2 Kings13

Second Kings chapter 13 details the reigns of Jehoahaz and his son Joash over Israel, both of whom continued in the idolatrous sins of Jeroboam. Despite their wickedness, the Lord showed compassion due to His covenant, partially delivering Israel from Syrian oppression. Elisha's final prophecy to King Joash foretold limited victories against Syria, a prophecy fulfilled after Elisha's death, which was also marked by a posthumous miracle.

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Jehoahaz Reigns Over Israel

In the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash son of Ahaziah over Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria seventeen years.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

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.

Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.

So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.

Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but they continued to walk in them. The Asherah pole even remained standing in Samaria.

Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And his son Jehoash reigned in his place.

Jehoash Succeeds His Father

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

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

And Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Elisha's Dying Prophecy

When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.

Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So the king put his hand on the bow, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

“Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”

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.

But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

Death and Posthumous Miracle of Elisha

And Elisha died and was buried. Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring.

Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. And as soon as his body touched the bones of Elisha, the man was revived and stood up on his feet.

God's Covenant Faithfulness and Deliverance

And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.

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.

When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place.

Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.

Study Notes for 2 Kings 13

Verse 1

This verse establishes the synchronism between the Northern Kingdom (Israel) and the Southern Kingdom (Judah), placing the beginning of Jehoahaz’s reign in the 23rd year of Joash of Judah.

Verse 2

Jehoahaz perpetuated the 'sins of Jeroboam,' referring to the state-sponsored calf worship centers at Bethel and Dan, which constituted the fundamental apostasy of the Northern Kingdom.

Verse 3

God used Hazael, the King of Syria (Damascus), as the instrument of judgment against Israel for their persistent idolatry, fulfilling the prophetic warnings given earlier to Elijah and Jehu.

Verse 4

Jehoahaz's prayer was likely a cry of desperation during military crisis rather than true spiritual repentance, yet God heeded him because of the cruelty Israel suffered under Syrian oppression.

Verse 5

The 'saviour' is not explicitly named here, but context suggests it was either the rise of Assyria distracting Syria, or perhaps the subsequent military successes of Jehoahaz's son, Joash (v. 25).

Verse 6

Despite God's deliverance, Israel did not abandon its idolatrous practices. The 'grove' (Asherah pole) remained standing in Samaria, indicating incomplete spiritual reform.

Verse 7

The severe reduction of Israel's military force (only 50 horsemen and 10 chariots) illustrates the devastating effectiveness of the Syrian attacks, fulfilling the covenant curses for disobedience (Deuteronomy 28).

Verse 10

Jehoash (also called Joash) ruled for sixteen years. Like his father, he continued the destructive cycle of idolatry established by the dynasty of Jeroboam I.

Verse 14

Joash’s lament, 'O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof,' is a term of highest respect previously used by Elisha for Elijah (2 Kings 2:12). It acknowledges Elisha's spiritual power as Israel's true military defense.

Verse 16

Elisha placing his hands over the king’s symbolizes the transfer of divine power and authority; the coming victory would be achieved not by the king’s skill alone, but by God’s intervention through the prophet's sign-act.

Verse 17

The shooting of the arrow is a symbolic act (sign-act) indicating that God guarantees a victory over Syria, specifically at Aphek, a strategic battleground known from earlier conflicts.

Verse 18

This act was a test of the king's faith and commitment; the number of times Joash struck the ground would determine the extent of God’s deliverance.

Verse 19

Elisha’s anger shows that the partial victory was due to the king’s lack of zeal and hesitant faith. Joash displayed limited commitment, resulting in only limited success against the Syrians.

Verse 20

The death of Elisha marks the end of the powerful prophetic ministry that began with Elijah. The Moabite invasions indicate the continued instability of Israel’s borders.

Verse 21

This final, dramatic miracle confirms Elisha’s divine authority. The life-giving power of God rested so completely upon Elisha that it remained even in his bones after death.

Verse 23

This verse provides the theological explanation for Israel's survival despite its persistent sin. God chose not to destroy them because of His unwavering loyalty to the covenant established with the patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob).

Verse 25

Jehoash’s three victories precisely fulfill the limited prophecy Elisha gave him (v. 19), allowing Israel to recover the cities lost to Syria but not to eliminate the threat entirely.

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2 Kings13

Jehoahaz Reigns Over Israel

Jehoash Succeeds His Father

Elisha's Dying Prophecy

Death and Posthumous Miracle of Elisha

God's Covenant Faithfulness and Deliverance

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