Elisha Makes One Final Prophecy

13:14 Now Elisha had a terminal illness.32 King Joash of Israel went down to visit him.33 He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot34 and horsemen of Israel!”35 13:15 Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so.36 13:16 Then Elisha37 told the king of Israel, “Aim the bow.”38 He did so,39 and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. 13:17 Elisha40 said, “Open the east window,” and he did so.41 Elisha said, “Shoot!” and

he did so.42 Elisha43 said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria.44 You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!”45 13:18 Then Elisha46 said, “Take the arrows,” and he did so.47 He told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped. 13:19 The prophet48 got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria!49 But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”

13:20 Elisha died and was buried.50 Moabite raiding parties invaded51 the land at the beginning of the year.52 13:21 One day some men53 were burying a man when they spotted54 a raiding party. So they threw the dead man55 into Elisha’s tomb. When the body56 touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man57 came to life and stood on his feet.

13:22 Now King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout Jehoahaz’s reign.58 13:23 But the Lord had mercy on them and felt pity for them.59 He extended his favor to them60 because of the promise he had made61 to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day.62 13:24 When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben Hadad replaced him as king. 13:25 Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from63 Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities.