Chapter 8

1 The Shunammite, having left her country seven years, to avoid the forewarned famine, for Elisha’s miracle sake hath her land restored by the king. 7 Hazael, being sent with a present by Ben-hadad to Elisha at Damascus, after he had heard the prophecy, killeth his master, and succeedeth him. 16 Jehoram’s wicked reign in Judah. 20 Edom and Libnah revolt. 23 Ahaziah succeedeth Jehoram. 25 Ahaziah’s wicked reign. 28 He visiteth Jehoram wounded, at Jezreel.

1. Then. Heb. we, a simple conjunction, most frequently translated “and.” It should not be construed as having reference to time as if the events to be related followed chronologically those of the preceding chapter. The opening clause of the chapter may as correctly be translated, “and Elisha had said.” Events related in Scripture do not necessarily take place in exact accord with the sequence in which they have been recorded.

This incident took place some time after that recorded in ch. 4:8–37, but how long after we do not know. At the time of the restoration of the son the husband was still alive. But now there are indications that she may have become a widow. At least her husband is not mentioned, and the instructions given to leave her once prosperous home seem to be directed to one who was without the guiding help of a husband.

Sojourn. Elisha took a kindly interest in the people whom he was called to serve. He tried to be a friend to all. Wherever he could do something to make the lot of someone lighter and better, there he was ready to help. There were hard times ahead, and the woman was counseled to depart for a time to sojourn in some place where the situation would be easier than at her home at Shunem.

A famine … seven years. This famine took place sometime during the reign of Joram of Israel, but exactly when, it is impossible to say

2. Did after the saying. The woman of Shunem had learned that there are blessings in the path of obedience. The instruction given was by the direction of God, and although difficulties and hardships still lay ahead, the results would have been far worse if she had refused to obey those instructions.

Land of the Philistines. The Philistines were settled upon a fertile plain between the sea and the mountainous highlands of central Palestine. It was a land of plenty as compared with the rocky slopes of the central ridge. When there was a famine in the land of Canaan, Isaac took his sojourn into the land of the Philistines (Gen. 26:1). Abraham, under similar conditions, had gone down to Egypt to sojourn there (Gen. 12:10). Naomi had sojourned in the land of Moab “about ten years” (Ruth 1:4). So now, during this seven-year period of famine, the woman of Shunem also took up her sojourn in the country of the Philistines.

3. For her house. The Shunammite woman had at one time been well to do. It was at her home that a room had been made for Elisha (ch. 4:8–11) and it was on her land that her son had fallen ill at the harvest season (ch. 4:18, 19). While she was absent in Philistia her house and fields had been appropriated by someone else. The property may have been taken over by the local authorities as abandoned by its owner, or some person in the neighborhood may have taken over her home as his own. Whoever it was who held the property, refused to give it up upon her return. She therefore made her appeal direct to the king. Appeals to the king by private citizens were common in the ancient Orient and are repeatedly mentioned in the Biblical record (2 Sam. 14:4; 1 Kings 3:16; 2 Kings 6:26).

4. Talked with Gehazi. More correctly, the king “was talking” with Gehazi. The mention of Gehazi indicates that the incident occurred while Gehazi was still the servant of Elisha, before his dismissal because of his theft and deceit at the time of Naaman’s visit.

All the great things. The life stories of Elijah and Elisha are full of many interesting incidents and have a touching and dramatic appeal. Both king and people would be interested in hearing the accounts of the remarkable deeds of these prophets of God. Undoubtedly the stories were told and retold in palace and cottage, in the land of Israel and in countries abroad. Reduced to writing, they were collected and brought into the sacred record of the Hebrews, for our encouragement and enlightenment in this modern age. What God did then He is able and willing to do again today. The narratives that interested men in ancient times are the narratives that interest and inspire us today. The God of Elisha is still performing miracles of grace through His chosen servants in all parts of the earth. No stories ever fall upon mortal ears with greater interest and more soul-stirring power than those that tell how God works through His human agents His mighty wonders to perform.

5. As he was telling. At the dramatic moment when Gehazi was telling the king how the Shunammite woman’s son had been restored from death to life, the woman herself came in. Incidents such as this do not just happen. God lives and has a part in the daily affairs of His children on earth. Guardian angels are ever at work to protect and direct the steps of those under their charge into pathways of success and blessing. The same Lord who spoke through Elisha worked through His angel messengers to direct the woman of Shunem to the palace of the king at exactly the right moment, when her plea would prove most effective.

