Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 13

Verse 6

Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)

The grove — Which Ahab had planted for the worship of Baal, and which should have been destroyed, Deuteronomy 7:5.

Verse 7

Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

He — The king of Syria.

People — Of his army, or men of war.

Verse 8

Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

His might — For though his success was not good, he shewed much personal valour. Which is noted to intimate, that the Israelites were not conquered, because of the cowardice of their king, but merely from the righteous judgment of God, who was now resolved to reckon with them for their apostacy.

Verse 14

Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

Fallen sick, … — He lived long: for it was sixty years since he was first called to be a prophet. It was a great mercy to Israel and especially to the sons of the prophets, that he was continued so long, a burning and a shining light. Elijah finished his testimony, in a fourth part of that time. God’s prophets have their day set them, longer or shorter, as infinite wisdom sees fit. But all the latter part of his time, from the anointing of Jehu, which was forty five years before Joash began his reign, we find no mention of him, or of any thing he did, ’till we find him here upon his death bed. Yet he might be useful to the last, tho’ not so famous as he had sometimes been.

Verse 17

And he said, Open the window eastward. 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 thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

Eastward — Toward Syria, which lay north-eastward, from the land of Israel: this arrow is shot against the Syrians, as a token what God intended to do against them.

Verse 18

And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.

Smite — The former sign portended victory, this was to declare the number of the victories.

Verse 20

And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

Moabites invaded — The mentioning this immediately on the death of Elisha intimates, that the removal of God’s faithful prophets, is a presage of judgments approaching.

Verse 21

And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

He revived — Which miracle God wrought, to do honour to that great prophet, and that by this seal he might confirm his doctrine, to strengthen the faith of Joash, and of the Israelites, in this promise of their success against the Syrians; and in the midst of all their calamities to comfort such Israelites as were Elisha’s followers, with the hopes of eternal life, whereof this was a manifest pledge, and to awaken the rest of that people to a due care and preparation for it.

Verse 23

And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

Had compassion — The slowness of God’s process against sinners even when they remain impenitent must be construed to the advantage of his mercy, not the impeachment of his justice.