2 Kings 13:23

Translation
King James Version
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.
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KJV (with Strong's)
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.
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Complete Jewish Bible
but ADONAI was gracious, took pity on them and looked on them with favor, because of his covenant with Avraham, Yitz'chak and Ya'akov. He was not willing to destroy them, and to this day he has not banished them from his presence.
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Berean Standard Bible
But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.
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American Standard Version
But Jehovah 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.
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World English Bible Messianic
But the LORD was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
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Geneva Bible (1599)
Therefore the Lord had mercy on them and pitied them, and had respect vnto them because of his couenant with Abraham, Izhak, and Iaakob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from him as yet.
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Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah doth favour them, and pity them, and turn unto them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and hath not been willing to destroy them, nor to cast them from His presence as yet.
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See also
Psalms 105:8Micah 7:18Micah 7:202 Kings 14:27Exodus 2:24Exodus 2:25Psalms 86:15
In the KJVVerse 9,895 of 31,102

Study This Verse

SUMMARY

Second Kings 13:23 profoundly reveals the Lord's enduring faithfulness and compassionate forbearance towards the northern kingdom of Israel, even in the midst of their persistent idolatry and rebellion. Despite their profound unworthiness, God extended unmerited grace, tender compassion, and attentive regard, not because of any merit in them, but solely on the immutable basis of His covenant promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This divine patience prevented their immediate and total destruction or expulsion from His presence, underscoring His unwavering commitment to His sworn word, even when His people proved unfaithful.

CONTEXT

  • Literary Context: This verse is strategically placed within the narrative of the tumultuous reign of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel (the northern kingdom). The preceding verses 2 Kings 13:1-7 detail Jehoahaz's wickedness, his continued adherence to the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam, and the severe divine judgment that followed in the form of oppression by Hazael, king of Aram. Israel's military strength was drastically diminished, leaving them vulnerable and desperate. Amidst this dire situation, Jehoahaz cried out to the Lord, and God, in His sovereign mercy, provided a deliverer (later identified as Jehoash, Jehoahaz's son, and through Elisha's final prophecy). Verse 23 functions as a crucial theological interjection, explaining why God intervened or showed restraint despite Israel's deep and persistent sin—it was not due to their repentance or righteousness, but purely out of His covenant fidelity. This sets the stage for the limited relief Israel would experience, even as their ultimate judgment remained inevitable due to their unrepentant apostasy.
  • Historical & Cultural Context: The period described in 2 Kings 13 reflects an era of intense political instability and profound spiritual decline for the northern kingdom of Israel. The Arameans (Syrians), particularly under their powerful king Hazael, were a dominant regional force, frequently raiding and oppressing Israel. This oppression served as a direct fulfillment of the curses outlined in the Deuteronomic covenant for disobedience, such as those found in Deuteronomy 28:47-48. Since its inception under Jeroboam I, the northern kingdom had established a deep-seated pattern of idolatry, setting up golden calves in Dan and Bethel and engaging in Baal worship, directly violating the first two commandments of the Decalogue. This spiritual apostasy was deeply entrenched, affecting both kings and common people. Culturally, covenants in the ancient Near East were solemn, binding agreements, often sealed with oaths and rituals, and their violation carried severe consequences. God's covenant with the patriarchs (Genesis 12, Genesis 15, Genesis 17) was unique in its unilateral and largely unconditional nature regarding the preservation of the lineage and the land, providing the theological basis for God's continued engagement with Israel despite their profound failures.
  • Key Themes: This verse powerfully articulates several foundational theological themes. Firstly, it highlights God's Unwavering Faithfulness to His covenant promises. Despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness, God remains true to His word given to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, demonstrating that His character is the ultimate guarantor of His commitments, not human merit or performance (Numbers 23:19). Secondly, it profoundly showcases Divine Compassion and Patience. Even in the face of deep-seated sin and rebellion, God's nature is revealed as gracious, merciful, and slow to anger (Exodus 34:6-7). His decision not to immediately destroy Israel reflects His long-suffering love, providing repeated opportunities for repentance and demonstrating His desire for His people's welfare. Thirdly, the phrase "as yet" introduces the crucial theme of Delayed but Inevitable Consequences. While God's covenant prevented immediate annihilation, it did not nullify the ultimate consequences of persistent and unrepentant sin. This subtly foreshadows the eventual Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom, which would occur because Israel ultimately failed to turn from its idolatry, despite God's prolonged patience.

EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

Key Word Analysis

  • Gracious (Hebrew, chânan', H2603): This primitive root means to bend or stoop in kindness to an inferior, to favor, or to bestow. It speaks of God's benevolent disposition and willingness to extend unmerited kindness and favor. In this context, it emphasizes that God's actions toward Israel were not a response to their righteousness but flowed from His inherent character of grace, demonstrating His unmerited favor towards a rebellious people.
  • Compassion (Hebrew, râcham', H7355): This primitive root signifies to fondle, and by implication, to love, especially to compassionate. It conveys a deep, visceral, tender pity, akin to a mother's profound love and care for her child. It suggests a profound emotional empathy and a strong desire to alleviate suffering, indicating God's deep concern and tender mercy for His people despite their rebellion and the suffering they brought upon themselves.
  • Covenant (Hebrew, bᵉrîyth', H1285): A compact, often made by passing between pieces of flesh (referencing the ancient Near Eastern practice of cutting a covenant). This foundational theological concept refers to a solemn, binding agreement established by oath. Here, it specifically points to the unconditional promises God made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which guaranteed the preservation of their descendants and a special relationship with God, irrespective of Israel's behavior. This covenant is the bedrock of God's continued faithfulness and the sole basis for His forbearance in this verse.

Verse Breakdown

  • "And the LORD was gracious unto them": This clause immediately establishes God's benevolent disposition towards Israel. Despite their persistent sin and the severe judgment they were experiencing under Aramaean oppression, God chose to act with unmerited favor, demonstrating His inherent character as a God of grace, extending kindness where it was not deserved.
  • "and had compassion on them": This phrase further deepens the portrayal of God's character, highlighting His profound, tender mercy. It indicates that God was not indifferent to their suffering, even though it was a direct consequence of their own sin and rebellion. His deep compassion motivated His restraint and eventual provision of a deliverer.
  • "and had respect unto them": Literally, this means God "turned His face toward them" or "regarded them." This signifies God's attentive and favorable consideration. Despite their profound faults and the fact that they had "turned their back" on Him through idolatry, God did not turn His back on them; He acknowledged their existence and His unique, covenantal relationship with them.
  • "because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob": This is the pivotal explanatory clause, revealing the sole and immutable basis for God's continued favor and forbearance. It was not Israel's merit, fleeting repentance, or any inherent goodness, but God's unwavering commitment to the unconditional promises He had sworn to the patriarchs. This covenant guaranteed their existence as a people and their unique relationship with Him.
  • "and would not destroy them": This specifies the immediate and profound consequence of God's covenant faithfulness: He withheld ultimate, annihilating judgment. Despite their deserving total destruction due to their deep-seated apostasy and repeated rebellion, God's unbreakable promise to the patriarchs ensured their survival as a nation.
  • "neither cast he them from his presence as yet": This final clause highlights God's patience and, crucially, the temporary nature of His forbearance. While He did not immediately expel them from the land (which symbolized His presence among them), the phrase "as yet" implies that such a casting out remained a future possibility if their rebellion continued unchecked. This serves as a solemn foreshadowing of the eventual Assyrian and Babylonian exiles.

Literary Devices

The verse employs several significant literary devices that enrich its theological message. Divine Anthropomorphism is evident in the phrase "had respect unto them," which literally means God "turned His face towards them." This attributes a human-like action (turning one's face in attentive regard) to God, making His attentive and favorable consideration more relatable and immediate to the reader. The entire verse functions as a powerful example of Covenant Theology in action, where God's present actions and His restraint from judgment are directly explained and constrained by His past, immutable promises. This emphasizes the binding nature of His word. Furthermore, the phrase "as yet" serves as a crucial instance of Foreshadowing, subtly hinting at the future, inevitable judgment (specifically the Assyrian exile) that would ultimately come upon Israel if they persisted in their sin, despite God's current patience. This creates a poignant sense of dramatic irony, as the informed reader knows the tragic ultimate fate of the northern kingdom.

THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS

Second Kings 13:23 profoundly illustrates the steadfastness of God's character and the enduring power of His covenant promises. It reveals that God's faithfulness is not contingent on human performance or consistent obedience but is rooted solely in His own immutable nature and sworn word. Even when His people are deeply unfaithful and rebellious, God remains true to Himself, demonstrating immense grace, tender compassion, and remarkable patience. This divine forbearance, while rooted specifically in the Abrahamic covenant, prefigures the broader New Testament understanding of God's grace, where salvation is not earned through human merit but is freely given through Christ. It also serves as a sober reminder that while God is infinitely patient, His patience is not without limits, and persistent rebellion against His grace ultimately leads to severe, albeit delayed, consequences.

  • Genesis 17:7 - God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is described as an "everlasting covenant," emphasizing its enduring nature.
  • Exodus 34:6-7 - God reveals His character as "The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth," providing the theological foundation for His actions in 2 Kings 13:23.
  • 2 Peter 3:9 - This New Testament passage affirms that the Lord is "not slack concerning his promise... but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance," reflecting the same divine patience seen in the Old Testament.

REFLECTION AND APPLICATION

This verse offers a profound source of comfort and a challenging call to introspection for every believer. It reassures us that God's faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection, our consistent obedience, or our fluctuating spiritual state. His grace and compassion extend even to those who are rebellious and undeserving, solely because of His unwavering commitment to His promises and His inherent character. For believers today, this reinforces the security of our salvation in Christ, which is grounded in God's unchanging character and His New Covenant promises, not our fluctuating performance. It invites us to rest deeply in His unmerited favor, knowing that even in our failings, His love and covenant faithfulness endure. However, the crucial phrase "as yet" serves as a solemn warning. God's patience, while vast and merciful, is not infinite. Persistent rejection of His grace and continued rebellion against His revealed will will ultimately lead to consequences. This should prompt us to respond to His immense mercy with genuine repentance, renewed obedience, and a deeper trust in His unchanging character, rather than presuming upon His patience or taking His grace for granted.

Questions for Reflection

  • How does God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob encourage you in your own walk with Him, especially during times of personal failure?
  • In what specific areas of your life might you be subtly presuming upon God's patience, and how might you respond to His immense grace with genuine repentance and renewed obedience?
  • How does understanding God's "compassion" and "graciousness" in this verse deepen your appreciation for His character and motivate you to worship Him more fully?
  • What does the phrase "as yet" imply about the delicate balance between God's patience and the inevitable consequences of unrepentant sin, both for ancient Israel and for us today?

FAQ

What was the "covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" that is mentioned?

Answer: The "covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" refers to a series of unconditional promises God unilaterally made to the patriarchs, primarily recorded in Genesis 12, Genesis 15, and Genesis 17. These promises included the establishment of a great nation from Abraham's descendants, the gift of the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, the assurance of blessing to all nations through his lineage, and the guarantee of an everlasting relationship between God and Abraham's offspring. Crucially, these promises were unilateral and unconditional, meaning God committed to them regardless of human faithfulness, which explains why He continued to show grace and forbearance to unfaithful Israel in 2 Kings 13:23.

Why did God show patience to Israel despite their persistent idolatry and rebellion?

Answer: God's patience was primarily "because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob," which served as the foundational reason for His continued engagement with His chosen people. Beyond this covenantal obligation, God's character is also inherently "gracious" and full of "compassion," as He Himself revealed to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7. God is long-suffering, desiring that people turn from their wicked ways and live, as expressed in Ezekiel 33:11. His patience provided repeated opportunities for Israel to repent and return to Him, even though they largely failed to do so. This divine forbearance demonstrates His unwavering commitment to His promises and His deep, merciful love for His people, even when they are undeserving.

What is the significance of the phrase "as yet" in this verse?

Answer: The phrase "as yet" (or "not yet") is highly significant because it implies that God's patience, while extensive and rooted in His covenant, was not infinite. While He would not destroy them immediately or cast them out of His presence at that very moment, it subtly foreshadowed that such ultimate judgment was still a future possibility, and indeed, it eventually came to pass. Despite God's grace and compassion, Israel's continued and unrepentant rebellion ultimately led to the Assyrian exile of the northern kingdom, where they were indeed "cast... from his presence" in the land. It highlights the profound tension between God's covenant faithfulness to preserve a remnant and the inevitable, just consequences of persistent sin and rejection of His grace.

CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT

Second Kings 13:23, with its profound emphasis on God's unwavering faithfulness to His covenant despite Israel's profound unfaithfulness, finds its ultimate and most glorious fulfillment in Jesus Christ and the establishment of the New Covenant. The grace, compassion, and "respect" (attentive regard) God showed to Israel "because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" is perfectly embodied and infinitely magnified in the New Covenant, which is established through Christ's atoning work on the cross. While the old covenant preserved a physical lineage and a nation, the new covenant, sealed by the precious blood of Jesus, creates a spiritual lineage of believers from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation, making them true heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29). God's "graciousness" and "compassion" are supremely demonstrated in His sending His only Son to die for us while we were still sinners, actively hostile to Him (Romans 5:8). The "respect" or favorable regard God had for Israel, rooted in His ancient promise, is now fully realized in His adoption of believers as His beloved children through Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:5). Furthermore, the "as yet" of 2 Kings 13:23, which pointed to future judgment for unrepentant Israel, is decisively overcome by the "once for all" sacrifice of Christ, which secures eternal salvation for all who believe, guaranteeing that they will never be "cast... from his presence" but will dwell with Him forever (Hebrews 10:10). In Christ, all of God's covenant promises are not merely delayed judgments but fully realized, resounding "Yes" and "Amen," offering complete forgiveness, reconciliation, and eternal life to all who trust in Him (2 Corinthians 1:20).

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Commentary on 2 Kings 13 verses 20–25

We must here attend,

I. The sepulchre of Elisha: he died in a good old age, and they buried him; and what follows shows, 1. What power there was in his life to keep off judgments; for, as soon as he was dead, the bands of the Moabites invaded the land - not great armies to face them in the field, but roving skulking bands, that murdered and plundered by surprise. God has many ways to chastise a provoking people. The king was apprehensive of danger only from the Syrians, but, behold, the Moabites invade him. Trouble comes sometimes from that point whence we least feared it. The mentioning of this immediately upon the death of Elisha intimates that the removal of God's faithful prophets is a presage of judgments coming. When ambassadors are recalled heralds may be expected. 2. What power there was in his dead body: it communicated life to another dead body, Kg2 13:21. This great miracle, though very briefly related, was a decided proof of his mission and a confirmation of all his prophecies. It was also a plain indication of another life after this. When Elisha died, there was not an end of him, for then he could not have done this. From operation we may infer existence. By this it appeared that the Lord was still the God of Elisha; therefore Elisha still lived, for God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. And it may, perhaps, have a reference to Christ, by whose death and burial the grave is made to all believers a safe and happy passage to life. It likewise intimated that though Elisha was dead, yet, in virtue of the promises made by him, Israel's interests, though they seemed quite sunk and lost, should revive and flourish again. The neighbours were carrying the dead body of a man to the grave, and, fearing to fall into the hands of the Moabites, a party of whom they saw at a distance near the place where the body was to be interred, they laid the corpse in the next convenient place, which proved to be Elisha's sepulchre. The dead man, upon touching Elisha's bones, revived, and, it is likely, went home again with his friends. Josephus relates the story otherwise, That some thieves, having robbed and murdered an honest traveller, threw his dead body into Elisha's grave, and it immediately revived. Elijah was honoured in his departure. Elisha was honoured after his departure. God thus dispenses honours as he pleases, but, one way or other, the rest of all the saints will be glorious, Isa 11:10. It is good being near the saints and having our lot with them both in life and death.

II. The sword of Joash king of Israel; and we find it successful against the Syrians. 1. The cause of his success was God's favour (Kg2 13:23): The Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them in their miseries and respect unto them. The several expressions here of the same import call upon us to observe and admire the triumphs of divine goodness in the deliverance of such a provoking people. It was of the Lord's mercies that they were not consumed, because he would not destroy them as yet. He foresaw they would destroy themselves at last, but as yet he would reprieve them, and give them space to repent. The slowness of God's processes against sinners must be construed to the honour of his mercy, not the impeachment of his justice. 2. The effect of his success was Israel's benefit. He recovered out of the hands of Benhadad the cities of Israel which the Syrians were possessed of, Kg2 13:25. This was a great kindness to the cities themselves, which were hereby brought from under the yoke of oppression, and to the whole kingdom, which was much strengthened by the reduction of those cities. Thrice Joash beat the Syrians, just as often as he had struck the ground with the arrows, and then a full stop was put to the course of his victories. Many have repented, when it was too late, of their distrusts and the straitness of their desires.

Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 20–25. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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