798BC-782BC- King Jehoash the 12th King of Israel

2 Kings 13:10-14:16. King Jehoash (798-783) ruled Israel for sixteen years. He sinned against the Lord and led Israel into sin. Before dying the prophet Elisha said to King Jehoash that he would defeat Ben-hadad, son of King Hazael of Syria, three times.

Must have been a rough time because Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring.

He held the prophet Elisha in honor and wept by his bedside while he was dying.

Jehoash in Hebrew means: Jehovah-given.

Background Reading:

Jehoash, 12th king of Israel (798-783) reigned in Samaria

10 During the thirty-seventh year of the reign of king Joash of Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash began a sixteen year reign as king over Israel in Samaria. 11 He practiced what the LORD considered to be evil, not changing course from all of the sins practiced by Nebat’s son Jeroboam by which he caused Israel to sin. Instead, he continued on that same course. 12 The rest of Joash’s activities, including everything he did and the vehemence with which he fought against king Amaziah of Judah are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 13 So Joash died, as did his ancestors, and Jeroboam assumed his throne after Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Elisha Predicts Partial Victory for Joash

14 When Elisha fell ill with the sickness from which he was about to die, king Joash of Israel came down to seen him, wept in his presence, and told him, “My father, Israel’s chariots and horsemen!”

15 Elisha told him, “Pick up a bow and some arrows.” So he picked up a bow and some arrows.

16 Then Elisha told Israel’s king, “Draw the bow!” As he did so, Elisha laid his hands on top of the king’s hands 17 and ordered him, “Open a window that faces east.” So he did so.

Elisha ordered him, “Shoot!” So he shot.

Then Elisha said, “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory—the victory arrow against Aram, because you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you will have utterly finished them off.”

18 After this Elisha said, “Pick up the arrows.” So the king picked them up.

Then Elisha told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck it three times and then stood still.

19 At this, the man of God became angry at him and told him, “You should have struck five or six times! Then you would have attacked Aram until you would have destroyed it! But as it is now, you’ll defeat Aram only three times!”

The Death of Elisha

20 Later, Elisha died and was buried. Now at that time, various Moabite marauders had been invading the land each spring. 21 One day while some Israelis were burying a man, they saw some marauders, so they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. But when the man fell against Elisha’s remains, he revived and rose to his feet.

Elisha’s Prophecy of Partial Victory is Fulfilled

22 Meanwhile, king Hazael of Aram had been oppressing Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz, 23 but the LORD showed grace to them, displayed his compassion toward them, and turned to them due to his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would not destroy them or evict them from his presence up until that time. 24 After king Hazael of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad replaced him as king. 25 At that time, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash recaptured from Hazael’s son Ben-hadad the cities that Hazael had captured through warfare from the control of Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. Joash defeated and recovered cities of Israel from Ben-hadad three times.
2 kings 13:10-25
Also read 2nd Chronicles 25:17-24.


Other slides in this module: