2 Kings 13:18

KJV

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.

KJV (with Strong's)

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}.

Complete Jewish Bible

He said, "Take the arrows"; and he took them. He told the king of Isra'el, "Strike the ground." He struck three times, then stopped.

Berean Standard Bible

Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

American Standard Version

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.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 13:18 captures a pivotal moment in the final days of the prophet Elisha, where King Joash of Israel is given a prophetic test concerning the nation's deliverance from Aramean oppression. Elisha instructs the king to strike the ground with arrows, a symbolic act intended to determine the extent of Israel's future victories. Joash's decision to strike only three times, and then cease, reveals a critical lack of faith and zeal, ultimately limiting the full scope of God's intended triumph for His people. This verse powerfully illustrates the profound consequences of partial obedience and limited expectation in the face of divine opportunity.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is deeply embedded within the narrative of Elisha's final prophetic acts and his interaction with King Joash. It immediately follows Elisha's deathbed encounter with Joash, where the king weeps over the dying prophet [2 Kings 13:14](/2_kings/13-14 "2 Kings 13:14 - Joash Visits Elisha"). Elisha, in a profound symbolic gesture, instructs Joash to open the east window and shoot an arrow, declaring it "the arrow of the LORD's deliverance" against Aram [2 Kings 13:17](/2_kings/13-17 "2 Kings 13:17 - The Arrow of Deliverance"). The command in verse 18 to "smite upon the ground" is a direct continuation of this prophetic demonstration, a test designed to gauge Joash's faith and commitment to God's promised victory. The subsequent verse, [2 Kings 13:19](/2_kings/13-19 "2 Kings 13:19 - Elisha's Anger at Joash"), reveals Elisha's frustration at Joash's limited response, underscoring the missed opportunity.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The period of Joash's reign (c. 798-782 BC) in the Northern Kingdom of Israel was marked by severe oppression from Aram (Syria), particularly under King Hazael and his son Ben-Hadad III. Israel had been significantly weakened, suffering military defeats and territorial losses, precisely as prophesied by Elisha earlier [2 Kings 8:12](/2_kings/8-12 "2 Kings 8:12 - Elisha's Prophecy to Hazael"). The act of striking the ground with arrows likely carried symbolic weight in the ancient Near East, perhaps signifying a ritualistic act of conquest or a claim of dominion over an enemy. For Elisha, a prophet who often employed symbolic actions to convey divine messages (e.g., [2 Kings 4:41](/2_kings/4-41 "2 Kings 4:41 - Purifying the Stew"), [2 Kings 6:6](/2_kings/6-6 "2 Kings 6:6 - The Floating Ax Head")), this was a tangible expression of spiritual warfare and a test of the king's faith in God's ability to grant victory.
* **Key Themes:** This passage powerfully highlights several key themes central to the book of [2 Kings](/2_kings/1 "2 Kings - The History of Israel and Judah"):
* **Obedience and Faith:** The core of the passage revolves around Joash's response to a divine command. It demonstrates a direct correlation between the king's level of obedience and faith and the extent of God's blessing and deliverance. Joash's partial obedience reveals a deficiency in his faith, directly impacting the outcome.
* **Divine Opportunity and Human Responsibility:** God, through Elisha, presents Joash with a clear opportunity for decisive and complete triumph over Israel's oppressors. The narrative underscores that while God's power is absolute, the *manifestation* of His deliverance can be contingent upon human responsiveness and willingness to fully engage with His commands.
* **Consequences of Incomplete Effort:** Joash's decision to "smite thrice, and stayed" serves as a poignant illustration of the negative consequences of half-hearted effort or limited expectation. This partial obedience directly limited the scope of God's intended deliverance for Israel, leading to a less-than-total victory over the Arameans, a point explicitly lamented by Elisha in [2 Kings 13:19](/2_kings/13-19 "2 Kings 13:19 - Elisha's Frustration").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Smite (Hebrew, _nakah'_):** This verb, נָכָה (_nakah_), carries a strong sense of striking, beating, or even conquering. In military contexts, it often denotes a decisive blow or a rout. Elisha's instruction was not merely a physical act but a symbolic and spiritual one, representing the forceful and repeated striking down of the enemy. The prophet expected a vigorous and persistent application of this "striking," signifying a relentless pursuit of victory.
* **Thrice (Hebrew, _shalosh'_):** The number three, שָׁלֹשׁ (_shalosh_), frequently appears in biblical contexts, often signifying completeness, divine action, or emphasis (e.g., three days, three times a day for prayer). However, in this specific narrative, the significance of "thrice" is not its inherent completeness but rather its *insufficient* completion. Joash stopped at three, indicating a self-imposed limit that fell short of what was implicitly desired for a full and overwhelming victory. It highlights a lack of perseverance rather than a divinely ordained stopping point.
* **Stayed (Hebrew, _chadal'_):** The verb חָדַל (_chadal_) means to cease, desist, or stop. This word is crucial as it emphasizes Joash's volitional act of stopping. He was not commanded to stop; he simply "stayed." This cessation points to a lack of zeal, a failure of imagination, or an absence of full faith in the prophetic instruction, directly limiting the potential for God's complete deliverance.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And he said, Take the arrows. And he took [them]."**: This initial exchange demonstrates Joash's immediate, albeit superficial, obedience. He follows the literal command to take the arrows, indicating a willingness to participate in the prophetic act. This sets the stage for the crucial test that follows, where his deeper commitment will be revealed.
* **"And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground."**: This is the core instruction, a test of Joash's faith and zeal. The command to "smite upon the ground" is not given with a specified number of strikes. It is an open-ended directive, implying that the king's persistence would determine the extent of the victory. The ground symbolizes the territory of the enemy, and the striking represents the forceful subjugation of Aram.
* **"And he smote thrice, and stayed."**: This clause reveals Joash's critical failure. He performs the action, but only partially. His decision to strike only three times, and then to "stay" (cease), demonstrates a lack of full commitment, a limited vision, or perhaps a spiritual weariness. This partial obedience directly limits the scope of God's intended deliverance, leading to Elisha's subsequent frustration and the tragic consequence for Israel.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of 2 Kings 13:18 effectively employs several literary devices to convey its profound message. **Symbolism** is central, as the arrows themselves symbolize God's power and the victories to be won over Aram, while the act of striking the ground symbolizes the actual defeat and subjugation of the enemy. The number of strikes is symbolic of the number of future victories. There is an element of **Dramatic Irony**, as the reader, through Elisha's subsequent reaction, understands the profound significance and missed opportunity of Joash's limited action, while Joash himself seems oblivious to the full implications of his cessation. The passage also functions as **Foreshadowing**, where Joash's limited striking directly foreshadows the limited victories Israel will achieve against Aram, rather than the complete triumph that was potentially available. This narrative serves as a **Parable** or object lesson, illustrating the spiritual principle that partial obedience yields partial results, and that the extent of divine blessing can be tied to human faith and perseverance.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The account of Joash and Elisha's arrows serves as a powerful theological statement about the interplay between divine sovereignty and human responsibility, particularly concerning faith and obedience. God's power to deliver is absolute, yet the *extent* of that deliverance, in this instance, was made contingent upon the king's zealous response. Joash's half-hearted effort highlights a recurring biblical theme: God often works *through* human agency, and the measure of our faith and obedience can directly influence the manifestation of His will in our lives and circumstances. This is not to say that our faith *earns* God's favor, but rather that it *opens the channel* for His power to flow fully and unhindered. The narrative stands as a stark warning against spiritual complacency and a call to wholehearted engagement with God's commands and promises, reminding us that God desires not just compliance, but zealous participation in His redemptive plans.

* [1 Samuel 15:22](/1_samuel/15-22 "Obedience Better Than Sacrifice")
* [James 1:22](/james/1-22 "Doers of the Word")
* [Hebrews 11:6](/hebrews/11-6 "Faith is Essential")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The story of King Joash and the arrows of deliverance offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It challenges us to examine the depth of our faith and the sincerity of our obedience when faced with God's commands or promises. Are we prone to half-hearted efforts, stopping short of what God implicitly calls us to, thereby limiting the full scope of His intended blessings and victories in our lives? This passage reminds us that spiritual battles, personal growth, and the advancement of God's kingdom often require sustained effort, unwavering faith, and persistent prayer, not just initial compliance. We are called to press on, to "smite upon the ground" with all the zeal and expectation that God's promises warrant, trusting that our perseverance in faith will unlock the full measure of His power and deliverance against the spiritual adversaries and challenges we face. It encourages us to cultivate a spirit of relentless pursuit of God's will, refusing to settle for partial victories when complete triumph is within reach through faith.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **Where in my life might I be "striking thrice and staying," rather than pressing on for God's full victory?**
* **How does my level of faith and zeal impact the manifestation of God's power in my circumstances?**
* **What specific areas of my life require more persistent and wholehearted obedience to God's commands?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater sense of spiritual urgency and expectation in my walk with God?**

