Leader:Jehoram , King of Israel & Elisha, the Prophet
People: Children of Israel
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: King of Syria, implicitly at the time, Benhadad
People: Armies of Syria
Object of the Battle
Israel: The defense of Israel against the mighty armies of Syria
Syria: The overthrow of Israel
Strategies of the Battle
King of Israel, Jehoram, sends to the place warned aboutin verse 9, and " saved
himself there, not once or twice."
King of Syria takes counsel with his own servants regarding how Elisha
found out and where he was.
Upon finding The Prophet in Dothan, the King of Syria encompasses the city: Elisha awakes the next morning to find a syrian host around Dothan, but warns his men not to fear because
" they that be with us are more than they that be with them. II Kings 6: 16.
Elisha prays the following prayer and divine intervention occurs:
"LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and
he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses
and chariots of fire round about Elisha." II Kings 6:17
Elisha again intervenes by calling down blindness, for Dothan is not to be the place of
confrontation with Syria. The armies are blinded, and Elisha leads those with him to Samaria.
vs. 18,19.
In Samaria, as Israel prepares to fight the King of Syria, Elisha instead instructs them
to act with hospitality: this is a war God directs first through a prophet, and it is most
unusual compared to the others in the wars of the Kings.
After Syria initially turns away, the King of Syria, Benhadad comes with the hosts of
Syria and beseiges Samaria.
Place of the Battle
Dothan
Samaria
Intelligence
In verse II KIngs 6:9,the "Man of God" sends to the King of Israel to let
him know of the Syrians encampment.
When the King of Syria is informed that the Prophet knew of his encampment and
knows "what is spoken of in the bedchambers," he sends out a spy to inform him of
the prophets whereabouts: the spy reports back that the prophet is in Dothan. 2 Kings 6: 13.
Results of the Battle
In Dothan the Armies are blinded and Elisha and cohorts escape.
In Samaria, the Syrian army is fed. They intially turn and do not then come against Israel.
In the later beseigement against Samaria, a famine is caused by the length of the embattlement.
Reward
The Protection of Elisha and those with him in Dothan and the Jehoram and Israel in Samaria
Initially, a bloodless solution.
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Spiritual Implications
The first and most unique thing about this war/pre-war is that it begins
as a traditional military concern with Jehoram being warned of the whereabouts
and impinging attack of the King of Syria not by a 'spy
but by a prophet. The prophet Elisha, the student of Elijah, fights the entire war
outside the realm of carnal warfare. He begins by supplying 'intelligence' to the
King of Israel, warning him of the location of the enemy, the King of Syria's encampment.
The King of Syria, who becomes 'paranoid' of the prophet's ability to know his
plans, seeks to flush him out by surrounding the city he is in, with the
presumption of his capture. Again, though, in the Spirit instead of in the
flesh, Elisha implores God to strike blindness into
the eyes of the Syrian army, and to open the eyes of the ones with him, who see
the everpresent ministry of defense in Heaven's Host for the believer. Encouraged,
the blindness of the enemy lasts until God's servants are safely in Samaria. When
the blindness lifts and The Syrians find themselves in Samaria. Again, instead of
resorting to earthly warfare this round anyway, Elisha instructs Israel to feed
and care for the Syrians who then leave. The entire warfare for this war is in
the Spirit, and the defense of Israel is accomplished. We will see though that
when Benhadad of Syria comes back and beseiges the City, the fighting in the
flesh is an awful thing.
Implications for Faith
Always seek the LORD before going into a battle or conflict: be obedient.
Look for divine solutions before earthly ones.
Try non-violent solutions first. Hot coals on the head of the enemy may win a war without weapons.
The believer sometimes falls back behind the veil (so to speak) and often we fail amidst earthly care to see that in any conflict or battle small and personal, or national, that there is a real HOST OF HEAVEN: a heavenly army, fighting in our defense. Why is it this way? I do not know, only that part of God's provision for us is protection and defense: in the defense of Israel He was willing to supply an entire Heavenly army. This HOST OF HEAVEN is mentioned elsewhere in the Bible: at Mahanaim, when Jacob seeks a return to Esau, fighting the Prince of Persia in Daniel and elsewhere. The war goes on unseen.
When people lose their faith because bad things happen, it is because they have lost sight of the fact that they are soldiers in a war. Sometimes we get out from under 'orders' and wander too far into enemy territory, sometimes we are under 'orders' but the battle is too great and soldiers get wounded. A heavenly war is not less 'violent' or dangerous than an earthly one, only unseen. If, however we seek to win the divine war first, the earthly battles often dry up. When we are commanded to pray for our enemies, or seek their good, it goes against every earthly principle: but here, in Samaria, it averted for the time being a bloody war in which Israel very well might have lost.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
1Dothan: Dothan is Elisha's home, the name means "the place of 2 wells"; and it is the place where Joseph's brothers are when Joseph is sent to them. {blb} A note: this is the general
region of Galilee, which the Pharisees of John 8 or 9 decry has no prophets .
2Samaria: about 12 miles from Dothan, Samaria, meaning "watch mountain" is the captial of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.
3PENDING APPROVAL-photo of Syria from Cham Palaces and Hotel
Leader: Jehoram, King of Israel, Elisha the Prophet
People: The Children of Israel; 4 Lepers at the City Gate
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: King Benhadad of Syria
People: Syrian Armies
Object of the Battle
the Object of the syrians was to take Israel while they were weak and lessened in defese by severe famine (not only were people weakened, but many of the horses for battle had been slaughtered for food.
The Object for Israel is to defend Israel against the Syrians and recover from famine. They would also have had to
implicitly restore the defense of Israel via weaponry and horses.
Strategies of the Battle
King Benhadad of Syria Gathers his host and seiges Samaria, the
captital of Israel during famine. This is a second attack, this time in
Samaria instead of Dothan, which Elisha deemed to be the 'wrong place'.
the first war was ended in divine intervention: the blinding of the Syrians
and the merciful treatment which turned them away from Israel. However they
quickly return to Samaria for a subsequent attack. II Kings 6:23.
As famine increases, it becomes so severe that an 'ass's head' and dove
dung sell for about 85 pieces of silver, and the horses of Israel of eaten as
food. The King on the wall is met by the most disparaging news of all:
cannibalism and reprobation have reached the point where a woman seeks justice
from the King because her and another woman agree to cook and eat their infant
sons, and after the first meal, the second woman renigs. Never has their been
such reprobation, in any of the tribes, and the King is awed/horrified by the
severity of the famine.
The severity and calamity bring the King of Israel to repentance, to the point
of 'renting' his garments and weeping
outside the gate in sackcloth, but he still blames Elisha, and hence God for the
calamity. II Kings 6:30=31.
Jehoram sends a man to Elisha, who declares the King a "son of a murderer"
and intuits that he has come to harm him. The door is bolted against the King's
messenger who brings a form of unbelief. II Kings 6:32.
the messenger declares: A) The evil is of the Lord and B) "why wait for God",
seeing the evil is of Him.
THE ACTUAL STRATEGY HERE ends up being serendipitous and Divine:
-The taking of the Syrian Camp, set to seige Israel is as follows:
1. Lepers at the Gate of Israel decide they have nothing to lose in falling
to the Syrians: while they might die there, they will certainly die within
the walls in famine. They proceed to the Camp.
They rise in twilight.
Upon entering the camp, they discover the Syrians have fled. II Kings 7:3-5.
7:7 indicates that the Syrians fled shortly before the Lepers got there.
Lepers return with news of the spoil and abandoned camp: Camp of Syrians is taken.
There is a second part of the "strategy" which is so divine and serendipitous
as to hardly be a strategy of men but only
of God.
"For the Lord had mde the host of the Syrians "to hear a noise of
chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host; and they said
one to another, Lo the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the
Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.Wherefore they arose
and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their
asses, even the camp as it was and fled for thier life."
In II Kings 7:6, it is noted that the Syrians flee because they hear a sound
(made by the Lord) of Chariots and Horses, a "great host". There is at this
point no Israeli host, having been depleted and whether they hear the sound of
the "heavenly host" or whether they hear another sound and mistake it for an army
is not clear.
The Syrians are actually self-deceived, so the deception is not a
'dirty trick' of God, " they believe the Hittites and Egyptians have
been hired against them by the King of Israel., and so they fled. (7:6-7)
They flee also in the twilight.
Place of the Battle
Samaria, and outside Samaria in the encampment of the Syrians.
Intelligence
The new encampment of the Syrians is fairly obvious. They could
probably be seen from the watches outside of Samaria.
King of Israel sends Messenger to Elisha, with ill intent.
Elisha prophesies the turn in famine to plenty. II Kings 7:1; King's Lord
and advisor expresses unbelief and is told he will see the deliverance but not enter in.
Lepers go to spy out camp.
Men sent from Israel to spy out the empty Syrian camp
Results of the Battle
Syria flees, the lepers take spoil.
The Lepers inform Israel of the plentious Spoil. At first the King is
wary that the Syrians have abandoned the camp as a trap and ambush, but men
are sent, and the plenty that Elisha promised but that the King's advisor
did not believe
is established. In 24 hours, more than Israel could want or expect is at every
hand.
II Kings 7:16: And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians.
So a measure of fine flouu was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for
a shekel according to the word of the LORD."
Reward & Spoil
Tents of the Syrians
Horses of the Syrians and asses
The Camp of the Syrians and all spoil including:
-silver,
-gold
-raiment
food. II Kings 7:7-8
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Spiritual Implications
The spiritual implications of this war are many: the preliminary one
was that an enemy God's recalcitrant people, the Northern Kingdoms, Syria,
after having been given great grace by God and Israel, turns again on Israel
to attack their benevolent former foes, and do so not only to again attack
them but to do so at Israel's greatest weakness, during a debilitating
famine.
This is one of the most fascinating of the wars because its victory comes entirely
at God's hand. Even though it is Israel the Northern Kingdom, not known for its
faithfulness or obedience, still in this war, the severe famine in Israel which
leads Israel defenseless against the mighty armies of Syria,is broken with
repentance of a King (Jehoram) and the prophecy of Elisha. Elisha announces
the end to a severe famine in a one day period and the King's advisor expresses
doubt, so a corollary is added to the prophecy that he will see the deliverance
but not enter in. When God delivers a message to mankind through those He has
set apart, faith in God's Word is the victory in bringing about the work of God
for the believer:
even partial doubt, or partial obedience along with outright disbelief or
disobedience may cause a believer and even a great person of God not to "enter in "
to the promise. Examples include this, Moses, and Jonah who does not live to
see the justice against Nineveh he desired.
The "Loud Sound or Noise" that the Syrian camp hears, is a work of God, but
the deception is self-deception: God does not deceive. A loud noise like chariots
and horses are heard , either of the 'heavenly host' or a sound of emulation,
but in either event, the fear and delusion of a great army is Syria's alone:
they flee because the massive sounding army is thought by them to come about
from Israel hiring mercenary armies from Egypt and the Hittites. The loud
sound is a ploy, strategy or work of God in several other wars, including that
of Gideon and the Midianites. Fear of a great army can send a great earthly
army to retreat and flight more than might and strength.
There are circumstances so desparate that even God's Chosen could degenerate
into a form of reprobacy: here the issue is a famine so severe, that to merely
stay alive, even the military horses were consumed for food, and one particulary
devastating event, the cannibalism of a child, brings the King of Israel to
weeping repentance. The repentance is not as complete as it should be , though
because the repentant, robe-renting King blames Elisha, and though it is not
stated outright, sends a messenger to Elisha presumably to harm or kill the
prophet (Elisha calls the King, a "son of a murderer".
Implications for Faith
Dearth and want often arise from sin, sometimes from the sin of a nation and
innocents are caught up in the judgment.
Elisha appears to have been given discernment and knowledge that few have had:
he discerns the whereabouts of the King of Syria, and knows why Jehoram's servant
has come. These are works of the Holy Spirit and a gift from God.
The Lepers show a point of 'forced' surrender. We often get in circumstances
so difficult that we can our choice to surrender can be only of small credit to
us: the other choices are just as bad. Because the lepers make a small
decision to chance falling to the hands of the Syrians, brutal people, and are
willing to give up their lives, their lives are often restored. God comes to
them in deliverance via the very thing they feared. I heard of a sermon in
which the preacher noted that Jesus came to the disciples on the Sea of Galilee
in a storm, walking on the waters: they very thing that threatened their lives.
It is a point of how God works: when we are willing to surrender and die to self
to receive a distasteful or lesser position or choice in our lives, God often uses
the enemy or opposing event or substance to bring our deliverance and blessing. It is
a point of grace, and a way God works in the life of the believer.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
Ben hadad means xxx, there were two notable "Benhadads". This one defeated Ahab and Jehoshaphat: his son,
Benhadad II would defeat with Judah, Baasha of Israel. Hazael named a son benhadad as well.
ISBE states that "Hadad is the Syrian god of storms, and is apparently identical with Rimmon (2Ki 5:18),
the Assyrian Rammanu, "the Thunderer," whose temple was in Damascus", so the name "Benhadad means, the Son of Hadad,
or the Son of the god of storms.
Leader: Ahaziah, King of Judah, son of Athaliah, grandson of Omri, son of Jehoram. Reigned at 22 in Jerusalem
for one year. (In the 12 year of Joram, Ahab's son, King of Israel)
Joram, son of Ahab, King of Israel
People: Judah & Israel: An allied war
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: King Hazael, King of Syria
People: Syrian Army
Object of the Battle
A continuation of conflict with the Syrian Armies. the Syrian armies were mighty and overpowering and
at the time took over most regions they came up against. This further war against the Syrians, was for the defense
and safety of Israel, to ward off Syrian conquest.
Strategies of the Battle
Allied with Israel
Fought frontal war with Syria, "went up to fight"
8:28 And he went with Joram the son
of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram
Joram retreats for healing to Jezreel
Place of the Battle
Ramoth-Gilead
Retreat to Jezreel
Intelligence
None directly mentioned: the motives, plans and location of the Syrians was mostly not hidden.
