The Shunammite returns from seven years' famine and her land is restored at the telling of the tale; Hazael smothers Ben-hadad with the wet coverlet and reigns; Jehoram of Judah walks in the way of the kings of Israel, yet for David's sake Judah is not destroyed.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: ‘Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn wheresoever you can sojourn; for Hashem has called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.’
verse value 6852
Insights
Verse structure: 21 words, 94 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "had·spoken" (דִּבֶּ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·he·restored·to·life" (אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֨ה, 7 letters). 10 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·the·woman" (אֶל־הָאִשָּׁה֩), "arise" (ק֤וּמִי), "and·go" (וּלְכִי֙). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that·he·restored·to·life" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings). First appearance of the root גור ("and·sojourn") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·will·sojourn', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 7 words.
Rashi
And Elisha spoke to the woman. This was seven years earlier:
For the Lord has called a famine. It is the famine that was in the days of Yoel son of Pethuel:
Radak
"You, and your house." The yod in the writing is an added letter, like many yods, as I wrote above.
Seven years. In the words of our Sages of blessed memory, those seven years: in the first year they ate what was in the houses; in the second, what was in the fields; in the third, the flesh of clean animals; in the fourth, the flesh of unclean animals; in the fifth, the flesh of creeping things and swarming creatures; in the sixth, the flesh of their sons and daughters; and in the seventh, the flesh of their arms, to fulfill what is stated: “Every man shall eat the flesh of his own arm.”
Metzudat David
"Wherever you dwell." In the place where you wish to reside.
"And also has come." It had already begun to come into the land, and it continued for seven years.
Malbim
(1–6) The questions: Why does Scripture recount this incident, which is a private matter, containing neither a miracle nor a general principle?
And Elisha: This matter was from before, from the time that the years of the famine began; and therefore [Scripture] placed the name before the verb, [in the phrase] "to the woman whose son he had revived." One may say in the way of homiletical interpretation that it was within Elisha's power to annul the decree of famine; however, because he revived her son and took the key of revival, he was unable to take the key of sustenance. As our Sages of blessed memory stated on this account: when Elijah was required to revive the son of the Zarephathite woman, he was required to return the key of rains. For "[God] called out a famine" means that the decree had already gone forth from God, and it had already begun, for it came upon the land and lasted seven years.
And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God; and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.
verse value 5690
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֣ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·land·of·Philistines" (בְּאֶרֶץ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים, 10 letters). Words sharing gematria 311: the·woman, man. 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·did" (וַתַּ֕עַשׂ), "and·her·household" (וּבֵיתָ֔הּ), "and·sojourned" (וַתָּ֥גׇר). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "as·word·of" (root דבר, 147x in II Kings); "and·did" (root עשה, 142x in II Kings); "and·her·household" (root בית, 141x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַתָּ֙קׇם֙ [and·she·arose] (546) + הָאִשָּׁ֔ה [the·woman] (311) + וַתַּ֕עַשׂ [and·did] (776) + כִּדְבַ֖ר [as·word·of] (226) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + הָאֱלֹהִ֑ים [God] (91) + וַתֵּ֤לֶךְ [and·went] (456) + הִיא֙ [she] (16) + וּבֵיתָ֔הּ [and·her·household] (423) + וַתָּ֥גׇר [and·sojourned] (609) + בְּאֶרֶץ־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים [in·land·of·Philistines] (1153) + שֶׁ֥בַע [seven] (372) + שָׁנִֽים [years] (400) = 5690.
Malbim
And the woman arose and did as the man of God had said, for she would not have left the Land of Israel for outside the Land on her own, lest she be punished as Elimelech was punished, especially since she too was a woman of importance; only after it was by the word of a prophet did she do so.
And it came to pass at the seven years’end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines; and she went forth to cry to the king for her house and for her land.
verse value 4955
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "seven" (שֶׁ֣בַע, 3 letters) and the longest is "Philistine" (פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים, 6 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·returned" (וַתָּ֥שׇׁב), "Philistine" (פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים), "to·cry" (לִצְעֹ֣ק). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root איל, 153x in II Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings); "years" (root שנה, 109x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Philistine', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֗י [and·it·was] (31) + מִקְצֵה֙ [from·end·of] (235) + שֶׁ֣בַע [seven] (372) + שָׁנִ֔ים [years] (400) + וַתָּ֥שׇׁב [and·returned] (708) + הָאִשָּׁ֖ה [the·woman] (311) + מֵאֶ֣רֶץ [from·land·of] (331) + פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים [Philistine] (860) + וַתֵּצֵא֙ [and·went·out] (497) + לִצְעֹ֣ק [to·cry] (290) + אֶל־הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ [to·the·king] (126) + אֶל־בֵּיתָ֖הּ [to·her·house] (448) + וְאֶל־שָׂדָֽהּ [and·to·her·field] (346) = 4955.
Rashi
To her house and to her field. For robbers had seized it:
Radak
"To cry out to the king." There are Sages of blessed memory who derived from this verse that the law of chazakah [presumptive ownership through possession] applies to the property of one who has fled, since she needed the king's intervention to have her field and its produce restored; from this it is evident that those who had taken possession had a valid claim of chazakah.
“to her house and to her field.” Just as with “upon,” so too are there many instances where “to” is used in place of “upon.” And so is the one that follows this: “a cry to the king concerning her house and concerning her field.”
Ralbag
“And she came to cry out to the king, to her house and to her field.” This means that men had seized possession of them, and she was seeking to recover her lands and their produce from the day of her departure.
Metzudat David
"To her house." For others had taken possession of it [her house] while she was among the Philistines.
Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying: ‘Tell me, I pray you, all the great things that Elisha has done.’
verse value 4021
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 60 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (לִ֔י, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·man·of·God" (אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, 9 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·Gehazi" (אֶל־גֵּ֣חֲזִ֔י), "tell·now" (סַפְּרָה־נָּ֣א), "all·the·great·things" (כׇּל־הַגְּדֹל֖וֹת). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·the·king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that·has·done" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'saying', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words.
Metzudat David
All the great wonders. All the great wonders that he performed, for the king did not know of any of them.
Malbim
"And the king" — this refers to how the merit of Elisha stood in her favor. The Lord arranged that at that very time, when she came before the king, the king asked Gehazi to recount to him all the great deeds that Elisha had performed, namely, the miracles of which the king had no knowledge. Regarding this, it is said: "all."
And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said: ‘My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.’
verse value 7580
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 113 letters. The shortest word is "he" (ה֥וּא, 3 letters) and the longest is "that·he·restored·to·life" (אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱיָ֣ה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 529: that·he·restored·to·life, that·he·restored·to·life, that·he·restored·to·life. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "number" (מְסַפֵּ֣ר), "the·dead·one" (אֶת־הַמֵּת֒), "cry" (צֹעֶ֣קֶת). The root אשר appears 3 times in this verse. 19 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·the·king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that·he·restored·to·life" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings). First appearance of the root עול ("and·for·her·field") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·for·her·field', dividing the verse into phrases of 15 and 9 words.
Metzudat David
"And it came to pass that he was telling" – at the time when he was recounting to the king how Elisha had revived the son of the Shunammite woman, the case arose in which the Shunammite woman came with her son to cry out to the king on behalf of her house.
Malbim
And it came to pass, at the time when he was recounting to him the matter of the dead person whom he had revived, the woman arrived. And Gehazi confirmed the truth of his words by saying, "This is the woman, and this is her son."
And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed to her a certain officer, saying: ‘Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.’
verse value 7086
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 88 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אֶחָ֜ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "one" (אֶחָ֜ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "all·that·she·has" (אֶת־כׇּל־אֲשֶׁר־לָהּ֙, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 95: king, king. 8 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·asked" (וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל), "and·she·told·to·him" (וַתְּסַפֶּר־ל֑וֹ), "and·gave·to·her" (וַיִּתֶּן־לָ֣הּ). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 17 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "all·that·she·has" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings). First appearance of the root סריס ("courtier") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·she·told·to·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 14 words.
Radak
"One eunuch." As its Targum translates: "one castrated man," and it is a eunuch in its literal sense, meaning that his reproductive organs were removed. And even though this act is forbidden for Israelites, the kings of Israel had eunuchs, whom they would take from among the nations, or who were eunuchs due to illness. They were in the royal palaces to stand before the women, as it is written: "The king's eunuch, who guarded the women."
From the day she departed. The infinitive's ayin is vocalized with a chataf qamats, and the he is without a dagesh (rafeh), though by rule it should bear a mapiq.
Ralbag
"And the king asked the woman, and she told him." This means that he had already asked her about this matter, namely, the account of Gehazi relating the great deeds that Elisha had performed; and she told him that the matter was indeed so.
"And the king gave her one eunuch." This means that he appointed one official and commanded him to restore to her all her lands and all the produce of the fields from the day she left the land. However, he did not command that she be given rent from the house. This serves as a partial proof that one who dwells in his fellow's courtyard without his knowledge is not obligated to pay him rent.
Metzudat David
"Restore." [The king] told [the eunuch] to restore to her everything, including the produce of the field that grew in it from the time she left the field until now.
Metzudat Zion
The eunuch. An official:
She left. She abandoned:
Malbim
And the king asked her, and they aligned their words, so that from this he knew the truth of the story. And the king gave her one eunuch. Now, according to the law, he should have first asked the possessor, lest he claim that he had purchased the field, since he had eaten [its produce] for the years required for chazakah (presumptive ownership). And likewise, she should have been required to bring proof that the field was hers. However, since Gehazi was found there, he testified that her words were true, that the field and the house were hers, because he knew the circumstances of her case. And it can be said that at that time there was a state of emergency between the Philistines and the Land of Israel, for in the twelfth year of Jehoram, which was the end of the seven years of famine, the Philistines broke into Judah (as stated in 2 Chronicles 21). And presumably, they had a war prior to this, which is why they killed all the king's house, as mentioned there, and the war had been going on for four years previously. In this matter, at the end of the first three years that she was in the land of the Philistines, it was a time of emergency, and presumptive ownership (chazakah) is not effective (as stated in Choshen Mishpat, Siman 143). Therefore, he commanded to return to her all that was hers: the house, the field, and the crops, but not the rent for the dwelling.
And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Aram was sick; and it was told him, saying. 'The man of God is come hither.’
verse value 2188
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "went·in" (בָּ֛א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·son·of·Hadad" (וּבֶן־הֲדַ֥ד, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·son·of·Hadad" (וּבֶן־הֲדַ֥ד), "until·they" (עַד־הֵֽנָּה). The root בוא appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Aram" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'is·ill', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיָּבֹ֤א [and·came] (19) + אֱלִישָׁע֙ [Elisha] (411) + דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק [Damascus] (444) + וּבֶן־הֲדַ֥ד [and·son·of·Hadad] (71) + מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם [king·Aram] (331) + חֹלֶ֑ה [is·ill] (43) + וַיֻּגַּד־ל֣וֹ [and·it·was·told·to·him] (59) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + בָּ֛א [went·in] (3) + אִ֥ישׁ [man] (311) + הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים [God] (91) + עַד־הֵֽנָּה [until·they] (134) = 2188.
Rashi
And Elisha came to Damascus. To return Gehazi in repentance (Sotah 47a):
Radak
"And Elisha came to Damascus." To anoint Hazael, as the word of the Lord which He spoke to Elijah, as I explained above. And in the midrashic exposition: since Gehazi went to Damascus, if he went there, I say that he went to Naaman, so that he might benefit him, because his leprosy had clung to him by Elisha's curse. And they said that he had left the faith, and Elisha went there in order to bring him back in repentance. But he did not wish [to repent]. He said to him: "Thus have I received from you: any sinner who causes others to sin, they do not give him sufficient opportunity to repent." And what did he do? He caused others to sin. Some say: he hung up a magnetic stone [lodestone] for the sin of Jeroboam, and set it between heaven and earth. And some say: he engraved a [Divine] Name in its mouth, and it would proclaim, saying: "I [am the LORD your God]," and "You shall have no [other gods]."
Malbim
“And Elisha came to Damascus”: The explanation is that he came to the vicinity of the city, not to Damascus proper. This is indicated by the wording “the man of God came as far as here,” and by the phrase “Go to meet the man of God,” which implies that he had not yet entered the city. This is similar to the verse “It came to pass, when Joshua was at Jericho,” which is explained to mean that he was at the outskirts of the city. Therefore, our Sages of blessed memory stated that he came to bring Gehazi back to repentance. It is reasonable to assume that Gehazi, while he was a leper, dwelt outside the city, and Elisha went there to him, for after he was rejected by Elisha, he went out of the land. Alternatively, it is possible that he came to seek a reward from Naaman, since the leprosy had clung to him.
And the king said to Hazael: ‘Take a present in your hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of Hashem by him, saying: Shall I recover of this sickness?’
verse value 4060
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 74 letters. Notable word values: "in·your·hand" (בְּיָדְךָ֙) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "take" (קַ֤ח, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·Hazael" (אֶל־חֲזָהאֵ֗ל, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·Hazael" (אֶל־חֲזָהאֵ֗ל), "and·you·shall·inquire" (וְדָרַשְׁתָּ֨). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings). First appearance of the root חזאל ("to·Hazael") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'God', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 7 words.
So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’burden, and came and stood before him, and said: ‘Your son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying: Shall I recover of this sickness?’
verse value 4261
Insights
Verse structure: 24 words, 105 letters. The shortest word is "this" (זֶֽה, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·meet·him" (לִקְרָאתוֹ֒, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 73: and·all·the·bounty·of, camel. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·all·the·bounty·of" (וְכׇל־ט֣וּב), "camel" (גָּמָ֑ל). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 23 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Aram" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'camel', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 13 words.
Radak
"And all the good of Damascus": This is in the manner of hyperbolic amplification, like "all his master's good was in his hand" (Genesis 24:10) and "all the land came to Egypt" (Genesis 41:57) and similar expressions. And in the homiletical interpretation: Could it be that he was carrying all the good of Damascus on forty camels? Rather, this teaches you that he had in his possession a precious stone, for which one would give in exchange all the good of Damascus.
Ralbag
"And all the good of Damascus, a burden of forty camels." And behold, I think that this is the gift which he took in his hand, meaning, under his control. And the vav of "and all the good" is [like] the [Arabic letter] "fa," a weak [particle] in the language of Ishmael, meaning that it is without significance, and the intention is [simply] "all the good of Damascus."
