Bible Study 2 Kings 13
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2 Kings 13 · WEB

Jehoahaz and Jehoash of Israel; Elisha's Death; Dead Man Revived by His Bones

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In 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, and he reigned seventeen years.
2He did that which was evil in Yahweh's sight, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin. He didn't depart from them.
3The anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael, continually.
4Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
5Yahweh 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.
7He left of the people to Jehoahaz only 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 Jehoash his son reigned in his place.
10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11He did that which was evil in Yahweh'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 Jehoash, 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?
13Jehoash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14Now Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he was to die. Jehoash 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 a bow and arrows." He took a bow and arrows.
16He said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." He put his hand on it. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
17He said, "Open the east window." He opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot!" He shot. He said, "Yahweh's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek until you have consumed them."
18He said, "Take the arrows." He took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground." 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. 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. They threw the man into the tomb of Elisha; and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.
22Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23But Yahweh was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and had respect for 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 Ben Hadad his son reigned in his place.
25Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Ben Hadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Jehoash struck him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.
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Summary

Jehoahaz king of Israel sins like Jeroboam and suffers severe military losses to Aram under Hazael, reducing Israel's army to a token force. When Jehoahaz cries out to God, God gives relief but Israel still does not abandon Jeroboam's sins. His son Jehoash succeeds him and visits the dying Elisha — weeping and calling him "the chariots of Israel." Elisha commands a prophetic act with a bow and arrows, but Jehoash's halfhearted response limits Israel to only three victories over Aram rather than total conquest. Elisha dies and is buried, but a miraculous last act follows: a dead man thrown hastily into Elisha's tomb revives when his body touches Elisha's bones. Jehoash goes on to fulfill the three victories predicted.

Themes

  • God's compassion in response to even minimal crying out
  • The connection between faith's intensity and the scope of God's blessing
  • God's faithfulness to his Abrahamic covenant even when Israel is unfaithful
  • The ongoing power of God through his prophets, even beyond death

Key verses

  • 2 Kgs 13:19 — “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.”
  • 2 Kgs 13:21 — “As soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.”
  • 2 Kgs 13:23 — “Yahweh was gracious to them and had compassion on them… because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.”
  • 2 Kgs 13:4 — “Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel.”

Context & background

Samaria (modern Sebastia, West Bank) was Israel's capital throughout these reigns. The Syrians under Hazael and Ben-Hadad operated from Damascus (modern Damascus, Syria) and repeatedly raided and occupied Israelite territory including the Transjordanian lands east of the Jordan River. Aphek was a city east of the Sea of Galilee (modern Fiq, in the Golan Heights) that served as a staging ground for Aramean military operations — it was the same place where Ben-Hadad was defeated in 1 Kings 20. The miraculous revival through Elisha's bones is unique in the Old Testament and stands as a final testimony to the prophet's life — life continued to flow from him even after death.

Cross-references

  • 1 Kgs 20:26-30 — Israel's earlier victory at Aphek over Ben-Hadad, now the promised site of Jehoash's victories
  • 2 Kgs 2:12 — Elisha himself cried "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel!" when Elijah was taken up — Jehoash now uses the same words for Elisha
  • Acts 19:11-12 — Handkerchiefs from Paul heal people, echoing the power that lingered with Elisha's bones
  • Heb 11:35 — "Women received their dead by resurrection" — Elisha's ministry was marked by such events
  • Ps 103:13-14 — "As a father has compassion on his children" — God's compassion in verse 23 toward Israel

Check your reading

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  1. Observe

    What did God give Israel in response to Jehoahaz's prayer, and what did Israel fail to do despite this relief?

  2. Observe

    What was wrong with Jehoash's response to Elisha's arrow test, and what was the result?

  3. Interpret

    What does Jehoash's halfhearted arrow-striking teach about the relationship between faith and outcomes?

  4. Interpret

    What does God's compassion in verse 23 reveal about the basis of his mercy?

  5. Apply

    How does the dead man revived by Elisha's bones encourage you about faithful ministry?

  6. Apply

    Where in your life might words and outward forms reveal a gap with the actual depth of your trust in God?

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