New International Version
2 Kings 13:23
23But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
2 Kings 13:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor has he cast them from his presence until now.
- New King James Version (NKJV)But the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and regarded them, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.
- New Living Translation (NLT)But the Lord was gracious and merciful to the people of Israel, and they were not totally destroyed. He pitied them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day he still has not completely destroyed them or banished them from his presence.
Context of 2 Kings 13:23
21Once 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. 22Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence. 24Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad his son succeeded him as king. 25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
Read all of 2 Kings 132 Kings 13:23 word by word
וַיָּחָן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתָ֤ם וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ וַיִּ֣פֶן אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְמַ֣עַן בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִצְחָ֣ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם מֵֽעַל־פָּנָ֖יו עַד־עָֽתָּה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- was graciousחָנַןchânan · be graciousH2603
- unto them, and had compassionרָחַםrâcham · to have compassionH7355
- on them, and had respectפָּנָהpânâh · to turnH6437
- unto them, because ofמַ֫עַןma‛an · becauseH4616
- his covenantבְּרִיתberîyth · covenantH1285
- with Abrahamאַבְרָהָם'abrâhâm · AbrahamH85
- Isaacיִצְחָקyitschâq · IsaacH3327
- and Jacobיַעֲקֹבya‛ăqôb · JacobH3290
- and wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- not destroyשָׁחַתshâchath · to ruinH7843
- them, neither castשָׁלַךְshâlak · to throwH7993
- he them from his presenceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- as yetעַד‛ad · tillH5704
Cross-references for 2 Kings 13:23
- 2 Kings 14:27And since the Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
- Exodus 33:19And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
- Exodus 34:6And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,
- Judges 10:16Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And he could bear Israel’s misery no longer.
- Nehemiah 9:31But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.
- Psalms 86:15But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
- Isaiah 30:18Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!
- Jeremiah 12:15But after I uproot them, I will again have compassion and will bring each of them back to their own inheritance and their own country.
- Lamentations 3:32Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.
- Micah 7:18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
- Exodus 2:24God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.
- 1 Kings 8:28Yet give attention to your servant’s prayer and his plea for mercy, Lord my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.
- Genesis 13:16I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
- Genesis 17:2Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
- Exodus 3:6Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.
- Exodus 32:13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’ ”
Commentaries on 2 Kings 13:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23And the Lord was gracious unto them - ויחן vaiyachon, he had tender affection for them, as a husband has for his wife, or a father for his own children. And had compassion on them - וירחמם vairachamem, his bowels yearned over them; he felt for them, he sympathized with them in all their distress: Therefore are my bowels troubled; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord, Jeremiah 31:20. And had respect unto them - ויפן vaiyiphen, he turned face…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23The writer regards the captivity of Israel as God‘s “casting them out of His sight” (see 2 Kings 17:18, 2 Kings 17:20); and notes that this extreme punishment, though deserved, was by God‘s mercy not allowed to fall on them as yet.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. 23Even though Israel often broke its promises, God stayed true to his covenant with Abraham (Genesis01 12:1–3; 13:15–17; 15:18–20; 17:6–8). By mentioning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the writer highlights Israel’s spiritual connection with the Lord and its right to the promised land (see Genesis 50:24; Exodus 3:6, 15–16; 6:3, 6–8; Deuteronomy 6:10; 9:5; 34:4).Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 13:23
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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