Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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2 Kings
Book: 2 Kings
Chapter: 6
Overview:
The sons of the prophets enlarge their habitations,
Iron made
to swim.
(1-7) Elisha discloses the counsels of the Syrians.
(8-12) Syrians sent to seize
Elisha.
(13-23) Samaria besieged, A
Famine, The
King sends to slay
Elisha.
(24-33)
1-7 There is that pleasantness in the converse of servants of
God, which can make those who listen to them forget the pain and
the weariness of labour. Even the sons of the prophets must not
be unwilling to labour. Let
No Man think an honest employment a
Burden or a disgrace. And labour of the head, is as hard, and
very often harder, than labour with the hands. We ought to be
careful of that which is borrowed, as of our own, because we
must do as we would be done
By. This
Man was
So respecting the
Axe-head. And to those who have an honest mind, the sorest
grievance of poverty is, not
So much their own want and
disgrace, as being rendered unable to pay just debts. But the
Lord cares for his people in their smallest concerns. And
God's
Grace can thus raise the stony
Iron Heart, which is sunk into
the mud of this world, and raise up affections, naturally
earthly.
8-12 The
King of
Israel regarded the warnings
Elisha gave him,
of danger from the Syrians, but would not heed the warnings of
danger from his sins. Such warnings are little heeded
By most;
they would save themselves from
Death, but will not from
Hell.
Nothing that is done, said, or thought,
By any person, in any
place, at any time, is out of
God's knowledge.
13-23 What
Elisha said to his servant is spoken to all the
Faithful servants of
God, when without are fightings, and within
are fears. Fear not, with that fear which has
Torment and
amazement; for they that are with us, to protect us, are more
than they that are against us, to destroy us. The eyes of his
body were open, and with them he saw the danger.
Lord, open the
eyes of our
Faith, that with them we may see thy protecting
Hand. The clearer sight we have of the
Sovereignty and power of
Heaven, the less we shall fear the troubles of
Earth.
Satan, the
God of this world, blinds men's eyes, and
So deludes them unto
their own ruin; but when
God enlightens their eyes, they see
themselves in the midst of their enemies, captives to
Satan, and
in danger of
Hell, though, before, they thought their condition
good. When
Elisha had the Syrians at his
Mercy, he made it
appear that he was influenced
By Divine
Goodness as
Well as
Divine power. Let us not be overcome of evil, but overcome evil
with good. The Syrians saw it was to
No purpose to try to
assault
So great and
So good a
Man.
24-33 Learn to value plenty, and to be thankful for it; see how
contemptible
Money is, when in time of
Famine it is
So freely
parted with for any thing that is eatable! The language of
Jehoram to the
Woman may be the language of despair. See the
Word of God fulfilled; among the threatenings of
God's judgments
upon
Israel for their sins, this was one, that they should eat
the
Flesh of their own children, De 28:53-57. The
Truth and
the awful
Justice of God were displayed in this horrible
transaction. Alas! what miseries
Sin has brought upon the world!
But the foolishness of
Man perverts his way, and then his
Heart
frets against the
Lord. The
King swears the
Death of
Elisha.
Wicked men will blame any one as the cause of their troubles,
rather than themselves, and will not leave their sins. If
rending the clothes, without a broken and contrite
Heart, would
avail, if wearing
Sackcloth, without being renewed in the
Spirit
of their mind, would serve, they would not stand out against the
Lord. May the whole
Word of God increase in us reverent fear and
holy
Hope, that we may be stedfast and immovable, always
abounding in the work of the
Lord, knowing that our labour is
not in vain in the
Lord.