God’s Word Translation
2 Kings 13:21
21One day some people who were burying a man saw one of these raiding parties. So they quickly put the man into Elisha’s tomb. But when the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life and stood up.
2 Kings 13:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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.
- New International Version (NIV)Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
- New King James Version (NKJV)So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
Context of 2 Kings 13:21
19Then the man of God became angry with him. “You should have stomped five or six times!” he said. “Then you would have completely defeated the Arameans. But now you will only defeat the Arameans three times.” 20Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding parties used to invade the country in the spring. One day some people who were burying a man saw one of these raiding parties. So they quickly put the man into Elisha’s tomb. But when the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life and stood up. 22King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel as long as Jehoahaz ruled. 23But the Lord was kind and merciful to the Israelites because of his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He didn’t want to destroy the Israelites, and even now he hasn’t turned away from them.
Read all of 2 Kings 132 Kings 13:21 word by word
וַיְהִ֞י הֵ֣ם׀ קֹבְרִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וְהִנֵּה֙ רָא֣וּ אֶֽת־הַגְּד֔וּד וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ בְּקֶ֣בֶר אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ וַיִּגַּ֤ע הָאִישׁ֙ בְּעַצְמ֣וֹת אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וַיְחִ֖י וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־רַגְלָֽיו׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And it came to pass, as they were buryingקָבַרqâbar · to buryH6912
- a manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- that, behold, they spiedרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- a bandגְּדוּדgedûd · bandH1416
- and they castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- into the sepulchreקֶ֫בֶרqeber qibrâh · graveH6913
- of Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
- was let downיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- and touchedנָגַעnâga‛ · to touchH5060
- the bonesעֶ֫צֶם‛etsem · boneH6106
- he revivedחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421
- and stood upקוּםqûm · to arise: establishH6965
- on his feetרֶ֫גֶלregel · footH7272
Cross-references for 2 Kings 13:21
- 2 Kings 4:35Elisha got up, walked across the room and came back, and then got back on the bed and crouched over him. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.
- Isaiah 26:19Your dead will live. Their corpses will rise. Those who lie dead in the dust will wake up and shout for joy, because your dew is a refreshing dew, and the earth will revive the spirits of the dead.
- Ezekiel 37:1The power of the Lord came over me. The Lord brought me out by his Spirit and put me down in the middle of a valley. The valley was filled with bones.
- Matthew 27:52The tombs were opened, and the bodies of many holy people who had died came back to life.
- John 5:25“I can guarantee this truth: A time is coming (and is now here) when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who respond to it will live.
- John 11:44The dead man came out. Strips of cloth were wound around his feet and hands, and his face was wrapped with a handkerchief. Jesus told them, “Free Lazarus, and let him go.”
- Acts 5:15As a result, people carried their sick into the streets. They placed them on stretchers and cots so that at least Peter’s shadow might fall on some sick people as he went by.
- Acts 19:12People would take handkerchiefs and aprons that had touched Paul’s skin to those who were sick. Their sicknesses would be cured, and evil spirits would leave them.
- Revelation 11:11After 3½ days the breath of life from God entered the two witnesses, and they stood on their feet. Great fear fell on those who watched them.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 13:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21They spied a band - They saw one of these marauding parties; and through fear could not wait to bury their dead, but threw the body into the grave of Elisha, which chanced then to be open; and as soon as it touched the bones of the prophet, the man was restored to life. This shows that the prophet did not perform his miracles by any powers of his own, but by the power of God; and he chose to honor his servant, by making even his bones the instrument of…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21They cast the man - Rather, “they thrust the man.” The graves of the Jews were not pits dug in the ground, like ours, but caves or cells excavated in the side of a rock, the mouth of the cave being ordinarily shut by a heavy stone. Stood up on his feet - Coffins were not used by the Jews. The body was simply wrapped or swathed in grave-clothes (compare Luke 7:15; John 11:44). This miracle of Elisha‘s after his death is more surprising than any of those…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 13:21
In the dictionaries
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
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