Elisha sharply rebukes the king for his reliance on false prophets and underscores that the Lord alone holds ultimate authority.
When the prophet Elisha (who lived in the 9th century BC) addressed the king of Israel, he challenged him with a direct and somewhat confrontational question: “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” (v.13). Historically, this king of Israel was likely Jehoram (also called Joram), reigning around 852-841 BC, who found himself aligned with the king of Judah and the king of Edom in battle against Moab. Moab was a kingdom located east of the Dead Sea in what is now central Jordan, known for its plateau region and its frequent tensions with Israel. Elisha’s words indicate a deep frustration with Israel’s tendency to venerate other gods and rely on false prophets, rather than seeking wholehearted devotion to the one true God.
In this verse, Elisha’s role as a prophet and successor to Elijah placed him in a position to speak truth boldly, even to kings. By telling the king of Israel to “go to the prophets of your father and mother,” he underscored the reality that Israel had mixed their worship of the true God with the false deities adopted under the rule of prior monarchs (1 Kings 16:31-33). Elisha’s response exposed the spiritual problem: there was still reverence for the Lord in times of crisis, but a wavering commitment to support that acknowledgment in everyday life. This echoes a critical theme woven throughout Scripture, pointing forward to Jesus’s admonition not to have divided loyalties (Matthew 6:24).
The king’s reply, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” (v.13), underscores his desperation and realization that only the power of Israel’s God could save them. Even though he had not consistently served the Lord, he recognized that God’s power surpassed any false gods propounded by other prophets. This highlights the biblical principle that true deliverance comes from unwavering trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:4).
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2 Kings 3:13 meaning
When the prophet Elisha (who lived in the 9th century BC) addressed the king of Israel, he challenged him with a direct and somewhat confrontational question: “What do I have to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother.” And the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” (v.13). Historically, this king of Israel was likely Jehoram (also called Joram), reigning around 852-841 BC, who found himself aligned with the king of Judah and the king of Edom in battle against Moab. Moab was a kingdom located east of the Dead Sea in what is now central Jordan, known for its plateau region and its frequent tensions with Israel. Elisha’s words indicate a deep frustration with Israel’s tendency to venerate other gods and rely on false prophets, rather than seeking wholehearted devotion to the one true God.
In this verse, Elisha’s role as a prophet and successor to Elijah placed him in a position to speak truth boldly, even to kings. By telling the king of Israel to “go to the prophets of your father and mother,” he underscored the reality that Israel had mixed their worship of the true God with the false deities adopted under the rule of prior monarchs (1 Kings 16:31-33). Elisha’s response exposed the spiritual problem: there was still reverence for the Lord in times of crisis, but a wavering commitment to support that acknowledgment in everyday life. This echoes a critical theme woven throughout Scripture, pointing forward to Jesus’s admonition not to have divided loyalties (Matthew 6:24).
The king’s reply, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to give them into the hand of Moab.” (v.13), underscores his desperation and realization that only the power of Israel’s God could save them. Even though he had not consistently served the Lord, he recognized that God’s power surpassed any false gods propounded by other prophets. This highlights the biblical principle that true deliverance comes from unwavering trust in the Lord (Psalm 40:4).