Results of the Battle
Syrians wound Joram.
But Israel not taken, nor Judah.
Joram retreats to Jezreel- Ahaziah goes down to Jezreel to see Joram because of the wounding.
In 9:1-3, Elisha instructs a child of the prophets to anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, King of Israel because of the impending
death of Joram
Reward
Israel and Judah remain safe from Syria for the time being.
Israel is released from the reign of Joram & the House of Ahab, which was
a tyrannical rule of many years.
9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel:
9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:
9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and [there shall be] none to bury [her
Spiritual Implications
While the spiritual implications in this war may not be as profound as in other more extensively described
wars, there are a few.
The House of Ahab had no 'good' kings, a few were a little better, but the relief that came at the death of Joram was profound. Mercy and Justice came as a tyrannical rule was brought down, though it took years and a foreign King. In the perfection of God's Sovereignty, Israel did not even have to lose the war for this to happen. God can keep and often does keep two opposed events and reconcile them. He does this in free will and election. In this event He gives defense to Israel without overthrow and yet still releases them from a tyrant, and the reign of a family which might very well have ruined Israel with its greed,pride and violence. He is not without rebuke through the prophet though to Israel, the Northern Kingdom as a whole, as they were founded on division, rebellion and idolatry: He reminds them he did the same to Jeroboam, who established the split and emulation of worship so firmly that it took the Babylonian and Assyrian captivity before 'Sheveca Y'israel, Bene Y'israel: the tribes, the children of Israel would be made whole.
This is also one of just a few "Allied" wars in which Israel and Judah did join together for the protection of both:
Syria had formed an Army that was marching over the region in a 'slash and burn' warfare and most nations and principalities fell to them. The History of warfare in the Northern and Southern Kingdoms during the division
Implications for Faith
Though wrong goes on sometimes for decades, it will be brought down. If men will not bring down their own tyrants,
God will bring them down.
While Israel and Judah should have been unified during this time and all others, an alliance between them while in this
war for the benefit of both, was often not in the will of God. It is rather like two groups of Baptists in a church, where
one group has allowed in false doctrines and worldly practices and ties: fellowship with the 'errant' Baptists is prohibited
even by scripture though both have a faith based upon the same scriptures.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
Jehoram means: Jehovah Exalted.
Joram is the same as: (a) Same as Jehoram, king of Judah (2Ki 8:21-24; 11:2; 1Ch 3:11; Mt 1:8 Ioram).
(b) Same as Jehoram, king of Northern Israel (2Ki 8:29; compare 2Ki 9:15 ).
Hazael a high officer in the service of Ben-hadad II, king of Syria (2Ki 8:7 ff; compare 1Ki 19:15, was the officer
sent to Elisha by Benhadad, to ask if he would die: Elisha with grief informs him he will not but will go on to
harm Israel terribly.
8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
In (2Ki 9:14,15) the fortress of the syrians had been taken in Ramoth Gilead: here, implicitly, Syria tries to take it back
and Israel defends their possession. Ahaziah and Joram are also kinsmen, though they are in opposing Kingdoms. Also, the
height of the Armies of Syria are under Hazael.[IBE-Hazael]
The oppression of Hazael is so great, that it lasts through the reign of Jehu's son, Jehoahaz, leaving him only a small
remnant of an army. (2Ki 13:1-7). The bitter wars against Israel during this time are the cause for judgment against
Damascus in Amos 1:3,4.
Leader: Jehu, King of Israel, who had just killed 70 sons of Ahab
People: Israel
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: Hazael
People: Armies of Syria
Object of the Battle
Syria is in constant confrontation with Israel and occasionally with Judah during this time period.
Syria, an army of mighty force under several leaders attempted to conquest and annex all municipalities and
nations in the region. They had limited success over Israel until the end. At the point of this conflict,
Jehu 's objective is to stop yet another Syrian Assault.
Strategies of the Battle
None directly mentioned: This is a two verse passage denoting the conflict, but one statement
is significant:
In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: vs32
.
Israel had sinned so significantly against the Lord, and also against Judah, and against unity of the tribes,
that although the kingdom lasted for a season, in this passage the waning of the Northern Kingdoms is mentioned. God has had it with their bloodshed, their arrogance, their idolatry and false worship, and their
utter disloyalty: He had protected even the Northern tribes during this period for His Name's Sake, but
Israel would not turn back. This marks the encroachment of Syria and later Assyria which will eventually end in the overthrow of Israel and slaughter and captivity.
Place of the Battle
From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
Intelligence
None directly mentioned
Results of the Battle
Syria does not overthrow Israel, but an encroachment is made.
there does appear to be land lost on the Syrian-Jordanian side of Israel: some of the land appears
to have belonged to Judah, and includes Damascus and Hamath. Jeroboam II, the son of Joash, reigning in
Samaria years later, recovers some of that Syrian confiscated land. [ISBE]
Reward
None directly mentioned.
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Spiritual Implications
This is a short passage denoting one in a series of skirmishes between Syria and Israel: with some God gave divine intervention, as when Benhadad was king of Syria, in others, fighting and presumably some deaths occurred, but great details are not given in an ongoing problem. Perhaps the central theme is one already alluded to: that even for the Chosen of God,
there comes a point of sin and disobedience, when the protection of God and the goodness of God begins to wane. Israel set up a system of worship that looked alot like the real thing, but was not: a different temple, a different temple mount, different priests, indicating a man-made latitude that God did not give. There also appeared to be far more mixing of government and worship than there was ever intended. The result was idolatry and a murderous spirit, replete with betrayal and assassinations and carnality among the Kings.
Ahab was a bloody king; his seventy sons, in fulfillment of Elijah's prophecies (vs 17) were killed by Jehu.
As Jehu ascends the throne he is promised his seed will sit on the throne for 4 generations, because he exacted the prophecy. At first, Jehu does right and removes the worship of Baal, but he soons gives way to the
"sins of Jeroboam", or division, rebellion, false worship and hubris. These sins, finally bring Israel's 'divine' fence down, and now the enemy begins to encamp against Israel more and more with more and more success. In other portions of scripture such as Amos, we see that false worship and a turning from God resulted in mistreatment of the poor, the widow, the weak and ill, and such extremes of carnality that Israel almost ceased to know God entirely. The punishment for this was captivity, exile, and slaughter. The line of all the tribes, with Judah at the head was to one day bring Messiah: God could not have a people who forgot Him or shamed Him altogether; the vine had to remain Holy. It was pruned back to nothing for 70 years of captivity; but the return described in Ezra and Nehemiah indicates that the sought after repentance was accomplished.
