2 Kings 13: 1 – 25
Touching lives from the grave
13 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned seventeen years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not depart from them. 3 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused 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 So Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 Then the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped 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 had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria. 7 For He left of the army of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand-foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing. 8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son reigned in his place. 10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did 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 walked in them. 12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, 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 So Joash rested with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. 14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So, he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So, he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the east window”; 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 must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so, he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.” 20 Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet. 22 And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence. 24 Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz recaptured from the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.
I am a little melancholy over some of the things I have recently seen on TV. As I was watching one of my favorite shows, Hogan’s heroes, I came to realize that all the main characters but one are dead. Then since it is near the end of October I start hearing Christmas music that play some of my favorite songs are also dead.
My thoughts drifted then towards the fact that there are a lot of people who died yet are still reaching out from their graves and making great impact to all of us earth dwellers. I came across a report that listed the highest earning individuals who have died, and the results were startling.
Michael Jackson leads the list even though he has parted this earth in 2009 with an annual income of over 75 million.
Golf legend Arnold Palmer claims the No. 2 spot barely a year after his death with $40 million in earned revenue.
Peanuts creator Charles Schulz ranks third with income of $38 million.
Elvis Presley finishes fourth with $35 million, up from last year’s $27 million sum thanks to the new $45 million Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex and recently opened hotel The Guesthouse at Graceland.
Bob Marley rounds out the top five with $23 million, boosted by sustainability-focused House of Marley audio products and the Marley Beverage Co.
Some names on the list passed just before the end of our scoring period—namely, rocker Tom Petty, who died on October 3. His inclusion on the list (No. 6, $20 million) reflects earnings from the past year on the road, where his band was grossing north of $1 million per night. Petty and fellow musicians Prince (No. 7, $18 million) and David Bowie (No. 11, $9.5 million) also got a boost from increased music consumption in the wake of their relatively recent passing. There are more ways than ever to earn money from beyond the grave, as our list members can attest. Elizabeth Taylor (No. 12, $8 million) lives on through top-selling fragrances such as White Diamonds, while Albert Einstein (No. 10, $10 million) lends his name and likeness to products ranging from dorm-room posters to tablets designed by an Israeli tech company.
In a way we are going to come across another person who died and still touched lives from the grave. His name is Elisha and although he is not receiving any royalty rights his involvement exceeds all the rest.
On the death of Jehu, his son Jehoahaz ascended the throne of Israel. It was at a time when Assyria had not troubled the area for many years and were being kept busy elsewhere with attacks on its north-west and eastern frontiers, having previously put down a great revolt in Nineveh and other important centers. Thus, there was no restraint on the now powerful kingdom of Syria, and they took advantage of it to continue to intimidate a now weak Israel (weakened by Jehu’s purges) over a number of years. It was a shortsighted policy, for by diminishing the military power of Israel they were rendering helpless a possible ally who in the time of Ahab had been able to supply two thousand chariots in the alliance against Assyria. Now Israel was to be reduced to ten chariots which were probably mainly for ceremonial occasions. They would be able to provide no assistance if ever Assyria invaded again.
13 In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned seventeen years.
Jehoahaz’ reign is described in the usual terms dated on the basis of the corresponding king of Judah, coming to the throne in the twenty third year of Joash of Judah.
2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not depart from them.
He also continued in the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, supporting the sanctuaries at Bethel and Dan. The activities of Jehu had not led to a return to pure loyalty to The God of Israel - Yahweh, and unofficial worship was still taking place at high places around the country.
3 Then the anger of the LORD was aroused 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.
Please note that any invasion is an indication of YHWH’s anger. Were YHWH not angry He could in one way or another have ensured that it did not happen. The consequence of YHWH’s anger at Israel’s disobedience to His covenant resulted in several invasions by Hazael and his son Benhadad (acting as Hazael’s commander-in-chief) in which Israel was greatly defeated.
4 So Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
In the end Jehoahaz turned in his extreme panic to YHWH in genuine prayer from the heart. And the result was that our Loving and Merciful God YHWH, who could see Israel’s suffering at the hands of the king of Syria, listened to him and responded to his prayer.
5 Then the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before.
In response to Jehoahaz’s heartfelt prayer YHWH gave Israel a savior who removed the burden of the Aramaeans from them so that the children of Israel were able to dwell peaceably. ‘In their tents’ is a technical description signifying in their homes. They no longer had to continually flee into the mountains or otherwise be driven from their homes by the Syrian incursions.
The statement ‘Gave Israel a savior’ is interesting. This ‘savior’ will be a gentile king from Assyria. This probably refers to the successive invasions of Syria by Adad-nirari III of Assyria whereby the power of Syria was for a time broken. In 804 BC the Assyrians recorded victories over Hazael of Aram (under his Aramaic name of Mari) whereby the cities of Aram were crushed one by one so that in the end Hazael had to surrender in Damascus and pay heavy tribute, although Damascus was never taken.
6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; and the wooden image also remained in Samaria.
But despite YHWH’s deliverance the people of Israel did not return to YHWH with a true heart. They continued in the ways of Jeroboam, worshipping at sanctuaries run by false priests.
7 For He left of the army of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand-foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.
For YHWH had through the unrestrained preying on the conquered Israelites by the king of Syria and his forces reduced their armed forces to a pitiful remnant, with only fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten military units of footmen. The accumulated sins of Israel had reaped their reward.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son reigned in his place.
Jehoahaz appears to have died peacefully. He ‘slept with his fathers’ and was buried in Samaria. And his son Joash (or Jehoash) reigned instead of him (and this while Jehoash was reigning in Judah!).
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did 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 walked in them.
