2 Kings 13:22

²¹Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. And as soon as his body touched the bones of Elisha, the man was revived and stood up on his feet.²²And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.²³But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

Summary

This verse illustrates the power and faithfulness of God in fulfilling His promises to His people. Despite the challenges and enemies faced by the Israelites, God showed His mercy by providing deliverance and victory over their adversaries. The metaphor of the arrow of the Lord's victory symbolizes divine intervention and protection, emphasizing that God's sovereignty extends even in the midst of battles. It serves as a reminder that God is always present to help and defend His people when they call upon Him in times of need. Ultimately, this verse showcases God's unwavering love and protection towards His chosen ones.

Commentary

Keil-Delitzsch

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

The prophecy which Elisha uttered before his death is here followed immediately by the account of its fulfilment, and to this end the oppression of the Israelites by Hazael is mentioned once more, together with that turn of affairs which took place through the compassion of God after the death of Hazael and in the reign of his son Benhadad. לחץ is a pluperfect: "Hazael had oppressed" (for the fact itself compare Kg2 13:4 and Kg2 13:7). For the sake of the covenant made with the patriarchs the Lord turned again to the Israelites, and would not destroy them, and did not cast them away from His face עתּה עד ("till now"), as was the case afterwards, but delivered them from the threatening destruction through the death of Hazael. For in the reign of his son and successor Benhadad, Joash the son of Jehoahaz took from him again (ויּשׁב is to be connected with ויּקּה) the cities which he (Hazael) had taken from Jehoahaz in the war. These cities which Hazael had wrested from Jehoahaz were on this side of the Jordan, for Hazael had conquered all Gilead in the time of Jehu (Kg2 10:32-33). Joash recovered the former from Benhadad, whilst his son Jeroboam reconquered Gilead also (see at Kg2 14:25).