Implications for Faith
We often think we are not guilty of idolatry or false worship even as Christians, and that even if we were not that idolatry mostly lies in the past: nothing could be further from the truth. Idolatry is not just a system of false icons and incantations, but rather the forces or things, events or people we put first in our hearts, ahead of God, and ahead of his way in our lives. Most of us believe we love God with our whole heart and soul, until the time comes when we are faced with the loss of the one or thing we love most: then we turn our anger on God. We often become angry with God when 'things don't go our way'; because we put ourselves or the object of our affection: a person, a career, a house etc. first, before God and His plan. These things become our gods, our idols, and as we seek them apart from or even in opposition to God, our hearts harden. If we will turn against a God of Love, we will certainly turn against our fellow man, and our hearts, minds and attitudes become vindictive and cold and unloving. As we seek a path away from God, even though we may go to church, read the Bible and so on, we eventually become insensitive to our own sin, and in continuous sin, we not only 'miss the mark' but are brought down not because God is not gracious but because we destroy our own fences and protection and allow the enemy to wreak havoc in our lives. Some at this point turn back to God in repentance, begging His forgiveness and protection, but others, use it as an excuse to turn even farther from God in hardheartedness and may not be brought back to the Lord for years. The New Testament Parable of the Seed that falls on rocky soil is pertinent.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
Jehu- {ISBE} "Yahweh is He. Reigned 28 years in Israel, beginning in 752 B.C. He was the 10th King of Israel, the son of Jehoshaphat, in the line of Nimshi. His sons are Ahaziah, who reigns for a short period followed at his death by Jehoahaz. Jehu is a leader in the Israelite Army and a personal guard
of Ahab: he hears the prophecy against Ahab and sees the fulfillment: he is an agent of the fulfillment in
the death of the seventy sons of Ahab. Jehu is also present at the swindling of Naboth's Vineyard. Jehu becomes a bloody King also: piling the heads of the 70 sons in two piles at the gates. Later, the bloodshed
of his household is avenged as noted in Hosea 1.4.
Leader: 29 Pekah king of Israel, reigned during the reign of Jotham, in Judah, son of Uzziah.
3
People: Israel: Northern Kingdoms: in 20th year of Jotham King of Judah.
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: Tiglathpileser king of Assyria; prior: Shalmanezer, King of Assyria
People: Assyrian Army
Object of the Battle
Assyrians attempt takeover of Israel
Strategies of the Battle
Part of this war emanates from the imprisonment of Hoshea who along with or in conjunction with King So of Egypt when he went to visit the King of Assyria
failed to bring an expected present as he had in times past.
Assyria attacks the Northern Kingdom in the Northeast region of Galilee/Gilead: this land had once been theirs but had been captured and established as belonging to Israel. One of the last wars. A direct and massive
attack leading to the the overthrow and captivity of Northern Kingdom of Israel; this time, the northern/northeastern part around Galilee. This area was probably more vulnerable because of its mixture of
Jews and others described as heathen, most like idolators who worshipped the Syrian and Assyrian gods such as Amon and Dagon.
Place of the Battle
Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali Click on MAP.
Intelligence
none directly mentioned. Israel appears to hear less from the LORD as time goes on also.
Results of the Battle
Assyria takes: Ijon, and Abelbethmaachah, and Janoah, and Kedesh, and Hazor, and Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali in the regions of Samaria.
Assyria sends its own people in to colonize to prevent Israel from regaining cities. (This is technically part of the later conflict, but this war was the first.}
And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 2 Kings 17:24.
Slaves from above region taken.
Hoshea, son of King Elah, slays Pekah, the son of Remaliah. Hoshea takes to throne. 20th year of Jotham.
Reward
Assyria gains the better part of northern Samaria, Galilee, Gilead, Hazor,and regions right above the Sea of Gailiee.
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Spiritual Implications
One of the first implications here is that Israel, the Northern Kingdom has begun its demise. It has encountered in its history many wars and skirmishes with Assyria and Syria and other border states, but in its division and emulation of true worship (God's work, man's way), it has "reaped the whirlwind". Each King arises in treachery or trouble, many of the Kings have bloodied their hands not only at war with enemies but also in their own households, some even killing brothers to ascend to the throne. God's favor on them for the sole purpose of re-unifying Bene Y'israel, the Children of Israel (all twelve tribes) has been tried to the breaking point, in other words, their defense lessens as their obedience lessens and their sin increases.
For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: 11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.
For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. 22 For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 23 Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.
The two passages above indicate the end of the very serious sin of "Jeroboam, the son of Nebat". the sin of division and idolatry is to be mentioned again throughout scripture as one of the most serious sins of the Bible. Judah suffers from it, the Northern tribes suffer from it, the surrounding nations, both adversaries and allies suffer from it and in the end it infects Jeroboam's household and the subsequent Kings of Israel.
This war, taking so much of the Northern Kingdom and carrying away in slavery and captivity the Israelites of the area marks the beginning of the Assyrian captivity. (See Assyrian Captivity vs Holocaust
Implications for Faith
The most dramatic implication of the 'culminating' war for the individual is the effect of one sin, over a period of years. Both good and evil start as a ripple in a pond and grow outward: it may take years or even generation, but the effects of a great surrender to God can be tens of thousands of souls, an effect of a great disobedience can be the destruction of a nation, church, family or individual. With no repentance, the Northern tribes were taken in captivity: Judah remained faithful longer, but turned to many sins itself, leaving the ways of God: the work of David and Solomon was undone: in the end there were no allies, and even Judah was to fall later to Babylon. In our own walk, when confronted with 'small' acts of obedience, when we know God is directing us one way but we 'put it off' or act as though He has not given us clear direction; he may have mercy for a season, knowing we are children, but in the end, the penalty of deliberately failing to do His Will, not just disregarding but making a deliberate choice not to, bring a severe penalty and suffering to our lives. Ask Jonah.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
Pekah-once a general under King Pekahiah, he assasinated Pekahiah for the throne of the Northern Kingdom. Reigned in the 52nd year of King Azariah, of Judah. Son of Remaliah. 18th King. Name means "opened".
[CSSWK, BLB] Tiglathpilezer-"thou wilt uncover the wonderful bond": the King of Assyria who came against Israel. Shalmanezer-"fire worshipper". Shalmanezer ascends to the Assyrian throne after Tiglath-pileser and sometime before Sargon. when Hoshea takes the throne, it is Shalmanezer who again, after the taking of the Gilead/Hazor area attacks Israel.{BLB} Ijon,-"a ruin" in Naphtali in N. Israel. Abelbethmaachah literally "meadow of the house of Maachah, "Beth Maachah" in Manasseh east of Jordan. It is mentioned only twice: once when Benhadad of Syria tried to take the same area, and here as Assyria tries for
the land.
Janoah-"He Rests".[blb] Originally given to the Children of Ephraim in Joshua, at this time it is in Naphtali. Mentioned in Joshua and here. Kedesh- At times belonging both to Issachar and Naphtali, it is in the hands of Naphtali at the point of this war: the name means "Holy Place" as in Kadesh or Kodesh.[BLB] It was one of the Levitical cities of refuge, given to the gershonite levites. An interesting note is that several of the cites first conquered were the cities of refuge, although by this point in history it is not clear they were used in the same manner as earlier. Hazor-meaning "castle", there are 4 Hazors: one in the extreme south of Judah, one north of Jerusalem, one in Arabia and this one which is in the land of Naphtali in Northern Israel Gilead
For another time this area of Gilead/N.Israel was attacked see Benhadad vs IsraelGalilee-name means "a district". Given by Solomon to Hiram of Tyre for his aid in building solomon's temple.
