2 Kings 13:17-18

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 13:10-19

We have here Jehoash, or Joash, the son of Jehoahaz and grandson of Jehu, upon the throne of Israel. Probably the house of Jehu intended some respect to the house of David when they gave this heir-apparent to the crown the same name with him that was then king of Judah. I. The general account here given of him and his reign is much the same with what we have already met with, and has little in it remarkable, 2 Kgs. 13:10-13. He was none of the worst, and yet, because he kept up that ancient... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 13:17

And he said, open the window eastward ,.... Syria lying east of the land of Israel, as the Jewish commentators in general observe, and for which they quote Isaiah 9:12 , but it lay northeast, or rather more to the north; wherefore this may respect the eastward part of the land of Israel, which the Syrians had got possession of, and should be recovered, as this sign showed, see 2 Kings 10:33 , and he opened it: then Elisha said, shoot, and he shot ; the arrow, out of the window, being... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 13:18

And he said, take the arrows, and he took them ,.... The rest of them: and he said unto the king of Israel , smite upon the ground; the floor of the room in which the prophet lay: and he smote thrice, and stayed ; made a stop, ceased smiting; he might think this action trifling, and beneath him, only was willing to please the prophet, but did not do it with a good will, and therefore smote no more; though this was an emblem of his smiting the Syrians, which he might not understand. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 13:17

Open the window eastward - This was towards the country beyond Jordan, which Hazael had taken from the Israelites. The arrow of - deliverance from Syria - That is, As surely as that arrow is shot towards the lands conquered from Israel by the Syrians, so surely shall those lands be reconquered and restored to Israel. It was an ancient custom to shoot an arrow or cast a spear into the country which an army intended to invade. Justin says that, as soon as Alexander the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 13:18

Smite upon the ground - As he was ordered to take his arrows, the smiting on the ground must mean shooting arrows into it. He smote thrice , and stayed - The prophet knew that this shooting was emblematical: probably the king was not aware of what depended on the frequency of the action; and perhaps it was of the Lord that he smote only thrice, as he had determined to give Israel those three victories only over the Syrians. Elisha's being wroth because there were only three... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 13:1-21

The death of Elisha. "In the three and twentieth," etc. The Book of Kings is, to a large extent, a record of crime, and of crime of the most heinous and aggravated character. The terrible monstrosities recorded are, for the most part, ascribable, directly or indirectly, to kings. In this very chapter we have a sketch of two of those monarchs who have been among the greatest curses of their race. Jehoahaz, son and successor of Jehu King of Israel, whose reign was disastrous to the kingdom to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 13:1-25

REIGNS OF JEHOAHAZ , SON OF JEHU , AND JOASH , SON OF JEHOAHAZ , OVER ISRAEL . NOTICES OF ELISHA . WAR OF ISRAEL WITH SYRIA . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 13:8-19

Joash and Elisha. Jehoahaz reigned for seventeen years, and was succeeded by his son Jehoash, or Joash. In this reign, after a long interval, Elisha again appears. I. ACCESSION OF JOASH . The change of rulers was in some respects a gain for Israel. Joash was a man of better disposition than his father, and under his reign the kingdom, which has been so sorely broken down, was again partially built up. But he still adhered to the cardinal sin of the nation—the calf-worship-so that... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 13:10-25

THE REIGN OF JOASH . The writer passes from the reign of Jehoahaz, Jehu's son, to that of Joash, Jehu's grandson, which he seems to have intended at first to dispatch in the short space of four verses ( 2 Kings 13:10-13 ). He afterwards, however, saw reason to add to his narrative, first, an account of an interview between Joash and Elisha, shortly Before the death of the latter ( 2 Kings 13:14-19 ); secondly, an account of a miracle wrought soon afterwards by means of Elisha's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Kings 13:14-19

The closing scene of Elisha's life. The time had come to Elisha which comes to all the sons of men, however great, however holy, at the last. He had exceeded man's ordinary term of three score years and ten—nay, he had exceeded the extended term of those who are exceptionally "strong" men, four score years ( Psalms 90:10 )—but now at length he was overtaken by sickness, he was manifestly drawing near to death. What lessons does his departure teach us? It may teach us— I. A LESSON OF... read more

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