign involved three nations. Israel Judah Edom
2 Reis 3:9-12
3:9 "there was no water" This need will be miraculously met in v. 17. 3:10 Jehoram was very discouraged by the lack of water and saw it as YHWH giving victory to Moab. 3:11 Again Jehoshaphat wanted guidance from YHWH (cf. 1 Kgs. 22:7). ▣ "Elisha. . .is here" Apparently prophets traveled with the Israeli armies. ▣ "pour water on the hands of Elijah" This could refer to a cultural sign that he was Elijah's servant be related to ritual cleansing be a play on YHWH's miracle of providing the needed water (cf. v. 17)
2 Reis 3:13-20
3:13 Elisha totally rejects the king of Israel because of his parents' idolatry his continuing the golden calf worship at Dan and Bethel 3:14 "As the Lord of hosts lives" See full note on the oath formula at 2 Kgs. 2:2. ▣ "Lord of hosts" See SPECIAL TOPIC: Lord OF HOSTS. 3:15 Music has always had a powerful effect on the mind and emotions (i.e., King Saul and David, cf. 1:Sam. 10:5-6; 16:16,23). The prophets often carried music instruments (cf. 1 Chr. 25:1). Worship at the tabernacle and temple was accompanied by music (i.e., 1 Chr. 15:16; 2 Chr. 29:25; Neh. 12:27; Ps. 150:3-5). Music was used on several other occasions. victory songs ‒ Exodus. 15; Ps. 33:3; Isa. 38:20 laments/taunts ‒ Job 30:9; Isa. 23:16; Lam. 3:14,63 used by the prophets to induce a trance or ecstatic state ‒ 1 Sam. 10:5,10; 19:20 ▣ "the hand of the Lord" This idiom affirmed the presence of YHWH and His revealing His will through His prophet. This phrase is theologically parallel to "the Spirit of the Lord came upon him." SPECIAL TOPIC: ANTHROPOMORPHIC LANGUAGE USED TO DESCRIBE GOD 3:16 "Make this valley full of trenches" NKJV, NJB "Make this valley full of ditches" "I will make this wadi full of pools" "Dig ditches all over this dry stream bed" "Pools will form over all the wadi" "The wadi shall be full of pools" "Make this wadi troughs by troughs" "Let the valley be made full of cisterns" The MT has a Qal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE (BDB 793, KB 889) with a MASCULINE SINGULAR ADJECTIVE (BDB 260). As you can see from the different translations, there is confusion on who will do the digging. the three armies ‒ NASB, NKJV, NJB, TEV, LXX YHWH ‒ NRSV unspecified ‒ REB, JPSOA, Peshitta Notice YHWH used human and natural actions to accomplish His will. The soldiers must dig and YHWH must send. 3:19 These actions were common military procedures in the ANE. cut down the trees stop up all springs put stones in the productive agricultural fields This invasion was meant to be a total annihilation of Moabite society. It was like a holy war on Chemosh's people. 3:20 "about the time of offering the sacrifice" There are two possible contexts for this timing. during battle campaigns sacrifices were done in the camp all actions were linked to the regular morning and evening sacrifices (i.e., the continual, cf. Exod. 29:38-42) in the temple in Jerusalem (i.e., 1 Kgs. 18:29) ▣ "water came by the way of Edom" This would refer to rains upstream in Edom. YHWH used natural means with supernatural timing intensity locality See notes on the plagues of Egypt in Exodus 7-11, as well as Josh. 3:14-17.
2 Reis 3:21-27
3:22 YHWH used both the water and the sunlight to confuse the Moabite army. The red stone of Edom and the reflection of the morning sun on the new pools of water looked like a "blood bath" had occurred between the three invading kings/armies. 3:23 "the kings have surely fought together" Moab's army assumed that the three kings invading them had attacked and killed one another. The VERB used appears as an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and a PERFECT VERB of the same root (BDB 352, KB 349). Hophal INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE Niphal PERFECT VERB 3:24 "when they came" This is the VERB (BDB 97, KB 112, Qal IMPERFECT with waw) in the MT, but the Masoretic scholars offered a suggested change to "and they smote" (BDB 645, KB 697, Hiphil IMPERFECT with waw). "and they came" ‒ ויבו (LXX, Peshitta) "and they smote" ‒ ויבו The difference is just a change of vowels. 3:25 "until in Kir-hareseth" This was a well fortified city in the southern highlands of Moab, possibly a second capital. ▣ "slingers" The ANE armies were divided into specialized units. foot soldiers archers slingers spearmen cavalry chariots diggers (to dig under walled cities) carpenters for building siege equipment 3:26 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, JPSOA, LXX, Peshitta "Edom" "Syria" NJB, REB, Old Later Version "Aram" The MT has "Eden" (BDB 10), which is spelled similarly to "Aram" (BDB 74). The UBS Text Project, p. 338, gives "Aram" a "C" rating (considerable doubt). So here are the possible options. surprise focused attack on the weakest army a former ally in hopes of getting them to join the Moabite cause a last minute attempt of the Moabite king to flee to safety in Syria 3:27 There are several ways to view this verse. The king of Moab offered the crown prince to Chemosh on the wall of Kir-hareseth to assure his protection from the invading armies of Israel, Judah, and Edom. This fits best with the word "wall" (BDB 327). The king of Edom became afraid of Mesha's attack on him (v. 26) and in response to this, he offered the crown prince to Molech. YHWH was appalled by this (i.e., "great wrath"). This "wrath" is the problem phrase. Why was YHWH angry at what the Moabite king did but take it out on Israel? For some theories, see NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 118, #4. SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH The wrath was from the king of Edom towards Israel and Judah because Mesha sacrificed the captured son of the king of Edom on the wall of the besieged city to appease Chemosh (Rabbis). Most commentators assume number 1. AB, p. 47, says "This clause is one of the most perplexing items in Scripture."