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2 Kings 13 (Melachim Bet) in Hebrew and English

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Tenakh Study · 2 Kings 13:1–25

2 Kings, Chapter 13

מלכים ב יג

Yeho’achaz reigns over Israel and Hashem gives Israel into the hand of Aram until He sends a saviour; Yeho’ash reigns after him, Elisha on his deathbed bids the king shoot the arrow and strike the ground, Elisha dies and a dead man revives at his bones, and Yeho’ash three times defeats Ben-Hadad.

13:1In the three and twentieth year of Yo’ash (Joash) the son of Achazyahu (Ahaziah) king of Yehudah (Judah) Yeho’achaz (Jehoahaz) the son of Yehu (Jehu) began to reign over Israel in Shomron (Samaria), and reigned seventeen years.

אבִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהוֹאָחָ֨ז בֶּן־יֵה֤וּא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃

13:2And he did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem, and followed the sins of Yarov’am (Jeroboam) the son of Nevat (Nebat), which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

בוַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַ֠יֵּלֶךְ אַחַ֨ר חַטֹּ֜את יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא־סָ֥ר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃

13:3And the anger of Hashem was kindled against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Chaza’el (Hazael) king of Aram (Syria), and into the hand of Ben-Hadad (Ben-hadad) the son of Chaza’el, all their days.

גוַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֞ם בְּיַ֣ד ׀ חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם וּבְיַ֛ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֖ל כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃

13:4And Yeho’achaz besought Hashem, and Hashem hearkened unto him: for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Aram oppressed them.

דוַיְחַ֥ל יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־לַ֣חַץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־לָחַ֥ץ אֹתָ֖ם מֶ֥לֶךְ אֲרָֽם׃

13:5(And Hashem gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of Aram: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.

הוַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מוֹשִׁ֔יעַ וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־אֲרָ֑ם וַיֵּשְׁב֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶ֖ם כִּתְמ֥וֹל שִׁלְשֽׁוֹם׃

13:6Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Yarov’am, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Shomron.)

ואַ֠ךְ לֹֽא־סָ֜רוּ מֵחַטֹּ֧אות בֵּית־יָרָבְעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא (כתיב החטי) אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣הּ הָלָ֑ךְ וְגַם֙ הָאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה עָמְדָ֖ה בְּשֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

13:7Neither did he leave of the people to Yeho’achaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Aram had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.

זכִּ֣י לֹא֩ הִשְׁאִ֨יר לִיהוֹאָחָ֜ז עָ֗ם כִּ֣י אִם־חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ וַעֲשָׂ֣רָה רֶ֔כֶב וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים רַגְלִ֑י כִּ֤י אִבְּדָם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם וַיְשִׂמֵ֥ם כֶּֽעָפָ֖ר לָדֻֽשׁ׃

13:8Now the rest of the acts of Yeho’achaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

חוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֧י יְהוֹאָחָ֛ז וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבוּרָת֑וֹ הֲלוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

13:9And Yeho’achaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Shomron: and Yo’ash his son reigned in his stead.

טוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יְהֽוֹאָחָז֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בְּשֹׁמְר֑וֹן וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יוֹאָ֥שׁ בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

Yeho’ash reigns over Israel

13:10In the thirty and seventh year of Yo’ash king of Yehudah began Yeho’ash (Jehoash) the son of Yeho’achaz to reign over Israel in Shomron, and reigned sixteen years.

יבִּשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וָשֶׁ֨בַע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיוֹאָ֖שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהוֹאָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֤ז עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃

13:11And he did that which was evil in the sight of Hashem; he departed not from all the sins of Yarov’am the son of Nevat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

יאוַיַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לֹ֣א סָ֗ר מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֞אות יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֥הּ הָלָֽךְ׃

13:12And the rest of the acts of Yo’ash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amatzyah (Amaziah) king of Yehudah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

יבוְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י יוֹאָשׁ֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וּגְב֣וּרָת֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִלְחַ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲמַצְיָ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה הֲלֽוֹא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

13:13And Yo’ash slept with his fathers; and Yarov’am sat upon his throne: and Yo’ash was buried in Shomron with the kings of Israel.

יגוַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יוֹאָשׁ֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וְיָרָבְעָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְא֑וֹ וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר יוֹאָשׁ֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן עִ֖ם מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Elisha and the arrows

13:14Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Yo’ash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.”

ידוֶֽאֱלִישָׁע֙ חָלָ֣ה אֶת־חָלְי֔וֹ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָמ֖וּת בּ֑וֹ וַיֵּ֨רֶד אֵלָ֜יו יוֹאָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיֵּ֤בְךְּ עַל־פָּנָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָבִ֣י ׀ אָבִ֔י רֶ֥כֶב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּפָרָשָֽׁיו׃

13:15And Elisha said unto him, “Take bow and arrows.” And he took unto him bow and arrows.

טווַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע קַ֖ח קֶ֣שֶׁת וְחִצִּ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֵלָ֖יו קֶ֥שֶׁת וְחִצִּֽים׃

13:16And he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand upon the bow.” And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands.

טזוַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַרְכֵּ֤ב יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַקֶּ֔שֶׁת וַיַּרְכֵּ֖ב יָד֑וֹ וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֱלִישָׁ֛ע יָדָ֖יו עַל־יְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

13:17And he said, “Open the window eastward.” And he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of Hashem’s deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Aram: for you shall strike Aram in Afek (Aphek), till you have consumed them.”

יזוַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּתַ֧ח הַחַלּ֛וֹן קֵ֖דְמָה וַיִּפְתָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֤ע יְרֵה֙ וַיּ֔וֹר וַיֹּ֗אמֶר חֵץ־תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה לַֽיהוָה֙ וְחֵ֣ץ תְּשׁוּעָ֣ה בַֽאֲרָ֔ם וְהִכִּיתָ֧ אֶת־אֲרָ֛ם בַּאֲפֵ֖ק עַד־כַּלֵּֽה׃

13:18And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, “Strike upon the ground.” And he struck thrice, and stayed.

יחוַיֹּ֛אמֶר קַ֥ח הַחִצִּ֖ים וַיִּקָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לְמֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַךְ־אַ֔רְצָה וַיַּ֥ךְ שָֽׁלֹשׁ־פְּעָמִ֖ים וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃

13:19And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then had you struck Aram till you had consumed it: whereas now you shall strike Aram but thrice.”

יטוַיִּקְצֹ֨ף עָלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר֙ לְהַכּ֨וֹת חָמֵ֤שׁ אוֹ־שֵׁשׁ֙ פְּעָמִ֔ים אָ֛ז הִכִּ֥יתָ אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם עַד־כַּלֵּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים תַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־אֲרָֽם׃

The death of Elisha

13:20And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of Mo’av (the Moabites) invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

כוַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִישָׁ֖ע וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֑הוּ וּגְדוּדֵ֥י מוֹאָ֛ב יָבֹ֥אוּ בָאָ֖רֶץ בָּ֥א שָׁנָֽה׃

13:21And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

כאוַיְהִ֞י הֵ֣ם ׀ קֹבְרִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וְהִנֵּה֙ רָא֣וּ אֶֽת־הַגְּד֔וּד וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ בְּקֶ֣בֶר אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ וַיִּגַּ֤ע הָאִישׁ֙ בְּעַצְמ֣וֹת אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וַיְחִ֖י וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־רַגְלָֽיו׃

Israel recovers its cities

13:22But Chaza’el king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Yeho’achaz.

כבוַֽחֲזָאֵל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם לָחַ֖ץ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י יְהוֹאָחָֽז׃

13:23And Hashem was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of His covenant with Avraham (Abraham), Yitzchak (Isaac), and Ya’akov (Jacob), and would not destroy them, neither cast He them from His presence as yet.

כגוַיָּחָן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתָ֤ם וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ וַיִּ֣פֶן אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְמַ֣עַן בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִצְחָ֣ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם מֵֽעַל־פָּנָ֖יו עַד־עָֽתָּה׃

13:24So Chaza’el king of Aram died; and Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his stead.

כדוַיָּ֖מָת חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בְּנ֖וֹ תַּחְתָּֽיו׃

13:25And Yeho’ash the son of Yeho’achaz took again out of the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Chaza’el the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Yeho’achaz his father by war. Three times did Yo’ash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.

כהוַיָּ֜שָׁב יְהוֹאָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהוֹאָחָ֗ז וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הֶֽעָרִים֙ מִיַּד֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקַ֗ח מִיַּ֛ד יְהוֹאָחָ֥ז אָבִ֖יו בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה שָׁלֹ֤שׁ פְּעָמִים֙ הִכָּ֣הוּ יוֹאָ֔שׁ וַיָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־עָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Sources & method

Hebrew text
The Masoretic text with vowels (nikkud) and cantillation marks (ta’amim), from the Westminster Leningrad Codex (public domain) as published by the Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (CC BY 4.0). Where the written text (ketiv) differs from the reading (qere), the reading is shown and the written form follows in small type. A paragraph mark (ס or פ) inside a verse is shown in small type.
English translation
The King James Version (public domain), lightly modernized by Benei Avraham: “thee/thou/ye” become “you,” older verb forms are updated (“hath” to “has”), and archaic words are replaced only where the meaning would otherwise be unclear. People and places carry their Hebrew names, with the King James spelling in parentheses the first time on each page (e.g., Yehudah (Judah)). The Divine Name (יהוה, “the LORD” in the KJV) is written “Hashem”; “God” (Elohim) is unchanged, and “law” is “Torah” where the Hebrew is תּוֹרָה.
Verse numbers
Verse numbers follow the Hebrew Bible. In 2 Kings they differ from most English Bibles only in chapters 11–12 (11:21 there is 12:1 here); a note under the summary on those pages explains how.
Hebrew font
SBL Hebrew, by the Society of Biblical Literature.