2 Kings 8
8
Elisha Again Helps the Shunammite Woman
1 Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while,#tn Heb “Get up and go, you and your house, and live temporarily where you can live temporarily.” for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman did as the prophet said.#tn Heb “and the woman got up and did according to the word of the man of God.” She and her family went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ask the king to give her back her house and field.#tn Heb “and went out to cry out to the king for her house and her field.” 4 Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the prophet’s#tn Heb “man of God’s.” servant, and said, “Tell me all the great things which Elisha has done.” 5 While Gehazi#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Gehazi) has been specified in the translation for clarity. was telling the king how Elisha#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity. had brought the dead back to life, the woman whose son he had brought back to life came to ask the king for her house and field.#tn Heb “and look, the woman whose son he had brought back to life was crying out to the king for her house and her field.”sn The legal background of the situation is uncertain. For a discussion of possibilities, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 87-88. Gehazi said, “My master, O king, this is the very woman and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she gave him the details.#tn Heb “and the king asked the woman and she told him.” The king assigned a eunuch to take care of her request and ordered him,#tn Heb “and he assigned to her an official, saying.” “Give her back everything she owns, as well as the amount of crops her field produced from the day she left the land until now.”
Elisha Meets with Hazael
7 Elisha traveled to Damascus while King Ben Hadad of Syria was sick. The king#tn Heb “he”; the referent (the king) has been specified in the translation for clarity. was told, “The prophet#tn Heb “man of God” (also a second time in this verse and in v. 11). has come here.” 8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift#tn The Hebrew text also has “in your hand.” and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him,#tn Heb “Inquire of the Lord through him, saying.” ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha.#tn Heb “him”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity. He took along a gift,#tn The Hebrew text also has “in his hand.” as well as#tn Heb “and.” It is possible that the conjunction is here explanatory, equivalent to English “that is.” In this case the forty camel loads constitute the “gift” and one should translate, “He took along a gift, consisting of forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus.” forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son,#sn The words “your son” emphasize the king’s respect for the prophet. King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question,#tn Heb “saying.” ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’#tc The consonantal text (Kethib) reads, “Go, say, ‘Surely you will not (לֹא, lo’) recover” In this case the vav beginning the next clause should be translated, “for, because.” The marginal reading (Qere) has, “Go, say to him (לוֹ, lo), ‘You will surely recover.” In this case the vav (ו) beginning the next clause should be translated, “although, but.” The Qere has the support of some medieval Hebrew mss and the ancient versions, and is consistent with v. 14, where Hazael tells the king, “You will surely recover.” It is possible that a scribe has changed לוֹ, “to him,” to לֹא, “not,” because he felt that Elisha would not lie to the king. See M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 90. Another possibility is that a scribe has decided to harmonize Elisha’s message with Hazael’s words in v. 14. But it is possible that Hazael, once he found out he would become the next king, decided to lie to the king to facilitate his assassination plot by making the king feel secure. but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 11 Elisha#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity. just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable.#tn Heb “and he made his face stand [i.e., be motionless] and set [his face?] until embarrassment.” Then the prophet started crying. 12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?”#tn Heb “Indeed, what is your servant, a dog, that he could do this great thing?” With his reference to a dog, Hazael is not denying that he is a “dog” and protesting that he would never commit such a dastardly “dog-like” deed. Rather, as Elisha’s response indicates, Hazael is suggesting that he, like a dog, is too insignificant to ever be in a position to lead such conquests. Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”#tn Heb “The Lord has shown me you [as] king over Syria.” 14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity. asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity. replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 15 The next day Hazael#tn Heb “he”; the referent (Hazael) has been specified in the translation for clarity. took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s#tn Heb “his”; the referent (Ben Hadad) has been specified in the translation for clarity. face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.
Jehoram’s Reign over Judah
16 In the fifth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah.#tc The Hebrew text reads, “and in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, and [or, ‘while’?] Jehoshaphat [was?] king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king.” The first reference to “Jehoshaphat king of Judah” is probably due to a scribe accidentally copying the phrase from the later in the verse. If the Hebrew text is retained, the verse probably refers to the beginning of a coregency between Jehoshaphat and Jehoram. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. 18 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter.#tn Heb “he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab did, for the daughter of Ahab was his wife.” He did evil in the sight of#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” the Lord. 19 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of#tn The Hebrew has only one sentence, “and the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah for the sake of.” The translation divides it for the sake of clarity. his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.#tn Heb “just as he had promised to give him and his sons a lamp all the days.” The metaphorical “lamp” symbolizes the Davidic dynasty; this is reflected in the translation.
