Jehoahaz's wicked reign, 1, 2. Jehoahaz, oppressed by Hazael, is relieved by prayer, 3-7. Joash succeeds him, 8, 9. His wicked reign, 10, 11. Jeroboam succeeds him, 12, 13. Elisha, dying, prophesies to Joash three victories over the Syrians, 14-19. While the Moabites invade the land, Elisha's bones raise a dead man, 20, 21. Joash gets three victories over Ben-hadad, 22-25.
1 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 reigned seventeen years. 2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin. He did not depart from it. 3 And the anger of the LORD 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 all their days. 4 And Jehoahaz implored the LORD, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (And the LORD gave Israel a savior so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians, and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before. 6 Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam who made Israel sin, but walked in them. And the grove also remained in Samaria.) 7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust by threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Joash his son reigned in his stead.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel sin, but he walked in them. 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13 And Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha had fallen sick of his disease of which he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over his face and said, "O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof." 15 And Elisha said to him, "Take a bow and arrows." And he took a bow and arrows. 16 And he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand upon the bow." And he put his hand upon it. And Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. 17 And he said, "Open the window eastward." And he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot." And he shot. And he said, "The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria, for you shall smite the Syrians in Aphek until you have consumed them." 18 And he said, "Take the arrows." And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Smite upon the ground." And he smote three times and ceased. 19 And the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have smitten five or six times. Then you would have smitten Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall smite Syria but three times."
20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year. 21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band of men, and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha. And when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 And the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither did he reject them from his presence as yet.
24 So Hazael king of Syria died, and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead. 25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz again took from the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken from the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.
Matthew Henry Commentary - 2nd Kings, Chapter 13[➚]