King James Version

What Does 2 Kings 13:17 Mean?

“And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.”

Context

And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. Put thine: Heb. Make thine hand to ride

And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.

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.

And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice .

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Commentary

Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers

(17) **The window.**—Or, *lattice*. Probably a lattice opening outwards. **Eastward.**—In the direction of Gilead, which was occupied by the Syrians (2Kings 10:33). **Shoot.**—The old illustration of declaring war by shooting an arrow into the enemy’s country (Æn. ix. 57) is not without bearing on this case, though it obviously does not exhaust the meaning of the act. (17) **And he said***—i.e.*, Elisha said. **The arrow of the Lord’s . . . Syria.**—Literally, *An arrow of victory for Jehovah, and an arrow of victory over Aram!* **In Aphek.**—Joshua 13:4; 1Kings 20:26. The scene of former defeats was to become that of triumph. **Till thou have consumed them.**—Literally, *unto finishing.* The annihilation of the opposing army at Aphek, not of the entire forces of Syria, is predicted. (See 2Kings 13:19.)

Charles John Ellicott (1819–1905). Public Domain.

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of 2 Kings. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

2 Kings 13:17 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.