◄ 2 Kings 3:12 ►
Jehoshaphat affirmed, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.
Study Bible
Jehoshaphat said
Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, is portrayed as a godly leader who seeks divine guidance. His name in Hebrew, "Yehoshafat," means "Yahweh has judged," reflecting his commitment to seeking God's will. Historically, Jehoshaphat is known for his religious reforms and efforts to bring the people back to the worship of Yahweh, which underscores his reliance on prophetic counsel.

The word of the LORD
This phrase signifies divine revelation and guidance, which was often sought through prophets in the Old Testament. The Hebrew term for "word" is "dabar," indicating not just spoken words but the active, living communication of God's will. In the context of ancient Israel, the "word of the LORD" was authoritative and carried the power to direct kings and nations.

is with him
This indicates that the prophet Elisha, to whom Jehoshaphat refers, is recognized as a true messenger of God. The presence of God's word with Elisha suggests divine endorsement and the assurance that his counsel is trustworthy. In the broader biblical narrative, God's presence with a prophet is a sign of legitimacy and divine favor.

So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom
This coalition of three kings—Jehoram of Israel, Jehoshaphat of Judah, and the unnamed king of Edom—highlights a rare moment of unity among these leaders. Historically, such alliances were often formed for military campaigns, as seen in this chapter where they unite against Moab. The inclusion of Edom, a vassal state, reflects the geopolitical dynamics of the time.

went down to him
The act of going down to Elisha signifies humility and the recognition of the prophet's authority. In the ancient Near Eastern context, visiting a prophet was an acknowledgment of one's need for divine insight. This journey also symbolizes a descent from human power to seek divine intervention, a theme prevalent in the biblical narrative where human leaders must often humble themselves before God's representatives.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jehoshaphat
The king of Judah, known for his faithfulness to God and his desire to seek God's guidance in times of trouble.

2. The King of Israel
At this time, the king was likely Joram (or Jehoram), son of Ahab, who was not fully devoted to God.

3. The King of Edom
An ally in the coalition against Moab, though not much is detailed about his character or faith.

4. Elisha
The prophet of God, successor to Elijah, known for his powerful ministry and miracles.

5. The Coalition Against Moab
The alliance of Israel, Judah, and Edom formed to combat the rebellion of Moab against Israel.
Teaching Points
Seeking God's Guidance
Jehoshaphat's insistence on consulting a prophet highlights the importance of seeking divine guidance in our decisions.

The Role of Godly Leadership
Jehoshaphat's influence contrasts with the less faithful leadership of Israel, showing the impact of godly leaders.

Unity in Purpose
Despite differing levels of faithfulness, the kings unite for a common cause, illustrating the potential for cooperation in achieving goals.

The Power of God's Word
Elisha's role as a prophet underscores the authority and necessity of God's word in guiding and directing His people.

Faith in Action
The journey to Elisha demonstrates a proactive faith that seeks God's intervention and wisdom.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does Jehoshaphat's approach to seeking God's word before battle challenge or affirm your own decision-making process?

2. In what ways can we ensure that we are seeking God's guidance in our daily lives, similar to Jehoshaphat's example?

3. How does the alliance between the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom reflect the potential for unity among believers today, despite differences?

4. What can we learn from Elisha's role as a prophet about the importance of listening to and obeying God's word?

5. How do the actions of these kings encourage us to seek wisdom and guidance from God in times of uncertainty or conflict?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Kings 22
Jehoshaphat's previous alliance with Ahab, Joram's father, and his insistence on seeking God's word before battle.

2 Kings 2
The transition of prophetic leadership from Elijah to Elisha, establishing Elisha's authority as a prophet.

Proverbs 3:5-6
The importance of seeking God's guidance in all decisions, as Jehoshaphat exemplifies.

