2 Kings 13:3

KJV

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 Benhadad the son of Hazael, all [their] days.

KJV (with Strong's)

And the anger {H639} of the LORD {H3068} was kindled {H2734} against Israel {H3478}, and he delivered {H5414} them into the hand {H3027} of Hazael {H2371} king {H4428} of Syria {H758}, and into the hand {H3027} of Benhadad {H1130} the son {H1121} of Hazael {H2371}, all their days {H3117}.

Complete Jewish Bible

ADONAI's anger burned against Isra'el, and he kept handing them over to Haza'el king of Aram and Ben-Hadad the son of Haza'el.

Berean Standard Bible

So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.

American Standard Version

And the anger of Jehovah 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, continually.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Second Kings 13:3 powerfully depicts the severe divine judgment unleashed upon the Northern Kingdom of Israel, a direct consequence of their persistent idolatry and profound covenant disobedience. The verse reveals the LORD's righteous anger, leading Him to actively deliver His people into the oppressive hands of Hazael, king of Syria, and subsequently into the hand of his son, Ben-Hadad. This period of sustained hardship marked the reign of King Jehoahaz and beyond, serving as a stark reminder of God's holiness, His intolerance of sin, and His sovereign use of even foreign powers to accomplish His disciplinary purposes against His unfaithful people.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is situated within the turbulent history of the Divided Monarchy, specifically during the reign of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, over Israel (c. 814–798 BC). The book of 2 Kings consistently chronicles the spiritual decline of both Israel and Judah, but particularly highlights the chronic idolatry of the Northern Kingdom, which notably never had a single righteous king. The narrative immediately preceding this verse details the end of Elisha's prophetic ministry and the continuing spiritual apostasy of Israel, despite God's previous interventions and warnings. The phrase "all their days" refers primarily to the duration of Jehoahaz's reign and the prolonged period of Syrian oppression that began under Hazael and continued under his son, Ben-Hadad III, profoundly impacting Israel's military and economic stability, as further detailed in [2 Kings 13:7](/2_kings/13-7 "2 Kings 13:7 - Israel's Diminished Army"). This verse sets the stage for the subsequent narrative of Israel's desperate plight and their eventual, albeit temporary, deliverance under Jehoash, Jehoahaz's son.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The late 9th and early 8th centuries BC were a period of intense geopolitical struggle in the Ancient Near East. The Aramean kingdom of Damascus, under the formidable leadership of Hazael (c. 842–796 BC), was a dominant regional power. Hazael, a usurper to the Syrian throne, was a particularly aggressive military leader whose campaigns significantly weakened Israel. His anointing by Elijah, as commanded by God in [1 Kings 19:15](/1_kings/19-15 "1 Kings 19:15 - Elijah Anoints Hazael"), underscores God's sovereign hand in raising up even pagan rulers to execute His divine will and judgment. Ben-Hadad, Hazael's son, continued this policy of oppression against Israel. The constant warfare and tribute payments to Damascus crippled Israel, fulfilling the covenant curses outlined in [Deuteronomy 28:47-48](/deuteronomy/28-47 "Deuteronomy 28:47-48 - Consequences of Disobedience") for their persistent failure to serve the LORD with joy and gladness. This period illustrates the vulnerability of the nation when it abandoned its covenant relationship with God, leaving it exposed to external threats.
* **Key Themes:** Second Kings 13:3 powerfully encapsulates several enduring theological themes. Foremost is the theme of **Divine Judgment**, where "the anger of the LORD was kindled" against Israel, demonstrating God's active and righteous indignation against sin, not merely a passive withdrawal. This judgment is a direct consequence of Israel's **Persistent Disobedience**, particularly their deep-seated idolatry and failure to adhere to the Mosaic Covenant, despite repeated prophetic warnings and acts of divine mercy, a pattern seen throughout the book of Judges and the early monarchy. Furthermore, the verse highlights **God's Sovereignty Over Nations**, as He "delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael." This illustrates God's ultimate control over world leaders and empires, using them as instruments to achieve His purposes, even when those leaders are unaware of their role in His divine plan, a concept echoed in [Isaiah 10:5](/isaiah/10-5 "Isaiah 10:5 - Assyria as God's Instrument"). Finally, the phrase "all [their] days" emphasizes the **Sustained Oppression** and prolonged period of hardship, underscoring the severity and enduring nature of God's disciplinary judgment when His people refuse to repent.

