12 And the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Joash, H3101 and all that he did, H6213 and his might H1369 wherewith he fought H3898 against Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel? H3478
Now Elisha H477 was fallen sick H2470 of his sickness H2483 whereof he died. H4191 And Joash H3101 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 came down H3381 unto him, and wept H1058 over his face, H6440 and said, H559 O my father, H1 my father, H1 the chariot H7393 of Israel, H3478 and the horsemen H6571 thereof. And Elisha H477 said H559 unto him, Take H3947 bow H7198 and arrows. H2671 And he took H3947 unto him bow H7198 and arrows. H2671 And he said H559 to the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 Put H7392 thine hand H3027 upon the bow. H7198 And he put H7392 his hand H3027 upon it: and Elisha H477 put H7760 his hands H3027 upon the king's H4428 hands. H3027 And he said, H559 Open H6605 the window H2474 eastward. H6924 And he opened H6605 it. Then Elisha H477 said, H559 Shoot. H3384 And he shot. H3384 And he said, H559 The arrow H2671 of the LORD'S H3068 deliverance, H8668 and the arrow H2671 of deliverance H8668 from Syria: H758 for thou shalt smite H5221 the Syrians H758 in Aphek, H663 till thou have consumed H3615 them. And he said, H559 Take H3947 the arrows. H2671 And he took H3947 them. And he said H559 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 Smite H5221 upon the ground. H776 And he smote H5221 thrice, H7969 H6471 and stayed. H5975 And the man H376 of God H430 was wroth H7107 with him, and said, H559 Thou shouldest have smitten H5221 five H2568 or six H8337 times; H6471 then hadst thou smitten H5221 Syria H758 till thou hadst consumed H3615 it: whereas now thou shalt smite H5221 Syria H758 but thrice. H7969 H6471 And Elisha H477 died, H4191 and they buried H6912 him. And the bands H1416 of the Moabites H4124 invaded H935 the land H776 at the coming in H935 of the year. H8141 And it came to pass, as they were burying H6912 a man, H376 that, behold, they spied H7200 a band H1416 of men; and they cast H7993 the man H376 into the sepulchre H6913 of Elisha: H477 and when the man H376 was let down, H3212 and touched H5060 the bones H6106 of Elisha, H477 he revived, H2421 and stood up H6965 on his feet. H7272 But Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria H758 oppressed H3905 Israel H3478 all the days H3117 of Jehoahaz. H3059 And the LORD H3068 was gracious H2603 unto them, and had compassion H7355 on them, and had respect H6437 unto them, because of H4616 his covenant H1285 with Abraham, H85 Isaac, H3327 and Jacob, H3290 and would H14 not destroy H7843 them, neither cast H7993 he them from his presence H6440 as yet. H5704 So Hazael H2371 king H4428 of Syria H758 died; H4191 and Benhadad H1130 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead. And Jehoash H3060 the son H1121 of Jehoahaz H3059 took H3947 again H7725 out of the hand H3027 of Benhadad H1130 the son H1121 of Hazael H2371 the cities, H5892 which he had taken H3947 out of the hand H3027 of Jehoahaz H3059 his father H1 by war. H4421 Three H7969 times H6471 did Joash H3101 beat H5221 him, and recovered H7725 the cities H5892 of Israel. H3478
Then Amaziah H558 sent H7971 messengers H4397 to Jehoash, H3060 the son H1121 of Jehoahaz H3059 son H1121 of Jehu, H3058 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Come, H3212 let us look H7200 one another in the face. H6440 And Jehoash H3060 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 to Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The thistle H2336 that was in Lebanon H3844 sent H7971 to the cedar H730 that was in Lebanon, H3844 saying, H559 Give H5414 thy daughter H1323 to my son H1121 to wife: H802 and there passed H5674 by a wild H7704 beast H2416 that was in Lebanon, H3844 and trode down H7429 the thistle. H2336 Thou hast indeed H5221 smitten H5221 Edom, H123 and thine heart H3820 hath lifted thee up: H5375 glory H3513 of this, and tarry H3427 at home: H1004 for why shouldest thou meddle H1624 to thy hurt, H7451 that thou shouldest fall, H5307 even thou, and Judah H3063 with thee? But Amaziah H558 would not hear. H8085 Therefore Jehoash H3060 king H4428 of Israel H3478 went up; H5927 and he and Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah H3063 looked H7200 one another in the face H6440 at Bethshemesh, H1053 which belongeth to Judah. H3063 And Judah H3063 was put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel; H3478 and they fled H5127 every man H376 to their tents. H168 And Jehoash H3060 king H4428 of Israel H3478 took H8610 Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 the son H1121 of Jehoash H3060 the son H1121 of Ahaziah, H274 at Bethshemesh, H1053 and came H935 to Jerusalem, H3389 and brake down H6555 the wall H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 from the gate H8179 of Ephraim H669 unto the corner H6438 gate, H8179 four H702 hundred H3967 cubits. H520 And he took H3947 all the gold H2091 and silver, H3701 and all the vessels H3627 that were found H4672 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 and in the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 and hostages, H1121 H8594 and returned H7725 to Samaria. H8111 Now the rest H3499 of the acts H1697 of Jehoash H3060 which he did, H6213 and his might, H1369 and how he fought H3898 with Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 are they not written H3789 in the book H5612 of the chronicles H1697 H3117 of the kings H4428 of Israel? H3478 And Jehoash H3060 slept H7901 with his fathers, H1 and was buried H6912 in Samaria H8111 with the kings H4428 of Israel; H3478 and Jeroboam H3379 his son H1121 reigned H4427 in his stead.