Metzudat David
"And all the good of Damascus." All kinds of good food that are found in Damascus:
Metzudat Zion
Your son. Meaning: one who humbles himself to you as a son to his father:
And Elisha said to him: ‘Go, say to him: You shall surely recover; however Hashem has shown me that he shall surely die.’
verse value 2749
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 49 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "go" (לֵ֥ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·has·shown·me" (וְהִרְאַ֥נִי, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·has·shown·me" (וְהִרְאַ֥נִי). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "to·him" (root אל, 113x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·live', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֵלָיו֙ [to·him] (47) + אֱלִישָׁ֔ע [Elisha] (411) + לֵ֥ךְ [go] (50) + אֱמׇר־ל֖וֹ [say·to·him] (277) + (לא) [not] (31) + חָיֹ֣ה [living] (23) + תִֽחְיֶ֑ה [shall·live] (423) + וְהִרְאַ֥נִי [and·has·shown·me] (272) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + כִּי־מ֥וֹת [that·surely] (476) + יָמֽוּת [will·die] (456) = 2749.
Rashi
You shall surely live. Toward Hazael he said [this], that he would live to reign in place of Ben-Hadad:
Radak
"He said, 'He shall not live.'" It is written with an aleph [as "לא," not], because his intention was that he not live; yet it is read with a vav [as "לו," to him], because he told him that he would live.
"And the Lord showed me that he shall surely die." This means that from the illness he [Ben-Hadad] will recover if he is not put to death; rather, the Lord showed me that they will put him to death. Therefore, when Elisha said to Hazael that he would become king over Aram, Elisha said to him, "And the Lord showed me that he shall surely die." Hazael understood that Elisha meant to tell him that he (Hazael) would put him (Ben-Hadad) to death, but Elisha did not state it explicitly to him.
Ralbag
“Go, tell him: ‘You shall live.’” This means that God, blessed be He, had already shown him that he would die; but in order that people should not say, “He died from fear,” He told him, “You shall live.” And this is a matter fitting for prophets, for by this the truth of their prophecy is confirmed even more.
Metzudat David
"Say to him." This means: [Elisha meant] to comfort him, say to him that he will live; but the truth is what the LORD showed me in prophecy, that he shall surely die.
Malbim
The questions: If the Lord showed him that he would die, how did He command him to say to him that he would live?
And the Lord showed me, explaining that from this illness he would recover; yet, despite this, he would die from another cause, as indeed happened, for Hazael killed him by means of a coverlet.
And he settled his countenance stedfastly upon him, until he was ashamed; and the man of God wept.
verse value 1849
Insights
Verse structure: 7 words, 32 letters. Verse gematria: 1849 = 43². The shortest word is "man" (אִ֥ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "his·face" (אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו, 6 letters). 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "man" (root איש, 119x in II Kings); "God" (root אלהים, 82x in II Kings); "his·face" (root פנים, 72x in II Kings). First appearance of the root בכה ("and·wept") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'until·he·was·ashamed', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיַּעֲמֵ֥ד [and·fixed] (130) + אֶת־פָּנָ֖יו [his·face] (547) + וַיָּ֣שֶׂם [and·put] (356) + עַד־בֹּ֑שׁ [until·he·was·ashamed] (376) + וַיֵּ֖בְךְּ [and·wept] (38) + אִ֥ישׁ [man] (311) + הָאֱלֹהִֽים [God] (91) = 1849.
Rashi
And he set his face. A face of sorrow of his that he was seeking to weep, he set, that he should not weep before Hazael, and he placed his heart to stand and restrain himself:
Until he delayed. Like 'boshesh', and he could not restrain himself and he wept:
Radak
"And he turned his face away, and covered it until he was ashamed." The explanation is that he turned his face to the other side so that Hazael would not see him [weeping], and he placed his hands over his face for the time that he was restraining himself from weeping, but he could not, and he wept. And the Targum says, "And he turned away his face, and prolonged [it] greatly, and the prophet of the Lord wept." And "was ashamed" [בוש] is a past-tense verb from the root with the middle letter (ayin) omitted [a hollow root], in the pattern of "ha-boker or" ("the morning grew light," Genesis 44:3); and "hesitated" [in "Moses hesitated"] is a past-tense verb from the four-letter [quadriliteral] root, in the pattern of "konen" (he established).
Ralbag
"And he set his face." This means that he had already restrained himself, composing his countenance so as not to weep, and he placed his hands over his face so that Hazael would not see him weeping; yet he could not refrain from weeping.
Metzudat David
"And he stood." He turned his face to another side, so that [Hazael] would not see the tears of his own eyes streaming down.
"And he maintained it for a long while." He turned his face to the other side until a long time had passed, and when he could no longer restrain himself, he raised his voice in weeping, and from then on he turned his face back, since it was no longer possible to conceal his weeping.
Metzudat Zion
Too long. A matter of delay, so too (Judges 3:25): they lingered until it was too late:
Malbim
"And he stood" – Targum Yonatan [ben Uzziel] renders: "And he turned his face around, and delayed a long while."
And Hazael said: ‘Why weeps my lord?’ And he answered: ‘Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: their strongholds will you set on fire, and their young men will you slay with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child.’
verse value 8738
Insights
Verse structure: 22 words, 104 letters. The shortest word is "weeping" (בֹכֶ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "for·I·know" (כִּֽי־יָדַ֡עְתִּי, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 11 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "weeping" (בֹכֶ֑ה), "for·I·know" (כִּֽי־יָדַ֡עְתִּי), "that·you·will·do" (אֲשֶׁר־תַּעֲשֶׂה֩). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 21 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that·you·will·do" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "Israel" (root ישראל, 101x in II Kings). First appearance of the root רעה ("evil") in II Kings. First appearance of the root הרג ("will·You·slay") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'weeping', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 17 words.
Rashi
They shall be dashed. The language of the cleaving of the intestines, and the source for all of them (Isaiah 13:18): and their bows shall dash the young men to pieces:
And their pregnant women. Those with child of theirs:
Radak
“And you shall dash their little ones in pieces.” The matter concerns the throwing of the infants to the ground or against the walls, an act of cruelty. The Targum of Jonathan renders it as “you shall tear them to pieces,” similar to what our Sages of blessed memory stated: “Or she tore them against the wall.”
“And their pregnant women shall burst forth.” The women who are pregnant; and so too does Jonathan’s Targum translate it: “And you shall split open their pregnant women.” And this is a manner of cruelty.
Ralbag
"Their fortresses you shall set on fire." This means: the fortified cities that belong to them.
"And you shall dash their children in pieces." I would think that the intention here is that they will become battered and abandoned when their fathers and mothers are killed.
"And their pregnant women shall be ripped open." This means the pregnant women, and this is an expression of cruelty. Or perhaps the intended meaning of "their pregnant ones" [הרותיהם] is the mighty, fortified towers built upon the mountains, and the sense of "ripped open" is that their walls shall be breached, similar to the verse, "when they breached the towers of Gilead." And behold, this second interpretation is the more accurate, in my opinion.
Metzudat David
"For I know..." And I recall this matter now, and for this reason I weep:
"From their strongholds." Their fortified cities, you will burn with fire.
"And their pregnant women." The pregnant women — you shall rip open their bellies to bring forth their unborn children.
Metzudat Zion
You will send. The igniting is called sending, for the fire will do its mission, going from place to place and burning everything:
And their infants. Their young children:
They will be dashed. A matter of smashing, so too (Hosea 14:1): their infants will be dashed in pieces:
And Hazael said: ‘But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?’ And Elisha answered: ‘Hashem has shown me that you shall be king over Aram.’
verse value 3039
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 70 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֛ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֣י, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·said" (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר, 5 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "dog" (הַכֶּ֔לֶב), "has·shown·me" (הִרְאַ֧נִי), "upon·Aram" (עַל־אֲרָֽם). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings). First appearance of the root כלב ("dog") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Ralbag
"GOD has shown me you as king over Aram." Behold, this is the anointing of Hazael as king, which the Lord told to Elijah.
