2 Kings 13:1-9

2 Kings 13:1-9

[1] In the three  and twentieth  year  of Joash  the son  of Ahaziah  king  of Judah  Jehoahaz  the son  of Jehu  began to reign  over Israel  in Samaria,  and reigned seventeen  years.  [2] And he did  that which was evil  in the sight  of the LORD,  the sins  of Jeroboam  the son  of Nebat,  which made Israel  to sin;  he departed  [3] And the anger  of the LORD  was kindled  against Israel,  and he delivered  them into the hand  of Hazael  king  of Syria,  and into the hand  of Benhadad  the son  of Hazael,  all their days.  [4] And Jehoahaz  besought  the LORD,  hearkened  unto  him: for he saw  the oppression  of Israel,  because the king  of Syria  oppressed  [5] (And the LORD  gave  Israel  a saviour,  so that they went out  from under the hand  of the Syrians:  and the children  of Israel  dwelt  in their tents,  as beforetime.  [6] Nevertheless they departed  not from the sins  of the house  of Jeroboam,  who made Israel  sin,  but walked  therein: and there remained  the grove  also in Samaria.)  [7] Neither did he leave  of the people  to Jehoahaz  but fifty  horsemen,  and ten  chariots,  and ten  thousand  footmen;  for the king  of Syria  had destroyed  them, and had made  them like the dust  by threshing.  [8] Now the rest  of the acts  of Jehoahaz,  and all that he did,  and his might,  are they not written  in the book  of the chronicles  of the kings  of Israel?  [9] And Jehoahaz  slept  with his fathers;  and they buried  him in Samaria:  and Joash  his son  reigned  in his stead.

What does 2 Kings 13:1-9 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Jehoahaz reigned over the Northern Kingdom from814to798 B.C. Because Israel continued to disregard the Mosaic Covenant, God allowed the Arameans to dominate her. Hazael ruled Aram from841to801 B.C, and his Song of Solomon , Ben-Hadad III, succeeded him. The date that Ben-Hadad III"s reign ended seems to have been about773 B.C. [1]
Aram"s oppression moved Jehoahaz to seek Yahweh"s help, which He graciously provided in spite of the king"s unfaithfulness. The deliverer God raised up ( 2 Kings 13:5) was probably King Adad-Nirari III of Assyria (810-783 B.C.) who attacked Damascus as well as Tyre, Sidon, Media, Edom, and Egypt. [2] The Arameans consequently stopped attacking Israel and turned to defending themselves against their neighbor to the east, Assyria. Another way God disciplined Israel at this time was by reducing her army through casualties ( 2 Kings 13:7). This had begun in Jehu"s reign ( 2 Kings 10:32-36) but continued during Jehoahaz"s administration.
Neo-Assyrian Kings [3] Adad-nirari II911-891Tukulti-Ninurta II890-884Assur-ansirpal II883-859Shalmaneser III858-824Shamshi-Adad V823-811Adad-nirari III810-783Shalmaneser IV782-773Assur-dan III772-755Assur-nirari V754-745Tiglath-pileser III745-727Shalmaneser V727-722Sargon II722-705Sennacherib705-681Esarhaddon681-669Ashurbanipal668-627Ashur-etil-ilani627-623Sin-sum-lisir623Sin-sar-iskun623-612Assur-uballit II612-609