2nd Kings Chapter Thirteen

 2Ki 13:1  In the twenty third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, the king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel, in Samaria, seventeen years. 

2Ki 13:2  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah, and went after the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn aside from it. 

2Ki 13:3  And the anger of Jehovah glowed against Israel, and He gave them into the hand of Hazael the king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all the days. 

2Ki 13:4  And Jehoahaz sought the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah listened to him, for He saw the oppression of Israel; for the king of Syria had oppressed them. 

2Ki 13:5  And Jehovah gave a deliverer to Israel, and they went out from under the hand of Syria, and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as before. 

2Ki 13:6  Only, they did not turn aside from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin; he walked in it, and also the Asherah remained in Samaria. 

2Ki 13:7  For he did not leave to Jehoahaz any of the people except fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like dust by threshing. 

2Ki 13:8  And the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

2Ki 13:9  And Jehoahaz lay with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Joash reigned in his place. 

2Ki 13:10  In the thirty seventh year of Joash the king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz reigned over Israel, in Samaria, sixteen years. 

2Ki 13:11  And he did the evil in the eyes of Jehovah; he did not turn aside from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he walked in it. 

2Ki 13:12  And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought with Amaziah the king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Matters of the Days of the Kings of Israel? 

2Ki 13:13  And Joash lay with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 

2Ki 13:14  And Elisha had become sick with his illness in which he died; and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept on his face, and said, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen! 

2Ki 13:15  And Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took bow and arrows to himself. 

2Ki 13:16  And he said to the king of Israel, Cause your hand to ride on the bow. And he caused his hand to ride. And Elisha placed his hand on the hands of the king, 

2Ki 13:17  and said, Open the window eastward. And he opened. And Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of deliverance of Jehovah, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, until it is finished. 

2Ki 13:18  And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them up. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike the earth. And he struck three times, and stopped. 

2Ki 13:19  And the man of God was angry with him, and said, By striking five or six times, then you would have stricken Syria until it was finished; but now, you shall strike Syria three times. 

2Ki 13:20  And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of Moab came into the land, at the beginning of the year; 

2Ki 13:21  and it happened, they were burying a man; and, behold, they saw the band, and threw the man into the grave of Elisha. And the man fell and touched the bones of Elisha, and came alive, and rose on his feet. 

2Ki 13:22  And Hazael the king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 

2Ki 13:23  And Jehovah was gracious to them, and pitied them, and turned toward them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was not willing to destroy them, nor to cast them out from His presence as yet. 

2Ki 13:24  And Hazael the king of Syria died, and his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place. 

2Ki 13:25  And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz returned and took the cities out of the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael that he had taken out of the hand of his father Jehoahaz in battle. Jehoash struck him three times, and he brought back the cities of Israel. 

Verses 1-9 Summary: Jehoahaz take over Jehu's throne in Israel. Israel's armed forced are all but obliterated by Syria. The Israelites are so conquered they end up living in tents. Jehoahaz asks God for a deliverer and God supplies one but for all intents and purposes, Israel is dead as a fighting nation.

1. Why would God answer Jehoahaz when he pleaded for deliverance seeing that he had not departed from the calf worship begun by Jeroboam? God took pity on the nation. They were being oppressed and some of the citizens (remnant) were still faithful. See also verse 23: God is very much attached to His people and the promises he made going back to Abraham.

NOTE: If ALL of Israel became nomadic, this is a fatal blow to the nation. (Update: "living in tents" may indicate a time of peace. Some versions render the saying as "living in homes." This is technically incorrect since the word means tents. However, the overall meaning is likely closer to indicating a time of peace. Also, one may consider that the nomadic tribes that did exist didn't need to flee to the fortified cities for safety (another way of expressing peacetime). 

Verses 10-13 Summary: Jehoash/Joash becomes king after Jehoahaz. He reigns sixteen years, dies and is buried. Jeroboam, his son take over. 

NOTE: Just like that, now we are into the final generation of the house of Jehu.

Verses 14-21 Summary: Elisha is sick and Joash visits him. Elisha promises a deliverer form Jehovah, then asks Joash to strike the ground. He strikes it three times. Elisha tells him he should have struck it more so that he could have victory over Syria. With his three strikes, he would only realize partial victory. Elisha dies and is being buried. A band Moabite of marauders are spotted and they throw another dead guy onto Elisha. The dead guy raises from the death.  

Note: Elisha's death goes back to Joash's reign (Jeroboam stated to take over (13)). 

Verses 22-25 Summary: Jehoash Jehoahaz's son has some victory against Syria.

NOTE: Verse 23- What must we realize about our God here? 'for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was not willing to destroy them"
We see a very dedicated Jehovah here, practicing extreme patience, love and mercy.