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS

#### Key Word Analysis
* **Anger (Hebrew, _ʼaph'_):** This term, literally meaning "nose" or "nostril," is an anthropomorphism for God's wrath. When used in the context of divine anger, it signifies intense displeasure, often accompanied by a "snorting" sound, indicative of a fierce, burning indignation. This is not a human, capricious emotion, but a holy and just response to Israel's chronic rebellion and covenant infidelity, particularly their idolatry, which provoked the LORD to jealousy.
* **Kindled (Hebrew, _chârâh'_):** Derived from a root meaning "to glow or grow warm," this verb vividly describes the active manifestation of God's anger. It implies a blazing up, a fervent and intense expression of divine wrath. In this context, it emphasizes that God's judgment against Israel was not passive but an active, deliberate, and intense outpouring of His righteous indignation against their sin.
* **Delivered (Hebrew, _nâthan'_):** This primitive root, meaning "to give" or "to place," carries a wide range of applications. Here, it signifies God's active agency and direct involvement in Israel's suffering. It is not merely that God permitted Israel to fall into the hands of their enemies; rather, He purposefully "handed them over" as a judicial act. This highlights God's sovereign control over historical events and His use of foreign powers as instruments of His judgment, demonstrating that even the actions of pagan kings are ultimately subject to His divine will and purpose.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel":** This clause establishes the divine origin and motivation for the subsequent events. Israel's persistent idolatry and disobedience, particularly their embrace of Baal worship and the golden calves established by Jeroboam I ([1 Kings 12:28-30](/1_kings/12-28 "1 Kings 12:28-30 - Jeroboam's Idolatry")), had provoked God's righteous wrath. This "kindling" signifies a deliberate, active judgment, not a passive withdrawal, underscoring God's holiness and His intolerance of sin within His covenant people.
* **"and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria":** This specifies the instrument of God's judgment. Hazael, a formidable Aramean king, became the divinely appointed agent of discipline. God actively "handed over" Israel, demonstrating His sovereign control over nations and their leaders, using even those outside the covenant to execute His disciplinary purposes against His own people when they stray. This act was a direct fulfillment of prophetic warnings and covenant curses.
* **"and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael":** This indicates the continuation and perhaps intensification of the oppression. The suffering under Hazael was not a fleeting moment but extended into the reign of his son, Ben-Hadad III. This detail emphasizes the prolonged and severe nature of the judgment, highlighting that God's discipline was not light or momentary but a sustained period of hardship designed to bring about repentance.
* **"all [their] days":** This phrase signifies the duration of the oppression, primarily referring to the entire reign of King Jehoahaz of Israel, and implicitly, the lasting impact on the nation's strength and stability even beyond his reign. It underscores the severity and comprehensiveness of the judgment, indicating a period of sustained national weakness and subjugation under Syrian dominance, a stark consequence of their unrepentant sin.

#### Literary Devices
The verse employs several powerful literary devices. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in "the anger of the LORD was kindled," attributing human-like emotion and action (burning wrath) to God. This device makes God's righteous indignation tangible and comprehensible, emphasizing the intensity of His response to Israel's sin. The entire verse functions as an example of **Divine Retribution**, where God directly intervenes in history to punish His people for their disobedience, illustrating the principle that actions have consequences, especially within a covenant relationship. Furthermore, the verse contains an element of **Foreshadowing**, as this prolonged subjugation under a foreign power anticipates the ultimate exile of the Northern Kingdom by Assyria, a more severe and final judgment that would eventually befall them due to their unyielding apostasy.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse powerfully articulates the consistent biblical theme of divine judgment as a consequence of covenant disobedience. God, being holy and just, cannot tolerate sin, especially from His chosen people who have entered into a special relationship with Him. His "anger" is not capricious but a righteous response to broken covenant, idolatry, and moral corruption. This judgment serves not only as punishment but often as a disciplinary measure intended to call His people back to Himself, to repentance and renewed faithfulness. The use of foreign nations like Syria demonstrates God's absolute sovereignty over all of creation and history; He orchestrates geopolitical events to achieve His divine purposes, even through agents unaware of their role in His grand plan. This principle underscores that no nation or ruler operates outside of God's ultimate control.

* [Deuteronomy 28:15](/deuteronomy/28-15 "Deuteronomy 28:15 - Covenant Curses")
* [Judges 2:14-15](/judges/2-14 "Judges 2:14-15 - Cycle of Disobedience and Deliverance")
* [Jeremiah 25:8-9](/jeremiah/25-8 "Jeremiah 25:8-9 - God Uses Babylon as His Servant")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Second Kings 13:3 serves as a sobering reminder that God is holy and righteous, and He takes sin seriously. While believers today live under the New Covenant of grace, the principles of God's character and the consequences of persistent disobedience remain profoundly relevant. This passage calls us to a deep examination of our own lives, urging us to identify any areas where we might be persistently rebellious, engaging in spiritual idolatry by placing anything—our careers, possessions, relationships, or even our comfort—before God. It challenges us to understand that God's discipline, though painful, is often an expression of His love, intended to draw us back to Him, to refine our faith, and to conform us more closely to the image of Christ. We are invited to cultivate a heart of humility and quick repentance, trusting in God's sovereign hand even amidst trials, knowing that He works all things for the good of those who love Him.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be persistently disobedient or placing something before God, thus provoking His righteous displeasure?**
* **How do I typically respond to difficult circumstances or periods of hardship? Do I see them as random misfortune, or as potential opportunities for God's loving discipline and refinement?**
* **What does this verse teach me about the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God, and how should that understanding shape my daily walk with Him?**