Metzudat David
"For what is Your servant." And is my strength so great as to do such a thing?
"King." And then this great power will be in your hand:
Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him: ‘What said Elisha to you?’ And he answered: ‘He told me that you would surely recover.’
verse value 3063
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (ל֔וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֔וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·his·master" (אֶל־אֲדֹנָ֔יו, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 411: Elisha, Elisha. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "what·he·said" (מָה־אָמַ֥ר). The root אמר appears 4 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings); "and·went" (root הלך, 98x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Elisha', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 5 words.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his stead.
verse value 3538
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַיְהִ֣י, 4 letters) and the longest is "upon·his·face" (עַל־פָּנָ֖יו, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "from·next·day" (מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֗ת), "netted cloth or coverlet" (הַמַּכְבֵּר֙), "in·the·water" (בַּמַּ֔יִם). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·reigned" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings); "and·took" (root לקח, 72x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·he·died', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֣י [and·it·was] (31) + מִֽמׇּחֳרָ֗ת [from·next·day] (688) + וַיִּקַּ֤ח [and·took] (124) + הַמַּכְבֵּר֙ [netted cloth or coverlet] (267) + וַיִּטְבֹּ֣ל [and·dipped] (57) + בַּמַּ֔יִם [in·the·water] (92) + וַיִּפְרֹ֥שׂ [and·he·spread] (596) + עַל־פָּנָ֖יו [upon·his·face] (246) + וַיָּמֹ֑ת [and·he·died] (456) + וַיִּמְלֹ֥ךְ [and·he·reigned] (106) + חֲזָהאֵ֖ל [Hazael] (51) + תַּחְתָּֽיו [in·his·stead] (824) = 3538.
Rashi
The cloak. Yonatan translates: a thick garment, and so (Judges 4:18): and she covered him with a mantle, the Targum: with a thick garment, and it is a garment:
And he spread over his face. To cool himself:
Radak
"And he took the makhbér and dipped it in water." It is a thick coverlet, like the "goat's-hair mat" [1 Samuel 19:13]; and he dipped it in water and spread it over his face, and he told him that he was doing this thing for his healing, but he was doing it to cool him and to kill him.
Ralbag
"And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the netting, and dipped it in water, and spread it upon his face, and he died." I think that the "netting" (מכבר) is what is called "nu'ah" in the vernacular [la'az]. And behold, he dipped it in cold water, because Ben-Hadad was suffering from the intensity of the foreign heat, and he did this to quell that heat. And this also hastened his death, and Hazael reigned in his stead, as Elisha had said to him.
Metzudat David
"And he spread it over his face." To cool the heat of the fever's fire.
"And he died." For this reason he died, because the heat moved from the outside to the inside.
Metzudat Zion
The cloak. Targum Yonatan [renders it]: 'gunva,' and it is a kind of thick garment, for [in] 'and she covered him with a blanket' (Judges 4:18), its Targum likewise [renders]: 'b'gunva':
Malbim
"And he took" – this refers to what Hazael did in order to kill him, by means of causing him to become chilled; and he [Hazael] said to him that he was performing a healing act, and this [Hazael] understood from the words of the prophet that he would cause his death.
And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.
verse value 3556
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 66 letters. The shortest word is "five" (חָמֵ֗שׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·Jehoshaphat" (בֶּן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: king, king, he·reigned, king. The root מלך appears 4 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·in·year·of" (root שנה, 109x in II Kings); "son·of·Jehoshaphat" (root בין, 106x in II Kings). First appearance of the root יורם ("of·Joram") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Judah', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 5 words. Full calculation: וּבִשְׁנַ֣ת [and·in·year·of] (758) + חָמֵ֗שׁ [five] (348) + לְיוֹרָ֤ם [of·Joram] (286) + בֶּן־אַחְאָב֙ [son·of·Ahab] (64) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט [and·Jehoshaphat] (416) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + יְהוּדָ֑ה [Judah] (30) + מָלַ֛ךְ [he·reigned] (90) + יְהוֹרָ֥ם [Jehoram] (261) + בֶּן־יְהוֹשָׁפָ֖ט [son·of·Jehoshaphat] (462) + מֶ֥לֶךְ [king] (90) + יְהוּדָֽה [Judah] (30) = 3556.
Rashi
And in the fifth year and so on. Jehoshaphat made Jehoram king in his lifetime two years when they returned from the war that they fought with the king of Moab, so it is taught in Seder Olam in the fifth year of Jehoram and Jehoshaphat in the fiftieth year, that a decree was pronounced upon Jehoshaphat to be killed at Ramoth Gilead, but they suspended for him on account of his crying out, seven years:
Radak
“And in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat.” The “five” mentioned here stands in place of two [i.e., it does double duty], and its explanation is: it also means “five [years] for Jehoshaphat.” From when was his reign counted for Jehoshaphat? These are the five years from the battle of Ramoth Gilead. So explained the author of Seder Olam, for in the battle of Ramoth Gilead Jehoshaphat was liable to be put to death, since he went to aid the wicked. And when he cried out, seven years were suspended for him, and in the end, five years from that moment were the five years of Joram, son of Ahab. And Jehoshaphat returned from the war with Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir together with the king of Israel. After they had slain them, they came and made Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, king over Judah, and he reigned two years during his brother’s lifetime. And what it said above, “And Joram reigned in the second year of Joram, son of Jehoshaphat,” which might lead one to think that Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, reigned two years before Joram, son of Ahab—behold, Joram reigned during the lifetime of his father Jehoshaphat for seven years. They did not crown him then, but rather, since Jehoshaphat was liable to be put to death, they counted the kingship for his son from that moment, but they did not crown him except for two years during his father’s lifetime.
And I am astonished at his words, for he says that in the battle of Ramoth Gilead the decree was decreed upon him, and from that moment they counted the kingship for his son for seven years. And behold, in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, those seven years were completed, for Ahaziah, son of Ahab, reigned two years. How then could the fifth year of the decree be for this Joram? This is not possible. And how did they crown him for two years during his father’s lifetime? Was it not that when Joram had five years of his reign, Jehoshaphat died, for he did not live seven years after Ahab? And furthermore, how did he say, “After they had slain Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, upon their return they came and made Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, king”? Yet we do not see that the king of Israel was present in that war. And moreover, that war was in the days of Ahaziah, son of Ahab, and Joram, son of Ahab, did not yet reign until after the death of his brother Ahaziah. For so we find in Chronicles that after this war, Jehoshaphat joined with Ahaziah, son of Ahab, to build ships.
Rather, the explanation is: “And Jehoshaphat,” [meaning] “and Jehoshaphat died.” For in the fifth year of Joram, Jehoshaphat died, and Joram, his son, reigned a second time, for he had already reigned during his father’s lifetime for seven years, as we explained. And now, when his father died, he reigned a complete kingship without any challenger, for he slew his brothers and strengthened himself in the kingship, as it is written in Chronicles. And if the word “and died” is missing, there is no wonder in this, for the matter is understood from the verse, and there are many such instances in the Bible where a word is omitted because its meaning is understood from the context. Similar to this is the verse: “A ruler lacking in understanding and abounding in oppression shall perish, but a ruler who hates unjust gain shall prolong his days.” Here, the word “shall perish” is omitted, meaning: a ruler who lacks understanding and abounds in oppression shall perish, but a ruler who hates unjust gain shall prolong his days. So too in this verse: after it mentioned that in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, reigned, it is understood from the verse that Jehoshaphat died, for he died in that year. Therefore, it said “and Jehoshaphat,” as if it said “and Jehoshaphat died.” And Joram, son of Jehoshaphat, reigned eight years.
