2 Kings 3:6

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) The same time.—Literally, in that day; which, in Hebrew, is a much less definite phrase than in English. The time intended is that when the Moabite refusal of tribute was received by Jehoram, who, on his accession, would demand it afresh.

Numbered.—Mustered, made a levy of.

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 3:6-8. King Jehoram went out and numbered all Israel — As soon as he was settled in his kingdom, his first business was to raise an army to reduce Moab to obedience, and to engage Jehoshaphat to join him as an ally. And he said, I will go up — Jehoshaphat unites with him in this war; because the war was just in itself, and convenient for Jehoshaphat, both in the general, that revolters should be chastised, lest the example should pass into his dominions, and the Edomites be encouraged to revolt from him, as they did from his son; and in particular, that the Moabites should be humbled, who had invaded his land before this time, (2 Chronicles 20:1,) and might do so again if they were not brought low; for which a fair opportunity now offered. He answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom — Which Jehoshaphat chose, because he wished to have the assistance of the Edomites, who were his tributaries. And it is probable Moab was but weakly fortified on that side.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

3:6-19 The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till necessity and affliction drive them to it. Wicked people often fare the better for the friendship and society of the godly. To try their faith and obedience, Elisha bids them make the valley full of pits to receive water. Those who expect God's blessings, must dig pools for the rain to fill, as in the valley of Baca, and thus make even that a well, Ps 84:6. We need not inquire whence the water came. God is not tied to second causes. They that sincerely seek for the dew of God's grace, shall have it, and by it be made more than conquerors.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Moab, the region immediately east of the Dead Sea and of the lower Jordan, though in part suited for agriculture, is in the main a great grazing country. Mesha resembled a modern Arab Sheikh, whose wealth is usually estimated by the number of his flocks and herds. His tribute of the wool of 100, 000 lambs was a tribute in kind, the ordinary tribute at this time in the East.

Mesha is the monarch who wrote the inscription on the "Moabite stone" (2 Kings 1:1 note). The points established by the Inscription are:

1. That Moab recovered from the blow dealt by David 2 Samuel 8:2, 2 Samuel 8:12, and became again an independent state in the interval between David's conquest and the accession of Omri;

2. That Omri reconquered the country, and that it then became subject to the northern kingdom, and remained so throughout his reign and that of his son Ahab, and into the reign of Ahab's son and successor, Ahaziah;

3. That the independence was regained by means of a war, in which Mesha took town after town from the Israelites, including in his conquests many of the towns which, at the original occupation of the holy land, had passed into the possession of the Reubenites or the Gadites, as Baal-Meon Numbers 32:38, Kirjathaim Numbers 32:37, Ataroth Numbers 32:34, Nebo Numbers 32:38, Jahaz Joshua 13:18, etc.;

4. That the name of Yahweh was well known to the Moabites as that of the God of the Israelites; and

5. That there was a sanctuary of Yahweh at Nebo, in the Trans-Jordanic territory, where "vessels" were used in His service.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ki 3:6-24. Elisha Promises Water and Victory over Moab.

6. King Jehoram … numbered Israel—made a levy from his own subjects, and at the same time sought an alliance with Jehoshaphat, which, as on the former occasion with Ahab, was readily promised (1Ki 22:4).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Out of Samaria, to some place appointed for the rendezvous of his people.

All Israel, to wit, such as were fit for war.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

And King Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, As soon as he came to the throne:

and numbered all Israel; who were fit to bear arms, got them together at some certain place, and mustered them, and prepared for a war with Moab, to reduce them.

Geneva Study Bible

And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. went out of Samaria the same time] R.V. at that time. The time indicated is probably the occasion of the first refusal of the tribute to Jehoram. He might perhaps regard the former refusal, which no doubt had been given to Ahaziah, as prompted by the knowledge that the king of Israel was weak and unfit for war, and so there was a good opportunity to strive for freedom. Hence he would wait till the season came round, and prepare his campaign when he found that he was to be treated with the same measure as his brother.

and numbered] R.V. mustered. The verb implies a good deal more than the mere numbering. It includes all the inspection necessary to find whether an army is ready for war. Hence the king gathered the troops outside Samaria. The word ‘muster’ is the rendering of one form of this verb in A.V. (Isaiah 13:4) but in most other passages ‘number’ is used for it. What Jehoram did was to gather together all the men of war from the ten tribes to a camp near Samaria and when all was arranged to start on his march.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - And King Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time - literally, the same day - and numbered all Israel; rather, mustered or reviewed (ἐπεσκέψατο, LXX.) all Israel. "Numbering" was forbidden (1 Samuel 24:1), and is not here intended, the verb used being פקד, and not מנה. 2 Kings 3:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The statement concerning the rebellion of the Moabites, which has already been mentioned in 2 Kings 1:1, is repeated here, because it furnished the occasion for the expedition about to be described. Ahaziah had been unable to do anything during his short reign to renew the subjugation of Moab; Joram was therefore anxious to overtake what had been neglected immediately after his ascent of the throne. He went to Samaria ההוּא בּיּום, at that time, namely, when he renewed his demand for the tribute and it was refused (Thenius), and mustered all Israel, i.e., raised an army out of the whole kingdom, and asked Jehoshaphat to join in the war, which he willingly promised to do (as in 1 Kings 22:4), notwithstanding the fact that he had been blamed by prophets for his alliance with Ahab and Ahaziah (2 Chronicles 19:2 and 2 Chronicles 20:37). He probably wished to chastise the Moabites still further on this occasion for their invasion of Judah (2 Chronicles 20), and to do his part by bringing them once more under the yoke of Israel, to put it out of their power to make fresh incursions into Judah.