A Journey through the Bible with Tiglath

62. The 2nd Book of Kings, Chapters 3 and 4

In chapter 3 we find a description of one of those inter-tribal wars which are so

common in the earlier parts of the Old Testament. The first part of the chapter

touches briefly on the evil reign of Ahah, the king of Israel. He reigned for 12

years and after his death the king of Moab, a neighbouring tribe, rebelled against

Jehoram, the new king of Israel. Jehoram appealed for help from Jehosaphat,

king of Judah. This was forthcoming. They were also joined by the king of

Edom. Soon there was a great difficulty a shortage of water for the troops and the

cattle that went with them for food supplies. The kings of Israel and Edom sought

help from the prophet Elisha. At first he refused to help, as he wished to have

nothing to do with the king of Israel. In the end he did help because the king of

Judah was in the alliance. Elisha ordered a minstrel to play and he then told the

kings to make ditches at the bottom of a valley and then, despite the drought, the

valley would be filled with water. The remainder of the

chapter relates how the Moabites were defeated.

There are some interesting stories in chapter 4. The

first story concerns a woman who is great trouble

because her husband, having died owing money, her

two sons are going to be taken into slavery to pay the

debt. Verses 3 - 7 relate how Elisha, by means of a

miracle with olive oil enables the woman to pay off the

debt. The second story tells of the kindness of some

Shunammites. Elisha often passed their home

and they fed him and provided him with a room

where he could spend the night. In return for this hospitality Elisha tells

the Shunammite woman that she is to bear a son, although her husband is old. This she does and he grows up and unfortunately dies. The woman hastens to Mount Carmel to tell Elisha what has

happened. Elisha instructs his servant Gehazi (whom we shall meet again soon) to return with the woman and lay Elisha’s staff on the face of the boy. This had no effect and so Elisha arrives

on the scene. Verses 33 — 36 describe how Elisha restored the boy to life. Verses 38 to end of the chapter describe what happened to a stew!

Next time we shall look at the wonderful story of Naaman’s leprosy.