ESV Global Study Bible :: Footnotes for 2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13:1–25 Jehoahaz and Jehoash. The story goes back to the northern kingdom, Israel, and focuses on the two northern kings who ruled during Joash of Judah’s lifetime.

2 Kings 13:1–5 Jehoahaz the son of Jehu. . . . did what was evil, and therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel. However, because of God’s promise to Jehu (10:30), his anger is expressed only as oppression of Israel by Syria.

2 Kings 13:4–5 Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord. The language throughout vv. 3–5 recalls the book of Judges. When Israel cried out under foreign oppression, God sent a savior (v. 5; compare Judg. 3:9, 15). Likely the “savior” here is Assyria, which began military actions against Syria and Palestine in the closing years of the ninth century b.c. Since Syria needed to defend itself against Assyria, it left Israel alone.

2 Kings 13:6 the Asherah . . . remained in Samaria. On Asherim, see note on 1 Kings 14:15. The English translation here implies that this is the same Asherah that Ahab made earlier (1 Kings 16:33). It seems to have survived Jehu’s reformation.

2 Kings 13:7–8 dust at threshing. See note on 1 Kings 22:10–12. The army of Jehoahaz is reduced to a small number, as insubstantial as chaff in the breeze. On the Chronicles of the Kings, see note on 1 Kings 14:19.

2 Kings 13:9 The next king of Israel, introduced here as Joash, is referred to as both Joash (e.g., v. 14) and Jehoash (v. 25) throughout the rest of this chapter and in ch. 14 (e.g., 14:8–9). He is not to be confused with Joash of Judah; see note on 11:21.

2 Kings 13:14–19 Joash (Jehoash of Israel) weeps because he thinks he is on the verge of defeat, lacking chariots and horsemen (v. 7). Elisha promises the king a series of victories (three times, v. 19). The victories would have been greater in number had the king been more enthusiastically obedient (“You should have struck five or six times”) to the prophet’s words. Aphek lay eastward of the main Israelite territory in Transjordan. This is the direction in which Jehoash shoots the arrow and from which the Syrian threat to Israel typically came.

2 Kings 13:20–21 grave of Elisha. Tombs in ancient Israel were often dug out of soft rock or located in caves (e.g., Genesis 23). They were not difficult to access. Israel needs to know that Elisha’s powers to resurrect live on (compare 2 Kings 4:8–37), because just as this man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, so God will soon “throw” Israel into exile in Assyria (17:20). The Israelites need to maintain contact with the great prophets of the past through obedience to their teachings, so that their “death” in exile can be followed by resurrection (see Ezek. 37:1–14).

2 Kings 13:23–25 Israel is surviving because of God’s promise to Jehu (10:30), and also because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That is why he kept the Syrians at bay during the reign of Jehoahaz, in spite of Israel’s sin; and that is why the equally sinful Jehoash was later able to lead Israel to something of a recovery. Even until now (that is, after the exile, when the authors are writing), Israel remains in God’s presence.

2 Kings 13:25 Three times Joash (that is, Jehoash; see note on v. 9) defeated him, fulfilling Elisha’s prophecy (v. 19).