2 Kings 13:25 kjv
And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
2 Kings 13:25 nkjv
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.
2 Kings 13:25 niv
Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
2 Kings 13:25 esv
Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.
2 Kings 13:25 nlt
Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns that had been taken from Jehoash's father, Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad on three occasions, and he recovered the Israelite towns.
2 Kings 13 25 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Ki 13:14-19 | Now when Elisha had fallen sick... strike the ground. So he struck... | Elisha's prophetic instruction and rebuke to Joash, setting the context for this verse. |
| 2 Ki 13:4-5 | And Jehoahaz supplicated the Lord, and the Lord listened... and the Lord gave Israel a deliverer... | God heard Jehoahaz's cry and provided a 'savior' for Israel. |
| 2 Ki 13:23 | But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them... for the sake of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob... | God's enduring covenant faithfulness and compassion toward Israel despite their idolatry. |
| Deut 18:22 | When a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen... that is a word that the Lord has not spoken. | The fulfillment of Elisha's word validates him as a true prophet. |
| Num 14:34 | According to the number of days in which you spied out the land, forty days, a year for each day, you shall bear your iniquity... | Limited obedience/unbelief often leads to limited blessing or prolonged consequences. |
| Heb 3:17-19 | And with whom was he provoked for forty years?... those who were disobedient... | Emphasizes the consequences of unbelief and disobedience, hindering full promised blessing. |
| Judges 2:18-19 | Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge... whenever the judge died, they would turn back... | Illustrates God's repeated pattern of delivering Israel despite their cycles of disobedience. |
| Ps 106:43-46 | Many times he delivered them, but they were rebellious in their counsel... Nevertheless, he looked upon their distress... | Highlights God's recurring mercy towards Israel amidst their persistent rebellion. |
| Lam 3:31-33 | For the Lord will not cast off forever, but though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love... | Reinforces God's ultimate compassion and steadfast love even through judgment. |
| Isa 55:11 | so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty... it shall accomplish that which I purpose... | God's word is effective and accomplishes what He sends it to do. |
| Prov 21:31 | The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but deliverance belongs to the Lord. | Ultimate victory and deliverance are from God, not human might. |
| 1 Sam 17:47 | that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord's... | Reaffirms that the power for victory comes from God alone. |
| Deut 20:4 | For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory. | God actively fights for His people. |
| Jer 29:10-14 | For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill my good word to you... | God promises restoration and fulfills His word to His people after a period of judgment. |
| Joel 2:25 | I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten... | Metaphorical promise of restoration, aligning with the recovery of lost territory. |
| Ps 44:5 | Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise against us. | Victory over enemies is attributed to God's power and presence. |
| Josh 1:5 | No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you... | God's presence ensures victory for His chosen leaders and people. |
| Ps 121:1-2 | I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord... | Acknowledgment that true help and salvation come from God. |
| 2 Chr 16:9 | For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him. | Emphasizes the divine assistance given to those who seek the Lord wholeheartedly. |
| Rom 11:29 | For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. | God's promises to His covenant people, Israel, remain steadfast despite their unfaithfulness. |
2 Kings 13 verses
2 Kings 13 25 Meaning
This verse describes the limited but significant military triumph of King Jehoash (also called Joash) of Israel over Ben-hadad, king of Aram (Syria). Jehoash recovered the cities that Ben-hadad's father, Hazael, had previously captured from Jehoash's own father, Jehoahaz. This partial restoration of Israelite territory was a direct fulfillment of the prophet Elisha's words, occurring after Jehoash's lukewarm obedience to Elisha's symbolic act of striking the ground with arrows.
2 Kings 13 25 Context
The thirteen chapters of 2 Kings 13 detail the reigns of three kings: Jehoahaz, Jehoash, and the beginning of the ministry of Elisha up to his death. This verse sits immediately after the pivotal account of Elisha's final prophetic act. Under Jehoahaz, Israel was severely oppressed by Hazael of Aram, who left Israel with a mere token army, as recounted in 2 Kings 13:3-7. This oppression was divine judgment for Israel's persistent idolatry following Jeroboam's sin. Jehoahaz humbled himself and sought the Lord, who granted a "savior" (2 Kings 13:5), understood to be Jehoash or the shift in regional power.
As Elisha lay dying, King Jehoash visited him. Elisha instructed Joash to shoot an arrow out the window toward Aram, signifying victory. Then, he told Joash to strike the ground with the arrows. Joash struck the ground only three times, and Elisha rebuked him for his lack of zeal and faith, declaring that because he struck only three times, he would defeat Aram only three times, instead of consuming them utterly. 2 Kings 13:25 directly fulfills this limited prophecy, demonstrating that God worked through King Joash, granting him specific victories but not total annihilation of Aram due to the king's partial obedience and lack of resolute faith. The larger historical context highlights Israel's period of decline and foreign oppression before its eventual downfall. God's mercy in this period is also emphasized, linked to His covenant with the patriarchs (2 Ki 13:23).
