Read 2 Kings 13
Jehoahaz King of Israel
13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. 3 So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad his son.
4 Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5 The Lord provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 6 But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria.
7 Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
8 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 9 Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoash King of Israel
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.
12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
20 Elisha died and was buried.
Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring. 21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
24 Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. 25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
Go Deeper
A ‘famous’ Bible story comes from 2 Kings 13. A Moabite raiding party enters the borders of Israel and interrupts a funeral. In haste to protect themselves, the Israelite mourners throw the body of the deceased into Elisha’s tomb. When the dead man hits Elisha’s bones, he springs back to life, suggesting that there was so much power still within Elisha that it could bring the dead back to life.
This story becomes an important reference point, particularly hundreds of years later, when Jesus raises the dead on several occasions. The people of Israel compare him to Elisha and Elijah, who are both involved in stories of resurrection. Rare is the prophet who can bring the dead back to life. Rarer still is the One who raises from the dead Himself.
But 2 Kings 13 doesn’t just offer us a famous story; it also provides us with a familiar story, especially when it comes to the kings of Israel. Jehoahaz and his son Jehoash both rule Israel for numerous years, only to waver between obedience and outright rebellion against God. When things get tough, they turn back to the Lord. When trouble passes, they revert to the casual acceptance and celebration of wickedness. In retrospect, as 21st-century armchair analysts, it’s easy to read about the kings of Israel and wonder how they could be so blind. But the pattern they exhibit isn’t so different from our own. In tough times, we run to God. When things are easy, we abandon our faith and go with the flow of the world around us.
Like the kings of Israel and the casual believer today, we will inevitably come to know that the life lived apart from God always ends in suffering.
Questions
- Who is Israel’s main enemy during the reign of Jehoahaz?
- When Jehoash goes to visit Elisha on his deathbed, what is his primary concern (v. 14)?
- What mistake does Jehoash make when he visits Elisha, and how does this have a lasting impact on the nation (v. 18-19, 22-25)?
Listen Here
Listen to the song called ‘Rattle’ from Elevation Worship that is built around the image of the dead coming back to life throughout the Bible.
Just ask the man Who was thrown
On the bones of Elisha
If there’s anything that He can’t do
Just ask the stone
That was rolled
At the tomb in the garden
What happens when God says to move
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9 responses to “2 Kings 13”
To know God’s will or to understand and know God’s will?
These guys knew what God wanted but they would rather keep their own idols and kinda do what God said. Half way “christians”. Well if we bring pagan practices into our “chrisitan” ism then maybe the pagans will want to be “christians”.
We read all the books about how to be a good “chrisitan” and how to follow God but what about the Bible? We say it is too hard to understand and we want some “man” to explain it. BUT GOD has given 2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
We need to search it, to make it our own, to get a concordance to know what the hebrew or greek work means. It just seems like we have gotten away from God. We play church, we have symbols, and idols that we worship but are we truly seeking and searching His Word and His will?
What we read today is they did evil in the sight of the Lord and it angered God. God gives oppurtunity to be reconciled but they/we keep turning back to what they/we know, religion.
God thank You for the scales of compromise falling off my eyes. You have shown me where some of my idols are. God give me strength and wisdom to walk away and/or release those to You. Help me to NOT take them back. You have given me Your scripture and I desire to use it, to learn it and to make it my own. Thank You for replacing my heart of stone and Your spirit within me so that I may walk in all Your ways. Proverbs 3:1-4 (NASB): My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good repute In the sight of God and man.
God help me write Your commanments on the tablet of my heart so that I glorify, edify and exalt You in all I do and say today in these minutes of this day in Jesus name amen.
WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence” (v22-23).
We most often read scripture recording past events, but tucked into this section we discover that our Lord is a covenant-keeping God both past, present and future. In light of what is presently happening in the country of Israel, we know how the story will end. God will indeed remain true to his word.
Thanks on all for giving us the BRP it helps me everyday and I look forward to growing my knowledge
Of Gods word. My family attends Harris Creek to which I’m grateful !
When I read 2 Kings 13, I see a sobering picture of what happens when God’s people take their eyes off Him. They had His prophets, His promises, and His presence—and yet they kept turning their gaze toward idols, alliances, and quick fixes. And the result wasn’t harmless distraction; it was defeat, oppression, and bondage.
Misplaced focus always leads to misplaced worship—and misplaced worship always leads to ruin.
Amy’s words about removing “the scales of compromise” really caught my eye. Such imagery reminds me how easily idols sneak into my life—when I’m not intentional about what I LOOK TO for comfort, meaning, or escape.
I’ve come to frame it this way:
We seek what we worship—and we worship what we seek.
In my recovery journey, I’ve learned the importance of taking every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5). But lately I’ve realized it’s not just my thoughts I must guard, it’s my eyes. What we look AT—and TO—shapes our desires. It shapes US.
Wanting to learn more on this subject, I looked into “looking at God,” and discovered the following:
“Behold means ‘look!’, ‘open your eyes!’ or ‘pay attention!’ I’ve started to notice how it’s so often paired with an exclamation mark – the grammatical equivalent of a slap in the face. It’s not a gentle request. It’s a command. When God uses it, he’s grabbing us by the collar, urging us to notice something incredible that we’re currently ignoring.
As a person currently sitting with no less than four chiming, Wi-Fi enabled rectangles within arm’s reach, maybe ‘behold’ is just the message I need a call to abandon my beloved distractions and pay attention to what actually matters.
I wonder how much of the spiritual life comes down to just that – paying attention?”
-Premier Christianity
How much our spiritual life is defined by our attention!
Where do my eyes rest? What do I BEHOLD?
Are there daily distractions catching your eye-and keeping you from noticing Him?
Good words and it is so true when God’s word uses a word consistantly like “Behold” He wants to get our attention. Love ya Pam!
I accidentally left this out:
“Behold” is used 1,500 times in the Bible.
It seems God would get our attention… about paying attention!
Thank you for sharing the perspective God has revealed to you. The statement from Amy, ” Scales of compromise falling off my eyes” gives a clarity to where we should focus .
2 “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord “
Again and again! When will we learn? Doing the same thing over and expecting different results = insanity!
Jehoahaz’s reign was marked by partial obedience. Although he sought the Lord, he did not fully turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. “Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam” (2 Kings 13:6). This serves as a reminder that partial obedience can lead to incomplete blessings and consequences that linger.