2 Kings 13:20

2 Kings 13:20 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring.
• English Standard Version (ESV)So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.

Context of 2 Kings 13:20

18Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. 19So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram only three times.” Elisha died, and they buried him. Now marauding bands of Moabites would invade the land in the spring of the year. 21And it happened that as a man was being buried [on an open bier], they saw a marauding band [coming]; and they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. But when the [body of the] man [was being let down and] touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet. 22Hazael the king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

2 Kings 13:20 word by word

וַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִישָׁ֖ע וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֑הוּ וּגְדוּדֵ֥י מוֹאָ֛ב יָבֹ֥אוּ בָאָ֖רֶץ בָּ֥א שָׁנָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• diedמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• and they buriedקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
• him. And the bandsגְּדוּדgedûd · bandH1416
• of the Moabitesמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
• invadedבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
• of the yearשָׁנָהshâneh shânâh · yearH8141

Cross-references for 2 Kings 13:20

• 2 Chronicles 24:16They buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good [things] in Israel and toward God and His house.
• Acts 8:2Some devout men buried Stephen, and mourned greatly over him [expressing a personal sense of loss].
• 2 Kings 5:2The Arameans (Syrians) had gone out in bands [as raiders] and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife [as a servant].
• 2 Kings 6:23So the king prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Aram did not come into the land of Israel again.
• 2 Kings 24:2The Lord sent marauding bands of Chaldeans, Arameans (Syrians), Moabites, and Ammonites against Jehoiakim. And He sent them against Judah to destroy it, in accordance with the word of the Lord which He spoke through His servants the prophets.
• 2 Kings 3:5But when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
• Judges 3:12Now the Israelites again did evil in the sight of the Lord, and the Lord strengthened Eglon king of Moab against Israel, since they had done what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
• Judges 6:3For it was whenever Israel had sown [their seed] that the Midianites would come up with the Amalekites and the people of the east and go up against them.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 13:20

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20And Elisha died - The two prophets, Elijah and Elisha, were both most extraordinary men. Of the former, it is difficult to say whether he was a man, or an angel in a human body. The arguments for this latter opinion are strong, the objections against it very feeble. His being fed by an angel is no proof that he was not an angel incarnate, for God manifest in the flesh was fed by the same ministry. Of him the following from Ecclesiasticus (chap. 48:1-11)…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20The bands of the Moabites invaded the land - The Moabites had been increasing in strength ever since their revolt from Ahaziah 2 Kings 1:1. The defeat which they suffered at the hands of Jehoram and Jehoshaphat 2 Kings 3:24 did not affect their subjugation. They spread themselves into the country north of the Arnon Isaiah 16:2, and thence proceeded to make plundering expeditious year by year into Samaria, in Spring. This was the natural season for…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 20-25Verses 20-25 God has many ways to chastise a provoking people. Trouble comes sometimes from that point whence we least feared it. The mention of this invasion on the death of Elisha, shows that the removal of God's faithful prophets is a presage of coming judgments. His dead body was a means of giving life to another dead body. This miracle was a confirmation of his prophecies. And it may have reference to Christ, by whose death and burial, the grave is…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 20-21Elisha’s death offers a chance to share one last story about the prophet. The Moabite raiders seemed to plan their attacks on Israel during the early harvest, before the summer heat. The dead man came back to life when his body touched Elisha’s bones, showing that Elisha’s prophecy would come true. Weakened Israel (2 Kings 13:7) would recover and drive away the Aramean invaders (2 Kings 13:25; 14:25; compare Ezekiel 37:1–14).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 20-2120-21. Elisha died--He had enjoyed a happier life than Elijah, as he possessed a milder character, and bore a less hard commission. His rough garment was honored even at the court. coming in of the year--that is, the spring, the usual season of beginning campaigns in ancient times. Predatory bands from Moab generally made incursions at that time on the lands of Israel. The bearers of a corpse, alarmed by the appearance of one of these bands, hastily…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 13:20

• Elisha
• Jehoash
• Moabites
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Coming
• Band
• Jehoash; Joash
• Moab; Moabites
• Pekah

Commentaries on 2 Kings 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings