Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 29th, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Bishop's Bible

2 Kings 13:16

And he saide to the king of Israel: Put thyne hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: And Elisa put his handes vpon the kinges handes,

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Prophecy;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elisha;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Kings;   Syria;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Elisha;   Joash or Jehoash;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Jehoash;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kings, First and Second, Theology of;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Zeal;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Damascus;   Jonah;   Judah, Kingdom of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Aphek;   Damascus;   Joash;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Laying on of Hands;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Lots;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Damascus;   Elisha ;   Jehoahaz ;   Joash ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Joash;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Augury;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Kings, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
Hebrew Names Version
He said to the king of Yisra'el, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow," and he drew it. And Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New Century Version
Then Elisha said to him, "Put your hand on the bow." So Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
New English Translation
Then Elisha told the king of Israel, "Aim the bow." He did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Amplified Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
New American Standard Bible
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Lay your hand on the bow." And he laid his hand on it, then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And he sayde to the King of Israel, Put thine hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it. And Elisha put his hands vpon the Kings hands,
Legacy Standard Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, then Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Complete Jewish Bible
He said to the king of Isra'el, "Put your hand on the bow"; and he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands
Darby Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand [upon it]; and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands,
Easy-to-Read Version
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it; and Elisha put his hands upon the kings hands.
Good News Translation
and Elisha told him to get ready to shoot. The king did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.
Lexham English Bible
He said to the king of Israel, "Lay your hand on the bow," so he lay hold of it; then Elisha put his hand on the hands of the king.
Literal Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Cause your hand to ride on the bow. And he caused his hand to ride. And Elisha placed his hand on the hands of the king,
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan he had taken the bowe and the arowes, he sayde vnto the kynge of Israel: Bende the bowe with thine hande. And he bent it with his hade. And Eliseus layed his hande vpon the kynges hande,
American Standard Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
Bible in Basic English
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow: and he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said to the king of Israel: 'Put thy hand upon the bow'; and he put his hand upon it. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
King James Version (1611)
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: and Elisha put his hands vpon the kings hands.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said to the king, Put thy hand on the bow. And Joas put his hand upon it: and Elisaie put his hands upon the king’s hands.
English Revised Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow: and he put his hand [upon it]. And Elisha laid his hands upon the king’s hands.
Berean Standard Bible
Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So the king put his hand on the bow, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
he seide to the kyng of Israel, Set thin hond on the bouwe. And whanne he hadde set his hond, Elisee settide his hondis on the hondis of the
Young's Literal Translation
And he saith to the king of Israel, `Place thy hand on the bow;' and he placeth his hand, and Elisha putteth his hands on the hands of the king,
Update Bible Version
And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. And Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to the king of Israel, Put thy hand upon the bow. And he put his hand [upon it]: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
World English Bible
He said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow; and he put his hand [on it]. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New King James Version
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
New Living Translation
Elisha told him, "Put your hand on the bow," and Elisha laid his own hands on the king's hands.
New Life Bible
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
New Revised Standard
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow"; and he drew it. Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king;
Douay-Rheims Bible
He said to the king of Israel: Put thy hand upon the bow. And when he had put his hand, Eliseus put his hands over the king’s hands,
Revised Standard Version
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Draw the bow"; and he drew it. And Eli'sha laid his hands upon the king's hands.
THE MESSAGE
Then he told the king, "Put your hand on the bow." He put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hand over the hand of the king.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then he said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands.

Contextual Overview

10 In the thirtie and seuenth yere of Ioas king of Iuda, began Iehoas the sonne of Iehoahaz to raigne ouer Israel in Samaria sixteene yeres. 11 And did that which is euill in the sight of the Lorde, and departed not from all the sinnes of Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat that made Israel sinne: for he walked therein. 12 The remnaunt of the wordes that concerne Ioas, and all that he did, and his power wherewith he fought against Amaziahu king of Iuda, are they not written in the booke of the cronicles of the kinges of Israel? 13 And Ioas slept with his fathers, and Ieroboam sat vpon his seate: And Ioas was buryed in Samaria among the kinges of Israel. 14 When Elisa was fallen sicke of his sicknesse whereof he dyed, Ioas the king of Israel came downe vnto him, and wept before him, and saide: O my father, my father, the charet of Israel, & the horsemen of the same. 15 Elisa saide vnto him: Take bowe and arrowes. And he toke vnto him bowe and arrowes. 16 And he saide to the king of Israel: Put thyne hand vpon the bowe. And he put his hand vpon it: And Elisa put his handes vpon the kinges handes, 17 And said: Open a windowe eastward. And when he had opened it, Elisa sayd: shoote. And he shot: And he saide, The arrowe of health of the Lorde, and the arrowe of health against Syria: For thou shalt smyte Syria in Aphec, till thou haue made an ende of them. 18 And he saide: Take the arrowes. And he toke them: And he said vnto the king of Israel, Smyte the grounde. And he smote thrise, and ceassed. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and saide: Thou shouldest haue smitten fiue or sixe tymes, and then thou haddest smytten Syria till thou haddest made an end of them: where now thou shalt smyte Syria but thrise.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Put thine hand: Heb. make thine hand to ride

Elisha: 2 Kings 4:34, Genesis 49:24, Psalms 144:1

Cross-References

Genesis 13:1
And so Abram gat hym vp out of Egypt, he and his wife, and al that he had, and Lot with hym, toward the South.
Genesis 13:2
And Abram was very ryche in cattell, in siluer, and in golde.
Genesis 13:3
And he went foorth on his iourney, from the south towarde Bethel, vnto the place where his tent had ben at the begynnyng, betwene Bethel and Hai:
Genesis 13:14
And the Lorde saide vnto Abram, after that Lot was departed fro hym: Lyft vp thyne eyes nowe, and loke fro the place where thou art, northwarde, southward, eastwarde, and westward:
Genesis 13:16
And I wyl make thy seede as the dust of the earth: so that yf a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seede also be numbred.
Genesis 13:18
Then Abram taking downe his tent, came and dwelled in the playne of Mamre, which is in Hebron, & buylded there an aulter vnto the Lorde.
Genesis 15:5
And he brought hym out, and sayde: loke vp vnto heauen, and tell the starres, if thou be able to number them. And he sayde vnto hym: euen so shall thy seede be.
Genesis 17:6
I wyll make thee exceedyng fruitefull, and wyll make nations of thee, yea and kynges shall spryng out of thee.
Genesis 17:16
And I wyll blesse her, and geue thee a sonne of her: yea, I wyll blesse her, and she shalbe [a mother] of nations, yea & kynges of people shall sprynge of her.
Genesis 17:20
And as concernyng Ismael also I haue hearde thee: for I haue blessed him, and wyll make him fruitefull, and wyl multiplie him excedingly: Twelue princes shall he beget, and I wyll make a great nation of hym.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto the king of Israel, put thine hand upon the bow, and he put his hand upon it,.... His left hand:

and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands; on both his hands, which were put, the one on the bow, the other on the arrow m; hereby signifying, that though the king would draw the bow in battle, the Lord, whom the prophet represented, would give the success; and that it would be by his help, and through his blessing on his arms, that he would obtain victory over his enemies.

m See Virgil. Aeneid. 11. ver. 831, 862.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hands - A symbolic act, indicating that the successes, which the shooting typified, were to come, not from human skill, or strength, or daring, but from the presence and the power of God.


 
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