He restored H7725 the coast H1366 of Israel H3478 from the entering H935 of Hamath H2574 unto the sea H3220 of the plain, H6160 according to the word H1697 of the LORD H3068 God H430 of Israel, H3478 which he spake H1696 by the hand H3027 of his servant H5650 Jonah, H3124 the son H1121 of Amittai, H573 the prophet, H5030 which was of Gathhepher. H1662
Then Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah H3063 took advice, H3289 and sent H7971 to Joash, H3101 the son H1121 of Jehoahaz, H3059 the son H1121 of Jehu, H3058 king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Come, H3212 let us see one another H7200 in the face. H6440 And Joash H3101 king H4428 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 to Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 saying, H559 The thistle H2336 that was in Lebanon H3844 sent H7971 to the cedar H730 that was in Lebanon, H3844 saying, H559 Give H5414 thy daughter H1323 to my son H1121 to wife: H802 and there passed by H5674 a wild H7704 beast H2416 that was in Lebanon, H3844 and trode down H7429 the thistle. H2336 Thou sayest, H559 Lo, thou hast smitten H5221 the Edomites; H123 and thine heart H3820 lifteth thee up H5375 to boast: H3513 abide H3427 now at home; H1004 why shouldest thou meddle H1624 to thine hurt, H7451 that thou shouldest fall, H5307 even thou, and Judah H3063 with thee? But Amaziah H558 would not hear; H8085 for it came of God, H430 that he might deliver H5414 them into the hand H3027 of their enemies, because they sought H1875 after the gods H430 of Edom. H123 So Joash H3101 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 went up; H5927 and they saw one another H7200 in the face, H6440 both he and Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 at Bethshemesh, H1053 which belongeth to Judah. H3063 And Judah H3063 was put to the worse H5062 before H6440 Israel, H3478 and they fled H5127 every man H376 to his tent. H168 And Joash H3101 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 took H8610 Amaziah H558 king H4428 of Judah, H3063 the son H1121 of Joash, H3101 the son H1121 of Jehoahaz, H3059 at Bethshemesh, H1053 and brought H935 him to Jerusalem, H3389 and brake down H6555 the wall H2346 of Jerusalem H3389 from the gate H8179 of Ephraim H669 to the corner H6437 gate, H8179 four H702 hundred H3967 cubits. H520 And he took all the gold H2091 and the silver, H3701 and all the vessels H3627 that were found H4672 in the house H1004 of God H430 with Obededom, H5654 and the treasures H214 of the king's H4428 house, H1004 the hostages H1121 H8594 also, and returned H7725 to Samaria. H8111
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 13
Commentary on 2 Kings 13 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 13
2Ki 13:1-7. Jehoahaz's Wicked Reign over Israel.
1-3. Jehoahaz … reigned seventeen years—Under his government, which pursued the policy of his predecessors regarding the support of the calf-worship, Israel's apostasy from the true God became greater and more confirmed than in the time of his father Jehu. The national chastisement, when it came, was consequently the more severe and the instruments employed by the Lord in scourging the revolted nation were Hazael and his son and general Ben-hadad, in resisting whose successive invasions the Israelitish army was sadly reduced and weakened. In the extremity of his distress, Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and was heard, not on his own account (Ps 66:18; Pr 1:28; 15:8), but that of the ancient covenant with the patriarchs (2Ki 13:23).
4. he saw the oppression of Israel—that is, commiserated the fallen condition of His chosen people. The divine honor and the interests of true religion required that deliverance should be granted them to check the triumph of the idolatrous enemy and put an end to their blasphemous taunts that God had forsaken Israel (De 32:27; Ps 12:4).
5. a saviour—This refers neither to some patriotic defender nor some signal victory, but to the deliverance obtained for Israel by the two successors of Jehoahaz, namely, Joash, who regained all the cities which the Syrians had taken from his father (2Ki 13:25); and Jeroboam, who restored the former boundaries of Israel (2Ki 14:25).
6. there remained the grove—Asherah—the idol set up by Ahab (1Ki 16:33), which ought to have been demolished (De 7:5).
7. made them like the dust in threshing—Threshing in the East is performed in the open air upon a level plot of ground, daubed over with a covering to prevent, as much as possible, the earth, sand, or gravel from rising; a great quantity of them all, notwithstanding this precaution, must unavoidably be taken up with the grain; at the same time the straw is shattered to pieces. Hence it is a most significant figure, frequently employed by Orientals to describe a state of national suffering, little short of extermination (Isa 21:10; Mic 4:12; Jer 51:33). The figure originated in a barbarous war custom, which Hazael literally followed (Am 1:3, 4; compare 2Sa 18:31; Jud 8:7).
2Ki 13:8-25. Joash Succeeds Him.
8. his might—This is particularly noticed in order to show that the grievous oppression from foreign enemies, by which the Israelites were ground down, was not owing to the cowardice or imbecility of their king, but solely to the righteous and terrible judgment of God for their foul apostasy.
12, 13. his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah—(See on 2Ki 14:8-14). The usual summary of his life and reign occurs rather early, and is again repeated in the account given of the reign of the king of Judah (2Ki 14:15).
14-19. Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died—Every man's death is occasioned by some disease, and so was Elisha's. But in intimating it, there seems a contrast tacitly made between him and his prophetic predecessor, who did not die.
Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face—He visited him where he was lying ill of this mortal sickness, and expressed deep sorrow, not from the personal respect he bore for the prophet, but for the incalculable loss his death would occasion to the kingdom.
my father, my father! &c.—(See on 2Ki 2:12). These words seem to have been a complimentary phrase applied to one who was thought an eminent guardian and deliverer of his country. The particular application of them to Elisha, who, by his counsels and prayer, had obtained many glorious victories for Israel, shows that the king possessed some measure of faith and trust, which, though weak, was accepted, and called forth the prophet's dying benediction.
15-18. Take bow and arrows—Hostilities were usually proclaimed by a herald, sometimes by a king or general making a public and formal discharge of an arrow into the enemy's country. Elisha directed Joash to do this, as a symbolical act, designed to intimate more fully and significantly the victories promised to the king of Israel over the Syrians. His laying his hands upon the king's hands was to represent the power imparted to the bow shot as coming from the Lord through the medium of the prophet. His shooting the first arrow eastward—to that part of his kingdom which the Syrians had taken and which was east of Samaria—was a declaration of war against them for the invasion. His shooting the other arrows into the ground was in token of the number of victories he was taken to gain; but his stopping at the third betrayed the weakness of his faith; for, as the discharged arrow signified a victory over the Syrians, it is evident that the more arrows he shot the more victories he would gain. As he stopped so soon, his conquests would be incomplete.
20, 21. Elisha died—He had enjoyed a happier life than Elijah, as he possessed a milder character, and bore a less hard commission. His rough garment was honored even at the court.
coming in of the year—that is, the spring, the usual season of beginning campaigns in ancient times. Predatory bands from Moab generally made incursions at that time on the lands of Israel. The bearers of a corpse, alarmed by the appearance of one of these bands, hastily deposited, as they passed that way, their load in Elisha's sepulchre, which might be easily done by removing the stone at the mouth of the cave. According to the Jewish and Eastern custom, his body, as well as that of the man who was miraculously restored, was not laid in a coffin, but only swathed; so that the bodies could be brought into contact, and the object of the miracle was to stimulate the king's and people of Israel's faith in the still unaccomplished predictions of Elisha respecting the war with the Syrians. Accordingly the historian forthwith records the historical fulfilment of the prediction (2Ki 13:22-25), in the defeat of the enemy, in the recovery of the cities that had been taken, and their restoration to the kingdom of Israel.