2nd Kings Chapter Eight

 2nd Kings Chapter Eight

Ki 8:1  And Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had revived, saying, Rise up and go, you and your household. And stay where you can stay, for Jehovah has called for a famine. And also, it shall come on the land seven years. 

2Ki 8:2  And the woman rose up and did according to the word of the man of God. And she and her household went and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years. 

2Ki 8:3  And it happened at the end of seven years that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, and went to cry to the king for her house, and for her field. 

2Ki 8:4  And the king was speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Please tell me all of the great things that Elisha has done. 

2Ki 8:5  And it happened as he was telling the king how he had revived the dead, then, behold, the woman whose son he had revived was crying to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha revived. 

2Ki 8:6  And the king asked the woman, and she told him. And the king appointed to her a certain eunuch, saying, Give back all that she has, and all the increase of the field from the day she left the land even until now. 

2Ki 8:7  And Elisha came to Damascus. And Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick. And he was told, saying, The man of God has come here. 

2Ki 8:8  And the king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand and go to meet the man of God. And you shall seek Jehovah by him, saying, Shall I revive from this sickness? 

2Ki 8:9  And Hazael went to meet him and took a present in his hand, even of every good thing from Damascus, a burden of forty camels. And he came in and stood before him, and said, Your son Ben-hadad, the king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I revive from this sickness? 

2Ki 8:10  And Elisha said to him, Go, say to him, Living you shall live. But Jehovah has shown me that dying he shall die. 

2Ki 8:11  And he fixed his face; yea, he settled it until he was ashamed. And the man of God wept. 

2Ki 8:12  And Hazael said, Why is my lord weeping? And he said, Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel. You will send their fortified places into fire and you will slay their young men with the sword. And you will dash their sucklings to pieces; and you will rip up their pregnant women. 

2Ki 8:13  And Hazael said, But what! Is your servant a dog that he should do this great thing? And Elisha said, Jehovah has shown me that you will be king over Syria. 

2Ki 8:14  And he left Elisha and came to his lord, and he said to him, What did Elisha say to you? And he said, He said to me, You shall surely recover. 

2Ki 8:15  And it happened on the next day, he took a plaited cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, and he died. And Hazael reigned in his place. 

2Ki 8:16  And in the fifth year of Jehoram the son of Ahab the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, reigned. 

2Ki 8:17  And he was a son of thirty two years when he began his reign. And he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 

2Ki 8:18  And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for a daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah. 

2Ki 8:19  And Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for His servant David's sake, as He had said to give him a lamp to his sons forever. 

2Ki 8:20  In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they caused a king to reign over them. 

2Ki 8:21  And Jehoram passed over to Zair, and all the chariots with him. And it happened, he rose up by night and struck Edom, who had encircled him, and the commanders of the chariots. And the people fled to their tents. 

2Ki 8:22  Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. 

2Ki 8:23  And the rest of the acts of Jehoram, and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Judah? 

2Ki 8:24  And Jehoram lay with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And his son Ahaziah began to reign in his place. 

2Ki 8:25  In the twelfth year of Jehoram the son of Ahab, the king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, the king of Judah, began to reign. 

2Ki 8:26  Ahaziah was a son of twenty two years when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri, the king of Israel. 

2Ki 8:27  And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the eyes of Jehovah, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. 

2Ki 8:28  And he went with Jehoram the son of Ahab to battle with Hazael the king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians struck Jehoram. 

2Ki 8:29  And Jehoram the king returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds with which the Syrians had struck him in Ramah, as he fought with Hazael the king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram the king of Judah had gone down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was sick. 

Verses 1-6 Summary: Elisha warns the Shunamite woman to leave for seven years since famine was coming. She does. When she returns, she goes before the king to beg for her property to be returned. At that moment, the king is speaking with Gehazi about Elisha. Gehazi is telling the king of the great things Elisha has done. He speaks of him raising the Shunamite's son from death. The points out the woman and her son! With this witnessing, the king restores all she had and assigns a servant to make sure it happens.