Ralbag
"And in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, king of Israel." We have already explained this in what preceded, and the meaning is that when five years had passed for Joram, son of Ahab, together with Jehoshaphat, king of Judah—who was participating with him in the governance of the kingdom of Israel—then Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, became king over Judah.
Metzudat David
“And in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab.” This is stated in Seder Olam that Jehoshaphat made his son Jehoram king for two complete years during his lifetime, namely in the twenty-third year of his reign. For he reigned twenty-five years; thus, it was in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, for he [Joram] reigned in the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat. Therefore it says, “And in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab,” etc., and “Jehoshaphat,” etc., intending to say: Then Jehoshaphat made his son Jehoram king, and the word “reigned” is to be understood as “made king.” Alternatively, the word “five” stands in place of “two,” as if it said “and five to Jehoshaphat,” and he counted from the time of the wars of Ramoth-gilead, when he deserved to die had not God shown mercy upon him, and as if he became a new creation then, and began to reign then. But for Joram, son of Ahab, they are five fractional years, namely part of the nineteenth year of Jehoshaphat, and the twentieth, and the twenty-first, and the twenty-second, and part of the twenty-third, for then he made his son Jehoram king, and these were two years before his death, for he died in the twenty-fifth year. And for Jehoshaphat himself, they are five complete years from the time of the wars of Ramoth-gilead, namely part of the eighteenth year from the beginning of his reign, and the nineteenth, and the twentieth, and the twenty-first, and the twenty-second, and part of the twenty-third year.
Malbim
And in the fifth year, according to the opinion of our Sages of blessed memory in Seder Olam, these five years were counted for Jehoshaphat. From the war of Ramoth Gilead, when he was deserving of death since he went to assist the wicked, and when he cried out to the Lord, He added seven years to him. And finally, five years from that moment, which was the fifth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, they made Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, king over Judah, and he reigned for two years during his father's lifetime. And concerning what is stated above (2 Kings 1:17), "And Jehoram reigned in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat," this is because Jehoshaphat gave the kingdom to Jehoram upon his return from Ramoth Gilead, as stated in Chronicles. And they counted from that moment also for Jehoram, but they did not crown him with full kingship until two years before his death. And according to this, it must be said that the primary reckoning was for Jehoshaphat, not for Jehoram, for Ahaziah reigned in the middle of those two years. And Radak explained that the word "died" is missing. And Ralbag explained that because of the marriage alliance that existed between Jehoshaphat and Ahab, Jehoshaphat was ruling and governing the kingdom of Israel (after Ahab died) together with the king of Israel, for they showed him honor because he was an elder and because he had married their father. And he explained "in the fifth year of Jehoram and Jehoshaphat" as meaning that both of them governed the kingdom from the time Jehoram, the son of Ahab, began to reign. And so it implies in Chronicles that Jehoshaphat governed Israel, as it is stated (2 Chronicles 19), "And he sat and went out among the people from Beersheba to Mount Ephraim, and he returned them to the Lord, the God of their fathers." And this was during the reign of the house of Ephraim. And it is said of Jehoram, the son of Ahab, "And he did evil, yet not like his father and his mother; and he removed the pillar of Baal that his father had made." And this caused the joint rule with Jehoshaphat.
Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
verse value 3795
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 45 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·thirty" (בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 355: year, year. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "son·of·thirty" (בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים). The root שנה appears 3 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·his·reigning" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings); "year" (root שנה, 109x in II Kings). First appearance of the root ירושלם ("in·Jerusalem") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·his·reigning', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 5 words. Full calculation: בֶּן־שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים [son·of·thirty] (732) + וּשְׁתַּ֛יִם [and·two] (756) + שָׁנָ֖ה [year] (355) + הָיָ֣ה [was] (20) + בְמׇלְכ֑וֹ [in·his·reigning] (98) + וּשְׁמֹנֶ֣ה [eight] (401) + (שנה) [year] (355) + שָׁנִ֔ים [years] (400) + מָלַ֖ךְ [he·reigned] (90) + בִּירוּשָׁלִָֽם [in·Jerusalem] (588) = 3795.
Radak
"Year." [The word] "year" [singular] is the ketiv [written form]; "years" [plural] is the keri [read form].
Metzudat David
Eight years. And they were fragmented, and included within them are the two years during which he reigned in his father’s lifetime.
And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem.
verse value 4319
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "to·him" (לּ֖וֹ) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֚י, 2 letters) and the longest is "daughter·of·Ahab" (בַּת־אַחְאָ֔ב, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "daughter·of·Ahab" (בַּת־אַחְאָ֔ב). The root עשה appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "kings·of" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "as" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·wife', dividing the verse into phrases of 13 and 4 words.
Ralbag
"For she was the daughter of Ahab to him as a wife. And behold, in what follows she is called the daughter of Omri, and I consider that she was the daughter of Ahab; but at times her lineage is traced to her father, and at times to her grandfather."
However Hashem would not destroy Judah, for David His servant’s sake, as He promised him to give to him a lamp and to his children alway.
verse value 3718
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָה֙) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 3718 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "to·him" (ל֥וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "Judah" (אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה, 7 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·destroy" (לְהַשְׁחִ֣ית), "a·lamp" (נִ֛יר), "to·his·sons" (לְבָנָ֖יו). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "He·said·to·him" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "as" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings). First appearance of the root אבה ("but·He·was·not·willing") in II Kings. First appearance of the root שחת ("to·destroy") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'His·servant', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְלֹא־אָבָ֤ה [but·He·was·not·willing] (45) + יְהֹוָה֙ [Hashem] (26) + לְהַשְׁחִ֣ית [to·destroy] (753) + אֶת־יְהוּדָ֔ה [Judah] (431) + לְמַ֖עַן [for·sake·of] (190) + דָּוִ֣ד [David] (14) + עַבְדּ֑וֹ [His·servant] (82) + כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר [as] (521) + אָמַר־ל֗וֹ [He·said·to·him] (277) + לָתֵ֨ת [to·give] (830) + ל֥וֹ [to·him] (36) + נִ֛יר [a·lamp] (260) + לְבָנָ֖יו [to·his·sons] (98) + כׇּל־הַיָּמִֽים [all·the·days] (155) = 3718.
Rashi
A lamp. Government:
Radak
"To give him a nir." Like [the word] "ner" [lamp], with a tzeirei [vowel], following the pattern of "I have set a lamp for My anointed one" (Psalm 132:17). And Jonathan [Targum Yonatan] translated it as "his king," and so too did Onkelos translate "and their nir" as "and their king."
Ralbag
"To give him a lamp for his sons all the days." This means that He would give the kingdom to his sons for all time.
Metzudat David
"And He was not willing." Although they deserved destruction, for Jehoram and his house did evil.
"Judah." This implies: the kings of Judah.
"All the days." This means: all the days of the reign.
