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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
Micaiah's Prediction. (b. c. 897.)
MICAIAH'S PREDICTION. (B. C. 897.) Here Micaiah does well, but, as is common, suffers ill for so doing. I. We are told how faithfully he delivered his message, as one that was more solicitous to please God than to humou…
Ahab's Death. (b. c. 897.)
AHAB'S DEATH. (B. C. 897.) The matter in contest between God's prophet and Ahab's prophets is here soon determined, and it is made to appear which was in the right. Here, I. The two kings march with their forces to Ramo…
Jehoshaphat's Death. (b. c. 897.)
JEHOSHAPHAT'S DEATH. (B. C. 897.) Here is, I. A short account of the reign of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, of which we shall have a much fuller narrative in the book of Chronicles, and of the greatness and goodness of tha…
Ahaziah's Sickness. (b. c. 896.)
AHAZIAH'S SICKNESS. (B. C. 896.) We have here Ahaziah, the wicked king of Israel, under God's rebukes both by his providence and by his prophet, by his rod and by his word. I. He is crossed in his affairs. How can those…
Fire Called from Heaven by Elijah. (b. c. 896.)
FIRE CALLED FROM HEAVEN BY ELIJAH. (B. C. 896.) Here, I. The king issues out a warrant for the apprehending of Elijah. If the God of Ekron had told him he should die, it is probable he would have taken it quietly; but n…
Elijah's Translation. (b. c. 895.)
ELIJAH'S TRANSLATION. (B. C. 895.) Elijah's times, and the events concerning him, are as little dated as those of any great man in scripture; we are not told of his age, nor in what year of Ahab's reign he first appeare…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 2:9-12
Here, I. Elijah makes his will, and leaves Elisha his heir, now anointing him to be prophet in his room, more than when he cast his mantle upon him, 1 Kings 19:19. 1. Elijah, being greatly pleased with the constancy of…
Elijah's Mantle on Elisha. (b. c. 895.)
ELIJAH'S MANTLE ON ELISHA. (B. C. 895.) We have here an account of what followed immediately after the translation of Elijah. I. The tokens of God's presence with Elisha, and the marks of his elevation into Elijah's roo…
The Waters of Jericho Healed; the Death of the Mocking Children. (b. c. 895.)
THE WATERS OF JERICHO HEALED; THE DEATH OF THE MOCKING CHILDREN. (B. C. 895.) Elisha had, in this respect, a double portion of Elijah's spirit, that he wrought more miracles than Elijah. Some reckon them in number just…
The Reign of Jehoram. (b. c. 895.)
THE REIGN OF JEHORAM. (B. C. 895.) Jehoram, the son of Ahab, and brother of Ahaziah, is here upon the throne of Israel; and, though he was but a bad man, yet two commendable things are here recorded of him:— I. That he…
The Expedition against Moab; Elisha Consulted. (b. c. 895.)
THE EXPEDITION AGAINST MOAB; ELISHA CONSULTED. (B. C. 895.) Jehoram has no sooner got the sceptre into his hand than he takes the sword into his hand, to reduce Moab. Crowns bring great cares and perils to the heads tha…
The Defeat of the Moabites. (b. c. 895.)
THE DEFEAT OF THE MOABITES. (B. C. 895.) I. We have here the divine gift of both those things which God had promised by Elisha—water and victory, and the former not only a pledge of the latter, but a means of it. God, w…
The Increase of the Widow's Oil. (b. c. 894.)
THE INCREASE OF THE WIDOW'S OIL. (B. C. 894.) Elisha's miracles were for use, not for show; this recorded here was an act of real charity. Such also were the miracles of Christ, not only great wonders, but great favours…
The Shunammite's Hospitality. (b. c. 893.)
THE SHUNAMMITE'S HOSPITALITY. (B. C. 893.) The giving of a son to such as were old, and had been long childless, was an ancient instance of the divine power and favour, in the case of Abraham, and Isaac, and Manoah, and…
The Death of the Shunammite's Son; The Shunammite's Son Restored. (b. c. 887.)
THE DEATH OF THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON; THE SHUNAMMITE'S SON RESTORED. (B. C. 887.) We may well suppose that, after the birth of this son, the prophet was doubly welcome to the good Shunammite. He had thought himself indebte…
The Miracle on the Poisoned Pottage; the Miracle on the Barley Loaves. (b. c. 887.)
THE MIRACLE ON THE POISONED POTTAGE; THE MIRACLE ON THE BARLEY LOAVES. (B. C. 887.) We have here Elisha in his place, in his element, among the sons of the prophets, teaching them, and, as a father, providing for them;…
Naaman's Leprosy. (b. c. 894.)
NAAMAN'S LEPROSY. (B. C. 894.) Our saviour's miracles were intended for the lost sheep of the house of Israel, yet one, like a crumb, fell from the table to a woman of Canaan; so this one miracle Elisha wrought for Naam…
The Cure of Naaman's Leprosy. (b. c. 894.)
THE CURE OF NAAMAN'S LEPROSY. (B. C. 894.) We have here the cure of Naaman's leprosy. I. The short and plain direction which the prophet gave him, with assurance of success. Naaman designed to do honour to Elisha when h…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 5:15-19
Of the ten lepers that our Saviour cleansed, the only one that returned to give thanks was a Samaritan, Luke 17:16. This Syrian did so, and here expresses himself. I. Convinced of the power of the God of Israel, not onl…
Naaman's Gratitude. (b. c. 894.)
NAAMAN'S GRATITUDE. (B. C. 894.) Naaman, a Syrian, a courtier, a soldier, had many servants, and we read how wise and good they were, 2 Kings 5:13. Elisha, a holy prophet, a man of God, has but one servant, and he prove…
Iron Made to Swim. (b. c. 893.)
IRON MADE TO SWIM. (B. C. 893.) Several things may be observed here, I. Concerning the sons of the prophets, and their condition and character. The college here spoken of seems to be that at Gilgal, for there Elisha was…
The Syrians Ensnared; the Syrians Generously Liberated. (b. c. 893.)
THE SYRIANS ENSNARED; THE SYRIANS GENEROUSLY LIBERATED. (B. C. 893.) Here we have Elisha, with his spirit of prophecy, serving the king, as before helping the sons of the prophets; for that, as other gifts, is given to…
Matthew Henry on 2 Kings 6:13-23
Here is, 1. The great force which the king of Syria sent to seize Elisha. He found out where he was, at Dothan (2 Kings 6:13), which was not far from Samaria; thither he sent a great host, who were to come upon him by n…
The Siege of Samaria. (b. c. 891.)
THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA. (B. C. 891.) This last paragraph of this chapter should, of right, have been the first of the next chapter, for it begins a new story, which is there continued and concluded. Here is, I. The siege…