2 Kings 1:17

_SO HE DIED ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH ELIJAH HAD SPOKEN. AND JEHORAM REIGNED IN HIS STEAD IN THE SECOND YEAR OF JEHORAM THE SON OF JEHOSHAPHAT KING OF JUDAH; BECAUSE HE HAD NO SON._ In the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat. [The Septuagint has: en etei oktookaidekatoo, in the 18th year (cf. 2 Kings 3:1).] The text is apparently corrupt, arising probably from the error of a transcriber, who wrote Jehoram twice. This is a more likely way of accounting for the statement than the hypothesis that Jehoram was associated in the government with his father Jehoshaphat, of which there is no direct evidence (see 'Introduction to Kings'). "Jehoram" - the brother of Ahaziah (see the notes at 2 Kings 3:1)....

9-18 Elijah called for fire from heaven, to consume the haughty, daring sinners; not to secure himself, but to prove his mission, and to reveal the wrath of God from heaven, against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men. Elijah did this by a Divine impulse, yet our Saviour would not allow the disciples to do the like, Luke 9:54. The dispensation of the Spirit and of grace by no means allowed it. Elijah was concerned for God's glory, those for their own reputation. The Lord judges men's practices by their principles, and his judgment is according to truth. The third captain humbled himself, and cast himself upon the mercy of God and Elijah. There is nothing to be got by contending with God; and those are wise for themselves, who learn submission from the fatal end of obstinacy in others. The courage of faith has often struck terror into the heart of the proudest sinner. So thunderst...

Verse 2 Kings 1:17. _AND JEHORAM REIGNED IN HIS STEAD_] The _Vulgate,_ _Septuagint_, and _Syriac_ say, _Jehoram HIS BROTHER reigned in his_ _stead, in the second year of Jehoram_. There were two _Jehorams_ who were contemporary: the first, the son of _Ahab_, brother to Ahaziah, and his successor in the kingdom of Israel; the second, the _son of_ _Jehoshaphat_, king of Judah, who succeeded his father in Judah. But there is a difficulty here: "How is it that Jehoram the brother of Ahaziah _began to reign in the second year of Jehoram son of_ _Jehoshaphat_, seeing that, according to 2 Kings 3:1, he _began his reign in the eighteenth year of the reign of_ _Jehoshaphat_; and, according to...

The similarity of names in the two royal houses of Israel and Judah at this time, and at no other, seems to be the consequence of the close ties which united the two reigning families, and is well noted among the “undesigned coincidences” of the Old Testament. The accession of the Israelite Jehoram (Ahab’s brother) took place, according to 2 Kings 3:1, in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat. Jehoram of Judah perhaps received the royal title from his father as early as his father’s sixteenth year, when he was about to join Ahab against the Syrians; the same year might then be called either the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat or the second year of Jehoram....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 1:1 THE REVOLT OF MOAB. THE ILLNESS, IMPIETY, AND DEATH OF AHAZIAH The narrative of the Second Book of Kings follows on that of the First Book in the closest possible sequence. The history of Ahaziah's reign begins in 1 Kings 22:51, and is carried on, without any real break or pause in the sense, to 2 Kings 1:18. How the two books came to be divided at this point is quite inexplicable. The division is most unhappy. Not only does it, without apparent reason, draw a strong line of dem

SO HE DIED, ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF THE LORD WHICH ELIJAH HAD SPOKEN,.... How long or how soon after this is not said; however, he died of the sickness, and on the bed to which he went up, as he said: AND JEHORAM REIGNED IN HIS STEAD: who was another son of Ahab, and brother of Ahaziah, 2 Kings 3:1, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; but as he must begin his reign in the nineteenth, or in the latter end of the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, see 1 Kings 22:51 and Jehoshaphat reigned in all twenty five years, 1 Kings 22:42, he must live and reign after this six or seven years; this therefore is to be reconciled by observing, that this son of Jehoshaphat was made viceroy,

ANALYSIS AND ANNOTATIONS I. ELIJAH's FINAL MINISTRY AND TRANSLATION 1. Elijah and Ahaziah CHAPTER 1 _ 1. Moab's rebellion (2 Kings 1:1)_ 2. The illness of Ahaziah (2 Kings 1:2) 3. Elijah's message (2 Kings 1:3) 4. Ahaziah's messengers and their fate (2 Kings 1:9) 5. Elijah before the king and Ahaziah's Death (2 Kings 1:16) 6. Jehoram becomes king (2 Kings 1:18) The rebellion of Moab is here briefly mentioned. B

2 KINGS 1:1 TO 2 KINGS 2:25. LAST DAYS AND ASCENSION OF ELIJAH: ELISHA ESTABLISHED AS HIS SUCCESSOR. Here we have perhaps a third Elijah narrative, in which the prophet is represented as playing a part scarcely worthy of the Elijah of 1 Kings 17-19 or 21, who in the first section represents Yahweh against the Tyrian Baal, whereas in the latter he stands for righteousness opposed to legalised violence. Here the king's offence is that he sent to a Philistine oracle instead of inquiring of Yahweh, and his soldiers are punished by fire for summoning the prophet to surrender. The spelling of the prophet's name in Hebrew differs from that in the rest of the OT. The story is mentioned in the Gospel (Luke 9:54)....

_So he died_ The whole narrative bears marks of extreme simplicity. Nothing but the barest facts are given, and no attempt made to explain or account for any part of the history. The touches which Josephus adds to the story mark the difference between the early and the later record. He describes the hasty return of the messengers and the king's astonishment thereat. They relate how the prophet had hindered their further journey. The first captain threatens force to the prophet if he refuse to obey the king's order, and the second is equally imperative. The third captain is described as prudent and exceeding gentle in disposition, and as speaking friendly to Elijah, and explaining that he himself, as well as the other two bands had only come because they were forced to do so, and that this, of course, the prophet knew. The language and demeanour were acceptable to Elijah and so he followe...

AND JEHORAM REIGNED IN HIS STEAD, IN THE SECOND YEAR OF JEHORAM THE SON OF JEHOSHAPHAT— His brother Jehoram reigned in his stead, because he had no son. To avoid confusion, the reader should take notice, that in the course of this history there is mention made of two Jehorams; one, the second son of Ahab, who succeeded Ahaziah, and wasking of Israel; the other, son and heir to Jehoshaphat, who reigned in Judah. By comparing chap. Exodus 3:1 and chap. 2 Kings 8:16 a great difference in the reading of the dates will appear. We should just remark, however, that it is commonly supposed, that Jehoshaphat declared his son Jehoram king while himself was alive, and reigned in conjunction with him for the space of seven years; a supposition which, if allowed, will in some degree clear up the difficulty. See Archbishop Ush