20 During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king.#tn Heb “in his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and enthroned a king over them.” 21 Joram#sn Joram is a short form of the name Jehoram. crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers.#tn Heb “and he arose at night and defeated Edom, who had surrounded him, and the chariot officers.” The Hebrew text as it stands gives the impression that Joram was surrounded and launched a victorious night counterattack. It would then be quite natural to understand the last statement in the verse to refer to an Edomite retreat. Yet v. 22 goes on to state that the Edomite revolt was successful. Therefore, if the MT is retained, it may be better to understand the final statement in v. 21 as a reference to an Israelite retreat (made in spite of the success described in the preceding sentence). The translation above assumes an emendation of the Hebrew text. Adding a third masculine singular pronominal suffix to the accusative sign before Edom (reading אֶתוֹ [’eto], “him,” instead of just אֶת [’et]) and taking Edom as the subject of verbs allows one to translate the verse in a way that is more consistent with the context, which depicts an Israelite defeat, not victory. There is, however, no evidence for this emendation. The Israelite army retreated to their homeland.#tn Heb “and the people fled to their tents.” 22 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day.#tn Heb “and Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah until this day.” At that same time Libnah also rebelled.
23 The rest of the events of Joram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.#tn Heb “As for the rest of the acts of Joram and all which he did, are they not written on the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah?” 24 Joram passed away#tn Heb “lay down with his fathers.” and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
Ahaziah Takes the Throne of Judah
25 In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem.#map For location see Map5-B1; Map6-F3; Map7-E2; Map8-F2; Map10-B3; JP1-F4; JP2-F4; JP3-F4; JP4-F4. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter#tn Hebrew בַּת (bat), “daughter,” can refer, as here to a granddaughter. See HALOT 166 s.v. בַּת. of King Omri of Israel. 27 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of#tn Heb “in the eyes of.” the Lord, like Ahab’s dynasty, for he was related to Ahab’s family.#tn Heb “and he walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord like the house of Ahab, for he was a relative by marriage of the house of Ahab.” For this use of חֲתַן (khatan), normally “son-in-law,” see HALOT 365 s.v. חָתָן. Ahab was Ahaziah’s grandfather on his mother’s side.
28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians#tn Heb “which the Syrians inflicted [on] him.” in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit#tn Heb “to see.” Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.
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2 Kings 8
8
Joram Restores the Shunammite’s Land
1Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Get up and go, you and your household, and dwell as an alien wherever you can, for Yahweh has called for a famine, and it will come to the land for seven years.” 2So the woman got up and did according to the word of the man of God. She and her household went and dwelt as an alien in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3It happened at the end of seven years that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went out to appeal to the king for her household and for her properties.#Literally “fields” 4Now the king was speaking to Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please tell me all of the great things which Elisha has done.” 5It happened that as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, suddenly the woman whose son he had restored to life was crying out to the king about her household and about her field. Then Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life!” 6So the king asked the woman, and she told him. So the king appointed for her a certain court official, saying, “Restore all that is hers and all the yield of the field from the day she left the land up to now.”
7Elisha came to Damascus. Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram was ill, and he was told, “The man of God has come up here.” 8Then the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand and go meet the man of God. Inquire of Yahweh from him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this illness?’ ” 9So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand of all of the good things of Damascus, a load on each of forty camels, and he came and stood before him. Then he said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this illness?’ ” 10Elisha said to him, “Go; say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover,’ but Yahweh has shown me that he certainly will die.” 11Then the man fixed his gaze and stared at him#Literally “caused his face to stand and set it” until he was ashamed and the man of God cried. 12Then Hazael asked, “Why is my lord crying?” He said, “Because I know what evil you will do to the Israelites.#Literally “sons/children of Israel” You will set their fortifications on fire,#Literally “you will send their fortifications with the fire” and you will kill their young men with the sword. Their little ones you will dash to pieces, and their pregnant women you will rip open!” 13Then Hazael said, “But how could your servant, who is like a dog, do this great thing?” Elisha said, “Yahweh has shown me that you are to be king over Aram.” 14So he departed from Elisha and came to his master. He asked him, “What did Elisha say to you.” So he said, “He said to me that you will certainly recover.” 15On the next day, he took the bed cover, dipped it in the water, and spread it over his face so that he died. Then Hazael became king in his place.
Joram Reigns in Judah
16Now in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat king of Judah, Joram son of Jehoshaphat became the king of Judah.#This likely indicates a coregency in Judah at the time. 17He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18He walked in the way of the kings of Israel as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife, and he did evil in the eyes of Yahweh. 19Yet Yahweh was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as he had promised to give him a lamp for his sons always.
20In his days, Edom rebelled against the rule#Literally “from under the hand” of Judah, and they set up a king over them. 21So Joram crossed over to Zair and all the chariots with him. It happened that he arose by night and attacked Edom who had surrounded him and the commanders of the chariots; but the army fled to their tents. 22So Edom has rebelled against the rule#Literally “from under the hand” of Judah until this day; then Libnah also rebelled at that time. 23The remainder of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the scroll of the events of the days of the kings of Judah? 24So Joram slept with his ancestors,#Or “fathers” and he was buried with his ancestors#Or “fathers” in the city of David, and Ahaziah his son became king in place of him.
Ahaziah Succeeds Joram in Judah
25In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Joram became king of Judah. 26Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Athaliah daughter of Omri, king of Israel. 27He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of Yahweh, as the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
28He went with Joram the son of Ahab for the battle against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-Gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. 29Joram the king returned to Jezreel to heal from the wounds which the Arameans had inflicted at Ramah when Hazael king of Aram fought him. Ahaziah the son of Joram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.
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