Metzudat Zion
Nir. Same as ner [a lamp], meaning: a king, who illuminates like a lamp:
Malbim
"And the Lord was not willing to destroy" — behold, in the covenant which the Lord made with David, He assured him that if his sons abandon the Torah of the Lord, He will punish them, but He will not remove the kingship from them, as it is stated (2 Samuel 7:15): "When he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men... but My mercy I will not remove from him," and in Psalms (89:31): "If his sons abandon My Torah... I will punish their transgression with the rod... but My mercy I will not utterly remove." However, regarding the sons of the sons who rebel, there is a condition that the kingship will be removed from them, as it is stated in Psalms (132:12): "If your sons will keep My covenant... then their sons will sit upon your throne forever." Therefore, you will find in the Kingdom of Judah that the sons of evil kings, if they continued in the deeds of their fathers, did not endure, such as Abijam, son of Rehoboam, and Jehoahaz, son of Jehoram. But Jehoram himself was not removed from ruling. Regarding this, it is said, "And the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah for the sake of David," because He had assured him to give him a lamp for his sons all the days. This means that the sons will endure all the days, even if they sin; only their sons, if they sin, will be removed immediately from the kingship. But they themselves will be punished with the rod of men, just as He punished Rehoboam through Shishak. Similarly, Edom rebelled against Jehoram; in the days of David, they had no king and were submissive under his hand, but now they rebelled against him.
Cross-references: I Kings 11:36; II Chronicles 21:7
In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.
verse value 1818
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 37 letters. Verse gematria: 1818 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "he·revolted" (פָּשַׁ֣ע, 3 letters) and the longest is "hand·Judah" (יַד־יְהוּדָ֑ה, 7 letters). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·made·king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "upon·them" (root על, 116x in II Kings); "in·his·days" (root יום, 79x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'hand·Judah', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: בְּיָמָיו֙ [in·his·days] (68) + פָּשַׁ֣ע [he·revolted] (450) + אֱד֔וֹם [Edom] (51) + מִתַּ֖חַת [from·under] (848) + יַד־יְהוּדָ֑ה [hand·Judah] (44) + וַיַּמְלִ֥כוּ [and·they·made·king] (112) + עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם [upon·them] (155) + מֶֽלֶךְ [king] (90) = 1818.
Rashi
And they made them a king. And from the days of David there was no king for them, as it is said (I Kings 22:48): and there was no king in Edom; (II Samuel 8:14): and he put governors in Edom, eight kings reigned in Edom before the king of Israel, numbered in the book of Genesis (36:31-43), opposite him eight kings reigned in Israel, Ish-Bosheth, and David, and Solomon, and Rehoboam, and Abijam, and Asa, and Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and there was no king to Edom, and what is written above that the king of Edom went with Jehoram son of Ahab and with Jehoshaphat to war against the king of Moab, he was not a complete king but a governor, for even he was called king and as it is said (I Kings 22:48): and there was no king in Edom, a governor was king, the governor was for them in place of a king:
Radak
"In his days, they rebelled." For [Edom] was under the rule of the kings of Judah up to this time, and there was no king among them [Edom]; rather, the kings of Judah would appoint a governor over them, and he served as their king. And because of the sins of Jehoram, they rebelled against his authority.
Ralbag
"In his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah." This means that in the days of Jehoram, Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah, they revolted against them, and they appointed a king over themselves, and they removed the governor whom the king of Judah had placed over them.
Metzudat David
"And they made him king." For until now, he had been their governor, a king under the authority of the kings of Judah.
Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him; and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites that compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents.
verse value 3662
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 79 letters. The shortest word is "arose" (קָ֣ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·all·the·chariots" (וְכׇל־הָרֶ֖כֶב, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·Zair" (צָעִ֔ירָה), "and·all·the·chariots" (וְכׇל־הָרֶ֖כֶב), "and·it·was·he" (וַֽיְהִי־ה֞וּא). The root רכב appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·him" (root אל, 113x in II Kings); "with" (root עם, 65x in II Kings); "and·smote" (root נכה, 58x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 13 words.
Rashi
The surrounding to him. Those close to the edge:
Radak
"Tze'irah [Zair]." A city of Edom, and Jehoram passed by it to fight against the king of Edom.
"And it came to pass that he rose up by night." The explanation is: When Joram was at Tze'irah, the army of Edom went out against him, and they encamped opposite one another until the next day, when they would fight one against the other. And when it was night, Joram rose with his camp and struck the camp of Edom, all those who were surrounding him, and he struck the commanders of the chariots. And when they realized what had happened, the camp of Edom was terrified, because they had fallen upon them suddenly; and the remnant of Edom fled, each man to his tent. And afterward it says, "and rebelled," meaning that despite all that Joram did to Edom, they continued to rebel throughout all the days under the hand of Judah. And my father, of blessed memory, explained "And it came to pass that he rose up by night" as referring to the king of Edom, who struck Edom, those who were surrounding the king of Israel—that is, those who were assisting him, who had not yet rebelled, for there were still those in Edom who had not rebelled. And the king of Edom rose and struck them, and the commanders of the chariots who belonged to Joram.
"And the people fled." Israel fled to their tents, and they said to the Israelites who were in the cities: "Edom has rebelled from under the hand of Judah."
The surrounding. With a yod as a continuation, contrary to the custom, with a tsere; and similar to it are "he surrounded the city" and "one with wings shall proclaim a matter" and "he begets iniquity."
Ralbag
And behold, Jehoram crossed over to Zair, and all the chariots were with him, to fight against Edom, which had rebelled against him. And behold, not all of them had rebelled against him, but only some of them; the others went to assist him in order to fight against those Edomites who had rebelled against him. And when Jehoram was striving to fight against Edom, which had rebelled against him, behold, the Edomites who had rebelled rose up at night and struck the Edomites who had surrounded him to fight against him—those who had come to aid Jehoram, king of Judah. And they struck at night the commanders of the chariots that belonged to Jehoram, and the people of Israel fled to their tents. And even then, the city of Libnah rebelled against Israel.
Metzudat David
Tzeirah. A place name in the land of Edom:
He arose at night, for he did not have the strength to fight against them during the day in public.
"He who surrounds him." He who is close to him, for he did not have the strength to go into the depth of the battle:
"And he fled." After he had struck a little at them, he immediately fled to his tents, for he feared Edom.
Malbim
"And he passed over" – and already Yoram had reached the utmost degree of weakness, so that he feared to fight against them by day; he only rose up at night. And it is explained in Chronicles that he passed over with his officers and all his chariots with him, and nevertheless he feared to fight by day. And even though he rose up at night, he struck only Edom surrounding him – meaning those who were around Jerusalem – and the officers of the chariots, but did not conclude the battle. "And the people fled" – meaning the people of Israel, each man to his tent, for they feared to fight.
Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, to this day. Then did Libnah revolt at the same time.
verse value 2999
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 46 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֖ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "hand·Judah" (יַד־יְהוּדָ֔ה, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "she·revolted" (תִּפְשַׁ֥ע), "Libnah" (לִבְנָ֖ה). The root פשע appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "day" (root יום, 79x in II Kings); "this" (root זה, 56x in II Kings); "hand·Judah" (root יד, 52x in II Kings). First appearance of the root לבנה ("Libnah") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: וַיִּפְשַׁ֣ע [and·he·revolted] (466) + אֱד֗וֹם [Edom] (51) + מִתַּ֙חַת֙ [from·under] (848) + יַד־יְהוּדָ֔ה [hand·Judah] (44) + עַ֖ד [until] (74) + הַיּ֣וֹם [day] (61) + הַזֶּ֑ה [this] (17) + אָ֛ז [then] (8) + תִּפְשַׁ֥ע [she·revolted] (850) + לִבְנָ֖ה [Libnah] (87) + בָּעֵ֥ת [time] (472) + הַהִֽיא [that] (21) = 2999.
