2 Kings 13:14-19

What does the episode with the arrows say about the coming victories?

Berean Standard Bible

14 When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!” 15 Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows. 16 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So the king put his hand on the bow, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 “Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.” 18 Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. 19 But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

What is the context?

Elisha becomes sick with the illness from which he will die. King Jehoash weeps over him, calling him the chariots and horsemen of Israel, language that recognizes the prophet’s importance to the nation.

Elisha has the king shoot an arrow through an east-facing window, with the prophet’s hands on his. He identifies it as the Lord’s arrow of victory over Aram.

When told to strike the ground with the arrows, Jehoash strikes three times and stops. Elisha is angry and says that five or six blows would have signified complete defeat of Aram, but now there will be only three victories. The account does not record an earlier instruction specifying a required number of blows.

How is this passage commonly understood?

Wesley reads the first act as announcing victory and the second as indicating its extent. The Cambridge commentary interprets the three blows as an inadequate response to the promised deliverance. These explanations concern this symbolic encounter; they do not establish a rule that repeated physical actions compel greater miracles.

What is our position?

We don't have a position on this passage yet. When our study reaches a conclusion the text supports, it will appear here.

Where can I study this further?

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