2 Kings 3:13

2 Kings 3:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
• New International Version (NIV)Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” “No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother." But the king of Israel said to him, "No; it is the Lord who has called these three kings to give them into the hand of Moab."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

Context of 2 Kings 3:13

11But King Jehoshaphat asked, ‘There must surely be a prophet of the Lord here somewhere. We could ask him what the Lord wants us to do.’ An officer of the king of Israel answered him, ‘Yes, Shaphat's son Elisha is here. He was Elijah's servant.’ 12Jehoshaphat said, ‘He will tell us what the Lord is saying.’ So the king of Israel, King Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went to meet Elisha. Elisha said to the king of Israel, ‘We have nothing to say to each other! Instead, go to the prophets that your father and your mother liked to listen to.’ The king of Israel replied, ‘No! The Lord told us three kings to come here together. Now he is putting us under Moab's power.’ 14Elisha said to him, ‘I serve the Lord Almighty. I promise you, as surely as the Lord lives, I would never even look at you! But I do respect Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, who is with you. So I will help you. 15But now, bring someone to play music on a harp for me.’ While the man was making music, the Lord's power came to Elisha.

2 Kings 3:13 word by word

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֜ע אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מַה־לִּ֣י וָלָ֔ךְ לֵ֚ךְ אֶל־נְבִיאֵ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ וְאֶל־נְבִיאֵ֖י אִמֶּ֑ךָ וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לוֹ֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אַ֗ל כִּֽי־קָרָ֤א יְהוָה֙ לִשְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ הַמְּלָכִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה לָתֵ֥ת אוֹתָ֖ם בְּיַד־מוֹאָֽב׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• What have I to do with thee? getיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
• thee to the prophetsנָבִיאnâbîy' · prophetH5030
• of thy fatherאָב'âb · fatherH1
• of thy motherאֵם'êm · motherH517
• unto him, Nay: for the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• hath calledקָרָאqârâ' · to call: call toH7121
• these threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• to deliverנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• them into the handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• of Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124

Cross-references for 2 Kings 3:13

• Ezekiel 14:3‘Son of man, these men like to worship idols. They allow those idols to cause them to do wicked things. So I should not allow them to ask me anything.
• Matthew 8:29When the two men saw Jesus, they immediately shouted at him, ‘You are the Son of God! What are you doing here? Have you come to punish us before the right time comes?’
• John 2:4Jesus replied, ‘Woman, why do you tell me this? It is not my time yet.’
• 2 Corinthians 5:16So that changes how we think about people. We no longer use human ideas to think what they are like. At one time, we thought about Christ as humans think. But now we think about him very differently!
• 2 Corinthians 6:15Christ will never agree with the Devil. People who believe in Christ are completely different from people who do not believe.
• Judges 10:14Go and ask those other gods to help you! They are the gods that you have chosen, so let them rescue you from your trouble!’
• Ruth 1:15Naomi said to Ruth, ‘Look! Orpah has returned to her family. She has returned to serve the gods of Moab. Go back home with her.’
• Proverbs 1:28Foolish people will call to me for help, but I will not answer. They will look for me everywhere, but they will not find me.
• Jeremiah 2:27They worship a piece of wood, and they say, “You are my father.” They say to a stone, “You gave birth to me.” They have not turned to come to me. Instead, they have turned away from me. But when trouble comes to them, they call out to me to rescue them.
• 1 Kings 18:19Now, tell people from all over Israel to come and meet me. They must meet me on Mount Carmel. Also, bring the 450 prophets who serve Baal and the 400 prophets of Asherah that Jezebel provides with food.’
• 1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel brought together about 400 prophets. He asked them, ‘Should I attack Ramoth Gilead, or not?’ They answered, ‘Yes, go and attack it, because the Lord God will give it to you, our king.’
• 2 Kings 3:10The king of Israel was very upset. He said, ‘What has happened? Perhaps the Lord has brought us three kings here to put us under the power of the king of Moab!’
• Deuteronomy 32:37Then the Lord will ask his people, ‘Why could your gods not help you? Those were the gods that you thought would keep you safe.
• Hosea 6:1‘Listen! We should return to serve the Lord. He has torn us to pieces, but now he will make us well again. He has hurt us, but now he will make our wounds better.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13Get thee to the prophets of thy father - This was a just, but cutting reproof. Nay - The Chaldee adds here, I beseech thee, do not call the sins of this impiety to remembrance, but ask mercy for us; because the Lord hath called, etc. The Arabic has, I beseech thee, do not mention of our transgressions, but use kindness towards us. It is very likely that some such words were spoken on the occasion; but these are the only versions which make this addition.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Jehoram‘s humility in seeking 2 Kings 3:12 instead of summoning Elisha, does not save him from rebuke. His reformation 2 Kings 3:2 had been but a half reformation - a compromise with idolatry. Nay: for the Lord hath called … - The force of this reply seems to be - “Nay, reproach me not, since I am in a sore strait - and not only I, but these two other kings also. The Lord - Yahweh - is about to deliver us into the hand of Moab. If thou canst not, or wilt…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 6-19Verses 6-19 The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till necessity and affliction…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-14Elisha joined because Jehoshaphat was there, even though he was involved with the pagan Joram.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1413-14. What have I to do with thee? &c.--Wishing to produce a deep spirit of humility and contrition, Elisha gave a stern repulse to the king of Israel, accompanied by a sarcastic sneer, in bidding him go and consult Baal and his soothsayers. But the distressed condition, especially the imploring language, of the royal suppliants, who acknowledged the hand of the Lord in this distress, drew from the prophet the solemn assurance, that solely out of respect…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 3:13

• Armies
• Idolatry
• Jezebel
• Moabites
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Israel
• Moab
• Moab; Moabites
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Moab, Moabite
• Colour
• Compass
• Indignation

Commentaries on 2 Kings 3

• 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