Chapter 8:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 Kings 1 Chronicles
2 Kings 8
Concise Complete
A famine in Israel, The Shunammite obtains her land.
(1-6) Elisha consulted by Hazael, Death of Benhadad. (7-15) Jehoram's wicked
reign in Judah. (16-24) Ahaziah's wicked reign in Judah. (25-29)
Verses 1-6 The
kindness of the good Shunammite to Elisha, was rewarded by the care taken of her
in famine. It is well to foresee an evil, and wisdom, when we foresee it, to
hide ourselves if we lawfully may do so. When the famine was over, she returned
out of the land of the Philistines; that was no proper place for an Israelite,
any longer than there was necessity for it. Time was when she dwelt so securely
among her own people, that she had no occasion to be spoken for to the king; but
there is much uncertainty in this life, so that things or persons may fail us
which we most depend upon, and those befriend us which we think we shall never
need. Sometimes events, small in themselves, prove of consequence, as here; for
they made the king ready to believe Gehazi's narrative, when thus confirmed. It
made him ready to grant her request, and to support a life which was given once
and again by miracle.
Verses 7-15 Among
other changes of men's minds by affliction, it often gives other thoughts of
God's ministers, and teaches to value the counsels and prayers of those whom
they have hated and despised. It was not in Hazael's countenance that Elisha
read what he would do, but God revealed it to him, and it fetched tears from his
eyes: the more foresight men have, the more grief they are liable to. It is
possible for a man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience,
to express great abhorrence of a sin, yet afterwards to be reconciled to it.
Those that are little and low in the world, cannot imagine how strong the
temptations of power and prosperity are, which, if ever they arrive at, they
will find how deceitful their hearts are, how much worse than they suspected.
The devil ruins men, by saying they shall certainly recover and do well, so
rocking them asleep in security. Hazael's false account was an injury to the
king, who lost the benefit of the prophet's warning to prepare for death, and an
injury to Elisha, who would be counted a false prophet. It is not certain that
Hazael murdered his master, or if he caused his death it may have been without
any design. But he was a dissembler, and afterwards proved a persecutor to
Israel.
Verses 16-24 A
general idea is given of Jehoram's badness. His father, no doubt, had him taught
the true knowledge of the Lord, but did ill to marry him to the daughter of
Ahab; no good could come of union with an idolatrous family.
Verses 25-29
Names do not make natures, but it was bad for Jehoshaphat's family to borrow
names from Ahab's. Ahaziah's relation to Ahab's family was the occasion of his
wickedness and of his fall. When men choose wives for themselves, let them
remember they are choosing mothers for their children. Providence so ordered it,
that Ahaziah might be cut off with the house of Ahab, when the measure of their
iniquity was full. Those who partake with sinners in their sin, must expect to
partake with them in their plagues. May all the changes, troubles, and
wickedness of the world, make us more earnest to obtain an interest in the
salvation of Christ.
Chapter 8:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 1 Kings 1 Chronicles
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
