Jehoram, also known as Joram: 9th King of Israel. (last (4th) king of 4th Dynasty)
V. 1: As Ahazia did not have a son, his brother Joram (son of Ahab) succeeded Ahazia as the 9th King of Israel.
V. 2: …not like his father and mother… He put away the gpillar of Baal hthat his father had made. Jehoram, son of Ahab has surprisingly distanced from the rest of his family.
V. 3:… persisted in the sins of Jeroboam… Jehoram did not disassociate himself with the sin of Jerobam, which is made people to worship Baal. Putting away with that sin will leave Israelites with no worship place, but to go to Jerusalem.
Rebellion of Moab against Israel:
The descendants of Moab, the son Lot were neighbors with Israelites on the East of Dead sea. According to Moabite history, King Omri, the grandfather of King Jehoram subjugated and made to pay tribute to Israel.
Vs. 4 & 5… Mesha king of Moab…When Ahab died,….rebelled…: Mesha, the king of Moab, rebelled against Israel by using the shaky situation in Israel after Ahab’s death.
3 kings alliance (6-9): The king of Israel earned the support the king of Judah, Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom. Edom was under the rule of Judah. So the king of Edom had to accompany the King of Judah.
Crisis & Prophet Elisha (9b-21): Vs. 11 & 12… Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire of the Lord?”…: When Jehoram believed that God is going to let the die of draught, Jehoshaphat asked for the prophet of the LORD. When they were informed of Elisha, the 3 kings went to Elisha.
V.13…”Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.”: Elisha reluctant to help the king of Israel.
V. 14… I have regard for Jehoshaphat the king of Judah,…: Unimpressed as he is with Jehoram’s piety, Elisha agrees to help because of righteous Jehoshaphat’s presence in the alliance.
Vs. 15-19….You shall not see wind or rain, but that streamed shall be filled with water… (v. 17) The immediate crisis was to be dealt with by miracle from unspecified and unexpected source which is supernatural act of God.
…you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city…(v. 19).. God will further grant the alliance a great victory.
Mysterious water flow (v. 20): … behold, water came from the direction of Edom, till the country was filled with water. Edom is located on the south side of Moab, which makes it a miracle to see the water flows from the south to North.
Waters of Miracle became snare for Moabites 22-23:
V. 22…morning and the sun shone on the water, the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. Moabites were fooled to thinks that the redness as blood of an internal fights in the enemies armies. They did not run towards the alliance army to fight but to plunder the spoil.
Vs. 24-25: …Israelites rose and struck the Moabites.. Alliance army did what Elisha prophesied.V. 25 gives the details of their advancement and victory.
V. 26…took with him 700 swordsmen to breakthrough.. It was late for Moabite king to defend themselves to stop the imminent victory of Israelites over Moab.
V. 27…oldest son and offered him for a burnt offering…great wrath against Israel.. It was not the wrath of God but wrath of human after seeing the future kind as sacrificed. This is a victory against odds. This great wrath made the Alliance to return to their own land.
2 Kings 4: Four miracles by Elisha
Elisha and the Widow’s oil (1-7)
V. 1:…wife of one of the sons of the prophets… Jewish historian Josephus states that this widow is the wife of Prophet Obadiah mentioned in 1 King 18. …creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves… ln the ANE (Ancient Near East), this widow was considered as inferior. But this miracle demonstrates the saving power of God irrespective of their status. He is God of suppressed and oppressed. Also, it was the responsibility of the head of the sons of Prophets to save the families of the sons of Prophets, like kinsman-redeemer. The proceeds from the sale of the multiplied oil was sufficient to pay off the debt and for the living expenses for the widow and her sons.