Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 13

Verses 1-25

Under Jehoahaz the story of corruption ran on in Israel. It was the story of continuation of evil as moral, and its consequent continuation as punishment. Readiness of God to forgive is revealed in the parenthesis. A consciousness of the terrible condition of the people seems to have taken possession of the king, and he besought the Lord. In answer to his prayer a saviour was raised up. No particulars are here given. In all probability they are to be found in chapter fourteen.

Jehoahaz was succeeded by Jehoash, the chief event of whose reign was his visit to Elisha. The prophet was now sick and feeble. In the midst of his perplexities, Jehoash went to see him. It is interesting to notice that he addressed him with the selfsame words which Elisha had used of Elijah at the moment of his translation, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!" and here evidently with the same meaning. The king recognized that the true strength of the nation was not its military equipment, but its possession of such as interpreted the will of God. In his intercourse with Elisha the weakness of the king was manifest. While following the prophetic signs, he lacked that passion and consecration which were necessary to the full accomplishment of his purpose. There was no heart in his striking on the ground with the arrows, and the prophet foretold his limitation and ultimate failure.