### FAQ

**Why did God use foreign kings like Hazael to punish His own people?**

Answer: God's use of foreign kings like Hazael to punish Israel demonstrates several key theological truths. First, it underscores God's absolute **sovereignty** over all nations and rulers. He is not limited to working only through His covenant people; He orchestrates world events and uses even pagan leaders as instruments of His divine will, as seen in [Isaiah 10:5-6](/isaiah/10-5 "Isaiah 10:5-6 - Assyria as God's Rod of Anger"). Second, it highlights God's **justice**. When His people persistently broke their covenant and engaged in idolatry, God, in His righteousness, brought the promised consequences upon them, as detailed in the curses of [Deuteronomy 28](/deuteronomy/28 "Deuteronomy 28 - Blessings and Curses"). Third, it serves as a powerful demonstration of His **faithfulness** to His covenant, which included both blessings for obedience and discipline for disobedience. By using an external force, God vividly showed Israel that their security lay not in their own strength or alliances, but in their obedient relationship with Him.

**Does God still 'kindle His anger' against people today in the same way?**

Answer: While the specific covenant relationship between God and ancient Israel, with its unique national judgments, has been fulfilled in Christ, the underlying principles of God's character remain. God is still holy and righteous, and He hates sin ([Psalm 7:11](/psalm/7-11 "Psalm 7:11 - God is a Righteous Judge")). For those who are "in Christ," God's wrath for sin has been fully satisfied by Jesus' atoning sacrifice on the cross ([Romans 5:9](/romans/5-9 "Romans 5:9 - Justified by His Blood")). Believers are no longer under condemnation ([Romans 8:1](/romans/8-1 "Romans 8:1 - No Condemnation in Christ Jesus")). However, God, as a loving Father, still disciplines His children for their good, to lead them to repentance and greater holiness ([Hebrews 12:5-11](/hebrews/12-5 "Hebrews 12:5-11 - God's Discipline")). This discipline is distinct from punitive wrath. For those outside of Christ, God's wrath remains, and they face the ultimate judgment for their sin, as warned in passages like [John 3:36](/john/3-36 "John 3:36 - God's Wrath Remains on the Disobedient"). So, while the *form* of divine judgment may differ under the New Covenant, God's righteous opposition to sin and His active involvement in human affairs to bring about His purposes, whether through discipline or ultimate judgment, endures.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of God's anger kindled against Israel and His deliverance of them into the hands of their enemies finds its ultimate theological resolution and fulfillment in Jesus Christ. The Old Testament's repeated cycle of Israel's sin, God's righteous wrath, and subsequent judgment highlights humanity's desperate need for a definitive solution to the problem of sin. The "anger of the LORD" that burned against Israel for their covenant breaking points forward to the greater wrath due to all humanity for its rebellion against a holy God. Yet, in Christ, this divine wrath is perfectly and completely absorbed. Jesus, the [Lamb of God](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), became the object of God's righteous anger, bearing the full penalty for sin on the cross, so that all who believe in Him might be reconciled to God and spared from condemnation ([Romans 5:8-9](/romans/5-8 "Romans 5:8-9 - Christ Died for Us")). Where Israel experienced physical oppression as a consequence of their sin, Christ offers spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin and death ([Colossians 1:13-14](/colossians/1-13 "Colossians 1:13-14 - Delivered from Darkness")). He ushers in a New Covenant, not based on human obedience to the Law, but on His perfect sacrifice and God's grace, promising forgiveness and a transformed heart, ensuring that God's people will never again be "delivered" into the hands of their spiritual enemies in the same way, but are eternally secured in Him ([Hebrews 8:6-12](/hebrews/8-6 "Hebrews 8:6-12 - The New Covenant")).

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.

Cross-References

1 Kings 19:17

And it shall come to pass, [that] him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay.

2 Kings 13:24

So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.

2 Kings 13:25

And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad 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.

Judges 2:14

And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.

2 Kings 12:17

¶ Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it: and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.

2 Kings 13:22

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

Deuteronomy 28:25

The LORD shall cause thee to be smitten before thine enemies: thou shalt go out one way against them, and flee seven ways before them: and shalt be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth.