2 Kings 1:8

_AND THEY ANSWERED HIM, HE WAS AN HAIRY MAN, AND GIRT WITH A GIRDLE OF LEATHER ABOUT HIS LOINS. AND HE SAID, IT IS ELIJAH THE TISHBITE._ An hairy man, х_ 'IYSH_ (H376) _ BA`AL_ (H1167) _ SEE`AAR_ (H8181), a man, lord of hair; Septuagint, aneer dasus, a hairy, shaggy man (cf. Josephus, 'Antiquities,' b. 5:, ch. 2:, sec. 5)]. This was the description, not of his person, as in the case of Esau, but of his dress, which consisted either of unworked sheepskins or goatskins (Hebrews 11:37), or of camel's hair-cloth-the coarser manufacture of this material-like the rough hair-cloth we use as coverings for goods. The dervishes and Bedouins are attired in this wild, uncouth manner; while their hair flows loose on the head, their shaggy c

1-8 When Ahaziah rebelled against the Lord, Moab revolted from him. Sin weakens and impoverishes us. Man's revolt from God is often punished by the rebellion of those who owe subjection to him. Ahaziah fell through a lattice, or railing. Wherever we go, there is but a step between us and death. A man's house is his castle, but not to secure him against God's judgments. The whole creation, which groans under the burden of man's sin, will, at length, sink and break under the weight like this lattice. He is never safe that has God for his enemy. Those that will not inquire of the word of God for their comfort, shall hear it to their terror, whether they will or no....

Verse 2 Kings 1:8. HE WAS _A HAIRY MAN_] That is, he wore a _rough garment_, either made of camels' hair, as his successor John Baptist's was, or he wore a skin _dressed with the hair on_. Some think that the meaning is, he had very _long hair_ and a _long beard_. The ancient prophets all wore rough garments, or upper coats made of the _skins_ _of beasts: They wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins_, says the apostle, Hebrews 11:37....

AN HAIRY MAN - Either in allusion to his shaggy cloak of untanned skin; or, more probably, an expression descriptive of the prophet’s person, of his long flowing locks, abundant beard, and general profusion of hair. His costume was that of a thorough ascetic. Generally the Jews wore girdles of linen or cotton stuff, soft and comfortable. Under the girdle they wore one or two long linen gowns or shirts, and over these they had sometimes a large shawl. Elijah had only his leather girdle and his sheepskin cape or “mantle.”...

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

AND THEY ANSWERED HIM, HE WAS AN HAIRY MAN,.... Either the hair of his head and beard were grown very long, having been much neglected for a great while; or he had an hairy garment on, either of goats' hair, such as the Chinese wear f, whose women spin it, see Exodus 35:26 and of which garments are made; or of camels' hair, such as John the Baptist wore, who came in his spirit and power, and imitated him in his dress, being also, as Elijah here, GIRT WITH A GIRDLE OF LEATHER ABOUT HIS LOINS: for more expeditious travelling, not for warmth, the climate being hot: AND HE SAID, IT IS ELIJAH THE TISHBITE; for he had seen him formerly in his father's court in this dress. f Semedo's History of China, part 1. ch. 3....

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)....

HAIRY. clad in. garment consisting of. skin. Prophets wore coarse clothing (Zechariah 13:4.Matthew 3:4; Matthew 3:4). GIRDLE OF LEATHER. Worn by Palestine peasants to-day....

He was _a hairy man_ Literally, -lord, i.e. possessor, of hair". This might equally be used of the long hair of the head and beard, or of the shaggy cloak of hair worn as a garment. But when we know of him who came -in the spirit and power of Elijah" that -his _raiment_was of camel's hair and a leathern girdle about his loins", it seems better to accept the expression as a description of Elijah's dress. We know too that the prophets (Zechariah 13:4) did wear a mantle of hair, probably adopted from the garb of this greatest among them, Elijah. _It_is _Elijah the Tishbite_ Though the messengers might not know the prophet, the king, from his father's experience, must have heard a great deal about Elijah, and of his appearance and dress....