Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 13

Verses 1-25

Reigns of Jehoahaz and Joash of Israel. The last Prediction of Elisha

3. All their days] RV ’continually,’ i.e. throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.

5 A saviour] either Jehoash (2 Kings 13:25) or Jeroboam II (2 Kings 14:25-27) is meant. In their tents] i.e. in their homes, the phrase being a survival from earlier times when the Israelites were a body of nomads roaming the desert.

6. The grove] RV ’the Asherah’: see on 1 Kings 14:15. If Jehu had altogether abolished the worship of Baal (2 Kings 10:28), this Asherah must have been connected with the worship of the Lord, like the pillars before the Temple of Solomon (1 Kings 7:15.)

13. Jeroboam] usually designated as Jeroboam II.

14. Joash.. unto him] Both Elijah and Elisha, though strenuous antagonists to the religion of Baal, yet seem to have tolerated the worship of the Lord under the form of a calf, for both prophets had friendly relations with kings who retained that mode of worship. Corrupt in character as it was, it was nevertheless directed towards the true God. This passage is the first mention of Elisha since he sent a prophet to anoint Jehu (c. 9). The chariot of Israel] The reference is to Elisha, who had been Israel’s greatest safeguard, a host in himself: cp. 2 Kings 3:15.; 2 Kings 6:9.

16. Elisha put, etc.] in order to indicate that the king’s destined success came from another source than his own strength.

17. The arrow, etc.] The shooting of the arrow eastward was symbolic of a victory in that direction, Syria lying NE. of Israel. Aphek] the Aphek of 1 Kings 20:26.

19. The man of God was wroth] because the king displayed too little confidence in the God whose minister the prophet was.

20. The bands of the Moabites] If Elisha was buried either at Samaria or at his home of Abel-meholah, the Moabites must have crossed the Jordan.

21. Touched] The corpse would not be placed in a coffin but swathed in grave-clothes; and the tomb was probably an excavation in the side of a hill, not a hole in the ground.

24. Ben-hadad] Probably the third of the name mentioned in the Bible: see 1 Kings 15:18; 1 Kings 20:1.

25. Three times] in accordance with Elisha’s prophecy (2 Kings 13:19). The success of Israel over Syria was probably aided by the disasters which that country sustained from Assyria. The contemporary Assyrian king was Ramman-nirari, who in his inscriptions relates that he besieged Damascus and compelled its ruler to tender allegiance and pay tribute. The Syrian king is called ’Mari,’ but this may be a title, not a proper name. Ramman-nirari also claims to have received tribute from ’the land of Omri,’ i.e. Northern Israel; so that Jehoash may have purchased the aid of the Assyrian king against Syria by sending presents to him.