New Living Translation
2 Kings 13:21
21Once 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!
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
19But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.” 20Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring. 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! 22King Hazael of Aram had oppressed Israel during the entire reign of King Jehoahaz. 23But 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.
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 back and forth across the room once, and then stretched himself out again on the child. This time the boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes!
- Isaiah 26:19But those who die in the Lord will live; their bodies will rise again! Those who sleep in the earth will rise up and sing for joy! For your life-giving light will fall like dew on your people in the place of the dead!
- Ezekiel 37:1The Lord took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the Lord to a valley filled with bones.
- Matthew 27:52and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.
- John 5:25“And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live.
- John 11:44And the dead man came out, his hands and feet bound in graveclothes, his face wrapped in a headcloth. Jesus told them, “Unwrap him and let him go!”
- Acts 5:15As a result of the apostles’ work, sick people were brought out into the streets on beds and mats so that Peter’s shadow might fall across some of them as he went by.
- Acts 19:12When handkerchiefs or aprons that had merely touched his skin were placed on sick people, they were healed of their diseases, and evil spirits were expelled.
- Revelation 11:11But after three and a half days, God breathed life into them, and they stood up! Terror struck all who were staring at 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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