6. A certain officer. Heb. saris, literally, “eunuch.” Men of this type usually cared for the women of Eastern kings (Esther 2:3, 14, 15; 4:5 [translated “chamberlain”]; 2 Kings 9:32). It would be proper for an officer such as this to accompany the woman and see that her interests were properly taken care of.

All the fruits. Not only was the property to be restored to the woman, but she was also to be recompensed for all the produce of the land that was rightfully hers during the years of her absence and for which she had evidently received no return.

7. Elisha came to Damascus. Damascus was the capital of the king who not long before had sought him to take his life (2 Kings 6:8–15). Whether he would be treated kindly while in Damascus, or whether the king of Syria would again seek his life, was not certain. Elisha had some claims on Benhadad’s favor, for he had healed Naaman of his leprosy and had also been responsible for the release of the Syrian forces that had fallen into the hands of Joram (ch. 6:22). On the other hand, it was Elisha who had been responsible for baffling the plans of Benhadad against Joram ch. 6:9–12), and it was he who had foretold the inglorious departure of the Syrian armies at the siege of Samaria (ch. 7:1–7). But regardless of what the attitude of the king of Syria might be, Elisha went to the capital of Syria. The interests of the work of the Lord always came before his own convenience or safety.

The man of God. Doubtless all Syria knew Elisha as the one who had healed Naaman of his leprosy. When Benhadad was sick and Elisha happened to be in the city, it would be only natural that news of his presence would be carried to the king, that he also might call on this man of God.

8. Hazael. Evidently an important functionary in the Syrian court. The high regard in which he was held by the king is indicated by the fact that Benhadad entrusted him with the important task of making contact with Elisha regarding his recovery.

Take a present. It was customary in those days to take a present when consulting a prophet (Num. 22:7; 1 Sam. 9:7; 1 Kings 14:2, 3; 2 Kings 5:5).

Enquire of the Lord. This is an amazing command to come from the king of Syria, and it is a remarkable testimony to the success of Elisha’s mission. Elisha had the privilege of seeing a ruler of a nation the Hebrews regarded as heathen come to acknowledge him as a man of God and to request of him an inquiry of Jehovah. In giving the command to Hazael, the king of Syria was bearing witness before his people of his interest in the God of the Hebrews. He was also letting his nation know that he no longer regarded the gods of Syria alone as supreme.

This kind of testimony, had the children of Israel had been faithful to their mission, might have come from the rulers of many of the nations of earth. It was the original purpose of God that the Hebrews should be as a light set upon a hill, a light that was to shine forth to the ends of the world and dispel the darkness and ignorance that had come into the hearts of men. If there had been more Elishas, there might have been more kings, like Benhadad, testifying to God’s greatness. If there had been more of faith and obedience in Israel, there would have been more of faith and hope in the world. The failure of Israel involved the failure and ruin of the nations about them. The salvation of Israel might have effected the salvation of many in the world.

Shall I recover? God alone could answer Benhadad’s question. The king knew that if he inquired of the priests and prophets of Syria, he would not receive a reliable answer. The conduct of the king of Syria in addressing such an inquiry to the God of Israel is to be contrasted with the conduct of Ahaziah only a few years before, who inquired of “Baal-zebub the god of Ekron” as to whether he would recover from his disease (ch. 1:2). For that shameful act the king of Israel was severely rebuked by the prophet Elijah and told that he would die (ch. 1:4). Ahaziah was a contemporary of Benhadad, and it may have been that word as to what had occurred in Israel had reached the ears of the Syrian king. Benhadad’s inquiry of Elisha was, of course, more than an inquiry; it was an invitation to the prophet of Israel to do for the king what he had done for Naaman.

9. So Hazael went. This was a marked act of deference and shows the esteem in which Elisha was held at this time in an enemy land. The prophet had at this time taken up his abode somewhere within or near Damascus, and it was to this place that Hazael was sent.

Every good thing. Damascus was in those days an important trading center and had in it some of the greatest treasures of the East. Among its wares might be listed beautiful vessels of brass, silver, and gold, rich brocaded robes of silk and satin, rare and delicious foods, jewels of great wealth and beauty, and articles of furniture of fragrant and costly woods.

