2 Kings 13:7 kjv
Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.
2 Kings 13:7 nkjv
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.
2 Kings 13:7 niv
Nothing had been left of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust at threshing time.
2 Kings 13:7 esv
For there was not left to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand footmen, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.
2 Kings 13:7 nlt
Finally, Jehoahaz's army was reduced to 50 charioteers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust under his feet.
2 Kings 13 7 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Lev 26:16-17 | I will appoint terror over you, wasting disease and fever... you shall flee when no one pursues you. | Consequences of covenant unfaithfulness. |
| Deut 28:25 | The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies... | Israel's defeat for disobedience. |
| Deut 32:30 | How could one man chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight... | Overwhelming odds in divine judgment. |
| Jdg 2:14-15 | The Lord sold them into the hands of their enemies... | God delivering Israel to oppressors. |
| Jdg 3:8 | The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he sold them... | God's hand in oppressor's success. |
| Jdg 6:3 | For whenever the Israelites planted, the Midianites... would come up... | Cycles of oppression due to sin. |
| 1 Sam 7:10-11 | But the Lord thundered with a loud thunder against the Philistines... | God's intervention to deliver. |
| Psa 18:42 | I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like mire... | Dust as metaphor for destruction/weakness. |
| Psa 44:9-10 | You have rejected us and disgraced us... turned us back from the foe... | Lament over military defeat and humiliation. |
| Psa 83:13 | Make them like whirling dust, like chaff before the wind! | Enemies scattered and rendered powerless. |
| Psa 106:40-44 | Therefore the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people... | Divine anger leading to oppression, then mercy. |
| Isa 30:17 | A thousand shall flee at the threat of one; at the threat of five you shall flee... | Few enemies routing large forces. |
| Isa 41:2 | He gives nations before him, and subdues kings; he makes them like dust... | God's power to conquer nations and pulverize. |
| Jer 2:36-37 | Why do you go about so much to change your way? You will be put to shame... | Futility of human effort without God's help. |
| Jer 8:16 | From Dan is heard the snorting of their horses; at the sound of the neighing... | Approaching destructive foreign army. |
| Lam 1:1 | How lonely sits the city that was full of people! | Lament over a city's desolation. |
| Joel 2:20 | I will remove far from you the northern army... | God's power to remove oppressors. |
| Amos 1:3 | For three transgressions of Damascus, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment... | Divine judgment on foreign nations, including Syria. |
| Mal 4:3 | You shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet... | Oppression leading to complete obliteration. |
| Dan 2:35 | Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that no trace of them was found. | Empires made like dust by God's power. |
2 Kings 13 verses
2 Kings 13 7 Meaning
2 Kings 13:7 depicts the devastating state of Israel's military under King Jehoahaz, severely diminished by the oppressive campaigns of Hazael, king of Syria. It illustrates the extent of divine judgment upon Israel for its persistent idolatry and sin, leaving the kingdom utterly vulnerable and weak. The vivid metaphor of being made "like the dust by threshing" underscores the total pulverization, scattering, and effacement of their forces, rendering them insignificant and powerless.
2 Kings 13 7 Context
The events of 2 Kings 13 fall during the reign of King Jehoahaz of Israel, son of Jehu, spanning 17 years. This period is marked by continued idolatry, specifically "following the sins of Jeroboam," despite the preceding partial reforms of Jehu. As a consequence of Israel's persistent unfaithfulness to God's covenant, the Lord "gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria." This severe oppression served as God's instrument of judgment. Verse 7 specifically details the nadir of this military weakness, setting the stage for Jehoahaz's cry to the Lord in verse 4 and God's eventual, albeit temporary, relief later in the chapter (v. 5) and under Joash and Elisha (v. 14-19). The nation, which once had formidable military power under kings like Omri and Ahab, was now reduced to an insignificant remnant.
2 Kings 13 7 Word analysis
- For he had left to Jehoahaz: This phrase indicates the limited military resources available to Jehoahaz. "He" refers to the LORD, implied in the broader biblical narrative where God "gives into the hand" of enemies as judgment. While Hazael did the destruction, it was God who "left" or permitted such a drastic reduction as a divine discipline.
- but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen: These are incredibly small numbers for a nation's standing army, especially for a kingdom like Israel. Fifty horsemen would be negligible in any significant conflict, and ten chariots an almost symbolic force. Ten thousand footmen might seem substantial in isolation but compared to the armies of surrounding nations, or even Israel's past military might, it signified profound weakness. This numerical precision emphasizes the extreme humiliation and vulnerability.
- for the king of Syria had destroyed them,: This specifies the direct cause of Israel's military reduction. Hazael of Syria was the appointed scourge. The Hebrew word for "destroyed" (אִבְּדָם, ib'bəḏam from root אָבַד, avad) implies utterly perishing or being eliminated, indicating complete military emasculation, not just defeat. This was a sustained campaign of devastation, not a single battle.
- and had made them like the dust by threshing: This is a powerful and vivid agricultural metaphor.
- dust (כֶּעָפָר, kə'aphār): Signifies utter insignificance, worthlessness, dispersion, and something easily blown away or trodden upon. It suggests the utter lack of cohesion or power.
- by threshing (בַּדּוּשׁ, baddūsh): Refers to the ancient practice of separating grain from chaff and straw on a threshing floor. This involved heavy implements or the treading of animals to break the harvest down. When done improperly or aggressively, it could grind even the grain into dust, rendering it useless. Here, it implies not just being broken but being pulverized into fine, formless dust – trampled down, scattered, and rendered utterly devoid of structure or substance. The enemy had systematically, brutally, and completely dismantled their forces.
2 Kings 13 7 Bonus section
The metaphor of being reduced to "dust by threshing" extends beyond mere military defeat to represent a state of profound national and psychological trauma. It's a complete erasure of perceived power and identity. This imagery is consistent with other biblical uses where God's enemies or those under His judgment are made to vanish like dust or chaff, underscoring God's ultimate sovereignty even over the mightiest human powers. It subtly highlights that Israel's protection stemmed not from its own strength, but from Yahweh's covenant faithfulness, which could also be withdrawn in response to their persistent sin.
2 Kings 13 7 Commentary
2 Kings 13:7 is a stark portrayal of the depth of Israel's military collapse under the oppressive hand of Hazael, king of Syria. This state of utter weakness was a direct consequence of their unfaithfulness to the covenant with Yahweh, particularly their persistence in the idolatry introduced by Jeroboam. The numbers – fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen – represent not just a significant reduction, but a practical annihilation of Israel's military capacity. They were left defenseless against powerful regional enemies. The profound impact of the verse lies in its concluding metaphor: "made them like the dust by threshing." This agricultural imagery evokes complete and deliberate pulverization, rendering the once formidable Israelite army into something formless, scattered, and insignificant. It conveys extreme humiliation, powerlessness, and vulnerability, serving as a powerful testament to the severity of God's disciplinary hand on His disobedient people, fulfilling covenant curses. This verse also serves as a crucial backdrop for Jehoahaz's eventual cry to the Lord in despair, illustrating that the lowest point of human strength is often where God's intervention is sought and manifested.