Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, April 11th, 2026
Saturday in Easter Week
Attention!
Tired of seeing ads while studying? Now you can enjoy an "Ads Free" version of the site for as little as 10¢ a day and support a great cause!
Click here to learn more!

Read the Bible

Complete Jewish Bible

2 Kings 13:16

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

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.
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
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,
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 It was in the thirty-seventh year of Yo'ash king of Y'hudah that Yo'ash the son of Y'ho'achaz began his rule over Isra'el in Shomron; he ruled for sixteen years. 11 He did what was evil from Adonai 's perspective and did not turn from all the sins of Yarov‘am the son of N'vat, who made Isra'el sin; on the contrary, he lived in this sinful way. 12 Other activities of Yo'ash, all his accomplishments and his power in fighting Amatzyah king of Y'hudah are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Isra'el. 13 Yo'ash slept with his ancestors, and Yarov‘am occupied his throne. Yo'ash was buried in Shomron with the kings of Isra'el. 14 Elisha was now ill with the disease from which he would eventually die. Yo'ash the king of Isra'el came down to visit him and wept over him; he said, "My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Isra'el!" 15 Elisha said to him, "Bring a bow and arrows"; and he brought him a bow and arrows. 16 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 17 and said, "Open the east window." He opened it. Elisha said, "Shoot"; and he shot. He said, " Adonai 's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory against Aram! You will defeat Aram completely at Afek!" 18 He said, "Take the arrows"; and he took them. He told the king of Isra'el, "Strike the ground." He struck three times, then stopped. 19 The man of God became angry with him; he said, "You should have struck five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram completely. As it is, you will defeat Aram only three times."

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
Avram went up from Egypt — he, his wife and everything he had, and Lot with him — into the Negev.
Genesis 13:2
Avram became wealthy, with much cattle, silver and gold.
Genesis 13:3
As he went on his travels from the Negev, he came to Beit-El, to the place where his tent had been at the beginning, between Beit-El and ‘Ai,
Genesis 13:14
Adonai said to Avram, after Lot had moved away from him, "Look all around you from where you are, to the north, the south, the east and the west.
Genesis 13:16
and I will make your descendants as numerous as the specks of dust on the earth — so that if a person can count the specks of dust on the earth, then your descendants can be counted.
Genesis 13:18
Avram moved his tent and came to live by the oaks of Mamre, which are in Hevron. There he built an altar to Adonai .
Genesis 15:5
Then he brought him outside and said, "Look up at the sky, and count the stars — if you can count them! Your descendants will be that many!"
Genesis 17:6
I will cause you to be very fruitful. I will make nations of you, kings will descend from you.
Genesis 17:16
I will bless her; moreover, I will give you a son by her. Truly I will bless her: she will be a mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her."
Genesis 17:20
But as for Yishma‘el, I have heard you. I have blessed him. I will make him fruitful and give him many descendants. He will father twelve princes, and I will make him a great nation.

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile