12 And Jchoſhaphatſaid, The word of the LORD is with himr. So the king of Iſrael, and Jehoſhaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him /.
r We may enquire the Mind of God by him : for he is a true Prophet» Which Jehoſbaphat might eaſily underſtand, becauſe being a good Man,and a great Favourer of the Lords Prophets,he would diligently enquire,and many Perſons would be ready toinform him of all things of that nature, and, amongſt others, of Elijah's calling of Eliſha by caſting his Prophetial Mantle over him, 2 King. 19. 19. and of Elijah's Tranſlation, and El:ſba 's Subſtitution in his place, and of the proofof it, 2 Kings 2. 8, 14 ſ To his Tent; which was either in the Camp, or not far from it 3 for he went along with the Army by the Impulſe of Gods Spirit, for this very occaſion. They did not ſend for him, but went to him, that by giving him this Honour, they might more effeQually ingage him to give them his utmoſt Afſiſtanee 3 &,becauſe they had hears that he was a man of a rugged temper andcarriage, who therefore was to be ſweetned,
and ſo diſpoſed to pity and relieve them.
13 And Eliſha ſaid uatothe king of Iſrael, What have |, 7, [ to do with thee? ? * Get thee to the prophets of thy Ruth #
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her, and to the prophets of thy mother u. And the _ of Iſrael ſaid unto him, Nay x : for the LORD hath called theſe tliree kings y together to deliver them
into the hand of Moab. | =
} ] defire to have no Diſcourſe nor Converſe with thee- u 1- E. To the Calves, winch thou after thy Fathers Example doſt wor- ſhip ; aad ro the B.rals which thy Mother yet worſhippeth by thy Permiſſion; and to which thy Heart is yer inclined, though thou kaſt deſtroyed one of his Images for politick Reafons. Ler thele ]do!s whom thou worſhippeft in thy Proſperity. now help thee in thy Diſtreſs. ' * 7 renounce thoſe falle prophets and Bazls, and will ſcek to none but God for help, y If thou haſt NO refpect for me, yet pity this innocent King of Ecom, ns good Felrſhaphat, who are
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involved in the ſame Danger with my leite . .
' 14 And Liitha ſaid, - As the LORD ot hofts In eth, before whom I ſtand, Surely were it not that I regard the preſence of Jehoſhaplat the king of Juiah z, I woud not look toward thee, nor ſze tliee. |
z {hom I Reverence and Love for his Vertu? and Piety,
15 But now bring me a mioſirel s. And it came to
paſs when the minſtrel played, that the hand of the LORD b + came upon him.
a One that can ing and play upon a_Muſical Inftrument. Thi- he requires, that his Mind which had been diſturbed and inflamicd with Holy Anger at the fight of wicked Fehoram, might be com poſed, and chcered, and united within it {elf, and th q he mig! be excircd to the more fervent payer to God, and joytul'y praiſing him ; whereby he was prepared to reccive the Prophetical Inip: atto:. For although Prophecy be the Gift of GOD, yet men mighr do ſom<thing either to hinder or further the reception of 1t : for which Cauſe Pau! bids Chriſtians ſtudy to get the Witt of Prophecy, 1 Cor: 14: 1. And for this very end the Colledges of the Prophets were erected, wherein the Sons of the Prophets did uſe divers means ro procure this Gift, which a'ſo they did ſometimes receive, as we ice 2 Kings 2: 3, 5: and, amongſt other means, they uſed Inſtruments of Muſick to exhularate their Spirits, Of. 2 Sam: IO. 5- Of the great power of Muſick upon the AffeGtions, fee the Notes on 1 Saw 16: 16 b i.e. The Spirit of Prophecy, fo called, to note that it was not from Elijha's temper of Body or Mind: that it was no natu- ral nor acquired vertue inherent in him ; bur a ſingular Gitr of God, given to whom and when he pleaſed. This Phraſe 1s uted alſo Ezek: 1:8:and 3; 14 22: and 8: 1. £5 :
16 And he ſaid, Thus ſaith the LORD, Make this yalley + ful of ditches c. | =
c Which may reccive the Water, and hold it for the uſe of Men and Beaſts. — :
17 For thus ſaith the LORD, Ye ſhall nor fee wind d neither ſhall ye ſeerain, yet that valley ſhall be filied wit! water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your Cattel, ac your beaſts . |
d Any of thoſe Winds which commonly produce Rain. Anc ſezing is here put for perceiving or feeling, one ſenſe for anorhe:, or for all, as Ger:4.2: 1« compare At57;12: Exod;20:18. and elftewhete.
18 And this is but a light thing in the tight of «< LORD e, he will deliver the Moabites allo into you hand.
e This is but a ſmall Favour in compariſon of what heintendsrt: you for J-h9ybaphats fake. He will give you more than you ask © expe&t. For they were ſo weakned and diſcouraged with the grea Drought, that they had no hopes of proceeding in che offenſive Wa. and thought it ſutlicient, if 1t were poſſible, to detend rhemſelve from the Moabites, wv. 1
— : | | 19 And ye ſhall ſmite every fenced city, and ever:
choice city, and ſhall fell every good tree f. and ſtop a wells of water, and + mar every good piece of 1an with ſtones.
F This 1s, Either, Firſt, A Command and then the laſt Clauſe is an Exception from that Law, Dert: 20: 19. which being delivere by a Prophet, might be obeyed. And if this Command fcem ſevere it muſt be conſidered, that the Moabites were a very wicked Peop!: perfidious, cruel, implacable Enemies to Gods peopleupon all occa/i- ons, and now in a ſtate of Rebellion. Or rathez Secondly, a Predi- Qtion of their Succeſs, that they ſhould have ſo full and complear « Viftory that they ſhould be able to do all which is here expreſſed
20 Andit cameto paſs in the morning, when th:
' meat-offerings was offered g, that behold, there cam«
watgr þ by the way of Edom z, and the countrey wes hille& with water.
g 1. e. The Moraing-Sacrifice : of which Exod: 29: 39, 40. which doubtleſs was attended wirh the ſolemn Prayers of Gods people, as