Forty camels’ burden. The East was given to ostentation and display, and the king would probably wish to make every possible show of the magnificent gift being offered the prophet. Forty camels loaded with their precious wares and parading slowly through the streets would make a great impression upon the people and would at once reveal to the citizens the generosity and wealth of their king as well as the esteem in which the prophet was held.

Thy son Ben-hadad. This was a term of respect, similar to the expression “father” used by disciples when addressing their teachers (ch. 2:12), and servants their lords (ch. 5:13). Joram used this term toward Elisha (ch. 6:21) on an occasion when he had for Elisha a feeling of the highest respect and the deepest regard. It was thus that Joash addressed Elisha at the time of the prophet’s last illness (ch. 13:14). Benhadad had no doubt instructed Hazael to employ such a term in addressing the prophet in order to reveal to Elisha the high regard in which he was held.

10. Thou mayest certainly recover. The Hebrew text contains a negative. Thus the passage may be translated, “Thou shalt definitely not recover,” though with some difficulties of Hebrew construction. The sentence has been corrected in the margin of the Hebrew Bible to read, “Thou shalt surely recover.” The alteration was effected by changing the Hebrew negative loХ to lo, “unto him.” All the ancient versions and a number of Hebrew manuscripts agree with this marginal reading. Thus it seems necessary to account in some way for the contradiction between this statement and the immediately following prediction, “He shall surely die.” Several explanations have been offered; the following appears the most reasonable: Elisha was giving the king assurance that his sickness was not unto death. The disease itself was not fatal, and as far as that was concerned he would certainly live. That is the message Hazael was directed to take back to Benhadad. The question the king had asked was whether he would recover from his disease, and on that point the answer was clear—his disease was not such that it would bring about his death—he could live.

11. Until he was ashamed. Elisha seems to have looked Hazael squarely in the face and kept his eyes fastened upon him. Whether Hazael had previously cherished secret ambitions to sit on his master’s throne is not known. If he had, he may have suspected that Elisha was now reading his inmost thoughts.

12. I know the evil. The Lord knew better what Hazael would do in the future than did Hazael himself. A man seldom plans aforetime all the dark, foul deeds of which he at times becomes guilty. One evil thought leads to another, and one wicked deed leads to another still more wicked, until the one who consents to walk in the pathway of evil finds himself sinking to depths of iniquity he never would have planned for himself or have thought possible.

Dash their children. The future king of Syria, in the bitterness and hate that would develop within his soul, would engage in the foulest crimes against the people of Israel. Men at peace do not understand the cruelties and horrors of which they may become capable when they turn to war. The evils enumerated by Elisha were not strange to the nations of the East when these nations gave themselves over to the lusts of battle (see 2 Kings 15:16; Hosea 10:14; 13:16; Amos 1:3, 13).

13. A dog? Signifying one who is low, or contemptible (see 1 Sam. 17:43; 24:14; 2 Sam. 3:8; 9:8; 16:9). Hazael is either expressing extreme humility or is assuming a tone of offended innocency. He appears to be surprised and highly shocked. Perhaps he had already plotted his future evil course, but at the moment he would not have plotted all the evil of which in time he would become guilty. When a man first embarks upon a course of evil he would be highly shocked were he told what the ultimate outcome of his course will be.

14. Surely recover. Hazael presumably repeated the message as directed. He did not add that the Lord had revealed that Benhadad would surely die.

15. Took a thick cloth. Probably the coverlet that was at the head of the bed. He spread it on Benhadad’s face, thus suffocating him. Undoubtedly this was done in such a way as to make it appear accidental, or as if the king had died a natural death.

16. Fifth year of Joram. For the chronology of the reign of Joram of Israel see pp. 77, 81, 145, 150.

Jehoram. For the joint reign of Jehoram of Judah with his father Jehoshaphat see on chs. 1:17; 3:1. The history of the kingdom of Judah is here resumed from 1 Kings 22:50, where the death of Jehoshaphat was mentioned.

17. Eight years. For this period, also for the method of reckoning, see pp. 148, 150.

18. Of the kings of Israel. There are many indications that Judah was at this time closely allied to the nation of Israel and was walking in the ways of its northern neighbor. One indication is the inferred adoption of Israel’s method of chronological reckoning (see on ch. 9:29).