### FAQ

**Why was Elisha so angry at King Joash's actions?**

Answer: Elisha's anger, expressed in [2 Kings 13:19](/2_kings/13-19 "Elisha's Anger at Joash"), stemmed from Joash's lack of zeal and faith, which directly limited the extent of God's promised deliverance for Israel. The prophet understood that the number of times Joash struck the ground would determine the number of decisive victories Israel would achieve over Aram. By stopping at three, Joash demonstrated a half-hearted commitment, effectively curtailing God's full intention for His people. Elisha was frustrated because Joash had squandered a divine opportunity for complete triumph, settling for partial success due to his limited faith.

**What is the significance of Joash striking "thrice" instead of more times?**

Answer: While the number three often carries positive connotations of completeness or divine action in the Bible, in this specific context, "thrice" signifies an *insufficient* completion. It's not that striking three times was inherently wrong, but that Joash *stopped* at three when he was implicitly expected to continue until told otherwise or until exhaustion. His cessation at three reveals a lack of perseverance, a limited vision, or a failure of faith. It symbolizes a missed opportunity for total victory, as Israel would only achieve three victories over Aram, rather than utterly consuming them [2 Kings 13:25](/2_kings/13-25 "Joash Recovers Cities").

**Does this passage mean God's power is limited by our faith?**

Answer: God's power itself is infinite and limitless. However, this passage illustrates that the *manifestation* of God's power and the *extent* of His work through human agents can indeed be influenced by our faith, obedience, and willingness to fully engage with His commands. It's not that God *can't* do more, but that He often chooses to work in partnership with human faith. Joash's story shows that our lack of zeal or partial obedience can limit the *experience* of God's full blessing and deliverance, not His inherent capability. It emphasizes human responsibility in responding to divine opportunities.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Joash's partial obedience and its limiting consequences finds its ultimate contrast and fulfillment in the perfect, unwavering obedience of Jesus Christ. Unlike King Joash, who "smote thrice, and stayed," Jesus never stopped short of God's perfect will. From His incarnation to His agonizing journey to the cross, Christ's obedience was complete and wholehearted. He fully "smote" the enemies of humanity—sin, death, and the devil—not partially, but decisively and eternally. His cry on the cross, "[It is finished!](/john/19-30 "It Is Finished")", signifies a complete and final victory, a perfect fulfillment of God's redemptive plan, unlike Joash's limited triumph. Through Christ's singular, perfect sacrifice, believers are granted not partial deliverance, but full and eternal salvation, having been "[perfected forever](/hebrews/10-14 "Perfected Forever") by one offering." Where Joash's limited faith resulted in limited earthly victories, Christ's perfect faith and obedience secured an eternal, comprehensive victory, disarming "[principalities and powers](/colossians/2-15 "Triumph Over Principalities")" and leading us into the fullness of God's promised rest. He is the one who pressed on, even to death on a cross, ensuring that God's deliverance for His people would be absolute and complete, leaving no victory unachieved.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.