2 Kings 13 25 Word analysis
- Then Jehoash (וַיָּשֶׁב יְהוֹאָשׁ - vai-ya-shev Yeho'ash): "Jehoash" (יוֹאָשׁ - Yo'ash and יְהוֹאָשׁ - Yeho'ash are used interchangeably in this verse for the same king) is the king of Israel, son of Jehoahaz. The "Jeho-" prefix is a shortened form of Yahweh (the LORD). The initial verb "took again" or "recovered" (וַיָּשֶׁב - vai-ya-shev) sets the tone of reversal and restoration, deriving from the Hebrew root שׁוּב (shuv), meaning "to return" or "restore."
- took again (וַיָּשֶׁב - vai-ya-shev): Signifies a reversal of fortune and repossession. This word choice emphasizes a complete turnaround from previous losses.
- out of the hand (מִיַּד - mi-yad): An idiom signifying "from the power," "from the control," or "from the grasp of." It denotes reclaiming sovereignty or possession lost in military conflict.
- Ben-hadad (בֶּן־הֲדַד - Ben-Hadad): The king of Aram. "Hadad" was a major storm and weather deity in the Aramean pantheon, thus the defeat of Ben-hadad signifies a triumph, implicitly, over the perceived power of his god.
- the cities (הֶעָרִים - he'arim): Refers to physical settlements, vital for economy, defense, and population. Their recovery was tangible proof of victory and partial restoration.
- which he had taken (אֲשֶׁר לָקַח - asher lakaḥ): Clarifies that the cities being recovered were specifically those previously seized, providing a direct link to the earlier conflict under Jehoahaz.
- out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father (מִיַּד יְהוֹאָחָז אָבִיו - mi-yad Yeho'achaz aviv): Establishes the specific lineage of loss and recovery. Jehoahaz's reign was marked by severe oppression from Aram, fulfilling divine judgment due to Israel's idolatry. This highlights Jehoash's act as reversing his father's previous military failures.
- by war (בַּמִּלְחָמָה - ba-milchamah): Specifies the method of both original conquest and subsequent recovery – through military conflict. This underscores the intense struggle involved.
- Three times (שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים - sha-losh pe'amim): This numerical precision is crucial. It directly recalls Elisha's prophecy (2 Ki 13:19), linking Jehoash's partial obedience to the specific limitation of his victories. The number is often associated with completion or emphasis in biblical contexts, but here it specifically highlights a limited completion.
- did Joash beat him (הִכָּהוּ יוֹאָשׁ - hikkahu Yo'ash): The verb "beat" (from נָכָה - nakah) signifies a decisive strike or smiting, indicative of military defeat. The repetition of the king's name emphasizes his active role in the victories.
- and recovered (וַיָּשֶׁב - vai-ya-shev): Repeating the initial verb for "took again." This repetition reinforces the theme of successful restoration and the undoing of previous losses.
- the cities of Israel (עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל - 'arey Yisra'el): Emphasizes the nationalistic and territorial aspect of the victories – it was the lost heritage of the northern kingdom that was restored.
2 Kings 13 25 Bonus section
The limited victory achieved by Jehoash provided temporary relief to the Northern Kingdom of Israel from Aramean oppression. This period of relative respite was also aided by the rising power of Assyria, which frequently attacked Aram, thereby drawing their focus and reducing pressure on Israel. While not explicitly mentioned in this verse, this geopolitical dynamic highlights how God can orchestrate events beyond direct military encounters to provide space for His people, even as a consequence of other nations' conflicts. The narrative here implies a significant missed opportunity for Israel's complete deliverance due to Joash's faith, serving as a powerful illustration that while God's ultimate plan will unfold, the extent of the immediate blessing can be affected by human response to divine instruction.
2 Kings 13 25 Commentary
2 Kings 13:25 serves as the fulfillment narrative for the prophetic encounter between Elisha and King Joash. It directly links the king's limited faith and incomplete obedience to a corresponding limited success. Despite Joash's lukewarm commitment shown by striking the ground only three times (2 Ki 13:18-19), God, in His graciousness and covenant faithfulness, still granted victories. This demonstrates that God is sovereign over the outcome of battles (Prov 21:31) and often works through human instruments, even flawed ones.
The verse is a profound theological statement. It portrays God as merciful and compassionate even towards a disobedient nation and a half-hearted king, extending deliverance not based on their merit but on His covenant promises (2 Ki 13:23). Yet, it simultaneously highlights the consequence of human unbelief or insufficient zeal, illustrating that fuller blessings and more complete victory can be missed opportunities when God's appointed means are not embraced with wholehearted commitment. The restoration was partial, serving as a reminder of what might have been. It is a testament to God's precise execution of His word and His conditional blessings.