Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 3:11

But Jehoshaphat said, [Is there] not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here [is] Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

11. Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord ] He made the same enquiry before the march to Ramoth-Gilead (1Ki 22:7). The prophets who would be in attendance on Jehoram would be those connected with the worship of the calves. It is however interesting to note that Jehoram ascribes to the Lord Jehovah the calling together of the armies for this expedition. We see from this how the calf-worship was not felt to be in direct opposition to the true worship. The presence of Elisha with the host shews also that there was something which a prophet of the Lord found to warrant his presence with the army. The promptness too with which he is mentioned indicates that he was well known and honoured by some who were about the king’s person.

Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah ] The sort of service here indicated marks one who had been in constant attendance on his master, who therefore understood his feelings, and had thus grown to understand on what occasions Jehovah might be appealed to. Hence the confidence of Jehoshaphat, ‘The word of the Lord is with him’.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

A prophet of the Lord – i. e. of Yahweh. It was necessary to inquire thus definitely, as there were still plenty of prophets who were only prophets of Baal 2Ki 3:13.

Here is Elisha – Jehoram appears to have been ignorant of his presence with the host, and one of his servants, or officers, answered Jehoshaphats inquiry.

Which poured water – An act signifying ministration or attendance (compare Joh 13:5 ff).

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

2Ki 3:11

Elisha . . . which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

Contrast between Elijah and Elisha

The resemblances between Elijah and Elisha are occasionally so great, that it is scarcely surprising the one prophet is confused with the other. They both lived in one country and in one age. They were both the messengers of God to kings. They both wrought miracles, and even the same class of miracles, multiplying the widows off, and raising from the dead a mothers only child. Last of all, the life-work of both was to withstand and witness against idolatry, and restore the worship of the true God in the land of Israel. And yet to the careful reader there is no contrast in the Bible more striking or complete. What John was to Peter, Mary to Martha, Melanchthon to Luther, that was Elisha the Prophet of Peace to Elijah the Desert Prophet–the Prophet of Fire. The one is John the Baptist, the other is the gentler John–the Evangelist, the disciple of love–who, leaning on his Masters bosom, caught and breathed a kindred spirit. In place of the long shaggy locks that had marked the awful Elijah, the head of the new and youthful prophet was shorn and smooth. Instead of the sheepskin mantle, he wore the attire of the period. In his hand he carried a walking staff. His whole gait was that of the ordinary citizen. Elisha was no lonely man dwelling in the grot of Cherith or the solitudes of the wilderness. He had his own house in Samaria. He was known in far Damascus. Indeed the whole contrast between Elijah and Elisha is so significant and instructive as to be well worth following from point to point.

1. Elijah simply drops upon the scene. There is no warning, no period of pupilage or preparation. Of his previous history nothing whatever is known. Like Melchisedec he has neither beginning of days nor end of life. We meet Elisha, on the other hand, for the first time in his fathers fields, in the meadow of the dance, at Abel-meholah. Shaphat is a man of means, for he has twelve ploughs at work; a man of piety also, for he has refused to do homage at the shrine of Baal. In particular, he has trained his son to know Israels God.

2. During the whole of his public life–about twelve years at the most–Elijah to a large extent lived out of the world, or at least far above it, in stern sublimity. Elisha, on the other hand, is intimately mixed up with all the political movements and events of his day. Three kings seek him as their counsellor. Jehu is crowned at his bidding. Ben-hadad consults him in war. Joash attends at his death-bed. Whenever Elijah is seen in connection with kings and courts, it is always as their enemy–Ahab, Jezebel, Ahaziah. When Elisha is seen in the same connection, it is always as their friend–My father, my father, is their uniform and reverent mode of address.

3. The miracles wrought by the two prophets form another interesting point of contrast between Elijah and Elisha. It is noticeable that Elisha wrought twice as many miracles as Elijah did, suggesting the inference that the parting request had been complied with to the letter: And Elisha said, I pray thee let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. On his introduction to work, Elijah begins with a miracle–the emblem of so much of his future career–a miracle of judgment: There shall not be dew nor rain these years, referring to the drought, but according to My word. Elisha begins with a miracle–the emblem also of so much of his future career–but it is a miracle of mercy: There shall not be from thence, speaking of the bitter waters of Jericho sweetened, any more death or barren land. The miracles of Elisha, in fact, remind us very much of the miracles of Christ–miracles of beneficence. The very grave of Elisha wrought a miracle that reads very like a miracle of Christ, for when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.

4. As another point in the contrast between Elijah and Elisha, it cannot be out of a place to say that of Elisha, like Joshua the son of Nun, not a single infirmity or failing is recorded. This cannot be said of Elijah, for he fled into the wilderness and lay down under the juniper tree to escape a womans vengeance, and in despair to die. The humbler Elisha may do the greater work. There is every reason to believe that in reclaiming Israel from idolatry, by the conversion of individual men and women, the still small voice of Elisha, conjoined with his healing acts and social intercourse, accomplished wider and more permanent changes than the fire and storm and national upheaval caused by Elijah. Nor is this to be wondered at. The ministry of Elisha in Israel lasted nearly five times longer than the ministry of Elijah. The rough and pioneer work had already been done.