James 1:5
Encouragement to seek wisdom from God, who gives generously to those who ask.
Sermons
Forgetting God, and its ResultsC.H. Irwwin 2 Kings 3:4-12
Worldly Rulers - Men in Trial Seeking Help from a Godly ManD. Thomas 2 Kings 3:6-12
Man's Extremity is God's OpportunityJ. Orr 2 Kings 3:9-17, 20
People
Ahab, Aram, Elijah, Elisha, Israelites, Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, Jeroboam, Mesha, Moabites, Nebat, Shaphat
Places
Edom, Kir-hareseth, Moab, Samaria
Topics
Edom, Jehoshaphat, Jehosh'aphat
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Kings 3:12

     1690   word of God

2 Kings 3:11-19

     5422   musicians

Library
Sight and Blindness
'Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that them pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 10. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Minstrel
ELISHA needed that the Holy Spirit should come upon him to inspire him with prophetic utterances. "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." We need that the hand of the Lord should be laid upon us, for we can never open our mouths in wisdom except we are under the divine touch. Now, the Spirit of God works according to his own will. "The wind bloweth where it listeth," and the Spirit of God operates as he chooseth. Elisha could not prophesy just when he liked; he must wait until …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 27: 1881

The Old Testament and Archeology
A century ago the student of the world's history found it exceedingly difficult, if not impossible, to paint for himself a clear picture of events antedating B.C. 400. Concerning earlier periods, he was, aside from the Old Testament, practically without records that could claim contemporaneousness with the events recorded. But, one hundred years ago, men had commenced to test every statement, be it historical, or scientific, or theological, by severe canons of criticism, and if it could not stand …
Frederick Carl Eiselen—The Christian View of the Old Testament

Balak's Inquiries Relative to the Service of God, and Balaam's Answer, Briefly Considered.
"Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with, thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? Shall I give my first born for my transgression; the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?--He hath shewed thee, 0 man, what is good: And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" As mankind are …
Andrew Lee et al—Sermons on Various Important Subjects

The Prophet Amos.
GENERAL PRELIMINARY REMARKS. It will not be necessary to extend our preliminary remarks on the prophet Amos, since on the main point--viz., the circumstances under which he appeared as a prophet--the introduction to the prophecies of Hosea may be regarded as having been written for those of Amos also. For, according to the inscription, they belong to the same period at which Hosea's prophetic ministry began, viz., the latter part of the reign of Jeroboam II., and after Uzziah had ascended the …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Prophet Joel.
PRELIMINARY REMARKS. The position which has been assigned to Joel in the collection of the Minor Prophets, furnishes an external argument for the determination of the time at which Joel wrote. There cannot be any doubt that the Collectors were guided by a consideration of the chronology. The circumstance, that they placed the prophecies of Joel just between the two prophets who, according to the inscriptions and contents of their prophecies, belonged to the time of Jeroboam and Uzziah, is …
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Secret of Its Greatness
[Illustration: (drop cap G) The Great Pyramid] God always chooses the right kind of people to do His work. Not only so, He always gives to those whom He chooses just the sort of life which will best prepare them for the work He will one day call them to do. That is why God put it into the heart of Pharaoh's daughter to bring up Moses as her own son in the Egyptian palace. The most important part of Moses' training was that his heart should be right with God, and therefore he was allowed to remain …
Mildred Duff—The Bible in its Making

The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
Assur-nazir-pal (885-860) and Shalmaneser III. (860-825)--The kingdom of Urartu and its conquering princes: Menuas and Argistis. Assyria was the first to reappear on the scene of action. Less hampered by an ancient past than Egypt and Chaldaea, she was the sooner able to recover her strength after any disastrous crisis, and to assume again the offensive along the whole of her frontier line. Image Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief at Koyunjik of the time of Sennacherib. The initial cut, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7

Kings
The book[1] of Kings is strikingly unlike any modern historical narrative. Its comparative brevity, its curious perspective, and-with some brilliant exceptions--its relative monotony, are obvious to the most cursory perusal, and to understand these things is, in large measure, to understand the book. It covers a period of no less than four centuries. Beginning with the death of David and the accession of Solomon (1 Kings i., ii.) it traverses his reign with considerable fulness (1 Kings iii.-xi.), …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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