Short Note: Ritual Washing

Abstract

An odd question-answer exchange pops up in 2 Kings 3.11 as King Jehoshaphat of Judah seeks oracular support for his budding alliance with the northern kingdom against Moab. In response to his question “Is there no prophet of the Lord here through whom we may inquire of the Lord?” a servant-official of the king of Israel replies, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah” (ESV). Commentators hesitate when it comes to explaining the relative clause, 3 and with a number of modern readercentred translations take it to be synonymous with servitude; Elisha was Elijah’s servant, so BBE, GNB NET, NIV, or assistant, so NLT, GWN.