5. The translation of the one, the ordinary death by dissolution of the other. In conclusion, the whole career of Elisha supplies us with some serious and useful practical lessons. His special feature of character was this–holiness. He was a holy man of God. What a sublimity there is in this simple language! What honour or title is ever to be compared with it? Abraham was the friend of God, David was the man after Gods own heart, Daniel was the man greatly beloved, Elisha is the man of God. All social distinctions that count so much with men sink here into insignificance. Whatever else we are honourably known to be, let us seek to be holy even as God is holy. Nearer, my God, to Thee, nearer to Thee. (H. J. Howat.)

The present ministry

A young man, who a few years ago was a student of Harvard College, became noted for his quiet offices of kindness, religious and otherwise, among the younger students. Without patronage, he seemed to adopt the role of eider brother to many a boy who, but for him, would have gone wrong and reaped the consequences. Some one asked a question one day, and drew out the secret. He had confided to his pastor his determination to enter the ministry as soon as he had graduated. why not enter it now? said the wise counsellor. You will be all the better minister for ministering as you go along.

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Verse 11. Is there not here a prophet of the Lord] The kings of Judah still acknowledged the true God, and him only.

Poured water on the hands of Elijah] That is, was his constant and confidential servant.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Is there not here a prophet? this he should have asked before, when they first undertook the expedition, as he did in a like case, 1Ki 22:5, and for that neglect he now suffers; but better late than never. His affliction brings him to the remembrance of his former sin and present duty.

Which poured water on the hands of Elijah, i.e. who was his servant; this being one office of a servant; and this office was the more necessary among the Israelites, because of the frequent washings which their law required.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

11. which poured water on the handsof Elijahthat is, was his servantthis being one of thecommon offices of a servant. The phrase is used here as synonymouswith “a true and eminent prophet,” who will reveal God’swill to us.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

But Jehoshaphat said, is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?…. This the good king should have done before be set out, but had neglected it; however, it was not too late:

and one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said; who might be one that feared the Lord, and was intimate with Elisha, or however had knowledge of him, as appears by what follows:

here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah; or ministered to him, as the Targum; was his menial servant, waited on him, and assisted him when he washed his hands g; some Jewish writers understand it of his pouring water on the hand of Elijah at Carmel, when the altar and trench were filled with it, and when a miracle was wrought, as they fancy, and the fingers of Elijah became as fountains of water.

g See the like phrase of the business of a servant in Homer, Iliad. 3. ver. 270, & Iliad. 9. ver. 174. Odyss. 1. ver. 147. & Odyss. 3. ver. 388. & Odyss. 4. ver. 258, 261. & passim.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(11) But (and) Jehoshaphat . . . by him?The same question is asked by Jehoshaphat in 1Ki. 22:7.

By him.Heb., from with him (mth for mitt, both here and in the parallel placea mark of the same hand). Jehoshaphat is for seeking Jehovah through a prophet, in contrast with Jehoram, who at once despairs. (Comp. Amo. 5:4; Amo. 5:8; and Note on 1Ch. 13:3; 2Ch. 15:2.)

One of the king of Israels servants.One of the kings staff, who, like Obadiah (1Ki. 18:3), was perhaps a friend of the prophets of Jehovah.

Here is Elisha.The prophet must have followed the army of his own accord, or rather, as Keil suggests, under a Divine impulse, in order that, when the hour of trial came, he might point Jehoram to Jehovah as the only true God.

Which poured water on the hands of Elijah.Was the personal attendant of that greatest of prophets. The phrase alludes to the well-known Oriental custom of the servant pouring water from a ewer on his masters hands to wash them.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

11. A prophet of the Lord Observe the different disposition of the two kings. Jehoram despairs; Jehoshaphat inquires of Jehovah. The idolatries of his father and mother had utterly unsettled the religion of Jehoram, but Jehoshaphat still cleaves to the God of Israel.

Here is Elisha It seems that this prophet had accompanied or followed the host, and though not in the camp, was near at hand. He had probably been instructed by the Lord to follow the host, so as to be ready to make known Jehovah’s will and power.

Poured water on the hands of Elijah An Oriental expression denoting the usual office and work of a servant. After a meal in which knives and forks are not used “washing the hands and mouth is indispensable, and the ibriek and tusht their pitcher and ewer are always brought, and the servant, with a napkin over his shoulder, pours water on your hands. If there is no servant, they perform this office for each other. Great men have those about them whose special business is to pour water on the hands.” Thomson.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments