2 Kings 3:20

_AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MORNING, WHEN THE MEAT OFFERING WAS OFFERED, THAT, BEHOLD, THERE CAME WATER BY THE WAY OF EDOM, AND THE COUNTRY WAS FILLED WITH WATER._ When the meat offering was offered - i:e., at the time of the morning sacrifice, accompanied, doubtless, with solemn prayers; and these led, it may be, by Elisha on this occasion, as on a similar one by Elijah (1 Kings 18:36). BEHOLD, THERE CAME WATER BY THE WAY OF EDOM. Far from the Israelite camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain, a kind of cloud-burst, took place, by which the wady was at once filled, without their either seeing the wind or the rains. The divine interpretation was shown by introducing the laws of nature to the determined end, and in the pre-determined way (Keil). It brought not only aid to the Israelite army in their distress, by a plentiful of water, but

20-27 It is a blessing to be favoured with the company of those who have power with God, and can prevail by their prayers. A kingdom may be upheld and prosper, in consequence of the fervent prayers of those who are dear to God. May we place our highest regard upon such as are most precious in his account. When sinners are saying Peace, peace, destruction comes upon them: despair will follow their mad presumption. In Satan's service and at his suggestion, such horrid deeds have been done, as cause the natural feelings of the heart to shudder; like the king of Moab's sacrificing his son. It is well not to urge the worst of men to extremities; we should rather leave them to the judgment of God....

Verse 2 Kings 3:20. _WHEN THE MEAT-OFFERING WAS OFFERED_] This was the first of all offerings, and was generally made at sun-rising. _THERE CAME WATER_] This supply was altogether miraculous, for there was neither _wind_ nor _rain_, nor any other natural means by which it could be supplied....

WHEN THE MEAT OFFERING WAS OFFERED - i. e. about sunrise, when the morning sacrifice was offered. Compare 1 Kings 18:29. THERE CAME WATER BY THE WAY OF EDOM - The Wady-el-Ahsy drains a considerable portion of northern Edom. Heavy rain had fallen during the night in some part of this tract, and with the morning a freshet of water came down the valley, filling the pits....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 3:1 THE GENERAL CHARACTER OF JEHORAM'S REIGN OVER ISRAEL; HIS WAR WITH MOAB. 2 KINGS 3:1 NOW JEHORAM THE SON OF AHAB BEGAN TO REIGN OVER ISRAEL IN SAMARIA THE EIGHTEENTH YEAR OF JEHOSHAPHAT KING OF JUDAH. This note of time is not quite in accordance with the chronology of 1 Kings, which gives Jehoshaphat a reign of twenty-five years (1 Kings 22:42), Ahab one of twenty-two years ...

AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MORNING, WHEN THE MEAT OFFERING WAS OFFERED,.... At Jerusalem; which always went along with the daily burnt offering of the lamb, which might not indeed be offered before break of day, yet quickly after; for no sacrifice could be offered before that, Exodus 29:39, THAT, BEHOLD, THERE CAME WATER BY THE WAY OF EDOM; not from the heavens, but it may be out of some rock, rolling along on the earth from the hills and mountains, down into the valleys, where the armies were: AND THE COUNTRY WAS FILLED WITH WATER; all round about them. Who has not heard of the "thundering" legion, as it was called by the Emperor M. Aurelius, who, when the army under him was about to engage with the Germans and Sarmatians, and sadly distressed with thirst, fell down on their knees and prayed, upon which a large shower of rain came down to the refreshme

2. JEHORAM, MOAB, AND ELISHA CHAPTER 3 _ 1. Jehoram, King of Israel (2 Kings 3:1)_ 2. Moab's rebellion (2 Kings 3:4) 3. Elisha's message and prediction (2 Kings 3:10) 4. The defeat of Moab (2 Kings 3:21) In chapter 1:17 we read, “And Jehoram reigned in his stead (Ahaziah) in the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah.” (He was associated with his father in the government of the kingdom. See 2 Kings 8:27;...

REIGN OF JEHORAM. WAR WITH MOAB. The only two kings of Israel on whom the censure pronounced is in any way qualified are Jehoram, the last of the house of Omri, and Hoshea (2 Kings 17:2), the last king of Israel. All the others are said to have done evil. The war with Moab is the subject of the famous inscription of Mesha discovered in 1868 (pp. 34, 69). On this Mesha states that Omri occupied the land of Mehedebah (Medeba, Numbers 21:30; Joshua 13:9; Isaiah 15:2) his days, half his son's days, forty years. In Kings it is specially said that Mesha's rebellion was after the death of Ahab. Omri and Ahab together according to Kings reigned on

MEAT OFFERING. meal offering. Hebrew. _minhah._ See App-43. = gift offering. OFFERED. OFFERED UP. THERE CAME WATER. Elisha's fourth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15....

_when the meat offering was offered_ R.V. ABOUT THE TIME OF OFFERING THE OBLATION. The term _meat offering_has become misleading to modern English readers, because it would now imply that flesh of some kind formed a part of the offering; whereas the oblation [_minchah_ here spoken of consisted (see Leviticus 2:1) of fine flour, oil and frankincense. Hence R.V. has rendered the word very frequently -meal offering", and in some places as here, where there was no need to be specific, by -oblation". The time of the offering was as soon as possible after day-dawn. In a similar manner the time selected by Elijah (1 Kings 18:36) for offering his prayer to God on Carmel was at the time of the offering of the evening oblation. Thus in both cases God's intervention was linked to the worship at Jerusal