Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 8:29
And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
29. And king Joram went back [R.V. returned ] to be healed in Jezreel ] The verb is changed to conform to the translation in Chronicles. Jezreel was one of the capital cities of the northern kingdom, where was a royal palace, and where all attendance could be procured.
Ramah ] This is put for Ramoth-gilead, both here and in the parallel passage in Chronicles, but nowhere else. Ramah is a singular noun meaning ‘high land’ and Ramoth is the plural of it, and Ramah is used for the name of two or three other places, one in the tribe of Benjamin and one in the hill country of Ephraim, all no doubt distinguished by their elevated situation. The land of Gilead was all mountainous, and the town of Ramoth was perhaps built on more than one hill though the engagement where Joram was wounded may have taken place on one special height.
Ahaziah went down to see Joram ] After the battle Ahaziah at first returned, probably with his portion of the allied army, to Jerusalem. But the friendship between the two royal houses was so close that he presently went northward to Jezreel to pay a visit to his wounded ally and kinsman. The Chronicler says ‘the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram.’
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 29. Went back to be healed in Jezreel] And there he continued till Jehu conspired against and slew him there. And thus the blood of the innocents, which had been shed by Ahab and his wife Jezebel, was visited on them in the total extinction of their family. See the following chapters, where the bloody tale of Jehu’s conspiracy is told at large.
I HAVE already had to remark on the chronological difficulties which occur in the historical books; difficulties for which copyists alone are responsible. To remove them by the plan of reconciliation, is in many cases impracticable; to conjectural criticism we must have recourse. And is there a single ancient author of any kind, but particularly those who have written on matters of history and chronology, whose works have been transmitted to us free of similar errors, owing to the negligence of transcribers?
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The same place with Ramoth, or Ramoth-gilead.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
Ver. 29 And King Joram went back,…. From Ramoth, having taken it, and left his army there:
to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah; the same with Ramothgilead:
when he fought against Hazael king of Syria; for Benhadad being dead, he was now king in his room, 2Ki 8:15
and Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick; of the wounds which he had received, which might occasion a feverish disorder; and so it was brought about in Providence that Ahaziah should here meet with the destruction appointed for him, of which in the following chapter. See
2Ch 22:7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(29) Joram went back.With a few personal attendants. He left the army at Ramoth (2Ki. 9:14) under the command of the generals, and perhaps of Ahaziah.
In Jezreel.The seat of the court at this time. (Comp. 2Ki. 10:11; 2Ki. 10:13.) To reach Samaria, moreover, Joram would have had to cross a mountainous country, while he could be carried to Jezreel by an easier route through the valley of the Jordan.
Which the Syrians had gven.The verb is imperfect. Ewald suggests that the Hebrew letters may indicate a dialectic pronunciation of the perfect. It is more likely that the imperfect is here used in the sense of repetition, implying that Joram was wounded on more than one occasion.
Ramah.Height. The same as Ramoth, heights.
And Ahaziah . . . went down.Or, now Ahaziah had gone downscil., when the following events happened. The Hebrew construction indicates the beginning of a new paragraph. The division of chapters is again at fault, there being no real break in the narrative between this verse and what follows in chapter 9.
Ahaziah went down either from Ramoth or from Jerusalem; probably from the former, as no mention is made of his having left the seat of war and returned to Jerusalem.
Because he was sick.The same verb as in 2Ki. 1:2. The margin here is wrong.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
29. Joram went back to be healed Not, however, until after he had taken possession of Ramoth, which he left in charge of Jehu.
Ramah The same with Ramoth-gilead.
Ahaziah went down to see Joram in Jezreel He was led there by a punitive arrangement of Divine Providence to meet his doom. Compare 2Ki 9:27, and 2Ch 22:7.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
READER! let us pause over our review of this chapter, for many are the gospel instructions we may take home to our own hearts under the Holy Ghost’s gracious teachings. In the restoration of the Shunammite’s land, let us recollect with holy joy that our Jesus hath effectually secured our inheritance, notwithstanding there hath been for many a seven year a famine and poverty indeed in our souls. Jesus our king will restore the whole, and infinitely more than we lost, by the apostacy of our first Father, Yes! thou dearest Lord, thou hast accomplished the redemption of all our mortgaged possession, and it is thou which will finally put us into the enjoyment of them again; thou art indeed thyself our inheritance, our portion, our joy forever.
In the account of Hazael, Reader, let us not overlook the general character of all men by the fall. That you and I perpetrate not such crimes, is not from any difference in nature, but wholly from the preventing and restraining grace of our God. Oh! blessed Jesus, teach me by such views how to appreciate thy great salvation more and more, and with the greatest thankfulness of soul, give thee all the glory, that I am kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And Reader, let the view which the Holy Ghost hath here given us in the character of Hazael, when by a change from an humble station to the highest, the seeds of iniquity were thus ripened, and brought forward to the production of its deadly fruit, Oh! let it teach us how much wiser and more gracious the Lord is than we are ourselves, in choosing the lowest stations for his people, to keep them from evil. Yes! dearest Lord, I thank thee for the very place thy wisdom hath appointed me. I know it must be the best because thou hast ordained it. Thy love, as well as thy wisdom, was in it. Bring me therefore, Lord, according to thy promise, as a poor, blind, ignorant creature, in a way that I knew not; leave me not to my own understanding, but give me grace to be always committing my ways unto the Lord, and to acknowledge thine hand in all; for thou hast said thou wilt direct my paths.
One thought more, Reader, before we quit this chapter, in that precious account which is given us concerning Judah, that the Lord would not destroy Judah for David’s sake. Oh! the blessed thought! oh! the soul-reviving consideration, amidst all the discouragements of sin, and the feats of unbelief! Judah’s Lord still lives, still reigns, and the efficacy of his blood and righteousness is of everlasting duration. Learn, my soul, henceforth to live out of thyself upon this covenant God in Christ. In him is all thy fullness and sufficiency. And in so improving and using Christ, according to God the Father’s gift and design concerning him, all happiness and security must be found. In thy name, blessed Jesus, would I rejoice all the day, and in thy righteousness may my soul be exalted.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 8:29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
Ver. 29. To be healed in Jezreel. ] Which is said to be twenty-four miles from Ramothgilead, and was looked upon as a place of more security.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Ramah = Ramoth-gilead.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joram: 2Ki 9:15
which the Syrians had given: Heb. wherewith the Syrians had wounded
Ramah: Called “Ramoth,” 2Ki 9:28.
Ahaziah: 2Ki 9:16, 2Ch 22:6, 2Ch 22:7
sick: Heb. wounded, 1Ki 22:34
Reciprocal: Jos 19:18 – Jezreel 2Ki 9:27 – Ahaziah 2Ki 10:13 – the brethren 2Ch 35:23 – wounded
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
8:29 And king Joram went back to be healed in {q} Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
(q) This is a city belonging to the tribe of Issachar.