Many non-Jews lived in this area, hence when the Pharisees asked whether anything good could come out of this area, this was partly their meaning. They also remarked though, that no prophet ariseth out of Galilee, but they were quite incorrect: Jonah, and Elijah did.
Naphtali-one of the tribes of Israel inheriting this northern land, the name means: wrestling.[blb] It is one of the lands that appears again in Ezekiel when the Great Temple of God is established.
The battle/war described in the chapters of Nahum are more obscure in their description than
the battles described in Kings, Chronicles, and Judges. No clear strategies, and terrain , or
particulars of spoil are given. Babylon comes out of Assyria and is established, hence the occasional
confusion regarding Nineveh.
Strategies of the Battle
Assyria begins its assault on Northern Israel, at first occasionally spoiling cities and leaving
them still under Israel's control, but toward the end taking over large portions of land such as in the
conquest of Hazor, Gilead and the area around Galilee. Babylon comes out of the Assyrians, to become an
even more extensive kingdom. The Northern Tribes of Israel fall to Assyrian conquest before the slightly more
obedient Judah, but in time, Babylon beseiges Jerusalem and Judah and demolishes the City Walls and Temple
(effects described in Nehemiah); and crushes the Judaens, in a brutal attack, taking captive the children of Kings and removing most of the populace away to captivity in Babylon, for the next 70 years.
Place of the Battle
Assyria takes Northern Israel, including Samaria
Babylon takes Judah and Jerusalem and the towns of Benjamin
Intelligence
Not directly military intelligence, but divine prophecy spells out clearly the reason for Israel'sfence being down: division, strife, bloodshed, and idolatry head the list, but also the mistreatment of the poor, lame, aged, weak and vulnerable. Nahum is written as a prophetic vision and not a battle description.
The Destruction of Israel and Judah is described here:
He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face: keep the munition, watch the way, make [thy] loins strong, fortify [thy] power mightily.
For the LORD hath turned away the excellency of Jacob, as the excellency of Israel: for the emptiers have emptied them out, and marred their vine branches. The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men [are] in scarlet: the chariots [shall be] with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the fir trees shall be terribly shaken. The chariots shall rage in the streets, they shall justle one against another in the broad ways: they shall seem like torches, they shall run like the lightnings.
He shall recount his worthies: they shall stumble in their walk; they shall make haste to the wall thereof, and the defence shall be prepared
The gates of the rivers shall be opened, and the palace shall be dissolved. Nahum 2:1-6
Results of the Battle
While it does not happen all at once, the result of the battle(s) are the brutal Assyrian army sweeping into Northern Israel, and eventually displacing the line of the Kings of Israel. Much of Israel taken captive or slaughtered.
Judah remains untouched longer than Israel, because of partial obedience and ordination as the head of the Children of Israel, (the lawgiver does not depart)
Reward
Take ye the spoil of silver, take the spoil of gold: for [there is] none end of the store [and] glory out of all the pleasant furniture.
4
Spiritual Implications
Partial Obedience and the eventual fall of both Judah and Israel. In other wars on this page, there is a consistent theme of the intervention of God, and supplication for that intervention that brings victories even in war that man through weapons and strategy cannot accomplish. The Power of God and the Work of God are always the key elements in victory: many of the wars involve victories brought about by unusual natural or odd circumstances. Loud noises, bright reflections, and rumors sent more than one enemy of Israel running in fear, when they had not enough troops to match violent opponents. But several things had happened by the fall of Israel and Judah:
I. The Ten Northern Tribes Split and most remained adversarial except for a few campaigns.
II. Both Judah and Israel turned away from God, but Israel much more: Beginning with Jeroboam, a false system and center of worship was set up in Samaria: Israel counted God lightly, and had more wars and tumults than Judah.
III. Intercession was the key element for both Israel and Judah, but Israel's intercession was met less often with success than Judahs: Judah was in God's order even when disobedient in other areas, and Israel was out of God's order. Israel is not reported as having good Kings, but Judah is reported with at least 2.
IV. By the end, Assyria which had taken much of the 'known' world by sweeping in slash and burn fashion across countries came into spoil Northern Israel and set up encampments of their own persons while taking Israelites captive and ghettoizing some. Their brutality is remarkable: they are even reported as dashing children from the wombs of pregnant mothers. All of Israel is not taken, but so much of populated and eminent Israel is taken, that Israel is overthrown and her Kings cease.
Implications for Faith
By the time Assyria and Babylon had come from the North, sparing a short interval, both Israel and Judah had been
both taken away and completely devastated. Repeated often in the wars of Israel is this theme: THE SIN OF DIVISION.
When God's unity and order is disrupted, nothing good happens, or at least little, and it can hardly been enjoyed.
Several themes congeal: from Israel's earliest history, Korah and his family are swallowed up upon disobedience and division;
Miram is punished for murmuring division regarding Moses' marriage and punished with a temporary leprosy, and from
the time Israel, the Northern tribes divides from Judah, the greater sin goes to Jeroboam and Israel, so much so that they
never have a good king and they are never at rest.They are held more responsible for the division than the king who
poses heavy taxes and oppression, because rather than suffer it or work to change it, they divide Israel altogether,
setting up a parallel but false worship system. They are also more likely to have lost wars, and went first into captivity.
Still, being Israel, when they pleaded with God and obeyed, they were given victory. Division reaps division though, and
by the end, the Northern tribes had contentions with one another, which weakened their defense against Assyria. The clear
implication is that the minor division and offense, occurring early in a nation's or personal history, left unhealed and
unattended can grow into division and trouble so great as to completely destroy the nation or person. The corollary new
testament principle is "agree with your brother while he is in the way...".
Partial obedience, mentioned in implications is also a critical lesson for today's believer. We often think and are
taught in this day, of compromised Christianity that since everyone compromises, it is o.k. and God understands, or that
compromise is simply the best we can do. Sometimes there are moral complexities where to obey in one way is to disobey
in another. However, it is more often the case when to obey means to lose something we want to hang on to: a relationship,
a habit, an idea or philosophy or 'lifestyle', money, riches or fame; that we balk and say 'that was for then this is for now".
The result has been 2000 years later a divisive, lukewarm church, more interested in profit margins and keeping business
corporations running. Following the Redeemer has always ALWAYS required more.
People: Asa's armies with targets and spears: 300,000
-Benjamites: 240,000 with shields and bows
Total for Judah: 540,000
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: Zerah, the Ethiopian
People:The Ethiopian Army, 1,000,000; or 'thousand thousand' with
300 Chariots
Object of the Battle
Judah under Asa, because of Asa's obedience, had come under prosperity and peace: Asa determined to use
this time to build towers, walls and structures for the benefit and safety of Judah. As the building up
becomes successful, Zerah, the Ethiopian comes with his million troops to take Judah. The object for Judah
under Asa is to defend Judah from the attack of the Ethiopians.
