2 Kings 3 · a question people ask
Why did Elisha ask for a musician?
The chapter doesn't say. It records his words, "But now bring me a musician" (3:15), and what happened: "When the musician played, the LORD’s hand came on him" (3:15). Other verses set music and prophecy side by side. Samuel told Saul he would meet "a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying" (1 Samuel 10:5), and David and the captains of the army set apart certain of the sons of Asaph, Heman and Jeduthun "who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals" (1 Chronicles 25:1). The word for musician is the verb for David's playing before Saul: "David took the harp and played with his hand" (1 Samuel 16:23) (tap musician). None of these verses says why Elisha asked, and the chapter doesn't name the instrument. It gives the LORD's hand, not the music, as what came on him.
The verses
“But now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, the LORD’s hand came on him.”
““After that you will come to the hill of God, where the garrison of the Philistines is; and it will happen, when you have come there to the city, that you will meet a band of prophets coming down from the high place with a lute, a tambourine, a pipe, and a harp before them; and they will be prophesying.”
“Moreover, David and the captains of the army set apart for the service certain of the sons of Asaph, of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who were to prophesy with harps, with stringed instruments, and with cymbals. The number of those who did the work according to their service was:”
“When the spirit from God was on Saul, David took the harp and played with his hand; so Saul was refreshed and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.”