Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, August 2nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 12 / Ordinary 17
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Read the Bible

Hebrew Names Version

2 Kings 13:18

He said, Take the arrows; and he took them. He said to the king of Yisra'el, Smite on the ground; and he struck thrice, and stayed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Arrow;   Doubting;   Elisha;   Jehoash;   Prophecy;   Symbols and Similitudes;   Thompson Chain Reference - Earnestness-Indifference;   Elisha;   Half-Heartedness;   Service;   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;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Lots;   Numbers (2);   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, “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.
King James 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.
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.
New Century Version
Elisha said, "Take the arrows." So Jehoash took them. Then Elisha said to him, "Strike the ground." So Jehoash struck the ground three times and stopped.
New English Translation
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.
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.
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.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Againe he said, Take the arrowes. And he tooke them. And he sayde vnto the King of Israel, Smite the ground. And he smote thrise, and ceased.
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.
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.
Complete Jewish Bible
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.
Darby 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 stayed.
Easy-to-Read Version
Elisha said, "Take the arrows." Jehoash took the arrows. Then Elisha said to him, "Hit on the ground." Jehoash hit the ground three times. Then he stopped.
George Lamsa Translation
And 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.
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.
Lexham English Bible
Then he said, "Take the arrows," so he took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground," so he struck three times and stopped.
Literal Translation
And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them up. And he said to the king of Israel, Strike the earth. And he struck three times, and stopped.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And he sayde: Take ye arowes. And wha he had taken them, he sayde vnto the kynge of Israel: Smyte the earth. And he smote thre tymes and stode still.
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.
Bible in Basic English
And he said, Take the arrows: and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Send them down into the earth; and he did so three times and no more.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
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.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
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.
King James Version (1611)
And he sayd, Take the arrowes. And he tooke them. And hee said vnto the king of Israel, Smite vpon the ground. And he smote thrise, and stayed.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
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.
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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Elisee seide, Take awei the arowis. And whanne he hadde take awei, Elisee seide eft to him, Smyte thou the erthe with a dart. And whanne he hadde smyte thre tymes,
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.
Update Bible Version
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 three times, and stayed.
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.
World English Bible
He said, Take the arrows; and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, Smite on the ground; and he struck 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 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.
New Life Bible
Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows," and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Hit the ground," and he hit it three times, and stopped.
New Revised Standard
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.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And he said - Take the arrows. So he took them. Then said he unto the king of Israel - Smite unto the ground. So he smote three times, and then stayed.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And 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.
Revised 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.
THE MESSAGE
"Now pick up the other arrows," said Elisha. He picked them up. Then he said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground." The king struck the ground three times and then quit.
New American Standard Bible (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.

Contextual Overview

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Yo'ash king of Yehudah began Yeho'ash the son of Yeho'achaz to reign over Yisra'el in Shomron, [and reigned] sixteen years. 11 He did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he didn't depart from all the sins of Yarov`am the son of Nevat, with which he made Yisra'el to sin; but he walked therein. 12 Now the rest of the acts of Yo'ash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amatzyah king of Yehudah, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Yisra'el? 13 Yo'ash slept with his fathers; and Yarov`am sat on his throne: and Yo'ash was buried in Shomron with the kings of Yisra'el. 14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died: and Yo'ash the king of Yisra'el came down to him, and wept over him, and said, My father, my father, the chariots of Yisra'el and the horsemen of it! 15 Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows; and he took to him bow and arrows. 16 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. 17 He said, Open the window eastward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he shot. He said, the LORD's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you shall strike the Aram in Afek, until you have consumed them. 18 He said, Take the arrows; and he took them. He said to the king of Yisra'el, Smite on the ground; and he struck thrice, and stayed. 19 The man of God was angry with him, and said, You should have struck five or six times: then had you struck Aram until you had consumed it, whereas now you shall strike Aram but thrice.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Smite: Isaiah 20:2-4, Ezekiel 4:1-10, Ezekiel 5:1-4, Ezekiel 12:1-7

he smote thrice: 2 Kings 4:6, Exodus 17:11

Reciprocal: Joshua 13:4 - Aphek 2 Kings 4:3 - borrow not a few 2 Kings 13:25 - took again

Cross-References

Genesis 8:20
Noach built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.
Genesis 13:4
to the place of the altar, which he had made there at the first. There Avram called on the name of the LORD.
Genesis 13:7
There was a strife between the herdsmen of Avram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle: and the Kana`ani and the Perizzi lived then in the land.
Genesis 13:8
Avram said to Lot, "Please, let there be no strife between me and you, and between my herdsmen and your herdsmen; for we are relatives.
Genesis 14:13
One who had escaped came and told Avram, the Hebrew. Now he lived by the oaks of Mamre, the Amori, brother of Eshkol, and brother of `Aner; and these were allies of Avram.
Genesis 18:1
The LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day.
Genesis 23:2
Sarah died in Kiryat-Arba (the same is Hevron), in the land of Kana`an. Avraham came to mourn for Sarah, and to weep for her.
Genesis 35:27
Ya`akov came to Yitzchak his father, to Mamre, to Kiryat-Arba (the same is Hevron), where Avraham and Yitzchak sojourned.
Genesis 37:14
He said to him, "Go now, see whether it is well with your brothers, and well with the flock; and bring me word again." So he sent him out of the valley of Hevron, and he came to Shekhem.
Numbers 13:22
They went up by the South, and came to Hevron; and Achiman, Sheshai, and Talmai, the children of `Anak, were there. (Now Hevron was built seven years before Tzo`an in Mitzrayim.)

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, take the arrows, and he took them,.... The rest of them:

and he said unto the king of Israel, smite upon the ground; the floor of the room in which the prophet lay:

and he smote thrice, and stayed; made a stop, ceased smiting; he might think this action trifling, and beneath him, only was willing to please the prophet, but did not do it with a good will, and therefore smote no more; though this was an emblem of his smiting the Syrians, which he might not understand.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Smite upon the ground - Some prefer to render - “Shoot to the ground;” i. e. “Shoot arrows from the window into the ground outside, as if thou wert shooting against an enemy.”

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 13:18. Smite upon the ground — As he was ordered to take his arrows, the smiting on the ground must mean shooting arrows into it.

He smote thrice, and stayed. — The prophet knew that this shooting was emblematical: probably the king was not aware of what depended on the frequency of the action; and perhaps it was of the Lord that he smote only thrice, as he had determined to give Israel those three victories only over the Syrians. Elisha's being wroth because there were only three instead of five or six shots does not prove that God was wroth, or that he had intended to give the Syrians five or six overthrows.


 
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