Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 3:15
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
15. But now bring me a minstrel ] Of the power of music over the mind we have examples in the history of Saul (1Sa 16:23) and also of the use of music by the companies of prophets (1Sa 10:5). But neither of these instances illustrates the case of Elisha as here described. It was not employed to calm his own angry spirit, and he was alone, whereas the prophetic band in 1Sa 10:5 were marching in a body, and chanting some religious hymns or service. From the result described here, viz. that the hand (that is, the influence and spirit) of the Lord came upon him, we may conclude that this was what Elisha wished for, and we may suppose that while the music went on his thoughts took shape, and found vent in prayer, till at length he was prompted inwardly what to say. A striking instance of the power of music.
the hand of the Lord ] The phrase is most frequently employed in the Pentateuch and the historical books to signify God’s power exerted in punishment. Cf. Exo 9:3, ‘The hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle’. See also Deu 2:15; Jos 22:31; Jdg 2:15. But it is also used of the divine power which strengthened and supported Elijah, 1Ki 18:46, and several times in Ezekiel of the spirit by which the prophet was possessed (cf. Eze 1:3; Eze 3:14; Eze 3:22; Eze 8:1; Eze 33:22; Eze 37:1). The passage Eze 33:22 may be best quoted in illustration of the case of Elisha: ‘The hand of the Lord was upon me in the evening and had opened my mouth and my mouth was opened and I was no more dumb.’ As to Ezekiel, so here to Elisha there was given what he should speak. Josephus says ‘he became inspired’.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Music seems to have been a regular accompaniment of prophecy in the schools of the prophets (marginal reference), and an occasional accompaniment of it elsewhere Exo 15:20.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 15. Bring me a minstrel.] A person who played on the harp. The rabbins, and many Christians, suppose that Elisha’s mind was considerably irritated and grieved by the bad behaviour of the young men at Beth-el, and their tragical end, and by the presence of the idolatrous king of Israel; and therefore called for Divine psalmody, that it might calm his spirits, and render him more susceptible of the prophetic influence. To be able to discern the voice of God, and the operation of his hand, it is necessary that the mind be calm, and the passions all in harmony, under the direction of reason; that reason may be under the influence of the Divine Spirit.
The hand of the Lord came upon him.] The playing of the harper had the desired effect; his mind was calmed, and the power of God descended upon him. This effect of music was generally acknowledged in every civilized nation. Cicero, in his Tusculan Questions, lib. iv., says, that “the Pythagoreans were accustomed to calm their minds, and soothe their passions, by singing and playing upon the harp.” Pythagoraei mentes suas a cogitationum intentione cantu fidibusque ad tranquillitatem traducebant. I have spoken elsewhere of the heathen priests who endeavoured to imitate the true prophets, and were as actually filled with the devil as the others were with the true God. The former were thrown into violent agitations and contortions by the influence of the demons which possessed them, while the latter were in a state of the utmost serenity and composure.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A minstrel; one that can sing and play upon a musical instrument. This he requires, that his mind, which had been disturbed and inflamed with holy anger at the sight of wicked Jehoram, might be composed, and cheered, and united within itself, and that he might be excited to the more fervent prayer to God, and joyfully praising him; whereby he was prepared to receive the prophetical inspiration. For although prophecy be the gift of God, yet men might do something either to hinder or further the reception of it; for which cause Paul bids Christians study to get the gift of prophecy, 1Co 14:1. And for this very end the colleges of the prophets were erected, wherein the sons of the prophets did use divers means to procure this gift, which also they did sometimes receive, as we see 2Ki 2:3,5; and, amongst other means, they used instruments of music to exhilarate their spirits, &c., 1Sa 10:5. Of the great power of music upon the affections, See Poole “1Sa 16:16“.
The hand of the Lord, i.e. the Spirit of prophecy; so called, to note that it was not from Elishas temper of body or mind; that it was no natural nor acquired virtue inherent in him; but a singular gift of God, given to whom and when he pleased. This phrase is used also Eze 1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
15. bring me a minstrelTheeffect of music in soothing the mind is much regarded in the East;and it appears that the ancient prophets, before entering their work,commonly resorted to it, as a preparative, by praise and prayer, totheir receiving the prophetic afflatus.
the hand of the Lordaphrase significantly implying that the gift of prophecy was not anatural or inherent gift, but conferred by the power and grace ofGod.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
But now bring me a minstrel,…. A piper, a man that knows how to play upon the harp, as the Targum; according to Procopius Gazaeus, this was one of the Levites he ordered to be fetched, who was used to the spiritual melody of David, and could play on musical instruments as he directed. This he did to allay his passion, and compose his spirits, ruffled at the sight of Jehoram, and to fit him to receive prophetic inspiration, which sometimes came upon the Lord’s prophets when thus employed, see 1Sa 10:5. Some think h the music the prophet called for is that sort the Greeks call “harmony”, which is the gravest and saddest, and settles the affections:
and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him; the spirit of prophecy, as the Targum, which came by the power of God, and as a gift from his hand.
h Weemse’s Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 4. p. 143.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(15) Bring me a minstrel.Mnaggni.e., a harper, player on a stringed instrument (ngnh). Elisha called for music as a natural means of calming his perturbed spirit (2Ki. 3:13-14). Composure and serenity of soul were essential, if the prophet was to hear the voice of God within. Cicero tells us that the Pythagoreans were wont to tranquillise their minds after the strain of thought with harp music and singing (Tusc. Iv. 2). (Comp. 1Sa. 10:5; 1Ch. 25:1, Note.) The incident is a striking mark of the historical truth of the narrative.
And it came to pass.Perfect with weak waw: a later idiom. (Comp. 1Sa. 17:48.)
The hand of the Lord came upon him.Targum and some MSS., the Spirit of the Lord; but comp. 1Ki. 18:46.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
15. Bring me a minstrel The power of music to quell the passions, to tranquillize the mind, and to bring the soul into a devotional frame, is no strange fact. See note on 1Sa 16:16. The prophets of the schools carried with them instruments of music to aid them in their prophesying, (1Sa 10:5😉 and here Elisha, whose spirit was ruffled by the presence of the idolatrous Jehoram, calls to his aid the sound of music, that its soft tones may bring his soul into harmony with the inner world of spiritual vision.
The hand of the Lord came upon him The expression often occurs in Ezekiel to denote the imparting of Divine energy, which qualified the prophet for his holy work.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
D. YHWH’s Provision For The Alliance Forces And The Subjugation Of Moab Which Has However An Unfortunate Consequence In Mesha’s Child-Sacrifice ( 2Ki 3:15-27 ).
YHWH’s reply indicated that they had to dig trenches throughout the valley in a kind of irrigation system as though there was a likelihood of water coming down from the mountains of Edom. Then His promise was that, even though they experienced no signs of rain, the channels would become full of water. Thus he required of the thirsty and exhausted soldiers a positive act of faith. And when they exercised that faith He responded. Furthermore on top of that He would deliver the forces of Moab into their hands, on which they were to (and would have anyway) carry out the usual method of punishment on a consistently rebel tributary, by felling the ‘good trees’ (fruitbearing and useful ones), clogging up the springs, and scattering stones over any good agricultural land. The trees would take years to replace, the springs would have to be cleared out again before they could be useful, and it was easier to sow stones than to remove them. It would be a lesson to Moab on what happened to ‘naughty boys’.
As a result of YHWH’s activity this was accomplished quite easily, until it was suddenly brought to a halt (with Moab meanwhile having been devastated) when in a last ditch attempt to save what was probably his capital city Mesha sacrificed his firstborn son and heir as a burnt offering on the wall (presumably to Chemosh, the god of Moab) in full view of the besieging enemy. The horror of this in Israelite eyes so disturbed the armies of Israel that they recognised in it a signal that YHWH’s anger would be directed on them if they proceeded further, and they thus immediately withdrew from the siege and returned to their own country, their mission on the whole accomplished.
There is an important lesson in this for all of us who follow Christ, for we too are under God’s Kingly Rule, and are called on to endure through difficult times for the sake of His kingdom. But we learn here that if we trust in Him, then however difficult times may become, we can be sure that He will provide us with spiritual water, and give us victory over the great Enemy.
Analysis.
a
b “And this is but a light thing in the sight of YHWH. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand” (2Ki 3:18).
c “And you will smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and will fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones” (2Ki 3:19).
d And it came about in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water (2Ki 3:20).
e Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood on the border (2Ki 3:21).
d And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood, and they said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten each man his fellow. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil” (2Ki 3:22).
c And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them, and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites, and they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees, until only in Kir-hareseth did they leave its stones. However, the slingers went about it, and smote it (2Ki 3:24-25).
b And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not (2Ki 3:26).
a Then he took his eldest son who should have reigned instead of him, and offered him for a burnt-offering on the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him, and returned to their own land (2Ki 3:27).
Note that in ‘a’ Elisha called for a minstrel, and promised great blessing on the allies through the provision of abundant water, and in the parallel the king of Moab called for his eldest son and offered him as a sacrifice with the result that there was wrath on Israel. The contrast is deliberate. All Elisha required was a little music in order to attune his mind, and YHWH would do the rest. The king of Moab had to go to desperate straits to get help from his god. In ‘b’ the Moabites would be delivered into their hand, and in the parallel the battle was too sore for Moab. In ‘c’ detailed disaster was forecast on Moab, and in the parallel it happened just as described. In ‘d’ the area was filled with water, and in the parallel the water was seen by the Moabites who mistook its significance and as a result acted foolishly. In ‘e’ all Moab united to fight off the alliance.
2Ki 3:15
“But now bring me a minstrel.” And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of YHWH came on him.’
There is a deliberate contrast in the story between Elisha’s simple requirement of a minstrel to help him get into the prophetic mood, and the grossly unacceptable method of the ‘shepherd and high priest of Moab’ in offering his own son and heir as a burnt offering. On the one hand peace, quiet and faith. On the other anger, desperation and excessive measures.
The call for a minstrel was probably to quieten Elisha’s spirit so that he could hear the voice of YHWH. And it was necessarily successful. For when the minstrel played the hand of YHWH came on Elisha, and he received YHWH’s instructions. In view of the fact that there is no indication anywhere of Elisha going into ecstasy, or needing to do so, it would be purely gratuitous to read it in here. Elisha in fact expected constantly to receive communications from YHWH in the normal course of his life (2Ki 4:27).
2Ki 3:16
‘And he said, “Thus says YHWH, make this valley full of trenches.” ’
Then he declared what YHWH had commanded that they should do. They were to make the valley full of irrigation trenches. YHWH required from these exhausted thirst-ridden men an act of faith. And then He would act. (He often brings us to the end of ourselves before He does so).
Alternately the ditches might have been dug in the dry Wadi bed to hold the water as it rapidly flooded past (otherwise it would be come and gone), once YHWH had provided the water.
2Ki 3:17
“For thus says YHWH, You will not see wind, nor will you see rain, yet that valley will be filled with water, and you shall drink, both you and your cattle and your beasts.”
And if they were willing to respond then it was His guarantee that although they would see neither wind or rain, the irrigation trenches would become full of water, sufficient both for them and for their horses and cattle. And His intention behind this was not only that they might have abundant water available, but also so that it would deceive the enemy.
2Ki 3:18
“And this is but a light thing in the sight of YHWH. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.”
What was more this provision of water would not only satisfy their needs but would also guarantee the defeat of the enemy, for as a consequence YHWH would deliver the Moabites into their hands.
2Ki 3:19
“And you will smite every fortified city, and every choice city, and will fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.”
Then they would be in a position to carry out the usual punitive measures by cutting down all useful trees, blocking up springs, and sowing stones on all good agricultural land in order to render it relatively unusable, as a punishment for consistent rebellion. It would be an indication that Moab was utterly defeated. (The Moabite stone actually itself gives us instances of atrocities which had brought such deserts on Moab).
Deu 20:19 forbade the cutting down of fruit trees in normal cases. But that may only have applied to the region around Canaan, perhaps in view of the fact that that was the area which was ‘YHWH’s inheritance’. Certainly the later Arabs would cut down the palm groves of another defeated Arab tribe, and that may have been the custom in Moab and Ammon which had close contact with Arabs, and have already been carried out to a limited extent by Mesha. (Compare Num 22:1-6 where the Moabites and the Midianites worked in close liaison).
