2 Re 13:7 Commento

This chapter brings us again to the history of the kings of Israel, and particularly of the family of Jehu. We have here an account of the reign, I. Of his son Jehoahaz, which continued seventeen years. 1. His bad character in general (Kg2 13:1, Kg2 13:2), the trouble he was brought into (Kg2 13:3), and the low ebb of his affairs (Kg2 13:7). 2. His humiliation before God, and God's compassion towards him (Kg2 13:4, Kg2 13:5, and Kg2 13:23). 3. His continuance in his idolatry notwithstanding (Kg2 13:6). 4. His death (Kg2 13:8, Kg2 13:9). II. Of his grandson Joash, which continued sixteen years. Here is a general account of his reign in the usual form (Kg2 13:10-13), but a particular account of the death of Elisha in his time. 1. The kind visit the king made him (Kg2 13:14), the encouragement he gave the king in his wars with Syria (Kg2 13:15-19). 2. His death and burial (Kg2 13:20), and a miracle wrought by his bones (Kg2 13:21). And, lastly, the advantages Joash gained against the Syrians, according to his predictions (Kg2 13:24, Kg2 13:25).

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 13 This chapter gives an account of the wicked reign of Jehoahaz son of Jehu king of Israel, and of the low estate he was brought into by the Syrians, Kg2 13:1, and of the reign of his son Joash, Kg2 13:10, and of the sickness and death of Elisha; of the visit Joash made him in his sickness; and of his prediction of the king's success against the Syrians; and of the reviving of a dead man cast into the prophet's sepulchre, Kg2 13:14 and of the success of Joash against the Syrians, according to the prediction of the prophet, Kg2 13:22.

Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen,.... This is to be connected with Kg2 13:4, the verses Kg2 12:5, being to be read in a parenthesis, as in our version, and to be understood of the king of Syria, who left no more to the king of Israel, not of the people of the land, but of his army, than fifty horsemen, all the rest being either taken and carried captive by him, or slain: and ten chariots; military chariots, with the men they carried: and ten thousand footmen; foot soldiers; to so small a number was his army reduced through wars with the Syrians: for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing: as corn or chaff may be reduced to dust by too much threshing; or as mire and clay by treading on it.

Jehoahaz reigns in Israel seventeen years; his various acts, and wars with the Syrians, Kg2 13:1-8. He dies, and Joash reigns in his stead, and does evil in the sight of the Lord, Kg2 13:9-13. Elisha's last sickness; he foretells a three-fold defeat of the Syrians, and dies, Kg2 13:14-20. A dead man raised to life by touching the bones of Elisha, Kg2 13:21. Hazael dies, having long oppressed Israel; but Jehoash recovers many cities out of the hands of Ben-hadad, his successor, and defeats him three times, Kg2 13:22-25.

JEHOAHAZ'S WICKED REIGN OVER ISRAEL. (Kg2 13:1-7) Jehoahaz . . . reigned seventeen years--Under his government, which pursued the policy of his predecessors regarding the support of the calf-worship, Israel's apostasy from the true God became greater and more confirmed than in the time of his father Jehu. The national chastisement, when it came, was consequently the more severe and the instruments employed by the Lord in scourging the revolted nation were Hazael and his son and general Ben-hadad, in resisting whose successive invasions the Israelitish army was sadly reduced and weakened. In the extremity of his distress, Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and was heard, not on his own account (Psa 66:18; Pro 1:28; Pro 15:8), but that of the ancient covenant with the patriarchs (Kg2 13:23).

made them like the dust in threshing--Threshing in the East is performed in the open air upon a level plot of ground, daubed over with a covering to prevent, as much as possible, the earth, sand, or gravel from rising; a great quantity of them all, notwithstanding this precaution, must unavoidably be taken up with the grain; at the same time the straw is shattered to pieces. Hence it is a most significant figure, frequently employed by Orientals to describe a state of national suffering, little short of extermination (Isa 21:10; Mic 4:12; Jer 51:33). The figure originated in a barbarous war custom, which Hazael literally followed (Amo 1:3-4; compare Sa2 18:31; Jdg 8:7).