Rashi
Libnah rebelled. The inhabitants of Libnah rebelled and rebelled against the king, and I do not know from which nation they were, for behold Libnah is from the land of Israel, and I say, that they were from the tribe of Judah, and rebelled against the king:
Radak
"Then Libnah rebelled." If this Libnah belonged to Edom, why does it say "rebelled," since it already said, "And Edom rebelled"? It is possible that this Libnah was closer to the Land of Israel than the rest of the land of Edom, and when Edom rebelled, this one had not yet rebelled; but after this war, it rebelled. Therefore, it says, "At that time." And Rashi, of blessed memory, wrote that this Libnah belonged to Israel, and that it rebelled — when Edom rebelled, it too rebelled against the king. And this explanation seems far-fetched to me.
Metzudat David
"Then." At that time, even Libnah rebelled, and it is mentioned in Joshua (15:42) among the cities of the inheritance of Judah, and it was adjacent to Edom, and it too rebelled against the king of Judah.
Malbim
And through this, Edom rebelled completely; likewise, Libnah, which was among the kingdoms of Judah, rebelled against him.
Cross-references: II Kings 16:6; II Kings 19:8; II Chronicles 21:10
And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
verse value 3500
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. Verse gematria: 3500 is divisible by 50, the years to the Jubilee (yovel). The shortest word is "did" (עָשָׂ֑ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·all·that" (וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 216: words·of, words·of. The root דבר appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "of·the·kings·of" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·all·that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "words·of" (root דבר, 147x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'did', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וְיֶ֛תֶר [and·remainder·of] (616) + דִּבְרֵ֥י [words·of] (216) + יוֹרָ֖ם [Joram] (256) + וְכׇל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר [and·all·that] (557) + עָשָׂ֑ה [did] (375) + הֲלֹא־הֵ֣ם [not·abundance] (81) + כְּתוּבִ֗ים [written] (478) + עַל־סֵ֛פֶר [in·the·book·of] (440) + דִּבְרֵ֥י [words·of] (216) + הַיָּמִ֖ים [day] (105) + לְמַלְכֵ֥י [of·the·kings·of] (130) + יְהוּדָֽה [Judah] (30) = 3500.
Malbim
And the rest of the words concerning Yoram are written in Chronicles: "He killed all his brothers, the sons of the king," and that he led the inhabitants of Judah astray, and the Lord stirred up against him the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs, and they conquered Judah and took all his wives and his sons, and none remained except Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons, and he died from severe diseases.
And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.
verse value 3291
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 54 letters. The shortest word is "David" (דָּוִ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "with·his·fathers" (עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 529: with·his·fathers, with·his·fathers. The root עם appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·reigned" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "his·son" (root בן, 66x in II Kings); "with·his·fathers" (root עם, 65x in II Kings). First appearance of the root קבר ("and·he·was·buried") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'David', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב [and·he·slept] (338) + יוֹרָם֙ [Joram] (256) + עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו [with·his·fathers] (529) + וַיִּקָּבֵ֥ר [and·he·was·buried] (318) + עִם־אֲבֹתָ֖יו [with·his·fathers] (529) + בְּעִ֣יר [in·city·of] (282) + דָּוִ֑ד [David] (14) + וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ [and·he·reigned] (106) + אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ [Ahaziah] (37) + בְנ֖וֹ [his·son] (58) + תַּחְתָּֽיו [in·his·stead] (824) = 3291.
Rashi
And he was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And in Chronicles (II 21:20) he says: in the city of David and not in the tombs of the kings:
Radak
In the City of David. But not with the kings. And so it is written in Chronicles: “Not in the tombs of the kings.”
Malbim
And he was buried with his fathers: In Chronicles it is mentioned that he was not buried in the tombs of the kings.
In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
verse value 3973
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָ֔ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "two·ten" (שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: king, he·reigned, king. The root מלך appears 3 times in this verse. 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "in·year·of" (root שנה, 109x in II Kings); "son·of·Jehoram" (root בין, 106x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 5 words. Full calculation: בִּשְׁנַת֙ [in·year·of] (752) + שְׁתֵּים־עֶשְׂרֵ֣ה [two·ten] (1325) + שָׁנָ֔ה [year] (355) + לְיוֹרָ֥ם [to·Joram] (286) + בֶּן־אַחְאָ֖ב [son·of·Ahab] (64) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [Israel] (541) + מָלַ֛ךְ [he·reigned] (90) + אֲחַזְיָ֥הוּ [Ahaziah] (37) + בֶן־יְהוֹרָ֖ם [son·of·Jehoram] (313) + מֶ֥לֶךְ [king] (90) + יְהוּדָֽה [Judah] (30) = 3973.
Radak
"In the twelfth year." And Jehoram his father reigned in the fifth year of Joram, son of Ahab, and he reigned for eight years. Thus, there are thirteen [years], but the thirteenth year was not complete; therefore, it was not counted for him. And so you will find it in all the reckonings, as we have written.
Metzudat David
"In the twelfth year." For Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, began to reign in the fifth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, and he reigned for eight years of incomplete years; thus, they total twelve years in the reign of Joram, the son of Ahab, and at that time Ahaziah began to reign.
Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri king of Israel.
verse value 5633
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 69 letters. The shortest word is "year" (שָׁנָה֙, 3 letters) and the longest is "son·of·twenty" (בֶּן־עֶשְׂרִ֨ים, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 90: he·reigned, king. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·year" (וְשָׁנָ֣ה), "daughter·of·Omri" (בַּת־עׇמְרִ֖י). The root מלך appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "in·his·reigning" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "year" (root שנה, 109x in II Kings); "son·of·twenty" (root בין, 106x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Jerusalem', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 6 words.
Radak
"Twenty-two years old." In Chronicles it says he was forty-two years old when Ahaziah began to reign. How could this be? Moreover, all the days of his father were only forty years, for it is written: "He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years," making forty years in total. How could he be forty-two years old when he began to reign? This is impossible. It is stated in Seder Olam that once Asa married off the daughter of Omri to Jehoshaphat his son, a decree was issued that the kingdom of the House of David would end together with the House of Ahab. And so it came to pass: Ahaziah, king of Judah, died together with the king of Israel, whom Jehu killed. When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, king of Judah, saw that her son was dead, she destroyed all the royal lineage. Therefore, he counted forty-two years from the day the decree was issued. In the thirty-first year of Asa, she was taken [in marriage], as it is stated: "In the thirty-first year of Asa, Omri began to reign over Israel." Yet he had reigned forty-two years prior to that! Rather, the meaning is that he reigned a complete reign over Israel, [from the time] he became related by marriage to Asa and rose to power, killed Tibni, and reigned over Israel. From the thirty-first year of Asa until the death of Ahaziah, king of Judah, there were forty-two years. How so? Nine years of Asa and twenty-five years of Jehoshaphat make thirty-four years, and eight years of Jehoram make forty-two years. But this is very far from the plain meaning. The correct explanation is that Jehoram lived more than forty years, but only eight years of his reign were counted—those years during which he reigned with full authority. However, from the time he fell into the hands of the Arabs and also fell ill, his days of reign were not counted. They completed [the count] and crowned Ahaziah during his father's lifetime, from the time his father fell, and he reigned without glory for twenty years. When they crowned Ahaziah during his father's lifetime, he was twenty-two years old, as stated here. And what is said, "He reigned one year in Jerusalem," refers to after the death of his father. But during his father's lifetime, he reigned for twenty years. When his father died, he was forty-two years old, and they crowned him a second time. Yet after his father's death, he reigned only one year.
