Brief Notes on 2 Kings 1-6

(Originally Written June 3, 2008 in the Journal)

Notes on 2 Kings

Chapter 1

After the death of King Ahab the Moabites rebelled against Israel.

Ahaziah fell and injured himself. He sent for Baalzebub to see if he would survive his injuries. The Lord sent Elijah to him and told him that he would die because he had sought the counsel of another god.

Chapter 2

Elijah was taken up to the Lord in a fiery chariot and the spirit of Elijah passed on to his pupil Elisha. Elisha then purified water in the name of the Lord for a city.

On the way up to Bethel children came and mocked Elisha for being bald. Elisha cursed them in the name of the Lord and two she bears came and mauled 42 of the children.

Chapter 3

Joram succeeded his father Ahab as the king of Israel. He did away with the Baal worship, but not with the sins of Jeroboam.

Now Moab rebelled against Israel so Joram called Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom to join him against Moab. Elisha prophesied that they would crush Moab through the Lord.

Chapter 4

Elisha then performed a miracle through God to save a widow's children from slavery.

A woman named Gehazi showed kindness to Elisha. She was without children and her husband was old. Elisha said the Lord would give her a son. The boy was born but died very young. Gehazi went to Elisha and wept over her son. Elisha went to her house and found the boy dead. Elisha prayed to God and the boy rose from the dead.

Elisha then fixed a stew that was poisoned. He put meal in it and it became poisoned no more.

Chapter 5

Naaman was the captain of Aram and won many victories in the Lord, but was a leper. Elisha told Naaman to wash in the Jordan River and be clean. Naaman became angry at this but was convinced to listen and was healed. Naaman tried to pay Elisha for this healing, but Elisha refused. Finally Naaman asked for dirt of Israel to worship the true God and Elisha consented. Elisha's servant however ran behind Elisha's back and asked for payment. When Elisha learned of this he inflicted the servant with leprosy.

Chapter 6

While getting wood for their lodging a prophet lost the iron of his ax in the Jordan River. Elisha raised it to the surface.

Aram tried to attack Israel but Elisha warned the king of Israel every time the Arameans mounted an attack and they were defeated. The king of Aram set out to kidnap Elisha.

Elisha blinded his kidnappers and took them to Samaria. The king of Israel served them food and drink and then sent them home. No more raiders of Aram entered into Israel.

All of Aram then came and besieged Samaria. The famine became severe and the people turned to cannibalism. The king of Israel was angry and set out to behead Elisha for this.

The Lord caused the army of Aram to hear phantom chariots coming for them and they fled their camp in fear.