4. Is the relationship that Joram king of Israel has with Elisha different than the relationship that his father Ahab had with Elijah? Joram welcomes Elisha and his advice. It doesn't stop the king from idolatry, but at least we see God is having some impact on his life. Remember, Jehoram's brother Ahaziah sent a messenger to inquire of Baal about his well being. Elijah intercepts the messenger and prophecies Ahaziah's death BECAUSE he went to seek Baal (chapter one). Jehoram removes the Baals after this.

Note: The Shunamite is likely a widow at this point (no mention of her husband). With her story we find a woman of faith and resolute mind. Elisha had offered to speak to the king or commander for her, she refused 2kngs 4:13. In this story, we see it was a prophecy come to pass. It is assumed that Gehazi was before the king of Israel. If this was her king, she was Jewish.

Verses 7-15 Summary: The king of Syria becomes ill. He sends Hazael to Elisha to enquire of Jehovah about his condition. Elisha tells him, tell the king he will recover, but God has shown him that the king will die. Then Elisha's countenance falls and he weeps. Hazael asks why and Elisha says because Hazael will be king and he will commit murderous atrocities against Israel. Hazael refutes the accusation. Hazael returns to the king and the king dies as prophecied.

Note: What should we learn from this? A foreign king inquiring of Jehovah?! Why? It must have been somewhat obvious that when Jehovah acts, there is results, whether good or ill.
The name Hazael, (el) denotes god in a generic sense, and could be used to describe Jehovah. In this case it is not likely that Hazael is faithful to Jehovah. The kings office "Ben-hadad" was a reference to son of the god hadad. Regardless of all the insincerity of kings and their officers, God has a way of making His will known.

Verses 16-23 Summary (The reign of Jehoram over Judah): Jehoshphat's son Jehoram reigns Judah for eight years. He is influenced by Israel's idolatry since he is married to Ahab's daughter Athaliah. During his reign, Judah loses the alliance of Edom and Libnah. 

2nd Chronicles 21 (Additional facts about Jehoram): Jehoram kills his brothers and some leaders of Israel. Libnah revolted because Jehoram rejected Jehovah. He built high places,  promoted sexual sin and led the people astray. Because of all this sin, EliJAH sends word to Jehoram that the people will suffer and Jehoram himself and his house will suffer sickness and pestilence. The Philistines and Arabs pillage Jehoram. He suffers a horrible bowel disease for two years before he dies. He is buried, but "not desired" by the people, nor is he buried with his fathers.

5. How did Jehoshaphat, a good king open the door for his son Jehoram to be a bad king? (Wife?) Athaliah was evidently an influence over her husband to the point of idolatry. Her marriage to Jehoram was arranged between Ahab and Jehoshaphat. It is also notable how they share family names. The king in Israel, Jehoram, the king in Judah, Jehoram. Judah's Jehoram's son is Ahaziah (25) the same name as Ahab's son. 

NOTE: The prophet to address the king of Judah is ELIJAH! Has he not already been taken by God? Perhaps yes and or no. There are several explanations, including that events are sometimes written about out of order. Or maybe he wrote it before he ascended, or after! It is an amazing thing to consider.

6. What specifically would Jehoram have done to walk in the ways of the kings of Israel? Idolatry. The text reads "high places" and "fornication." Many of the pagan religions included all sorts of sexual debauchery in their "service." Jehovah is plain on His rejection of this type of idolatrous worship.    

Verses 24-29 Summary: Ahaziah reigns in Judah after Jehoram. He is an evil king (son of Athaliah). He teams with Israel's king Jehoram to fight Syria. Jehoram is wounded and flees to Jezreel. Ahaziah comes to se him.

NOTE: We can feel this coming to a head. God is very patient, not wanting to destroy the house of David because of His promise. What is even more interesting is that in this context, it is limited to a few lives. Under God's plan however, there were to be many changes to the "house of David" before the power of that promise was to be made manifest to mankind. God is great!