And the name of his mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri. And above it was stated that Jehoram his father had the daughter of Ahab as his wife; it is said that she was the daughter of Ahab, and yet it is said the daughter of Omri, because grandchildren are considered as sons. Likewise, "And they came to Reuel, who was their father's father" (Exodus 2:18), and likewise Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and he was the son of Pedaiah, who was the son of Shealtiel, and there are many such cases. And as for what is said about him, "son-in-law of the house of Ahab," though he was [only] the son of a son-in-law of the house of Ahab, he too is considered a son-in-law to them, meaning that through marriage his relative was connected to them.
Ralbag
Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he began to reign. And behold, in Chronicles it states, "He was forty-two years old." Now, what is counted in Chronicles is not according to the birth of Ahaziah, but rather to the time when the kingdom of Omri arose; and because he was of Omri's lineage, it happened that he was killed along with the king of Israel. This is what is meant: after thirty-one years of Asa, Omri reigned over all Israel; after this, he reigned for six years, and his son Ahab for twenty-two years, and Ahaziah for two years, and Joram was in his twelfth year—making a total of forty-two years during which the kingdom of Omri stood.
"And his mother's name was Atalyahu, daughter of Omri." Behold, this is the one he mentioned, for she is the daughter of Ahab.
Metzudat David
He was twenty-two years old. And in Chronicles (II 22:2) it is stated: "He was forty-two years old." And it is taught in Seder Olam: This count is not for the birth of Ahaziah, but rather for the rise of the kingdom of Omri over all Israel, which occurred through Jehoshaphat's taking his daughter as a wife, as is stated there. [And it is possible that he married her one year before Omri reigned over all Israel, and thus it would be forty-two incomplete years.] And because Ahaziah was of his lineage, it befell that he was killed together with the king of Israel by Jehu; therefore, his reign is linked to the rise of the kingdom of Omri.
Daughter of Omri. And above (verse 18) it is stated that Jehoram, his father, took the daughter of Ahab. And it seems that Omri raised her, and she is called his daughter. For even grandchildren are considered as children.
Malbim
He was twenty-two years old, yet in Chronicles it is written that he was forty-two years old? And besides the fact that it contradicts this passage, it is altogether impossible, for all the days of his father Jehoram were forty years; how could his son have been forty-two years old at his death? And Radak explains that Jehoram lived more than forty years, but he counted only eight years from his days of kingship, during which he reigned with strength; but from the time he fell into the hands of the Arabs and became ill, he did not count [those years]. From then on his son reigned, and he was twenty-two years old, as stated here. This period lasted twenty years, which Jehoram lived while ill. And when he died, Ahaziah was forty-two years old, as stated in Chronicles. And the years of Ahaziah's kingship after his father's death were only one year.
And I am greatly astonished: did not Ahaziah die together with Jehoram, son of Ahab? And Jehoram, son of Ahab, reigned only twelve years. How is it possible that there were still twenty years in between? And our Sages of blessed memory explained in Seder Olam that he meant to say that he was forty-two years old from the beginning of Omri's kingship. He meant to say that it was decreed regarding Omri's kingship that it would not last more than forty-two years, and afterward his memory and the memory of his sons would be blotted out from the land. Ahaziah, who was also Omri's grandson through his mother, reigned in that year, and therefore he was killed together with the house of Ahab, to fulfill what was said, "I will cut off from Ahab him who urinates against the wall." And regarding this it said, "And his mother's name was Athaliah, daughter of Omri, and he walked in the way of the house of Ahab." He meant to say that he was a branch from its root, and also walked in its ways. Therefore, he fell together with them. And above it stated that Jehoram took Ahab's daughter, and she is called "daughter of Omri," for grandchildren are considered as children. And "he walked with Jehoram" — this was a decree from the Lord, so that he might be destroyed together with the house of Ahab, as stated in Chronicles.
And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem, as did the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
verse value 2913
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 54 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֛י, 2 letters) and the longest is "house·of·Ahab" (בֵּית־אַחְאָ֖ב, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 12: Ahab, Ahab, he. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "son-in-law" (חֲתַ֥ן), "house·of·Ahab" (בֵּית־אַחְאָ֖ב). The root אחאב appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "and·did" (root עשה, 142x in II Kings); "house·of" (root בית, 141x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Ahab', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֗לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + בְּדֶ֙רֶךְ֙ [in·way·of] (226) + בֵּ֣ית [house·of] (412) + אַחְאָ֔ב [Ahab] (12) + וַיַּ֧עַשׂ [and·did] (386) + הָרַ֛ע [the·evil] (275) + בְּעֵינֵ֥י [in·eyes·of] (142) + יְהֹוָ֖ה [Hashem] (26) + כְּבֵ֣ית [like·house·of] (432) + אַחְאָ֑ב [Ahab] (12) + כִּ֛י [for] (30) + חֲתַ֥ן [son-in-law] (458) + בֵּית־אַחְאָ֖ב [house·of·Ahab] (424) + הֽוּא [he] (12) = 2913.
Metzudat David
"For he was related by marriage." This means that through the marriage-relation, his closeness to them was established, for his father had been a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-gilead; and the Arameans wounded Joram.
verse value 3166
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 57 letters. The shortest word is "and·went" (וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ, 4 letters) and the longest is "Joram" (אֶת־יוֹרָ֣ם, 6 letters). Words sharing gematria 657: Joram, Joram. 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "with·Hazael" (עִם־חֲזָאֵ֥ל). The root רום appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Aram" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·went" (root הלך, 98x in II Kings); "and·they·smote" (root נכה, 58x in II Kings). First appearance of the root רמת ("in·Ramoth") in II Kings. First appearance of the root גלעד ("Gilead") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Gilead', dividing the verse into phrases of 8 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + אֶת־יוֹרָ֣ם [Joram] (657) + בֶּן־אַחְאָ֗ב [son·of·Ahab] (64) + לַמִּלְחָמָ֛ה [to·the·battle] (153) + עִם־חֲזָאֵ֥ל [with·Hazael] (156) + מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם [king·Aram] (331) + בְּרָמֹ֣ת [in·Ramoth] (642) + גִּלְעָ֑ד [Gilead] (107) + וַיַּכּ֥וּ [and·they·smote] (42) + אֲרַמִּ֖ים [Arameans] (291) + אֶת־יוֹרָֽם [Joram] (657) = 3166.
Ralbag
And the Arameans struck Joram. Behold, God, blessed be He, arranged that Ahab and his son Joram should fall at Ramoth Gilead, for Joram went to wage war at Ramoth Gilead, and there he was struck. And this was an instrument of God, so that Jehu would be able to kill him.
And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
verse value 6317
Insights
Verse structure: 25 words, 124 letters. The shortest word is "that" (אֲשֶׁ֨ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "in·Jezreel" (בְיִזְרְעֶ֗אל, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 320: in·Jezreel, in·Jezreel. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "in·Ramah" (בָּרָמָ֔ה), "with·Hazael" (אֶת־חֲזָהאֵ֖ל), "because·sick" (כִּי־חֹלֶ֥ה). The root מלך appears 3 times in this verse. 22 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "son·of·Jehoram" (root בין, 106x in II Kings). First appearance of the root יזרעאל ("in·Jezreel") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'Aram', dividing the verse into phrases of 14 and 11 words.
Radak
"From the wounds." The word is a noun, like "from the blows," and the singular is said "makkeh" [wound], with a segol, on the pattern of "matteh" [staff], and so the Targum says "min machta."
"Asher yakkuhu" — like "hikkuhu" — the future tense is used in place of the past tense, and there are many such instances.
Metzudat David
"And he returned." From the war:
"At Ramah." It is Ramoth Gilead.
"To see." He means: to visit him, because he was ill from the wounds.
Rashi
Radak
Metzudat David
Malbim