.
Strategies of the Battle
The building up and fortressing of Judah, as a general strategy against all enemies.
The Attack of the Ethiopians is a frontal attack, and met with such by the Judaens, but the LORD
is the one reported as doing the 'smiting ' before Judah, following Asa's prayer.
Zerah comes first to Mareshah, and Judah goes out to encounter them. v11
The Battle takes place in the Valley of Zephthah, at Mareshah
Asa's and Judah's supplication to the LORD for help
And Asa cried unto the LORD his God and said: LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many
or with them that have no power, help us O LORD our God, for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this
multitude. O LORD, thou art our God;let not man prevail against thee." II CHRON 14:11.
The LORD smites the Ethiopians before Asa. v12
The Ethiopians flee.
Asa and his men pursue the Ethiopians to Gerar, where the Ethiopians are 'unrecoverably' defeated. v13
All the cities around Gerar are taken, and spoil is taken from the Ethiopians and the Cities around Gerar.
Place of the Battle
First, Mareshah where Zerah encamps
Second: the Valley of Zephthah, at Mershah, where the battle takes place
Third, Gerar where the Ethiopians flee and are taken
Fourth, the Cities around Gerar
Intelligence & Prophecy
No direct evidence is given of covert intelligence, and the prayer is outright, the Ethiopians are
widely apparent as they come to Mareshah to overtake Judah. The Prayer does note a complete reliance
on God.
Results of the Battle
...the LORD smote the Ethiopians before Asa.and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled.
The Ethiopians are taken at Gerar
The Cities around Gerar are taken
Great Spoil and Victory for Asa
Return to Jerusalem
Reward
Great Spoil from the Ethiopians
Spoil from the Cities around Gerar including, (vs 1415) tents of cattle, sheep and camels
in abundance. described as "exceeding much spoil".
xxxxxx
4
Spiritual Implications
Asa, the son of Abijah is one of the few Kings of Judah or Israel who is noted as good, mostly for his
surrender to the LORD. This is evidenced in his prayer, a beautiful prayer of the acknowledgement of
the victories in battle which belong to God alone. He begins by saying 'it is nothing to thee to help': he
acknowledges, the omnipotence of God, and demonstrates saving faith: the kind that says "without question, LORD,
the power is in and with you, not us". He then continues: "whether with many, or with them that have no power, "
or in other words, the elements of the world which we trust in such as numbers, are not even an issue with God:
numbers and strength are not the point when the God of All is involved. Gideon wins against 30,000 Midianites with
only 300, some battles are fought without Judah or Israel lifting a weapon, and in this battle, the victory is
settled and won in prayer before Judah takes up their weapons. God GIVES the Ethiopians into the hands
of Asa and fells them before him. Part of surrender is in knowing that one has no power without God: Asa's army
numbers almost half of the Ethiopians but he wins the war, Gideon had far less and won the war. There were times
when Israel did not trust though, or went out from under God's direction and though they had strength and might did
not prevail such as against the Canaanites.
The appeal further is for trust to the point of rest: when we are troubled by frightening events such as many enemies
with powerful weapons there is no rest, but when we get to the point of supplication before God, where He assures of
of His victory over whatever event, we find rest: we KNOW the outcome before entering the battle. We know the victory
is ours. Rest is there.
The imploring is to make Judah's enemies God's enemies: Asa acknowledges that God is 'ours'-the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob. The imploring is to "let not man prevail against thee"---if they come against the believer, they are
God's enemies.
Another implication here is the continuation of Asa's reign: when Asa attains peace and prosperity due to
trust and faith in God, he does not use the time for Judah carnally: he uses the peace and prosperity to build and
fortress Judah. By the time the Ethiopians attack, the battle takes place away from Jerusalem, and Judah remains
unharmed, losing no spoil.
Implications for Faith
The utter trust in God to the point of rest, is a critical lesson for the believer, whether it is for a national victory,
a victory in battle or a personal victory.
Prayer and reliance on God as in most of Judah and Israel's victories were absolutely essential. This short powerful
prayer relying totally on God's power instead of one's own, or number of troops or weapons, is the key to victory: it is
the point of relinquishment which brings God's power in our lives. Notably, the victory was swift and complete, with much
spoil they were not refrained from keeping: this is the result of Judah under a righteous King, doing righteousness,
and winning by trust in God. NOTE the battle of Israel against the Benjamites
in which neither side was right with God, although Israel was far more right than Benjamin who hid and did not punish rapists
and murderers: even when Israel used prayer then, she first failed, losing two battles with great fatalites before
a final intensive fasting prayer battle which finally gave them a Pyrhicc victory. With obedience and righteousness and trust,
our victories in Christ are swift, complete, and with reward.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
1-Mareshah: 'crest of a hill' BLB in the lowlands of Judah: IN Micah 1:15, a messianic prophecy occurs to
the inhabitant of Mareshah:
Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant
of Mareshah he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel .
This passage is Messianic because while Adullam is mainly known as the cave where David hid from Saul and met
with the poor and outcast, it is also in the region where the manger of Bethlehem may have been, on the outskirts overlooking.
This is partly conjecture and depends on how near the location was considered then, but it would have made sense
when the glory of Israel would come to Adullam, since David was long since deceased.'
Gerar
a place where Abraham travelled near Sodom and Gomorrah, and where he tried to pass Sarah off as his sister so the King
of Gerar would not kill him. Isaac dwelt there and it is the place where the shepherds of Gerar and Isaac fought over the
well. Gerar means: 'a lodging place' BLB- it was a city of the Philistines, and is the modern-day Umm.
Zerah means rising: He was from Cush or Ethiopia: Blue Letter Bible Commentary notes "Egyptian king Usarken I, second king of the Egyptian 22nd dynasty or perhaps more probably Usarken II, his 2nd successor
"
The utter defense of Judah: during the time of Asa and Jehoshaphat, Judah has peace and begins to build up. The Foreign
nations of Ethiopia [Cush] and the Ammonites/Moabites see the building up of Israel, and bring massive armies to attack
and spoil.
Strategies of the Battle
Before the battle [II Chr 17:1] Jehoshaphat like his father Asa, fortifies Judah by placing
forces in the fenced cities, garrisons, and fortifying Ephraim. Both men in peace and prosperity use the
wealth correctly: to fortify and build Israel (Judah).
Ammon comes against Israel to battle. [17:
Jehoshaphat, afraid of the great army, calls for fasting and supplication. [17:3-4]
Judah gathers for supplication to the LORD. All of Judah, from All Cities.
"O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms
of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might so that noe is able to withstand thee? 6
Art not thou our God who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever?7
And they dwelt therein and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying8
If when evil cometh upon us as the sword, judgment or pestilence, famine, we stand before
this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our
affliction, then thou wilt hear and help.9
And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade,
when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not;10
Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou has give us to inherit.
