2 Kings 3:14

14 Elisha responded, "As the Lord of Hosts lives, I stand before Him. If I did not have respect for[a] King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not look at you; I wouldn't take notice of you.

2 Kings 3:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:14

Elisha said, as the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand,
&c.] Whose minster and prophet he was, to whom he prayed, and whose service he was ready to perform:

surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king
of Judah;
revere him not only as a king, but as a pious prince, and a worshipper of the true God:

I would not look toward thee, nor see thee;
give him no countenance at all, pay no regard to his request, not so much as to look at him in a civil way; but turn away his face from him with contempt and disdain, as unworthy to be conversed with by a prophet of the Lord.

2 Kings 3:14 In-Context

12 Jehoshaphat affirmed, "The Lord's words are with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to him.
13 However, Elisha said to King [Joram] of Israel, "We have nothing in common. Go to the prophets of your father and your mother!" But the king of Israel replied, "No, because it is the Lord who has summoned us three kings to hand us over to Moab."
14 Elisha responded, "As the Lord of Hosts lives, I stand before Him. If I did not have respect for King Jehoshaphat of Judah, I would not look at you; I wouldn't take notice of you.
15 Now, bring me a musician." While the musician played, the Lord's hand came on Elisha.
16 Then he said, "This is what the Lord says: 'Dig ditch after ditch in this wadi.'

Footnotes 1

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