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2 Kings 13

1

In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

2

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

3

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben–hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

4

And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5

(And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.

6

Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

7

Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

8

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

9

And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

10

In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.

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11

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

12

And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

13

And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14

Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

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And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

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And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.

17

And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

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18

And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

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And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.

20

And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

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And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

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But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

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And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

24

So Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben–hadad his son reigned in his stead.

25

And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben–hadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

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2 Kings 13

The account of the reigns of Jehoahaz and Jehoash in Israel and the continued ministry of Elisha establish the pattern of divine judgment and occasional mercy that characterizes the northern kingdom's history. The chapter opens with Jehoahaz's reign, described as evil, and YHWH's judgment in the form of repeated military defeats by Syria. The chapter describes Jehoash's reign and his consultation with the dying Elisha; when Elisha indicates that the king should shoot arrows out the window toward Syria, Jehoash takes up his bow and shoots. Elisha's pronouncement establishes that the arrow is a sign of YHWH's intention to grant deliverance. When Elisha instructs Jehoash to strike the ground, Jehoash strikes three times and then stops. The theological significance lies in the demonstration that YHWH's faithfulness to his covenant persists even when the kings of Israel pursue apostasy.

2 Kings 13:20

So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring — the prophet's death marks the end of an era. The Moabite raids indicate the vulnerability that follows prophetic cessation.

2 Kings 13:1

In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned seventeen years — Jehoahaz's era in the north corresponds to Joash's reign in the south. His seventeen-year rule witnesses Israel's continued decline.

2 Kings 13:2

He did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin; he did not depart from them — Jehoahaz continues the foundational apostasy. The Jeroboamite calf-worship remains the standard for northern kingship.

2 Kings 13:3

The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he gave them repeatedly into the hand of Hazael king of Aram and into the hand of Ben-Hadad son of Hazael — repeated defeat by Aramea becomes the pattern of Jehoahaz's reign. Military subjugation is the covenantal consequence of apostasy.

2 Kings 13:4

Then Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, and the LORD hearkened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them — Jehoahaz's prayer receives response. God's compassion remains even as punishment continues.

2 Kings 13:5

And the LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they escaped from the hand of the Arameans; and the people of Israel lived in their homes as formerly — the deliverance is temporary relief. The people dwell securely, yet the pattern of apostasy-judgment will recur.

2 Kings 13:6

Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria — relief does not produce repentance. The Jeroboamite and Asherah-worship continue despite temporary military respite.

2 Kings 13:7

So the LORD left of Jehoahaz an army of not more than fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing — the decimation of military resources reflects the Aramean conquest's severity. The remaining forces are minimal.

2 Kings 13:8

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did, including his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? — the editorial formula directs readers to fuller historical records.

2 Kings 13:9

So Jehoahaz slept with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria; and his son Joash reigned in his place — Jehoahaz's death and burial conclude his troubled reign. His son Joash (Jehoash) continues the Jehu dynasty.

2 Kings 13:10

In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria; he reigned sixteen years — Joash of Israel (distinct from Joash of Judah) reigns during Judah's later Joashic era. The name-sharing creates potential for confusion in the records.

2 Kings 13:11

He also did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he made Israel to sin, but he walked in them — Joash of Israel continues the apostate pattern. No reform marks his reign.

2 Kings 13:12

Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, as well as the might with which he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? — Joash's military accomplishments (particularly against Judah's Amaziah) are recorded elsewhere. The reference hints at northern military resurgence.

2 Kings 13:13

So Joash slept with his ancestors. Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel — Joash's death and burial affirm his place in the Davidic (yet apostate) dynasty. Jeroboam II, the great military reformer, succeeds him.

2 Kings 13:14

When Elisha became ill with the illness of which he would die, King Joash of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, saying, 'My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!' — Joash's words at Elisha's deathbed echo Elisha's cry at Elijah's rapture (2 Kings 2:12). The phrase expresses the prophet's irreplaceable value as Israel's spiritual defense.

2 Kings 13:15

Elisha said to him, 'Take a bow and arrows.' So he took a bow and arrows — the dying prophet initiates a symbolic action. The bow becomes the instrument of divine judgment and deliverance.

2 Kings 13:16

Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, 'Put your hand on the bow.' And he put his hand on the bow. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands — the physical contact transfers prophetic power. The overlaying of hands echoes Elisha's resurrecting action with the Shunammite's child.

2 Kings 13:17

Then he said, 'Open the window toward the east'; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, 'Shoot'; and he shot. He said, 'The LORD's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! For you shall fight the Arameans until you have made an end of them.' — the arrow shot eastward (toward Aram) represents the LORD's deliverance. The prophecy promises complete victory.

2 Kings 13:18

Then he said, 'Take the arrows'; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, 'Strike the ground with them.' He struck three times, and stopped — Joash's striking of the arrows three times becomes the measure of his victory. His failure to strike more times limits the extent of his triumph.

2 Kings 13:19

Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, 'You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had made an end of it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.' — Elisha's anger at Joash's hesitation reveals the conditional nature of divine blessing. Faith's measure determines the blessing's extent.

2 Kings 13:21

As a man was being buried, lo, a marauding band was sighted and the man was hurried into the tomb of Elisha; as soon as he touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life and stood on his feet — the touch of Elisha's bones transmits resurrection power even after death. The dead man's revival affirms the prophet's continuing efficacy.

2 Kings 13:22

Now King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz — the Aramean pressure continues despite Joash's promised victories. Hazael's subjugation of Israel persists as the dominant political reality.

2 Kings 13:23

But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them; he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them; nor has he cast them out of his presence until now — God's grace toward Israel rests on the patriarchal covenant. Despite apostasy and judgment, the LORD's compassion operates within covenant continuity.

2 Kings 13:24

When King Hazael of Aram died, his son Ben-Hadad succeeded him — the succession in Aram opens opportunity for Israel. Ben-Hadad's rule may bring different pressures.

2 Kings 13:25

Then Joash son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz; three times Joash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel — Joash's military victories against Ben-Hadad fulfill (partially) Elisha's prophecy. The three-fold defeat matches his three arrow-strikes.