11
O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us:
neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon thee. 12
In Verses 15-17 the LORD responds through Jahaziel, the son of Zechariah, a Levite of AAsaph:
And he said, Hearken ye all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus sait the
LORD unto you, "be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not
yours, but God's."15 To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by
the cliff of Ziz anye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel.16
Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of
the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them;
for the LORD will be with you.17
THE Levites and Kohathites [19] gather to praise the LORD loudly.
They [Judah] rise early in the morning and go to Tekoa. Jehoshaphat declares:
" Believe in the LORD your God so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper."
Jehoshaphat sends an army of praisers and singers out ahead, saying " Praise the LORD; for his Mercy endureth forever."
God sets up an ambushment against the enemy.
At the ambushment, the Children of Ammon and Moab turn on the Children of Seir [perhaps not recognizing the enemy? or
perhaps division alone] and slaughter them, confusion sets in and the enemies slaughter each other.
Judah arrives at the battlefield to find dead bodies, the LORD, indeed did all the fighting.
Judah takes the spoil, even off the bodies. [vs 20:213-25]
After the battlefield, they go to Berachah which they name Berachiah, or blessing, and praise and thank the LORD
for victory [20:26]
They return to Jerualem praising with psaltery, harp and trumpet, continuously rejoicing, and go the the House of the LORD. vs28
The unique events place fear into other enemies.
Place of the Battle
Men come from beyond the Sea, this side of Syria
The Ammonites encamp at Hazazontamar in Engedi
The most significant part of the battle is fought in the place they gather for prayer 'in the midst of the congregation'.
the Cliff of Ziz at the end of the brook before the wilderness of Jeruel, is where God instructs Judah to find them.
All of these places are in the same vicinity: south of Jerusalem by about 10 miles, about 5 miles from Bethlehem,
and to the west of the Dead Sea. Near En Gedi in caves is where the manuscripts of Bar Kokba were found.
Valley of Berachah: the place of praise at the victory: called Berachiah (blessings, or praise).
Intelligence
'Some' persons come to Jehoshaphat reporting that a great multitude from beyond the sea on
this side of Syria have come up against Judah. They announce the place of encampment as Hazazontamar in Engedi.
Also, in Prophetic Utterance, the Levite Jahaziel, son of Zechariah and of the house of Asaph, the singers
prophesies God's response to the beautiful prayer of Jehoshaphat.
Judah and her armies are told: where to go (Jeruel and Ziz), 2) that the battle will be the LORD's 3)not to fear,
or be dismayed, and that 4) the LORD is with them. [17]
Results of the Battle
The LORD upon the prayer and praise of the Judaens, sets up ambushments against the children of Moab, Ammon
and Mount Seir, and they are 'smitten'. vs.22.
Reward & Spoil
There was great spoil: since the enemies had killed one another, all the spoil went to
Judah in the victory.
an "Abundance of riches" with the dead bodies v25
Jewels, more than they could carry away
3 Days of gathering spoil.
Peace on Judah
Fear invoked in their other enemies
4
Spiritual Implications
It is a fascinating incident that the location of the battle this late into the wars of Israel tells something
about an event in David's Kingdom without even mentioning it. In David's reign, the Southern road between Egypt
and Jerusalem was cleared. At the time this provided freedom from the Ammonites and others who continually trouble
Israel and its trade with countries to the South. The perpetual enemies of Israel, the Ammonites, once subdued, gave
Israel peace in trade and additional living space. However, the road which once established and guarded gained
prosperity for Judah, also made it possible later and during this war for enemies from the South to make their
way to war against Judah. Moab was on again off again as a friend or enemy of Israel; Ethiopia was friend and cohort
during the reign of Solomon, but by the previous war to this one attacked with a million person army. Later, two
notable things happen on this road and in this region: Jesus' parents flee to Egypt escaping Herod and return at his
death; and Phillip converts the Ethiopian Eunuch who attends Candace, so that the road in addition to bearing a politica
significance, also bears a prophetic one: there is still one more possible significance in Isaiah 63: it is not exactly,
but is toward the region where armies in the battles leading to Armaggedon, will possibly come from Edom-Bozrah in
the southeartern region of Israel, and potentially divide [conjecture] and come through this area and northward,
pushing Israel back to the Sea, in the bloodiest of wars ever. The Deliverance then, though, comes in the raising
of the rod of Aaron, life from death, as the Messiah's name is called and a greater Salvation than can be imagined
takes place, as Israel receives her King.
Implications for Faith
Anyone who thinks a believer as a soldier should be staid, wooden and quiet, has not read this battle. They pray with
a whole heart before battle. They go into battle and on the way, praising the LORD loudly. They DANCE on the battlefield
even among the dead! And they return, thanking, praising, singing, worshipping and making a joyful noise on psaltery, harps
and trumpets. This is a picture of our eternal victory: the LORD will serve up the enemies who have come against us without
cause, in violence: we will not lift a finger, except in the receiving of the reward. A picture of the marriage supper of
the Lamb? Where He serves up the enemies of Israel to them? Praise, heart deep accomplishes beyond miracles and seems to
be the agent for God to act. "He inhabits the praises of Israel". When you praise, you see victory, in a righteous cause
and often mere Grace.
There are several aspects to the prayer of note:
1. The Acknowledgement of the Sovereignty , Identity and Omnipotence of God.
2. The Work and Victories of God already accomplished both in battle and in natural 'disasters' or occurrences
3. A reminder of a past obedience, and carrying to God those which returned evil for good.
Asking for God's justice and
5. Acknowledging their own powerlessness to bring it about.
They are answered by God for their sincere prayer accompanied by thanksgiving and praise. They are also given 'exceeding
abundant above all they ever ask or expect' in the great riches of God. The victory is so great that it continues all
the way off the battleground back to Jerusalem. The power of God does not change: He is always as powerful as ever: what
changes is the nearness and 'rightness' of our relationship to Him. Our salvation does not change, nor our 'imputed righteousness'
because that is a work HE did, but what may change is our willingness to be near Him and surrender often to what we
know is right. For whatever divine reason, we are in obedience and near to God in prayer and praise. In praise,
we cannot be to puffed up if its from the heart: it requires a humbling of the spirit, not one we 'muster up' but one
that is naturally there when in love we praise and thank our God. I do not always understand why, but in thanksgiving,
God's work seems to open up in our lives. It did in this battle: and Judah got the spoil and reward for God's work.
The more He does and the less we get in the way, but instead turn and become as children in supplication, love and
thanks, the greater the wondrous work.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
1- notes on location from Bartleby.com [Columbia Encyclopedia];
2Sacrednamebible.com-KJV and 3Ancientsandals.com-Tekoa; photo of engedi: Wikipedia.org:En Gedi
NAMES: Jehoshaphat: "Jehovah has Judged" [blb]; Hazontamar-a desert city meaning 'dividing the date-palm'[blb];
Engedi: a desert region with caves: Bar Kokhba's manuscripts were found there: means 'fount of the kid [goat]'.
Described in Song of Songs has having camphire smelling vineyards. It is where David hid from Saul.
