Lectionary Calendar
Thursday, June 5th, 2025
the Seventh Week after Easter
Attention!
For 10¢ a day you can enjoy StudyLight.org ads
free while helping to build churches and support pastors in Uganda.
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Kings 13:19

The Holy Man became angry with him: "Why didn't you hit the ground five or six times? Then you would beat Aram until he was finished. As it is, you'll defeat him three times only."

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Doubting;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Prophecy;   Reproof;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Earnestness-Indifference;   Elisha;   Half-Heartedness;   Lost;   Opportunity;   Service;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Elisha;   Jehoahaz;   Joash or Jehoash;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Jehoash;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kings, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Zeal;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Damascus;   Jonah;   Judah, Kingdom of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aphek;   Damascus;   Joash;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Lots;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Elisha ;   Jehoahaz ;   Joash ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Joash;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Augury;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Kings, Books of;   Number;   Prophecy;   Salvation;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Bashan;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Numbers and Numerals;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
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 them, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.”
Hebrew Names Version
The man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six times: then had you struck Aram until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Aram but thrice.
King James Version
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
English Standard Version
Then the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times."
New Century Version
The man of God was angry with him. "You should have struck five or six times!" Elisha said. "Then you would have struck Aram until you had completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times."
New English Translation
The prophet got angry at him and said, "If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! But now, you will defeat Syria only three times."
Amplified Bible
So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times."
New American Standard Bible
Then the man of God became angry at him and said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you put an end to it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times."
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the man of God was angry with him, and sayde, Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times, so thou shouldest haue smitten Aram, till thou haddest consumed it, where nowe thou shalt smite Aram but thrise.
Legacy Standard Bible
So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have consumed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times."
Contemporary English Version
Elisha became angry at the king and exclaimed, "If you had struck it five or six times, you would completely wipe out the Syrians. Now you will defeat them only three times."
Complete Jewish Bible
The man of God became angry with him; he said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram completely. As it is, you will defeat Aram only three times."
Darby Translation
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then wouldest thou have smitten the Syrians till thou hadst consumed [them]; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Easy-to-Read Version
The man of God was angry with Jehoash. Elisha said, "You should have hit five or six times! Then you would have defeated Aram until you destroyed it! But now, you will defeat Aram only three times."
George Lamsa Translation
And the prophet of God was angry with him and said, You should have struck five or six times; then you would have smitten the Arameans till you would have consumed them; whereas now you shall smite Aram but three times.
Good News Translation
This made Elisha angry, and he said to the king, "You should have struck five or six times, and then you would have won complete victory over the Syrians; but now you will defeat them only three times."
Lexham English Bible
Yet the man of God became angry against him and said, "For striking five or six times, then you would have defeated Aram until finishing them, but now you will defeat Aram only three times."
Literal Translation
And the man of God was angry with him, and said, By striking five or six times, then you would have stricken Syria until it was finished; but now, you shall strike Syria three times.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then was the ma of God wroth at him, and sayde: Yf thou haddest smytten fyue or sixe times, thou shuldest haue smytten ye Syrians, tyll thou haddest vtterly brought them to naughte. But now shalt thou smyte them thre tymes.
American Standard Version
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times: then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Bible in Basic English
Then the man of God was angry with him and said, If you had done it five or six times, then you would have overcome Aram completely; but now you will only overcome them three times.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the man of God was angry with him, and saide: Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe tymes, and then thou haddest smytten Syria till thou haddest made an end of them: where now thou shalt smyte Syria but thrise.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said: 'Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Aram till thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Aram but thrice.'
King James Version (1611)
And the man of God was wroth with him, and saide, Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe times, then haddest thou smitten Syria till thou haddest consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the man of God was grieved at him, and said, If thou hadst smitten five or six times, then thou shouldest have smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed them; but now thou shalt smite Syria only thrice.
English Revised Version
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
Berean Standard Bible
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."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and hadde stonde, the man of God was wrooth ayens hym, and seide, If thou haddist smyte fyue sithis, ether sixe sithis, ethir seuen sithis, thou schuldist haue smyte Sirie `til to the endyng; now forsothe thou schalt smyte it thre sithis.
Young's Literal Translation
And the man of God is wroth against him, and saith, `By smiting five or six times then thou hadst smitten Aram till consuming; and now, three times thou dost smite Aram.'
Update Bible Version
And the man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have smitten five or six times: then you would have smitten Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall smite Syria but three times.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed [it]: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria [but] thrice.
World English Bible
The man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six times: then had you struck Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Syria but thrice.
New King James Version
And the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times."
New Living Translation
But the man of God was angry with him. "You should have struck the ground five or six times!" he exclaimed. "Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times."
New Life Bible
So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have hit it five or six times. Then you would have fought Syria until you had destroyed it. But now you will win the fight against Syria only three times."
New Revised Standard
Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Aram only three times."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then was the man of God wroth against him, and said - Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then, hadst thou smitten Syria, until it had been consumed; But, now, three times, shalt thou smite Syria.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the man of God was angry with him, and said: If thou hadst smitten five or six or seven times, thou hadst smitten Syria even to utter destruction: but now three times shalt thou smite it.
Revised Standard Version
Then the man of God was angry with him, and said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Syria until you had made an end of it, but now you will strike down Syria only three times."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times."