The daughter of Ahab. This was Athaliah (v. 26). The marriage of Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel, to Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, served to seal an alliance between the two nations (2 Chron. 18:1). Such marriages between the reigning houses of nations that entered into alliance with each other were common in the ancient East. Judah gained for herself little but trouble by this marriage and alliance. Athaliah was a woman of the same stamp as her parents and was to bring to Judah much trouble before her death. Under the alliance between the two nations Jehoshaphat joined forces with Ahab in Ahab’s war against Syria (1 Kings 22:4, 29; he joined with Ahab’s son Ahaziah in the making of ships at Ezion-geber (2 Chron. 20:35, 36), and joined Joram in war against Moab (2 Kings 3:7).

He did evil. This is the record that has thus far been given for the kings of Israel, but now Judah also was walking in the evil ways of its northern neighbor. When Jehoram came to the throne he slew all his brothers, to whom his father had given great treasures of silver and gold and fortified cities (2 Chron. 21:3, 4), and introduced gross forms of idolatry (2 Chron. 21:11).

19. For David. See on 1 Kings 11:36. Through the posterity of David, the light that God had given him was to continue to shine through all the ages. Wicked descendants like Jehoram all but extinguished the light.

20. Edom revolted. The Lord did not at this time allow the nation of Judah to perish, nor did He allow the dynasty of David to come to an end, yet because of its apostasy, Judah was permitted to suffer a measure of affliction. The Edomites, who had been subject to Judah for a century and a half, made an endeavor during Jehoram’s reign to secure their independence. When God established Israel in Palestine He planned that eventually Jerusalem should become the capital of the entire earth, which would be one nation and people, a united, happy, and peaceful brotherhood, one in the worship of the God of heaven (see COL 290; DA 577). But instead of letting the light of truth shine forth to others, they absorbed the darkness of the nations that surrounded them.

Made a king. They evidently overthrew the government of the previous king, who held his crown from Judah, and chose for themselves a new and independent sovereign who terminated the payment of tribute to Judah. It was David who had made Edom tributary to himself (2 Sam. 8:14). At the time of Solomon, Edom must have continued in a state of vassalage, for Solomon had a navy at Ezion-geber on the southern borders of Edom (1 Kings 9:26), and this situation continued throughout the reign of Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 22:47, 48).

21. Joram. This is an abbreviated form of the name Jehoram, and occurs in this form here and in vs. 23 and 24. In vs. 16, 25, 28, and 29 this is also the form employed for the contemporary king of Israel (v. 8). In ch. 1:17 and 2 Chron. 22:6 both kings are called Jehoram, and in 2 Chron. 22:5 the king of Israel is known both as Joram and also Jehoram (see note on p. 78).

Zair. This name occurs only here in the Bible. Its exact location is not known today.

All the chariots. It would be difficult to penetrate far into Edomite territory with a large force of chariots. Jehoram probably proceeded south only to the Edomite border, where the hostile forces of Edom had gathered.

Smote the Edomites. There is some difficulty in translating the Hebrew of this verse. The meaning seems to be that the king and his chariots smote the Edomites, who had surrounded them. Under cover of darkness the Edomites had advanced against the forces of Judah and finally had them surrounded. This being discovered, the chariots were able to fight their way through the enemy to safety.

Into their tents. That is, they fled home. For the meaning of the expression, “into their tents,” or “to their tents,” see 2 Sam. 20:1; 1 Kings 8:66. It was a defeat for the Hebrews, who were put to flight by the enemy and forced to return to their homes without having achieved their objective of putting down the revolt. Edom by its revolt succeeded in gaining its independence.

22. Unto this day. Up to the time of the writing of this phrase, Judah had not succeeded in bringing Edom back under its control. Edom seems to have continued as an independent state till the time of John Hyrcanus (134–104 b.c.), who once more reduced it to vassalage.

Libnah. A city 9 1/2 mi. (15.2 km.) north of Lachish (Joshua 10:29–31), and probably to be identified with Tell es SaЖfйµ, which is 23 1/2 mi. (37.6 km.) west by south of Jerusalem. Probably the inhabitants of Libnah were assisted in their revolt by attacks of the Philistines against Judah at this time (2 Chron. 21:16, 17).

24. Joram slept. On the circumstances of his death see 2 Chron. 21:12–19.

In the city of David. In 2 Chron. 21:20 it is stated that he was buried in the City of David but not in the sepulchers of the kings. It has been suggested that the royal sepulchers were under the control of a body of faithful priests who refused Jehoram interment there because of his evil ways.

