Chapter 13

1 Jehoahaz’s wicked reign. 3 Jehoahaz, oppressed by Hazael, is relieved by prayer. 8 Joash succeedeth him. 10 His wicked reign. 12 Jeroboam succeedeth him. 14 Elisha dying prophesieth to Joash three victories over the Syrians. 20 The Moabites invading the land, Elisha’s bones raise up a dead man. 22 Hazael dying, Joash getteth three victories over Ben-hadad.

1. Jehoahaz. The record of Jehu’s death and of Jehoahaz’ accession to the throne is found in ch. 10:35. But the record of Jehoahaz’ reign does not appear till this place, because of the fact that reigns are generally arranged in the books of Kings to accord with the order of accession of the rulers to the throne.

Only a few days, presumably, after Jehu began to reign in Israel, Athaliah took the throne of Judah. Then in the 7th year of Jehu, the child Joash began his long rule of 40 years in Judah. That is evidently why these three reigns appear in Kings in the above order: Jehu, Athaliah, Joash. Then Jehoahaz of Israel and his successor Jehoash, both of whom came to the throne during the lifetime of Joash of Judah, come next in the record. After this the narrative goes back again to Judah to record the reign of Amaziah, who succeeded Joash.

3. The anger of the Lord. Human anger is unreasoning, cruel, and vindictive. God’s anger is a vastly different emotion. In describing His character to men, God is limited to human language. He must, of necessity, permit Bible writers to use expressions that most nearly approximate the divine thought even though these expressions may poorly convey that thought. “Anger” is here used to describe the response of God to sin. To understand the word “anger,” when applied to God, to embody all the elements of human response to provocation, is to do violence to Biblical language. We cannot by searching find out God (Job 11:7). Partly because of the inadequacy of human language, God, at the opportune moment (Gal. 4:4), made His thought audible and visible in the life of Jesus. Man had only a twilight conception of what God was like. In Christ, God gave a demonstration to the world of His character. Jesus declared, “He that hath seen me hath seen the Father” (John 14:9) To get a more perfect understanding of the nature of the “anger” of God, it is necessary to study the reactions of Jesus to situations that might rightfully call forth such an emotion. Observe His demeanor when cleansing the Temple (John. 2:13–17), a display of indignation, authority, and power. See Him rebuke the Pharisees (Matt. 23) with tears in His voice (ST 13). Notice His anguished weeping over the recalcitrant Jews (Luke 19:41; DA 575, 587). Then recall that it was He who directed the destinies of Israel in the days of Jehoahaz. The afflictions of Syria were permitted in love and in the hope that their discipline might restore the wayward Israelites to reason and to God.

The hand of Hazael. The protecting hand of the Lord was withdrawn from Israel, and Hazael was permitted to succeed in his wars against Jehoahaz. This situation continued not only during the days of Hazael but also during part of the reign of his son Benhadad III.

4. Hearkened unto him. The Lord is a God of mercy and goodness. He is always willing to forgive when sinners repent and turn to Him. When Jehoahaz turned to God, the Lord in His kindness directed events so as to grant Israel deliverance.

5. A saviour. The reference is probably to Adad-nirari III, who ruled Assyria, according to the Assyrian Eponym Canon, or limmu list (see pp. 55, 155), from approximately 810–782 b.c. In the fifth year of his reign, Adad-nirari III tells about a great campaign to the Mediterranean, in the course of which the king of Syria became his vassal and was forced to pay a heavy tribute. This crushing of Syrian under the Assyrian heel would effectively put an end to Syrian encroachments against Israel.

Their tents. Their houses or homes (see 1 Kings 8:66).

6. Grove. Heb. Хasherah. Jehu evidently had allowed this heathenish symbol in Samaria to remain. The Хasherah was a sacred tree, symbolic of the productive principle in nature, so prominent a feature in Eastern fertility cults (see on Ex. 34:13).

7. Fifty horsemen. According to the Assyrian account Ahab had 2,000 chariots and 10,000 infantry at the time of the battle of Qarqar. As a result of a series of disastrous engagements with Syria, Israel lost practically all its chariots and cavalry. This was equivalent to practically complete disarmament, and rendered Israel almost entirely defenseless.

Like the dust. A figure of speech, denoting the extreme cruelty of Syria. For this cruelty, of threshing “Gilead with threshing instruments of iron” (Amos 1:3), the prophet Amos a short time later pronounced the Lord’s judgment upon Damascus (Amos 1:4, 5).

9. Joash. This Joash of Israel is sometimes called Jehoash (vs. 10, 25; ch. 14:8–17). The fact that he was born during the reign of Joash of Judah, suggests that he may have been named after that ruler, and if so, this would indicate a period of close friendship between the two nations.

10. Thirty and seventh year. For the reckoning of Jehoash’s reign, see p. 148.

Joash … Jehoash. This distinction in spelling is not always observed, hence care must be taken to avoid confusing the two kings of the same name.

12. The rest of the acts. The regular formula closing the account of the reign of a king occurs in vs. 12 and 13. A formal record of Joash of Israel is found in vs. 10 to 13. This Joash is mentioned again in v. 25 (as Jehoash), but in a section dealing primarily with the oppressions of Syria during the reigns of both Jehoahaz and Jehoash of Israel (vs. 22–25) and also in ch. 14:8–14 in a section dealing with the reign of Amaziah of Judah. However, this latter section is followed by another formal closing formula of the reign of this same Jehoash (ch. 14:15, 16) in practically the same words as in (ch. 13:12, 13).

13. Sat upon his throne. This statement differs from the stereotyped formula, “Jeroboam his son reigned in his stead” (ch. 14:16). The Talmud (Seder Olam) and the Jewish scholar Kimchi suggest the implication that Joash associated his son Jeroboam with himself on the throne.

14. Wept. It appears that the death of Elisha occurred while Joash of Israel was still alive. Joash evidently recognized in the aged prophet a valuable counselor and helper, and realized that the death of the man of God was a tragic loss to Israel.

My father. A title of respect. At the same time the aged prophet was indeed a kind, wise, sympathetic father. Whenever the king found himself in difficulty, he could go to the prophet for guidance and strength. Joash was far from righteous, but he was nevertheless drawn to Elisha, and recognized in him a true servant of God.

The chariot of Israel. This statement suggests that Joash, by his reverses, was led to acknowledge that the prophet and his God meant more to Israel than any number of horses and chariots. Israel had at this time been deprived of most of its horses and chariots (v. 7). The presence of Elisha symbolized to Israel the presence of the Lord. By his ministry the prophet had endeavored to bring the king and the people to a realization that it was in Jehovah alone that the nation would find its true defense and strength.

15. Take bow and arrows. Symbolic actions impress the truth more vividly than abstract statements. The value of visual aids in teaching has long been recognized. Such devices were employed by God from earliest times. The present action carried with it an additional element of instructive value. The king himself took part. His participation at once impressed the prediction upon his mind and brought home to his heart the lesson that his future success depended upon the degree to which he would work in harmony with the divine directions.

16. Upon the king’s hands. Probably to impress the king that if he would do as the Lord directed, God would be with him to guide and strengthen and to give him success.

17. Eastward. Toward the east was Gilead, then held by Syria. The king was to direct his efforts toward the east, to bring deliverance to the cities beyond the Jordan that were then under Syrian control.y

The Lord’s deliverance. As the king shot his arrow toward the east in response to the command from the messenger of God, Elisha, under divine inspiration, foretold the coming victory of Israel over the forces of Damascus.

Aphek. Several towns widely separated bore this name (see on 1 Sam. 4:1). The one probably referred to here is the town 3 3/4 mi. (6 km.) east of the Sea of Galilee on a road connecting the Jordan valley with Damascus. This may also have been the Aphek where the Syrians suffered a disastrous defeat at the hands of Ahab (1 Kings 20:26–34), and where Ahab had shown them an unreasonable lenity. The site is now called Fiq.

18. Smite upon the ground. A further symbolical act to indicate that victory over Syria would not be easy. Complete deliverance would not come except as the result of long and sustained effort. The king was being tested.

Stayed. Joash stopped too soon. He had been told to strike the ground, but it was for him to decide how often he would strike. This would determine the results achieved. If he were aggressive and determined, persevering in his task till every objective had been achieved, he could gain a victory over his enemy so complete that Syria would never again be a threat to Israel.

19. Five or six times. Total victory would require much more effort than would the recovery of a district across the Jordan. It would mean an attack on Syria itself, till the nation had been consumed and would no longer be in a position to rise again as a menace to Israel and its neighbors. The lesson for Joash is a lesson for all. Results in the work of the Lord are in direct proportion to the effort put forth. The Lord calls for earnest, persevering, continuous effort. The work lags because laborers in the vineyard of the Lord grow tired too soon. If every worker put all he had into the task of saving souls, results would be tenfold greater than they are today. God can achieve victories of grace through His servants only as they give themselves in complete consecration to Him and work with unflagging energy and zeal.