Contextual Overview

10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria—a reign of sixteen years. In God 's eyes he lived an evil life. He didn't deviate one bit from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who led Israel into a life of sin. He plodded along in the same tracks, step after step. 12The rest of the life and times of Jehoash, the record of his accomplishments and his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. Jehoash died and joined his ancestors. Jeroboam took over his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria in the royal cemetery. 14 Elisha came down sick. It was the sickness of which he would soon die. Jehoash king of Israel paid him a visit. When he saw him he wept openly, crying, "My father, my father! Chariot and horsemen of Israel!" 15 Elisha told him, "Go and get a bow and some arrows." The king brought him the bow and arrows. 16 Then he told the king, "Put your hand on the bow." He put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hand over the hand of the king. 17 Elisha said, "Now open the east window." He opened it. Then he said, "Shoot!" And he shot. "The arrow of God 's salvation!" exclaimed Elisha. "The arrow of deliverance from Aram! You will do battle against Aram until there's nothing left of it." 18 "Now pick up the other arrows," said Elisha. He picked them up. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground." The king struck the ground three times and then quit. 19 The Holy Man became angry with him: "Why didn't you hit the ground five or six times? Then you would beat Aram until he was finished. As it is, you'll defeat him three times only."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the man of God: 2 Kings 1:9-15, 2 Kings 4:16, 2 Kings 4:40, 2 Kings 6:9

was wroth: Leviticus 10:16, Numbers 16:15, Mark 3:5, Mark 10:14

now thou shalt: 2 Kings 13:25, Mark 6:5

Reciprocal: Genesis 31:36 - was wroth Numbers 31:14 - wroth 2 Kings 4:3 - borrow not a few 2 Kings 4:6 - And the oil

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the man of God was wroth with him,.... Because he ceased smiting, and smote no oftener; for it was revealed to the prophet, by an impulse upon his mind, that by the number of times he smote on the ground, it would be known how often he should get the victory over his enemies; but this was to be left to the king's own will, how often he would smite, and thereby the prophet would know also with what spirit he would pursue his victories, and the advantages he would gain:

and said, thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria until thou hadst consumed it; as a nation, as well as routed their several armies:

whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice; beat them only three times in battle, according to the number of his smitings on the ground.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The unfaithfulness of man limits the goodness of God. Though Joash did the prophet’s bidding, it was without any zeal or fervour; and probably without any earnest belief in the efficacy of what he was doing. Compare Mark 6:5-6. God had been willing to give the Israelites complete victory over Syria 2 Kings 13:17; but Joash by his non-acceptance of the divine promise in its fulness had checked the outflow of mercy; and the result was that the original promise could not be fulfilled.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile