Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 26th, 2025
Saturday in Easter Week
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

New King James Version

2 Kings 13:16

Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Prophecy;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elisha;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Elisha;   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;   Laying on of Hands;   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;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
Hebrew Names Version
He said to the king of Yisra'el, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
King James Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
English Standard Version
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow," and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New Century Version
Then Elisha said to him, "Put your hand on the bow." So Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
New English Translation
Then Elisha told the king of Israel, "Aim the bow." He did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Amplified Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
New American Standard Bible
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Lay your hand on the bow." And he laid his hand on it, then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayde to the King of Israel, Put thine hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it. And Elisha put his hands vpon the Kings hands,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, then Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Complete Jewish Bible
He said to the king of Isra'el, "Put your hand on the bow"; and he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands
Darby Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand [upon it]; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands,
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands.
Good News Translation
and Elisha told him to get ready to shoot. The king did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Lexham English Bible
He said to the king of Israel, "Lay your hand on the bow," so he lay hold of it; then Elisha put his hand on the hands of the king.
Literal Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Cause your hand to ride on the bow. And he caused his hand to ride. And Elisha placed his hand on the hands of the king,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he had taken the bowe and the arowes, he sayde vnto the kynge of Israel: Bende the bowe with thine hande. And he bent it with his hade. And Eliseus layed his hande vpon the kynges hande,
American Standard Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow: and he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he saide to the king of Israel: Put thyne hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: And Elisa put his handes vpon the kinges handes,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said to the king of Israel: 'Put thy hand upon the bow'; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
King James Version (1611)
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: and Elisha put his hands vpon the kings hands.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to the king, Put thy hand on the bow. And Joas put his hand upon it: and Elisaie put his hands upon the king’s hands.
English Revised Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow: and he put his hand [upon it]. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king’s hands.
Berean Standard Bible
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
he seide to the kyng of Israel, Set thin hond on the bouwe. And whanne he hadde set his hond, Elisee settide his hondis on the hondis of the
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to the king of Israel, `Place thy hand on the bow;' and he placeth his hand, and Elisha putteth his hands on the hands of the king,
Update Bible Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. And Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand [upon it]: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
World English Bible
He said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New Living Translation
Elisha told him, "Put your hand on the bow," and Elisha laid his own hands on the king's hands.
New Life Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New Revised Standard
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow"; and he drew it. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king;
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said to the king of Israel: Put thy hand upon the bow. And when he had put his hand, Eliseus put his hands over the king’s hands,
Revised Standard Version
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow"; and he drew it. And Eli'sha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
THE MESSAGE
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.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.

Contextual Overview

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash 2 Kings 13:9">[fn] the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, but walked in them. 12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13 So Joash rested with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, "O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!" 15 And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and some arrows." So he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. 17 And he said, "Open the east window"; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot"; and he shot. And he said, "The arrow of the LORD's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them." 18 Then he said, "Take the arrows"; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 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."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Put thine hand: Heb. make thine hand to ride

Elisha: 2 Kings 4:34, Genesis 49:24, Psalms 144:1

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South. [fn]
Genesis 13:2
Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold.
Genesis 13:3
And he went on his journey from the South as far as Bethel, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Bethel and Ai,
Genesis 13:14
And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: "Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are--northward, southward, eastward, and westward;
Genesis 13:16
And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered.
Genesis 13:18
18 Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, [fn] which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the Lord.
Genesis 15:5
Then He brought him outside and said, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them." And He said to him, "So shall your descendants be."
Genesis 17:6
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.
Genesis 17:16
And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her."
Genesis 17:20
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you. Behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly. He shall beget twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto the king of Israel, put thine hand upon the bow, and he put his hand upon it,.... His left hand:

and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands; on both his hands, which were put, the one on the bow, the other on the arrow m; hereby signifying, that though the king would draw the bow in battle, the Lord, whom the prophet represented, would give the success; and that it would be by his help, and through his blessing on his arms, that he would obtain victory over his enemies.

m See Virgil. Aeneid. 11. ver. 831, 862.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands - A symbolic act, indicating that the successes, which the shooting typified, were to come, not from human skill, or strength, or daring, but from the presence and the power of God.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile