Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. New Living Translation Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times. English Standard Version And he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them.” And he struck three times and stopped. Berean Standard Bible Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. Berean Literal Bible And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them, and he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck three times and he stood. King James Bible And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. New King James Version Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. New American Standard Bible Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. NASB 1995 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. NASB 1977 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. Legacy Standard Bible Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stood still. Amplified Bible Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped. Berean Annotated Bible Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows! So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel (he wrestles with God), “Strike the ground! So he struck the ground three times and stopped. Christian Standard Bible Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows! ” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground! ” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. Holman Christian Standard Bible Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. American Standard Version And he said, Take the arrows; and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground; and he smote thrice, and stayed. Contemporary English Version Elisha said, "Pick up the arrows and hit the ground with them." Jehoash grabbed the arrows and hit the ground three times, then stopped. English Revised Version And he said, Take the arrows: and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground: and he smote thrice, and stayed. GOD'S WORD® Translation Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows." So the king took them. "Stomp on them," he told the king of Israel. The king stomped three times and stopped. Good News Translation Then Elisha told the king to take the other arrows and strike the ground with them. The king struck the ground three times, and then stopped. International Standard Version After this Elisha said, "Pick up the arrows." So the king picked them up. Then Elisha told the king of Israel, "Strike the ground!" So he struck it three times and then stood still. NET Bible Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows," and he did so. He told the king of Israel, "Strike the ground!" He struck the ground three times and stopped. New Heart English Bible He said, "Take the arrows"; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground"; and he struck three times, and stopped. Webster's Bible Translation And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and ceased. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleThen Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. World English Bible He said, “Take the arrows;” and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground;” and he struck three times, and stopped. Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd he says, “Take the arrows,” and he takes; and he says to the king of Israel, “Strike to the earth”; and he strikes three times, and stays. Berean Literal Bible And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them, and he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck three times and he stood. Young's Literal Translation And he saith, 'Take the arrows,' and he taketh; and he saith to the king of Israel, 'Smite to the earth;' and he smiteth three times, and stayeth. Smith's Literal Translation And he will say, Take the arrows. And he will take. And he will say to the king of Israel, Strike the earth. And he will strike three times, and stand. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd he said: Take the arrows. And when he had taken them, he said to him : Strike with an arrow upon the ground. And he struck three times and stood still. Catholic Public Domain Version And he said, “Take the arrows.” And when he had taken them, he then said to him, “Strike an arrow against the ground.” And when he had struck three times, and he had stood still, New American Bible Then he said to the king of Israel, “Take the arrows,” which he did. Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Beat the ground!” He beat the ground three times and stopped. New Revised Standard Version He continued, “Take the arrows”; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground with them”; he struck three times, and stopped. Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd he said to him, Take an arrow. And he took it. And he said, Strike upon the ground. And he struck three times and stopped. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And he said to him: “Take an arrow.” And he took, and he said: “Strike on the ground.” And he struck three times and stopped. OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And he said: 'Take the arrows'; and he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel: 'Smite upon the ground'; and he smote thrice, and stayed. Brenton Septuagint Translation And Elisaie said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And the king smote three times, and stayed. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Elisha's Final Prophecy…17“Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.” 18Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. 19But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”… Cross References Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” 1 Samuel 20:21-22 Then I will send a boy and say, ‘Go, find the arrows!’ Now, if I expressly say to him, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; bring them,’ then come, because as surely as the LORD lives, it is safe for you, and there is no danger. / But if I say to the young man, ‘Look, the arrows are beyond you,’ then you must go, for the LORD has sent you away. Psalm 127:4-5 Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. / Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate. So he took them, Genesis 22:3 So Abraham got up early the next morning, saddled his donkey, and took along two of his servants and his son Isaac. He split the wood for a burnt offering and set out for the place God had designated. Exodus 12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and told them, “Go at once and select for yourselves a lamb for each family, and slaughter the Passover lamb. Matthew 21:6 So the disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” Exodus 17:6 Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. Numbers 20:11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink. So he struck the ground three times and stopped. 1 Kings 17:21-22 Then he stretched himself out over the child three times and cried out to the LORD, “O LORD my God, please let this boy’s life return to him!” / And the LORD listened to the voice of Elijah, and the child’s life returned to him, and he lived. Acts 10:16 This happened three times, and all at once the sheet was taken back up into heaven. Matthew 26:44 So He left them and went away once more and prayed a third time, saying the same thing. 2 Kings 4:3-6 “Go,” said Elisha, “borrow empty jars from all your neighbors. Do not gather just a few. / Then go inside, shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour oil into all these jars, setting the full ones aside.” / So she left him, and after she had shut the door behind her and her sons, they kept bringing jars to her, and she kept pouring. … 2 Kings 6:17 Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 5:10-14 Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.” / But Naaman went away angry, saying, “I thought that he would surely come out, stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the spot to cure my leprosy. / Are not the Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not have washed in them and been cleansed?” So he turned and went away in a rage. … 2 Kings 3:16-18 and he said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Dig this valley full of ditches.’ / For the LORD says, ‘You will not see wind or rain, but the valley will be filled with water, and you will drink—you and your cattle and your animals.’ / This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 2 Kings 2:9-10 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken away from you?” “Please, let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. / “You have requested a difficult thing,” said Elijah. “Nevertheless, if you see me as I am taken from you, it will be yours. But if not, then it will not be so.” 1 Kings 20:13-15 Meanwhile a prophet approached Ahab king of Israel and declared, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Do you see this entire great army? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this very day, and you will know that I am the LORD.’” / “By whom?” Ahab asked. And the prophet replied, “This is what the LORD says: ‘By the young officers of the district governors.’” “Who will start the battle?” asked Ahab. “You will,” answered the prophet. / So Ahab assembled the young officers of the district governors, and there were 232 men. And after them, he assembled the rest of the Israelite troops, 7,000 in all. Treasury of Scripture And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Smite on the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed. Smite Isaiah 20:2-4 At the same time spake the LORD by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot. And he did so, walking naked and barefoot… Ezekiel 4:1-10 Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: … Ezekiel 5:1-4 And thou, son of man, take thee a sharp knife, take thee a barber's rasor, and cause it to pass upon thine head and upon thy beard: then take thee balances to weigh, and divide the hair… he smote thrice 2 Kings 4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Exodus 17:11 And it came to pass, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed: and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. Jump to Previous Arrows Ceased Earth Elisha Ground Israel Smite Smote Stayeth Stopped Strike Struck Three Thrice TimesJump to Next Arrows Ceased Earth Elisha Ground Israel Smite Smote Stayeth Stopped Strike Struck Three Thrice Times2 Kings 13 1. Jehoahaz's wicked reign3. Jehoahaz, oppressed by Hazael, is relieved by prayer 8. Joash succeeds him 10. His wicked reign 12. Jeroboam succeeds him 14. Elisha dying, prophesies to Joash three victories over the Syrians 20. The Moabites invading the land, Elisha's bones raise a dead man. 22. Joash gets three victories over Ben-hadad Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” Elisha, the prophet, is speaking to King Jehoash of Israel. This command is part of a prophetic act, a common practice in the Old Testament where physical actions symbolize spiritual truths or future events. Arrows in ancient warfare were symbols of power and victory. Elisha's instruction to take the arrows signifies preparation for battle and the potential for victory over enemies. So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. Persons / Places / Events 1. ElishaA prophet in Israel, successor to Elijah, known for performing miracles and providing guidance to the kings of Israel. 2. King of Israel At this time, Jehoash (also known as Joash), who sought Elisha's counsel regarding the Arameans. 3. Arrows Symbolic tools used by Elisha to convey God's message and promise of victory over Aram. 4. Ground The physical location where the symbolic act of striking the arrows took place, representing the battlefield. 5. Arameans The enemy nation threatening Israel, against whom the prophetic act was directed. Teaching Points Obedience to God's InstructionsThe king's partial obedience resulted in limited victory. Complete obedience to God's commands is crucial for full blessings. Faith in Action The act of striking the ground was a test of faith. Our actions should reflect our trust in God's promises. Symbolism in Scripture Understanding the symbolic nature of biblical events can deepen our comprehension of God's messages. Perseverance in Faith The king stopped after three strikes, showing a lack of perseverance. We are called to persist in faith and prayer. Consequences of Limited Faith The king's limited action led to limited victory. Our faith should be bold and unwavering to fully experience God's power. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 2 Kings 13:18?2. How does 2 Kings 13:18 demonstrate the importance of following God's instructions fully? 3. What can we learn about faith from Elisha's command to strike the ground? 4. How does this passage connect to the theme of obedience in Deuteronomy 28? 5. In what ways can we apply Elisha's guidance to our spiritual battles today? 6. How does the king's response in 2 Kings 13:18 reflect human nature's limitations? 7. What is the significance of Elisha's command to strike the ground in 2 Kings 13:18? 