Ahaziah. The name means “Jehovah has taken,” or “possession of Jehovah.” By a rearrangement of its parts the name becomes Jehoahaz, which Ahaziah is sometimes called (2 Chron. 21:17). In 2 Chron. 22:6 the name is given as Azariah, although a number of Hebrew manuscripts retain the name Ahaziah in that verse.

25. Twelfth year of Joram. Elsewhere the accession of Ahaziah is said to have taken place in the 11th year of Joram. Both statements are correct. For an explanation of the apparent discrepancy, see on ch. 9:29.

Son of Jehoram. According to 2 Chron. 21:17 to 22:1, Ahaziah was the youngest son of Jehoram, all of his elder sons having been slain in an enemy attack on the king’s camp. He bore the same name as his uncle Ahaziah, son of Ahab, then crown prince in the nation of Israel, his mother being Athaliah, daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Kings 8:18, 27). Jehoram probably had other wives besides Athaliah who may have been the mothers of his elder sons.

26. Daughter of Omri. Athaliah is called the daughter of Ahab (v. 18). Ahab was the son of Omri (1 Kings 16:28). Hence Athaliah was really the granddaughter of Omri. The terms “son” and “daughter” were used by the Hebrews for any descendants, no matter how remote. Christ was the “son of David,” and David was the “son of Abraham” (Matt. 1:1). Athaliah was here called the daughter of Omri because of the important position of Omri in Israelite history. He was the founder of the most important dynasty of Israelite kings. Wicked though these kings were, they were energetic rulers, who did much to make Israel a strong and important nation in the East. The Assyrians termed the country of Israel “Omri-land,” and even Jehu, who destroyed the dynasty of Omri, was termed by them the “son of Omri.”

27. In the way. According to 2 Chron. 22:3 his mother Athaliah was “his counsellor to do wickedly.” Evidently the king was almost completely under the influence of his strong-willed mother.

28. Went with Joram. The alliance between Israel and Judah was still in effect at this time, and Ahaziah would thus be expected to accompany his uncle on this campaign. In consideration of this alliance Jehoshaphat had gone with Ahab against Syria (1 Kings 22:29) and with Joram against Moab (2 Kings 3:7, 9).

Against Hazael. The wars between Israel and Syria, so frequent during the reign of Benhadad, continued during the reign of Hazael. At this time it was Israel that was on the offensive against Syria. Israel had suffered much at the hands of Benhadad, and was doubtless seeking the opportunity to even the score. A change in rulers in countries of the ancient East was frequently the signal for a series of wars; enemies would seek to attack before a new king had time to consolidate his position. Hazael is mentioned in an Aramaic inscription from Hamath in the same form as the Bible spells the name, also on ivory plaques which once served as decorations for the king’s bed. These plaques were found during the excavation of the north Syrian site known as Arslan Tash. In Assyrian documents the name appears in the form HazaХilu.

Hazael had been seriously involved in a war with Shalmaneser III of Assyria. According to the Assyrian accounts Hazael was roundly defeated in this struggle, suffering the loss of 16,000 of his men, 1,131 chariots, 470 cavalry horses, as well as his camp. Shalmaneser relates how Hazael fled from him in order to save his life, and was shut up in his royal city Damascus. The country outside the capital was devastated as far south as the Hauran at the northern borders of Gilead, whereupon the Assyrian king made his departure for the seacoast and received tribute of Tyre and Sidon. Shalmaneser launched this attack in the 18th year of his reign, 841 b.c. That was the year in which Ahaziah ruled in Judah, and the year when Joram of Israel made his attack on Ramoth-gilead (see p. 82). After the serious reverse that Hazael had suffered at the hands of Shalmaneser, the moment would be opportune for Joram to bring Ramoth-gilead back under Israelite control. It was in the endeavor to take that stronghold some years before that Ahab lost his life (1 Kings 22:3–37).

Wounded Joram. Despite the wounds the siege nevertheless was successful, for Ramoth-gilead fell into Israelite hands (ch. 9:1, 4, 14, 15).

29. In Jezreel. Ahab had one of his palaces at Jezreel (1 Kings 18:45; 21:1), which Joram apparently continued to maintain as a rural retreat.

To see Joram. Ahaziah probably remained at Ramoth-gilead for a time after the wounding of Joram. Later, possibly after the city had been taken, he made his way to Jezreel to visit his wounded uncle. This visit led to his own death (2 Kings 9:27).

Ellen G. White comments

7–10PK 255

13   4T 90, 492

24–27PK 214

Overthrow of the House of Omri