Once again, as in the case of Jehoram (Joram), we have parallel kings of Israel and Judah with the same names, i.e. Jehoash/Joash. Jehoash of Israel will reign for sixteen years. The date here excludes Joash of Judah’s co-regency. As with all the kings of Israel he did what was evil in the sight of YHWH because he made no attempt to return to orthodox worship of the only real and living God. Rather he maintained the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, 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 So Joash rested with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Two remarks stand out here. The first is the unique reference to ‘sitting on his throne’. This may signify that that the phrase highlights how long the dynasty of Jehu was lasting. The second is the inclusion of ‘with the kings of Israel’, which indicates the continuing of a dynasty.
14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”
After a long life and a ministry of over fifty years Elisha was terminally ill, and as a result Joash (Jehoash) of Israel came down to see him. And when he came to Elisha’s bedside he wept at what it was going to mean for Israel. He recognized that in Elisha Israel were losing their most powerful weapon, for the king feared that with him the invisible fiery chariots and horses of YHWH would also depart. YHWH would no longer be with His people in the same way.
15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So, he took himself a bow and some arrows.
Elisha’s reply was to tell him to take in his hands a bow and arrows, which he then did. The arrows were clearly visible to a king who probably was not spiritually attuned enough to see the chariots and horses of Israel (as he had demonstrated when he thought that they represented Elisha). Arrows were a vivid and well-known symbol for the activity of YHWH. In Deuteronomy 32.23 we read, ‘I will heap evils on them, I will spend My arrows on them.’ In the Davidic Psalm 7.13 we read, ‘if a man does not repent God will whet His sword, He has bent and strung His bow, He has prepared His deadly weapons, making His arrows fiery shafts.’ In Psalm 45.5 we read, ‘your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies, the peoples fall under you.’ Thus, Elisha was demonstrating that YHWH’s fiery arrows were still at the ready on behalf of Israel.
16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So, he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
By putting his hands on the king’s hands Elisha was demonstrating that even after his death his God would still be active on Israel’s behalf.
17 And he said, “Open the east window”; 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 must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed them.”
Please take note of the step by step description of what the king had to do. Elisha wanted the message to be firmly implanted in the king’s mind, and because the Aramaeans regularly invaded via Transjordan (over which they now held control) which was to the east of Samaria, Elisha arranged for the arrow to be fired eastwards. Then when the arrow had been dispatched Elisha declared that it was the arrow of YHWH’s victory, even His victory over Aram. It was evidence that Joash of Israel would smite the Aramaeans at Aphek until he had consumed them.
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so, he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped.
Then Elisha told the king to take the remaining arrows and to ‘strike the ground’ with them. The king was to hold them in his hand and strike the ground with them. He only did it three times, even though it should have been obvious that it symbolized something of great importance. It was clear that he was obeying mechanically rather than thoughtfully and from his heart. He was not really convinced that YHWH would be active on his behalf. His heart was not in it.
19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.”
The king’s lack of enthusiasm angered Elisha, and in spite of his weak condition, he rebuked the king for his lethargy, because it had demonstrated his lack of trust in YHWH and his lack of desire to have for Him to get involved. He informed him that because of only striking three times he would only defeat the Syrians three times. Had he struck five or six times he would have continually defeated them until he had consumed them,
20 Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.
These were the king’s last dealings with Elisha before he died. We are not told how long Elisha survived after this, but eventually he expired and was buried. The glorious ministry of Elisha was apparently at an end. But that his powerful influence continued will now be remarkably illustrated. Although dead he would still reach out from the grave.
The disintegrating state of Israel at this time is demonstrated by the fact that Moabite roving bands were able to penetrate deep into Israelite territory. Israel in Transjordan was under the control of Benhadad III who had succeeded Hazael (10.32-33), and he was allowing the Moabites free license to rove there and attack Israel over the Jordan. Furthermore, Benhadad also had control of several Israelite cities west of Jordan.
As mentioned the ‘savior’ whom YHWH had sent in order to relieve the pressure on Jehoahaz (13.5), the Assyrians under Adad-nirari III, had severely weakened Syria with the result that they were no longer the proposition that they had once been. Thus, when Joash came to the throne he was able to recover the cities west of Jordan, and probably much of the land in Transjordan. And that this was through YHWH’s help is brought out by the acted-out prophecy of the coming back to life of a man whose corpse touched that of Elisha.
21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
But that YHWH had not forgotten Israel is brought out by an anecdote describing how a corpse which touched the body of Elisha was raised from the dead. This occurred because the men who were burying the corpse intended to bury it in the same cave as Elisha was buried in and having removed the stone from the entrance spotted a band of Moabite raiders and fled for their lives, unceremoniously pushing the corpse into the cave. As a result, the corpse came into contact with the bones of Elisha and immediately revived. It was a symbol of what YHWH was going to do for Israel in accordance with Elisha’s promises to Joash.
22 And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
That YHWH’s help was necessary comes out in that Hazael’s pressure on Israel, first through his own activities and then through his son Benhadad, was unceasing all the days of Jehoahaz
23 But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.
YHWH had not yet cast-off Israel, for He still remembered His promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in which Israel had a part. As a result of these promises He was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them (that is why He had sent them a ‘savior’) and did not as yet destroy them or cast them off. Thus, their main antagonist, Hazael, died, and YHWH began to revivify Israel. He had still not forgotten them.
24 Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place.
One result of YHWH’s compassion was that Hazael died and was replaced by Benhadad III, who ruled over a much-weakened Syria, weakened by the ‘savior’ whom YHWH had sent against them, even the king of Assyria.
25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz recaptured from the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.
In accordance with what Elisha had promised Joash was able to smite Benhadad three times and recover more and more of the cities of Israel.