8. How does 2 Kings 13:18 illustrate the importance of obedience in faith? 9. Why did Elisha become angry with Joash for striking the ground only three times? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 13? 11. 2 Kings 13:25 – Are there any external historical or archaeological sources that verify Jehoash’s repeated conquests against Ben-Hadad, or does the Bible alone provide this narrative? 12. 2 Kings 18:13 - Does the timeline of Sennacherib's invasion align with known Assyrian records? 13. How consistent is Elisha's symbolic act in 2 Kings 13:14-19 with other biblical prophecies, and does it question divine sovereignty? 14. In 2 Chronicles 18:14-17, why does Micaiah offer a prophecy so different from the other prophets--could this indicate conflicting traditions? What Does 2 Kings 13:18 Mean “Take the arrows!”• Elisha gives a clear, tangible command, much like God often ties spiritual promises to simple physical actions (Exodus 17:9-11; John 9:6-7). • The arrows symbolize God’s deliverance—an extension of the earlier prophetic act of shooting an arrow eastward toward Aram (2 Kings 13:17). • Obedience begins by receiving what God places in our hands before any victory can be realized (Exodus 4:2-4). So he took them • King Joash responds without delay, mirroring examples of prompt obedience such as Abraham rising early to obey in Genesis 22:3, or the first disciples immediately leaving their nets in Mark 1:18. • Readiness to act on God’s word is foundational; faith that hesitates rarely sees fullness of blessing (James 1:22-25). “Strike the ground!” • This second command tests Joash’s faith through action, similar to Joshua’s march around Jericho (Joshua 6:2-5) and Naaman’s sevenfold washing in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:10-14). • God often partners with human participation to display His power (Philippians 2:12-13). • The ground-striking is a prophetic dramatization of future battles; each blow represents a divinely granted victory (2 Kings 13:19). He struck the ground three times • Three blows reveal limited expectation. Scripture consistently shows that abundance is tied to asking largely (2 Kings 4:3-6; John 16:24). • Partial obedience or cautious faith receives proportionate results (Matthew 13:58). • Joash’s measured response contrasts with wholehearted acts like Elijah’s repeated prayers for rain until the cloud appeared (1 Kings 18:42-44). And stopped • Stopping short signifies a failure to persevere (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 10:36). • Elisha’s ensuing grief (2 Kings 13:19) highlights that spiritual breakthrough is often limited not by God’s willingness but by human reluctance (Psalm 78:41). • Jesus’ parable of the persistent widow underscores the need to keep striking—keep praying—until the answer is complete (Luke 18:1-8). summary 2 Kings 13:18 shows that God’s promises invite bold, persevering faith. Joash’s half-hearted three strikes secured only three victories; fuller obedience would have brought complete deliverance from Aram. The passage calls believers to seize God-given resources eagerly, act decisively, and persevere without stopping until every arrow of God’s purpose has met its mark. (18) And he said.--LXX., "and Elisha said unto him," which, as Thenius remarks, is more appropriate here, in introducing the account of the second symbolic action.The arrows--i.e., the bundle of arrows. Smite upon the ground.--Rather, smite (or, strike) earthwards; as if striking an enemy to the earth. He smote thrice.--Three being a sacred number. Verse 18. - And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. Elisha bade the king take into his band the remainder of the arrows which the quiver contained. This the king did, and held them in a bunch, as archers do when they have no quiver. And he said unto the King of Israel, Smite upon the ground. It is disputed what this means The LXX. translate Πάταξον εἰς τὴν γῆν "Strike upon the ground;" and so Ewald, De Wette, and Thenius, who regard the order as one to strike with the arrows against the ground (i.e. the floor) or in the direction of the ground. Keil and Bahr, on the contrary, think that the order was to shoot the arrows down from the window and hit the earth with them. But some contrast seems to be intended between the "shoot" (יְרַה) of ver. 19 and the "strike" (חַך) of the present passage. Ewald's explanation is thus to be preferred. And he smote thrice, and stayed. Joash struck with the arrows against the floor three times, and then paused, thinking he had done enough. He did not enter into the spirit of the symbolical act, which represented the smiting and slaying of enemies. Perhaps he had not much faith in the virtue of the symbolism, which he may even, with the arrogance of a proud and worldly minded man, have thought childish.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew Then Elisha said,וַיֹּ֛אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say “Take קַ֥ח (qaḥ) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take the arrows!” הַחִצִּ֖ים (ha·ḥiṣ·ṣîm) Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 2678: An arrow So he took [them], וַיִּקָּ֑ח (way·yiq·qāḥ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 3947: To take and Elisha said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say to the king לְמֶֽלֶךְ־ (lə·me·leḵ-) Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4428: A king of Israel, יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc “Strike הַךְ־ (haḵ-) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 5221: To strike the ground!” אַ֔רְצָה (’ar·ṣāh) Noun - feminine singular | third person feminine singular Strong's 776: Earth, land So he struck וַיַּ֥ךְ (way·yaḵ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5221: To strike the ground three שָֽׁלֹשׁ־ (šā·lōš-) Number - feminine singular Strong's 7969: Three, third, thrice times פְּעָמִ֖ים (pə·‘ā·mîm) Noun - feminine plural Strong's 6471: A beat, foot, anvil, occurrence and stopped. וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃ (way·ya·‘ă·mōḏ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 5975: To stand, in various relations Links 2 Kings 13:18 NIV2 Kings 13:18 NLT 2 Kings 13:18 ESV 2 Kings 13:18 NASB 2 Kings 13:18 KJV 2 Kings 13:18 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 13:18 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 13:18 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 13:18 French Bible 2 Kings 13:18 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 13:18 He said Take the arrows (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |
    |