Joash appears in this chronological marker while Israel suffers divine judgment, contrasting his typical association with righteous leadership and temple restoration in other biblical narratives.
2 Kings 13
Jehoahaz of Israel
1In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria for seventeen years.
2He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from it.
3The LORD’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually.
4Jehoahaz begged the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.
5(The LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before.
6Nevertheless they didn’t depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israel to sin, but walked in them; and the Asherah also remained in Samaria.)
7For he didn’t leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like the dust in threshing.
8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son reigned in his place.
Jehoash of Israel and Elisha's Death
10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria for sixteen years.
11He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; but he walked in them.
12Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14Now Elisha became sick with the illness of which he died; and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”
15Elisha said to him, “Take bow and arrows;” and he took bow and arrows for himself.
16He 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.
17He said, “Open the window eastward;” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he shot. He said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you will strike the Syrians in Aphek until you have consumed them.”
18He said, “Take the arrows;” and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground;” and he struck three times, and stopped.
19The man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it, but now you will strike Syria just three times.”
20Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
21As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a band of raiders; and they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb. As soon as the man touched Elisha’s bones, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
22Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23But the LORD was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and favored them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them and he didn’t cast them from his presence as yet.
24Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his place.
25Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Joash struck him three times, and recovered the cities of Israel.
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Theme
2 Kings 13 chronicles the reigns of two successive kings of Israel—Jehoahaz and his son Jehoash—both of whom continued in the idolatrous practices established by Jeroboam. Despite their disobedience, God showed mercy by delivering Israel from Syrian oppression when Jehoahaz cried out for help, though the nation remained spiritually unchanged. The chapter concludes with the death of the prophet Elisha, whose final prophetic act promised Israel limited victory over Syria, symbolized through Jehoash's halfhearted striking of arrows.
Context
This chapter continues the pattern of Israel's spiritual decline following Jehu's dynasty, bridging between the earlier Syrian conflicts and the later Assyrian threats that will dominate subsequent chapters.
Key Themes
Outline
- 1-9 Jehoahaz's Reign and Deliverance Jehoahaz follows Jeroboam's sins, faces Syrian oppression, cries to God for help, and receives temporary deliverance despite continued idolatry.
- 10-13 Jehoash's Accession Jehoash becomes king and continues the same pattern of evil, following Jeroboam's sins without departure.
- 14-19 Elisha's Final Prophecy The dying prophet Elisha gives King Jehoash a symbolic prophecy about victory over Syria, but the king's lack of enthusiasm limits the promised success.
- 20-25 Elisha's Death and Continued Conflicts Elisha dies and is buried, his bones later revive a dead man, while Jehoash achieves the predicted limited victories over Syria.
Jehoahaz of Israel
13:1–13:9 narrative narration mournful
Jehoahaz of Israel continues in sin like Jeroboam, leading to Syrian oppression, but the Lord provides deliverance when the king seeks Him. Despite divine mercy, Israel fails to fully turn from idolatry.
person_contrast
Joash appears in this chronological marker while Israel suffers divine judgment, contrasting his typical association with righteous leadership and temple restoration in other biblical narratives.
Jehoash of Israel and Elisha's Death
13:10–13:25 narrative narration solemn
King Jehoash of Israel continues in sin while prophet Elisha dies after giving a final prophecy of limited victory over Syria. Even after death, Elisha's bones demonstrate God's power by raising a dead man.
person_contrast
King Jehoash weeps over dying Elisha yet strikes the ground only three times, limiting his military victories through incomplete obedience to prophetic instruction.
Insights
King Jehoash weeps over dying Elisha yet strikes the ground only three times, limiting his military victories through incomplete obedience to prophetic instruction.
Cross-References
Connected passages across Scripture
2 Kings 13:1 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 10:35 Lexical
Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 14:23 Lexical
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign…
2 Kings 10:36 Lexical
The time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
2 Kings 23:31 Lexical
Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. His mother’s name…
2 Chronicles 25:17 Lexical
Then Amaziah king of Judah consulted his advisers, and sent to Joash, the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Isra…
2 Kings 13:2 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 15:24 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…
2 Kings 3:3 Lexical
Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from t…
2 Kings 15:9 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as his fathers had done. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the…
2 Kings 15:18 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat…
2 Kings 15:28 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…
2 Kings 13:3 1 reference
2 Kings 13:4 1 reference
2 Kings 13:6 5 references
Lexicals 5
Isaiah 27:9 Lexical
Therefore by this the iniquity of Jacob will be forgiven, and this is all the fruit of taking away his sin: that he make…
2 Kings 10:31 Lexical
But Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He didn’t depart from the s…
2 Kings 15:28 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…
2 Kings 3:3 Lexical
Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from t…
2 Kings 14:24 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with wh…
2 Kings 13:7 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Chronicles 18:4 Lexical
David took from him one thousand chariots, seven thousand horsemen, and twenty thousand footmen; and David hamstrung all…
2 Samuel 8:4 Lexical
David took from him one thousand seven hundred horsemen and twenty thousand footmen. David hamstrung the chariot horses,…
1 Chronicles 19:18 Lexical
The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed of the Syrian men seven thousand charioteers and forty thousand footmen…
2 Samuel 10:18 Lexical
The Syrians fled before Israel; and David killed seven hundred charioteers of the Syrians and forty thousand horsemen, a…
1 Chronicles 19:6 Lexical
When the children of Ammon saw that they had made themselves odious to David, Hanun and the children of Ammon sent one t…
2 Kings 13:8 5 references
Lexicals 5
1 Kings 16:27 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and his might that he showed, aren’t they written in the book of the chro…
1 Kings 15:23 Lexical
Now the rest of all the acts of Asa, and all his might, and all that he did, and the cities which he built, aren’t they…
2 Kings 14:28 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus,…
2 Kings 14:15 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t th…
2 Kings 10:34 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, aren’t they written in the book of the chronic…
2 Kings 13:9 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 10:35 Lexical
Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 14:16 Lexical
Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his…
1 Kings 16:28 Lexical
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 23:30 Lexical
His servants carried him dead in a chariot from Megiddo, brought him to Jerusalem, and buried him in his own tomb. The p…
2 Kings 14:23 Lexical
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign…
2 Kings 13:10 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 14:17 Lexical
Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah lived after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, fifteen years.
2 Kings 14:23 Lexical
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign…
2 Kings 15:8 Lexical
In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six mon…
1 Kings 16:23 Lexical
In the thirty-first year of Asa king of Judah, Omri began to reign over Israel for twelve years. He reigned six years in…
1 Chronicles 3:4 Lexical
six were born to him in Hebron; and he reigned there seven years and six months. He reigned thirty-three years in Jerusa…
2 Kings 13:11 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 14:24 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with wh…
2 Kings 15:24 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which…
2 Kings 3:3 Lexical
Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn’t depart from t…
2 Kings 15:9 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as his fathers had done. He didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam the…
2 Kings 15:18 Lexical
He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight. He didn’t depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat…
2 Kings 13:12 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Kings 14:15 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, aren’t th…
2 Kings 14:28 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did, and his might, how he fought, and how he recovered Damascus,…
2 Kings 14:18 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
2 Chronicles 25:26 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, first and last, behold, aren’t they written in the book of the kings of Judah and I…
2 Kings 20:20 Lexical
Now the rest of the acts of Hezekiah, and all his might, and how he made the pool, and the conduit, and brought water in…
2 Kings 13:13 4 references
Lexicals 4
2 Kings 14:16 Lexical
Jehoash slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam his son reigned in his…
2 Kings 14:23 Lexical
In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign…
1 Kings 16:28 Lexical
So Omri slept with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria; and Ahab his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 10:35 Lexical
Jehu slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria. Jehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
2 Kings 13:14 2 references
2 Kings 13:21 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Samuel 21:14 Lexical
They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in Zela, in the tomb of Kish his father; a…
1 Kings 13:31 Lexical
After he had buried him, he spoke to his sons, saying, “When I am dead, bury me in the tomb in which the man of God is b…
Numbers 19:16 Lexical
“Whoever in the open field touches one who is slain with a sword, or a dead body, or a bone of a man, or a grave, shall…
Numbers 19:18 Lexical
A clean person shall take hyssop, dip it in the water, and sprinkle it on the tent, on all the vessels, on the persons w…
2 Samuel 4:12 Lexical
David commanded his young men, and they killed them, cut off their hands and their feet, and hanged them up beside the p…
2 Kings 13:23 5 references
Lexicals 5
2 Chronicles 21:7 Lexical
However the LORD would not destroy David’s house, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promise…
Deuteronomy 9:27 Lexical
Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don’t look at the stubbornness of this people, nor at their wickednes…
Deuteronomy 9:5 Lexical
Not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart do you go in to possess their land; but for the wickedne…
Exodus 4:5 Lexical
“This is so that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the…
Leviticus 26:42 Lexical
then I will remember my covenant with Jacob, my covenant with Isaac, and also my covenant with Abraham; and I will remem…
2 Kings 13:24 1 reference
2 Kings 13:25 2 references
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