2Ki 3:20
‘And it came about in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water.’
We are left to assume that the soldiers responded willingly and dug their irrigation trenches, and it was as well that they did so, for that night rains poured down on the mountains of Edom, out of sight of the armies, and flowed down eastwards into the lower ground where they were encamped, and all their channels were filled with water.
The fact that this was seen to occur around the time of the morning offering in the Temple was a clear indication to them that this was from YHWH. He was responding to the faith and offerings of His people.
2Ki 3:21
‘Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood on the border.’
Meanwhile news of the advancing armies had reached Moab as at some time the armies were spotted either by travellers or shepherds, and the result was that they hurriedly mustered all their forces, down to the youngest who was able to put on armour, and came to the relatively unprotected border that they had thought safe from attack. They were ready to fight for their lives before this grim advancing foe.
2Ki 3:22
‘And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood, and they said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have smitten each man his fellow. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.” ’
But when morning came they rose up early knowing well that the battle might commence at any time, but as they looked out over the wilderness of Edom the sun shone on the (unsuspected) water and it looked to them like pools of blood. What else could have covered the whole area in that ‘red liquid’, (made red by the red earth of Edom combined with the early morning sun)? They no doubt also saw the disorganised movement of men and cattle taking advantage of the newly received water, which could well have appeared to them like men fighting each other. So in their view there could only be one conclusion, and that was that, driven mad by the desert heat and extreme thirst the enemy armies had quarrelled with each other and were smiting each other, covering the ground with blood. To them this was good news and they congratulated themselves on the fact that their god Chemosh had presumably caused the opposing armies to destroy each other. Now therefore it was time to arouse themselves and take the spoil.
2Ki 3:24
‘And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them, and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites.’
So instead of remaining in their defensive positions, they swarmed out towards the camp of Israel, each wanting to get there first in order to gather the spoils. It was not the best way in which to approach the army that was waiting for them, also unable to believe their ‘good luck’ as they saw the disorganised amateur army approaching in a disjointed manner. Forewarned by their sentries, they were able to gather themselves and meet the unsuspecting Moabites head on. There could only be one result. The astounded Moabites, not really prepared for a serious battle, were utterly defeated and fled before them, followed closely on their heels by the avenging enemy who thus easily entered their territory, smiting the Moabites as they went. Initial victory had been even easier than expected, thanks, as they were later to learn, probably from prisoners, to the misconception with which YHWH had filled their enemy.
2Ki 3:25
‘And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees, until only in Kir-hareseth did they leave its stones. However, the slingers went about it, and smote it.’
Victory was total and complete, with the devastated Moabites not in a position to put up much further resistance, and they thus broke down their cities, scattered stones on their agricultural land, filling it with stones, (many obtained from the walls and buildings of the cities that they dismantled), stopped up their springs and felled all their useful trees. We may assume that Kir-hareseth (‘the city of the wall’) was the city in which the king of Moab holed himself up (2Ki 3:27), for that would explain why it was left alone, while having an abundance of sling stones poured into it.
2Ki 3:26
‘And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.’
The king of Moab saw that his army had suffered total defeat, and with seven military units, sought to break a way through the enemy to the king of Edom, who would in their view be in charge of the weakest section of the enemy front. This may have been with a view to capturing him in order to give them a parleying position from their refuge behind the walls of their capital city, or simply with the hope of breaking through and escaping the avenging armies (possibly by fleeing to Ammon) in order to fight again another day. But the effort failed. The Edomites were too strong for them.
2Ki 3:27
‘Then he took his eldest son who should have reigned instead of him, and offered him for a burnt-offering on the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.’
Holed up in Kir-haroseth Mesha saw only one desperate course open to him. Chemosh was not noted for accepting child-sacrifice. That was more the forte of Molech (Melech) the god of the neighbouring fierce Ammonites. But desperate times called for desperate measures (indeed his call may have been to Molech although in the Moabite Stone his allegiance was very much towards Chemosh, whom he saw as revelling in the slaughter of Moab’s enemies) and he offered his firstborn son as a burnt offering on the walls of the city in full view of the enemy.
