seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
2 Kings 13:10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.
12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,” and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”
I'm glad Jehoash struck the ground three times.... if someone handed me a bunch of arrows and told me to strike the ground.... I would have struck it once instead of three times. Now if he told me to strike the ground a bunch of times.... well I would have done about 5 strikes.... so I have sympathy for the king at this second.... because Elisha could have given him better instruction.
The easy English site had a lot to say about these last verses about Elisha's life.
Elisha had been a prophet for more than 60 years. There had been a period of about 45 years since he selected Jehu as king. We do not know what Elisha did from that time until this event. King Jehoash came to visit Elisha. He came to receive Elisha’s advice and blessing before he (Elisha) died.
The king wept. He used the same words that Elisha had used earlier. Elisha had spoken them before God took Elijah away. Elisha used those words to express his faith in God. Elisha had seen some of God’s powerful army of angels. And Elisha realised that the chariots and horsemen of that army were Israel’s real defence.
But Jehoash seemed to use the same words with a different meaning. Jehoash was weeping because Elisha would soon die. Jehoash did not have faith in God; and Jehoash did not see the army of angels. So his words were a cry of despair. He did not know who would defend Israel against the Syrians. He respected Elisha as a great man, but Jehoash did not trust Elisha’s God.
Elisha said that King Jehoash would succeed against the Syrians. He ordered Jehoash to shoot an arrow towards the Syrians. Elisha put his own hands on the king’s hands. In that way, he was showing that the king would not succeed by his own efforts. Instead, the king must trust God for success. Elisha ordered the king to shoot towards the east. That was because the Syrians had conquered that area. To shoot an arrow in that way meant to declare war. Jehoash would defeat the Syrians at Aphek, where Ahab had defeated them 60 years earlier.
Then Elisha told King Jehoash to strike the arrows on the ground. In that way, he tested whether Jehoash would attack the Syrians more strongly than Ahab. Jehoash only struck the ground 3 times. That showed that he would not win completely against his enemies. Even as Ahab had not won completely, Jehoash too would not have complete success.
We do not know why Jehoash did not continue to strike the arrows against the ground. Some people have thought that he did not want to defeat Syria completely. Another country called Assyria was becoming very powerful. And in the future, Syria might support Israel in their battles against Assyria. Probably however, Jehoash’s reason was simpler. Jehoash did not trust God. And he did not really believe that the prophet’s words had much value. Jehoash had already struck the ground three times because Elisha asked him to do that. But Jehoash did not think that the action had any purpose. He thought that it was nonsense. He did not have any faith that God would fight on his behalf. So he did not continue to obey the prophet.
Elisha was angry. The king’s actions showed that he did not trust God. God wanted to fight on behalf of Israel. God loved the Israelites and he had made special promises to them. But, like all the kings of Israel, Jehoash would not trust God completely. All these kings worshipped the idols at Bethel and Dan which Jeroboam established. They loved their sin more than they loved God. The Israelites would never be completely loyal to God.
The king wept. He used the same words that Elisha had used earlier. Elisha had spoken them before God took Elijah away. Elisha used those words to express his faith in God. Elisha had seen some of God’s powerful army of angels. And Elisha realised that the chariots and horsemen of that army were Israel’s real defence.
But Jehoash seemed to use the same words with a different meaning. Jehoash was weeping because Elisha would soon die. Jehoash did not have faith in God; and Jehoash did not see the army of angels. So his words were a cry of despair. He did not know who would defend Israel against the Syrians. He respected Elisha as a great man, but Jehoash did not trust Elisha’s God.
Elisha said that King Jehoash would succeed against the Syrians. He ordered Jehoash to shoot an arrow towards the Syrians. Elisha put his own hands on the king’s hands. In that way, he was showing that the king would not succeed by his own efforts. Instead, the king must trust God for success. Elisha ordered the king to shoot towards the east. That was because the Syrians had conquered that area. To shoot an arrow in that way meant to declare war. Jehoash would defeat the Syrians at Aphek, where Ahab had defeated them 60 years earlier.
Then Elisha told King Jehoash to strike the arrows on the ground. In that way, he tested whether Jehoash would attack the Syrians more strongly than Ahab. Jehoash only struck the ground 3 times. That showed that he would not win completely against his enemies. Even as Ahab had not won completely, Jehoash too would not have complete success.
We do not know why Jehoash did not continue to strike the arrows against the ground. Some people have thought that he did not want to defeat Syria completely. Another country called Assyria was becoming very powerful. And in the future, Syria might support Israel in their battles against Assyria. Probably however, Jehoash’s reason was simpler. Jehoash did not trust God. And he did not really believe that the prophet’s words had much value. Jehoash had already struck the ground three times because Elisha asked him to do that. But Jehoash did not think that the action had any purpose. He thought that it was nonsense. He did not have any faith that God would fight on his behalf. So he did not continue to obey the prophet.
Elisha was angry. The king’s actions showed that he did not trust God. God wanted to fight on behalf of Israel. God loved the Israelites and he had made special promises to them. But, like all the kings of Israel, Jehoash would not trust God completely. All these kings worshipped the idols at Bethel and Dan which Jeroboam established. They loved their sin more than they loved God. The Israelites would never be completely loyal to God.
Well that was a lot of information.... and preaching.... about what I consider... bad instruction. But... I'm not a preacher... Just an old lady with an online Bible.... but I think Elisha should have said "a bunch of times" if he wanted him to hit more than three times. I figure strike means once.... strike a couple means twice or three times.... and strike a bunch... at least five....
