2 Kings 13:17

¹⁵ Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.

¹⁶ 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.

“Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”

¹⁸ 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.

¹⁹ But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: “Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”
KJV: 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.
WEB: 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 Syria; for you will strike the Syrians in Aphek until you have consumed them.”
ASV: And he said, Open the window eastward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he shot. And he said, Jehovah`s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
DARBY: and said, Open the window eastward. And he opened [it]. And Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, An arrow of Jehovah's deliverance, even an arrow of deliverance from the Syrians; and thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou hast consumed [them].
BLB: And he said, “Open the window to the east.” And he opened [it], and Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of deliverance of YHWH, and the arrow of deliverance from Aram. For you must strike Aram at Aphek until you have consumed [them].”

ÅB: Så sa han: Lukk opp vinduet mot øst! Og han lukket det opp. Da sa Elisa: Skyt! Så skjøt han. Da sa han: En frelsens pil fra Herren, en frelsens pil mot syrerne! Du skal slå syrerne i Afek og gjøre ende på dem.
OTB: Og han sa, “Åpne vinduet mot øst,” og han åpnet det. Da sa Elisja, “Skyt!” og han skjøt. Og han sa, “Herrens seierpil, og seierspilen over Aram; for du skal slå arameerne ved Afek til du har ødelagt dem.”
B1930: Så sa han: Lukk op vinduet mot øst! Og han lukket det op. Da sa Elisa: Skyt! Så skjøt han. Da sa han: En frelsens pil fra Herren, en frelsens pil mot syrerne! Du skal slå syrerne i Afek og gjøre ende på dem.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

1 Kings 20:26
In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
Read in context
2 Kings 5:10–14
Then Elisha sent him a messenger, who said, “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored, and you will be clean.”
Read in context
1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Read in context
John 11:39–41
“Take away the stone,” Jesus said. “Lord, by now he stinks,” said Martha, the sister of the dead man. “It has already been four days.”
Read in context
2 Samuel 5:24
As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the balsam trees, move quickly, because this will mean that the LORD has marched out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
Read in context
John 2:5–8
His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
Read in context
Exodus 4:2
And the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
Read in context
Judges 7:9–20
That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
Read in context