It was at huge cost to himself. But it worked. For one reason or another Israel was seen as having come under ‘great wrath’ (or ‘great dismay’) with the result that they abandoned the siege and returned to their own land.
It is not likely that the ‘great wrath’ refers to the wrath of the people of Moab, for they were totally defeated and it is not likely that even when spurred on by such news they could gather a sufficient army to trouble the Israelites (unless their brother Ammonites joined them, and if so why is it not mentioned?). The ‘great wrath’ was probably ‘experienced’ by the Israelites as they saw the extremes to which they had driven the king of Moab. The horror of child sacrifice, which may well have been unknown in Israel since the time of David, or even of Samuel and Saul, may have been so great to them that they could only see it as bringing down on them the wrath of YHWH if they remained (or even of Chemosh, for most Israelites were not full-scale Yahwists, having been misled by Jeroboam’s false sanctuaries, and therefore probably continued to believe in the effectiveness of local gods when acting in their own area, compare Jdg 11:24), seeing themselves as responsible for the child-sacrifice having taken place. Some see the Hebrew used for ‘great wrath’ (its usual meaning) as here having the significance of ‘great dismay’ on the basis of Aramaic usage. But either way it was enough to end the final siege, although that did not save Moab as a whole. Mesha would hopefully mend his ways in future, with his land almost indefensible (all the forts had been torn down).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
2Ki 3:15. Bring me a minstrel See on 1Sa 10:5; 1Sa 16:14 and Joh. Mulleri, Eliseus, ad Musices sonum Propheta.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Ver. 15. But now bring me a minstrel, ] Heb., One that striketh with his hand upon a musical instrument. A Levite, likely, he meant, that played and sung some psalm of David. Such a one the prophet here calleth for, to dispel his grief, say some Hebrew doctors, for the loss of Elijah; from whose translation, till the then present occasion, the spirit of prophecy, say the same authors, rested not upon him. To compose his spirits, say some, much moved with indignation at Jehoram; for which purpose also the Pythagoreans, every night when they went to bed, played on an instrument. a And Plato in his laws attributeth the same virtue to music. But besides this, the prophet’s mind might hereby be raised up to an expectation of God communicating himself. The way to be filled with the Spirit is to edify ourselves by psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs. Hence we sing before sermon, &c.
a Quintilian, lib. ix. cap. 4.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
minstrel = harper. From Hebrew. nagan, to harp.
hand. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia (App-6). But some codices, with Aramaean, read “the Spirit”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
bring me: This was evidently intended to soothe and tranquillize the prophet’s mind, which had been agitated and discomposed with holy indignation by the presence of the idolatrous king, and the recollection of his abomination. The soothing influence of music is generally acknowledged in every civilized nation. 1Sa 10:5, 1Sa 16:23, 1Sa 18:10, 1Ch 25:2, 1Ch 25:3, Eph 5:18, Eph 5:19
the hand: 1Ki 18:46, Eze 1:3, Eze 3:14, Eze 3:22, Eze 8:1, Act 11:21
Reciprocal: 1Sa 16:16 – play 2Sa 6:5 – David 2Ki 4:13 – to the king 1Ch 13:8 – David 1Ch 25:1 – prophesy Hos 9:8 – with
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 3:15. Now bring me a minstrel One that can sing and play well upon an instrument of music. This he requires, that his mind, which had been disturbed at the sight of idolatrous Jehoram, might be composed, and that he might be excited to more fervent prayer, and thereby be prepared to receive the prophetic inspiration. See on 1Sa 10:5; 1Sa 16:16. Those that desire communion with God, must keep their spirits quiet and serene. All hurry of spirits, and all turbulent passions, make us unfit for divine visitations. The hand of the Lord came upon him The spirit of prophecy, so called, to note that it was no natural or acquired virtue inherent in him, but a singular gift of God, given to whom and when he pleased.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel {l} played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
(l) He sang songs to God’s glory, and so stirred up the prophets heart to prophecy.