UNROLL
Evening over Damascus: a walled city of flat roofs in a broad green oasis of orchards, a river glinting through the trees, the snowy shoulder of Mount Hermon faint far off under a calm, warm sky.

The Book of

2 Kings 8

A widow gets her land back, a prophet weeps before a future king, and in Judah the house of Ahab marries in.

29 verses≈ 7 min5 peopleBSB

Images are artistic interpretations.

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In this chapter

Where we are

  1. 1–8ElishaThe prophet's double portionChapter 8
  2. 9–12JehuThe house of Ahab falls
  3. 13–17Last kings of IsraelSamaria falls
  4. 18–20HezekiahTrust in the LORD
  5. 21–23JosiahThe Book found
  6. 24–25ExileJerusalem falls

The Shunammite’s Land Restored

Early morning on a track dropping west out of the hills: the Shunammite woman in a deep-green head covering walks beside two laden donkeys with her teenage son and two servants, the fields brown and bare from famine, the flat coastal plain and a pale line of sea far ahead.

Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.”

So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines.

0:21

Narrated by Bob Souer · BSB audio, public domain

At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land.

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Joram

Now the king had been speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things Elisha has done.”

And Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead back to life. Just then the woman whose son Elisha had revived came to appeal to the king for her house and her land.

Gehazi

So Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is the son Elisha restored to life.”

In the king's hall at Samaria, King Joram in a crimson robe leans forward from a carved chair inlaid with ivory, one hand raised toward an officer, while the Shunammite woman and her teenage son stand before him and Gehazi gestures toward them from one side.

When the king asked the woman, she confirmed it. So the king appointed for her an officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers, along with all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the country until now.”

Reflect

Just then

Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had raised the dead. “Just then the woman whose son Elisha had revived came to appeal to the king for her house and her land.” She did not arrange the moment; God did. Where have you seen His timing in your own life? Write down one ‘just then’ you remember, and thank Him for it.

Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

Then Elisha came to Damascus while Ben-hadad king of Aram was sick, and the king was told, “The man of God has come here.”

So the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand, go to meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD through him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

Hazael

“Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.

Elisha

“Because I know the evil you will do to the Israelites,” Elisha replied. “You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little ones to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.”

Hazael

“But how could your servant, a mere dog, do such a monstrous thing?” said Hazael.

Elisha

And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”

So Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he replied, “He told me that you would surely recover.”

But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over the king’s face. So Ben-hadad died, and Hazael reigned in his place.

Question

Quick question

Hazael came to Elisha with forty camel loads of gifts and his master’s question.

What did Elisha do as he looked at Hazael?

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

Judah

Jehoram of Judah · 8 years

  1. Joram’s 5th year

    Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat becomes king

    In the fifth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat succeeded his father as king of Judah.

  2. Thirty-two; eight years in Jerusalem

    Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years.

  3. In the ways of the kings of Israel

    And Jehoram walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done.

  4. did evil

    Married a daughter of Ahab

    For he married a daughter of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD.

Yet for the sake of His servant David, the LORD was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

2 Kings 8:19

Edom and Libnah Rebel

In the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against the hand of Judah and appointed their own king. So Jehoram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. When the Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, he rose up and attacked by night. His troops, however, fled to their homes.

So to this day Edom has been in rebellion against the hand of Judah. Likewise, Libnah rebelled at the same time.

Judah

Jehoram’s end

  1. The rest of his acts

    As for the rest of the acts of Jehoram, along with all his accomplishments, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

  2. Buried in the City of David

    And Jehoram rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the City of David.

  3. His son Ahaziah reigns

    And his son Ahaziah reigned in his place.

Pray

A lamp for David

Judah’s king walked “in the ways of the kings of Israel,” yet the LORD did not destroy Judah, “for the sake of His servant David.” Thank God that He keeps His promises when His people’s leaders fail. Pray for families and churches drawn into the world’s ways, that they would turn back. And ask Him to let the light He promised David, kept in Jesus the Son of David, shine in you this week.

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

Judah

Ahaziah of Judah · 1 year

  1. Joram’s 12th year

    Ahaziah son of Jehoram becomes king

    In the twelfth year of the reign of Joram son of Ahab over Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.

  2. Twenty-two; one year in Jerusalem

    Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year.

  3. His mother Athaliah, of Omri’s house

    His mother’s name was Athaliah, the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.

  4. did evil

    In the ways of the house of Ahab

    And Ahaziah walked in the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab, for he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

Two houses joined

his sonhis sonmarriedOmriking of IsraelJehoshaphatking of JudahAhabhis sonJehoramking of Judah · 8:16Joramking of Israel· 8:16AthaliahAhab’s daughter ·8:18, 26Ahaziahking of Judah · 8:25

Whiteboard

Jehoshaphat made peace with Ahab, and his son Jehoram married Ahab’s daughter. So Judah’s king “walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done,” and their son Ahaziah did the same, “for he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.” His mother was Athaliah, “the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel.” Now the two royal houses are one family, and what falls on Ahab’s house in chapter 9 will reach Judah too.

Afternoon on the road climbing from the green Jezreel valley to the walled town of Jezreel on its low spur: young King Ahaziah of Judah stands in a light two-wheeled chariot with a small escort on foot, approaching the plain gate.

Then Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to fight against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and the Arameans wounded Joram. So King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab, because Joram had been wounded.

You’ve experienced

2 Kings 8

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A verse to carry with you

Yet for the sake of His servant David, the LORD was unwilling to destroy Judah, since He had promised to maintain a lamp for David and his descendants forever.

2 Kings 8:19

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