2 Kings 13 explained: Elisha's Last Prophecy and Death

Jehoahaz and Aram's grip (vv. 1-3)

Jehoahaz, son of King Jehu, kept up the golden calf shrines that Jeroboam, the first northern king, had set up as rivals to the temple in Jerusalem. The writer ties this to Israel falling under Aram, the kingdom based in Damascus, ruled by Hazael and then his son Ben-Hadad.

A prayer heard (vv. 4-7)

Jehoahaz begged the LORD for help and was heard, even though a pole honoring the goddess Asherah still stood in his capital and his army had been trampled down like straw on a threshing floor. The rescuer God sent is never named; many think it means his son and grandson, who later won back land, but scholars are not sure.

Jehoash's reign in brief (vv. 8-13)

Jehoahaz dies, and his son Jehoash gets the same verdict for keeping the calf shrines. His reign is oddly summed up here, before the Elisha story, and his war with Judah is told in the next chapter.

Elisha's last arrows (vv. 14-19)

The king weeps over Elisha with the same cry Elisha once used for Elijah, calling the prophet Israel's chariots and horsemen, meaning he had been the nation's real defense. Shooting east toward land Aram had taken was like declaring war, and striking the ground only three times meant only three victories, though whether the king lacked faith or simply did not understand is debated.

Life from a tomb (vv. 20-21)

Raiders from Moab came every spring, and panicked mourners dropped a body into Elisha's cave tomb, where it came back to life on touching his bones. The story seems meant to show that the power behind Elisha's words was still at work after his death.

Mercy and three victories (vv. 22-25)

The writer says the LORD held back from destroying Israel because of his ancient promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, though the first readers knew the northern kingdom would later fall to Assyria. Jehoash then beat Aram three times and took back lost towns, just as Elisha had said.

Key verse: 2 Kings 13:23

Something to think about

Israel kept getting rescued without changing much; is help still worth giving to people who may never change?