Tekoa: 'a stockade' [BLB}; Ziz (Tzitz): meaning 'flower' or other flora in a desert region, described as an
area leading from the dead sea to the wilderness. [BLB]Berachiah: speaking well of the LORD {Wikipedia]
NOTE: The King of Egypt comes up against Assyria in the days of Josiah, but Judah defends against
Egypt.
The Enemy's People & Leaders
Leader: Pharaohnechoh, King of Egypt
People: Army of Egypt fighting Assyria
Object of the Battle
Egypt under Pharaohnechoh goes to war against Assyria, Judah defends against Egypt, an unusual alliance.
2 Kings 24:7: After this time, Egypt does not go up again, because Assyria takes all the land from the border
of the River at Egypt to the Euphrates: this also shows what Israel and Judah were up against later, for while
Judah in Josiah fights Egypt in this case, a former ally under Solomon,
Strategies of the Battle
Egypt goes against Assyria to the river Euphrates. This means that Egypt marches through Judah and Israel,
without regard to national boundaries. Euphrates is one of the borders David established late in his reign.[See Note 1]
Pharaohnechoh warns Josiah, that this is not his war: Pharaohnechoh is not a Jew, nor does he worship the
god of Israel, but he warns Josiah not to come into battle with him as he is not the enemy he seeks.
he sent ambassadors to him, saying, What have I to do with thee, thou king of Judah? [I come] not against thee this day, but against the house wherewith I have war: for God commanded
me to make haste: forbear thee from [meddling with] God, who [is] with me, that he destroy thee not.2 Chronicles 35:21
Josiah goes up to war against Necho [other spelling] in the Valley of Meggido in disguise.
Josiah is shot with arrows, and dies in his chariot.
Josiah is put in a second chariot and carried to Jerusalem where he is greatly mourned.
Pharaohnechoh continues on to Carchemish where he will encounter Assyria. See Carchemish.
Place of the Battle
Battle at Euphrates River, King slain at Meggido,
Intelligence
none mentioned
Results of the Battle
Pharaohnechoh slays Josiah in Meggido
xxxxx
Reward
Necho goes on to fight Assyria
No reward for Judah: their beloved King is lost, nothing is gained, and they lose a former ally.
4
Spiritual Implications
One of the greatest implications is that even this good King, and Judah had only a few, in his zeal for the
boundaries and rights of Israel, throws himself into a battle that is NOT HIS. One can circumspectly determine
that he is not fighting merely because he loves war, but for the protection of Israel: a good cause. However, Josiah
is warned, even by this Gentile Egyptian King, Necho that this is not his war. He, Josiah, does not want a foreign
army on his soil against invitation, but in this case Egypt is not in Judah to take Judah, but en route to take Assyria,
or at least fight against Assyria as it begins to gain strength. Judah's interference causes Necho to be detained,
causing a deficit in his fight against Assyria, which would have benefitted both Judah and Egypt, not to mention Israel.
There is some evidence here in Jeremiah 46:17, depending on the reading, when Egypt is described as 'but a noise' for
having 'passed the time appointed'. It also notes the 4th year of Jehoiakim
Against Egypt, against the army of Pharaohnecho king of Egypt, which was by the river Euphrates in Carchemish,
which Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon smote in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah.
This is significant because Johoiakim is the former 'Eliakim' brother of Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, who is appointed
King when Jehohahaz is taken captive to Egypt.(46:2) Josiah's disobedience, and wrong war cost him significantly:
he loses his life; his eldest is taken captive and a huge tax burden put on Jerusalem by Egypt, and the battle against
Carchemish is delayed. This appears also to be the time when Nebuchardnezzar and Babylon face off Assyria. Israel and Judah
end up with three formidable enemies: Egypt, Assyria and Babylon, and the beginning of the end is determined, not
without paradox in the Valley of Megiddo, with the Children of Israel against the World.
Implications for Faith
The righteousness and favor of God is pertinent to the individual believer. In macrocosm, we are gifted with HIS righteousness:
this is our salvation. In day to day life, our righteous 'acts' by faith are wrought in obedience: with our obedience, God
works with facility. However the utter righteousness of God is so Great, that even a 'good' King, or person: one who obeys
often and whose heart is set toward God, who trusts and believes, can deliberately decide against obedience and be chastised.
When the obedience is severely critical: so is the chastisement for disobedience. This does not negate the imputed righteousness
that has purchased our salvation: it does however affect the pleasantness and clarity of our walk with God and may bring
pain and tragedy into our lives when we choose to fall short and 'miss the mark'. In this case, the disobedience of the
normally obedient King Josiah leads to ruin for him, his household, Egypt, Judah and eventually Israel. In the future coming
of the King of Righteousness in the same Valley, all is won back forever.
Cross-references & Other Critical Facts
1- Note 1: Matthew Henry notes that the fact that this unrighteous Egyptian
King wins against the Holy Josiah, due to the tenet of God's nature not to respect persons. An unrighteous
King doing righteously can win over a righteous one disobeying God. There are other times in scripture when this
occurs, such as when Abraham lies about Sarah being his sister to Abimelech, who wished not a deserved curse: it
is also seen in Cyrus and Darius, pagan Kings doing good to Israel in the return and in a few war of Israel, where
Israel's defeat came by disobedience.
Judah has been devastated since the fall of Josiah. His successor son, Jehoahaz, is taken captive to Egypt and Judah
is taxed in what appears to be retribution for Judah's interference in Egypt's march north to war with Assyria.
Jehoahaz's brother
found out and where he was.
8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.
the goodness of God begins to wane. Israel set up a system of worship that looked alot like the real thing, but was not: a different temple, a different temple mount, different priests, indicating a man-made latitude that God did not give. There also appeared to be far more mixing of government and worship than there was ever intended. The result was idolatry and a murderous spirit, replete with betrayal and assassinations and carnality among the Kings.
Ahab was a bloody king; his seventy sons, in fulfillment of Elijah's prophecies (vs 17) were killed by Jehu.
As Jehu ascends the throne he is promised his seed will sit on the throne for 4 generations, because he exacted the prophecy. At first, Jehu does right and removes the worship of Baal, but he soons gives way to the
"sins of Jeroboam", or division, rebellion, false worship and hubris. These sins, finally bring Israel's 'divine' fence down, and now the enemy begins to encamp against Israel more and more with more and more success. In other portions of scripture such as Amos, we see that false worship and a turning from God resulted in mistreatment of the poor, the widow, the weak and ill, and such extremes of carnality that Israel almost ceased to know God entirely. The punishment for this was captivity, exile, and slaughter. The line of all the tribes, with Judah at the head was to one day bring Messiah: God could not have a people who forgot Him or shamed Him altogether; the vine had to remain Holy. It was pruned back to nothing for 70 years of captivity; but the return described in Ezra and Nehemiah indicates that the sought after repentance was accomplished.
For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: 11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. 
most serious sins of the Bible. Judah suffers from it, the Northern tribes suffer from it, the surrounding nations, both adversaries and allies suffer from it and in the end it infects Jeroboam's household and the subsequent Kings of Israel.
This war, taking so much of the Northern Kingdom and carrying away in slavery and captivity the Israelites of the area marks the beginning of the Assyrian captivity. (See 