20. Elisha died. Elisha was not privileged to ride the fiery chariot to heaven. It was his lot to suffer a lingering sickness and finally death. Many a devoted child of God has been called upon to pass through long hours of sickness and suffering. The reason may not always be plain, but in these trying moments comfort may be found in the knowledge that God is working all things for good, even the afflictions of the enemy (Rom. 8:28). Satan must be permitted to annoy lest he be able to advance the charge that he was not given a fair opportunity with every soul. This principle is clearly illustrated in the experience of Job (chs. 1, 2). It is further verified in the lives of godly men, who, despite their piety, suffered much pain and distress. The sufferer does well in trying moments to ponder the experiences of these worthies: (1) To reflect on godly Elisha, who had been instrumental in healing others of their diseases, even bringing back the dead to life, pining away of a mortal disease; (2) to behold John the Baptist, languishing in prison and shamelessly beheaded because of the rashness of a dissolute king; (3) to listen to the prayer of Paul for the removal of the “thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan,” and the response in the negative (2 Cor. 12:7–10); (4) to consider the fate of the disciples, all of whom met death by violence except John, and even he endured torture and banishment; (5) to contemplate Jesus, the supreme Exemplar, who, though He was the Son of God, suffered as no child of humanity will ever be called upon to suffer, and who declared, “The servant is not greater than his lord” (John 15:20).

In his final illness, Elisha did not complain or lose his faith in God. He knew that the presence of the Lord was always near and that angels were ever by his side. As he lived, so he died, trusting, hoping, faithful to the end.

Moabites. Moab lay to the east of the lower Jordan and the Dead Sea (see on ch. 3:4). Joram and Jehoshaphat had gained a measure of victory over the Moabites (ch. 3:24), but the enemy had now recovered and was making marauding expeditions into the territories of Israel.

The coming in of the year. Evidently the year beginning in the spring (see p. 109), with the month of Nisan, approximately our April. That was the natural season for military campaigns, for the rainy season was over, and the crops in Palestine were ripening. Thus the invading armies were able to live off the land and to carry away the new stocks of grain.

21. He revived. This incident probably had a profound effect upon those who witnessed the miracle and upon those to whom it was later related. It was a time of distress and annoyance. The Moabites were making forays into the land and snatching away the new harvests. It was a time when men might well inquire, Where is the God of Elisha? Where are the miracles of the past? The resuscitation of the corpse gave evidence that the God of Israel was not dead. He was ready to work miracles even now. If men would heed the messages of the departed prophet, God would once more grant victory over the intruder and restore security to the land.

23. Was gracious. God keeps an accurate account with all nations, to see whether they will fulfill the divine destiny marked out for them. They are granted a period of probation at the end of which, if they have failed to measure up to the privileges granted them, they are removed. Israel had not yet come to the end of her probation. It was not yet too late to make amends for the failures of the past and to fulfill the original purposes God had in mind when He called Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Individuals, too, are tried to see whether they will fulfill the divine purpose in their creation. To every man God has assigned a specific place in His plan. Man is truly successful only as he faithfully fulfills this Heaven-appointed purpose. Many have departed far from the original pattern, and, like Israel of old, are headed for disaster. God’s mercy is still extended, but the days are crucial. One day, and soon, the fire will try every man’s work, to see of what sort it is (1 Cor. 3:13). Then every man will be rewarded according to his work (2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12).

As yet. Israel, thus far, had resisted every effort of the Lord to bring them to repentance. But God continued to be merciful, and gave them every opportunity to turn from their iniquity in order that the nation might not perish.

24. Ben-hadad. Benhadad III. The first king by that name was a contemporary of Asa (1 Kings 15:18), and the second a contemporary of Ahab and Jehoshaphat (1 Kings 20:1, 34). On the inscriptions of the Assyrian king Adad-nirari III, Ben-hadad appears under the name MariХ, an Aramaic title meaning “my lord.”

25. Took again. Elisha had predicted this victory of Joash (v. 17). If the king of Israel had trusted in God and extended his victories, he would have inflicted a crushing and perhaps mortal blow upon Syria (v. 19).

Ellen G. White comments

14, 15–17PK 261

18, 19  PK 262

22        PK 254