New King James Version
2 Kings 13:21
21So 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.
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 Living Translation (NLT)Once when some Israelites were burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet!
Context of 2 Kings 13:21
19And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you will strike Syria only three times.” 20Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 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. 22And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23But 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.
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 4:35He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
- Isaiah 26:19Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead.
- Ezekiel 37:1The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones.
- Matthew 27:52and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised;
- John 5:25Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.
- John 11:44And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Loose him, and let him go.”
- Acts 5:15so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them.
- Acts 19:12so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.
- Revelation 11:11Now after the three-and-a-half days the breath of life from God entered them, and they stood on their feet, and great fear fell on those who saw 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries