2 Kings 3:15

King James Version:

(The Lord speaking is red text)

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

Complete Jewish Bible:

But now, bring me a musician." As the musician played, the hand of ADONAI fell on Elisha;

Berean Standard Bible:

But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha

American Standard Version:

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him.

KJV with Strong’s Numbers:

But now bring^{H3947} me a minstrel^{H5059}. And it came to pass, when the minstrel^{H5059} played^{H5059}, that the hand^{H3027} of the LORD^{H3068} came upon him.

Cross-References (KJV):

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Commentary for 2 Kings 3:15

2 Kings 3:15 is part of a larger narrative found in 2 Kings 3:4-27, which details the account of a coalition between the kings of Israel, Judah, and Edom against the rebellious king of Moab. The historical context of this verse is set during the reign of King Jehoshaphat of Judah and King Joram of Israel, who joined forces with the king of Edom to quell the Moabite revolt.

In the verse itself, the prophet Elisha is consulted by the kings after their joint armies face a severe water shortage in the wilderness of Edom. Elisha agrees to inquire of the Lord on their behalf but requests a musician to aid in his communion with God. The theme here is the importance of spiritual preparation and the role of music in facilitating divine inspiration. In the ancient Near Eastern context, music was often associated with prophetic experiences, helping to induce a state of mind conducive to receiving divine messages.

When the minstrel plays, the hand of the Lord comes upon Elisha, signifying the presence and influence of God. This signifies that Elisha's prophetic insight is not of his own volition but is a gift granted by God, often accompanied by an altered state of consciousness. The subsequent verses reveal that through this divine inspiration, Elisha prophesies the solution to their water crisis and predicts their victory over Moab, which later comes to pass.

The overarching themes of this passage include the sovereignty of God over nature and military affairs, the role of prophets as intermediaries between God and humanity, and the use of non-traditional means (such as music) to facilitate spiritual experiences. This verse underscores the belief that divine communication can be aided by various means, reflecting the complex interplay between the human and the divine in the biblical worldview.

*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model

Strong's Numbers and Definitions:

Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)

1. Strong's Number: H3947
   There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: לָקַח
   Transliteration: lâqach
   Pronunciation: law-kakh'
   Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win.
   
2. Strong's Number: H5059
   There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: נָגַן
   Transliteration: nâgan
   Pronunciation: naw-gan'
   Description: a primitive root; properly, to thrum, i.e. beat atune with the fingers; expectation. to play on astringed instrument; hence (generally), to make music; player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, play(-er, -ing).
   
3. Strong's Number: H3027
   There are 1447 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יָד
   Transliteration: yâd
   Pronunciation: yawd
   Description: a primitive word; in distinction from כַּף, the closed one); used (as noun, adverb, etc.) in a great variety of applications, both literally and figuratively, both proximate and remote (as follows); a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.),; ([phrase] be) able, [idiom] about, [phrase] armholes, at, axletree, because of, beside, border, [idiom] bounty, [phrase] broad, (broken-) handed, [idiom] by, charge, coast, [phrase] consecrate, [phrase] creditor, custody, debt, dominion, [idiom] enough, [phrase] fellowship, force, [idiom] from, hand(-staves, -y work), [idiom] he, himself, [idiom] in, labour, [phrase] large, ledge, (left-) handed, means, [idiom] mine, ministry, near, [idiom] of, [idiom] order, ordinance, [idiom] our, parts, pain, power, [idiom] presumptuously, service, side, sore, state, stay, draw with strength, stroke, [phrase] swear, terror, [idiom] thee, [idiom] by them, [idiom] themselves, [idiom] thine own, [idiom] thou, through, [idiom] throwing, [phrase] thumb, times, [idiom] to, [idiom] under, [idiom] us, [idiom] wait on, (way-) side, where, [phrase] wide, [idiom] with (him, me, you), work, [phrase] yield, [idiom] yourselves.
   
4. Strong's Number: H3068
   There are 5521 instances of this translation in the Bible
   Lemma: יְהֹוָה
   Transliteration: Yᵉhôvâh
   Pronunciation: yeh-ho-vaw'
   Description: from הָיָה; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish national name of God; Jehovah, the Lord. Compare יָהּ, יְהֹוִה.