Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 13:4
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
4. Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him ] Just as in the case of punishment God does not always visit at once, even though an Ahab have sold himself to work wickedness, so in the case of mercy, the intervention of Jehovah is postponed to another generation. The Syrians are allowed to oppress Israel all the days of Jehoahaz, though we are told that his prayer had been heard. In the days of Jehoash, the next successor, some alleviation was afforded by the victories of that king over Benhadad (2Ki 13:25), but it was not, as it seems, till the following generation that the full answer to the prayer came.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The Lord hearkened unto him; not for his sake, for God regards not the prayers of the wicked and impenitent, Psa 66:18; Pro 1:28; 15:8; but for other reasons, expressed below, 2Ki 13:23.
He saw, i.e. he observed it with care and compassion.
The oppression of Israel; his chosen and once beloved people. He now helps them, because of his former and ancient kindness to them.
The king of Syria oppressed them, to wit, very grievously, as it is expressed, 2Ki 13:7. So that he helped them not for their own sakes, but because of the rage of their enemies, and their blasphemies, which doubtless accompanied it. See Deu 32:27; Psa 12:4.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
4. he saw the oppression ofIsraelthat is, commiserated the fallen condition of His chosenpeople. The divine honor and the interests of true religion requiredthat deliverance should be granted them to check the triumph of theidolatrous enemy and put an end to their blasphemous taunts that Godhad forsaken Israel (Deu 32:27;Psa 12:4).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him,…. He did not apply in his distress to the calves he worshipped, but to the Lord; who had a regard to his prayer, not for his sake, or any righteousness of his, or even his repentance and humiliation, which were only external; but for the sake of Israel, and because they were oppressed, who were his people, and he their God, though they had sadly departed from him:
for he saw the oppression of Israel; not only with his eye of omniscience, but with an eye of mercy and compassion:
because the king of Syria oppressed them; by his incursions upon them, and wars with them.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(4) Besought.Literally, stroked the face of; a metaphor which occurs in Exo. 32:11; 1Ki. 13:6).
And the Lord hearkened unto him.Not, however, immediately. (See 2Ki. 13:7.) The Syrian invasions, which began under Jehu, were renewed again and again throughout the reign of Jehoahaz (2Ki. 13:22), until the tide of conquest began to turn in the time of Joash (2Ki. 13:15), whose incomplete victories (2Ki. 13:17; 2Ki. 13:19; 2Ki. 13:25) were followed up by the permanent successes of his son Jeroboam II. (2Ki. 14:25-28).
The parenthesis marked in 2Ki. 13:5 really begins, therefore, with the words, And the Lord hearkened. The historian added it by way of pointing out that although the prayer of Jehoahaz did not meet with immediate response, it was not ultimately ineffectual.
For he saw the oppression.Comp. Exo. 3:7; Deu. 26:7.
The king of Syria.Intentionally general, so as to include both Hazael and Ben-hadad III., his son (2Ki. 13:24).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Jehoahaz besought the Lord The oppression of the Syrian kings humbled his spirit, and led Jehovah to give temporary deliverance; but there was no reformation deep enough to lead to any permanent or great results.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
This is a sweet account in the midst of the narrative, as a beautiful spot of herbage amidst a barren heath. Observe how grace works; and how it brings forth God’s mercy!
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Ki 13:4 And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
Ver. 4. And Jehoahaz besought the Lord. ] Affliction exciteth devotion, as blowing doth the fire; whereas rarae fumant felicibus arae. Jehoahaz was now brought very low by the Syrians, 2Ki 13:7 else God had not been thought on or sought unto.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Jehoahaz: Num 21:7, Jdg 6:6, Jdg 6:7, Jdg 10:10, Psa 78:34, Isa 26:16, Jer 2:27
the Lord: 2Ki 14:26, Gen 21:17, Exo 3:7, Jdg 10:15, Jdg 10:16, 2Ch 33:12, 2Ch 33:13, 2Ch 33:19, Psa 50:15, Psa 106:43, Psa 106:44, Jer 33:3
he saw: Gen 31:42, Exo 3:9, Isa 63:9
because the king: 2Ki 13:22, 2Ki 14:26
Reciprocal: Jdg 2:18 – their groanings 2Ki 13:5 – a saviour 2Ch 12:7 – some Psa 102:20 – To hear Isa 19:20 – they shall
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 13:4. The Lord hearkened unto him Not for his sake, for God regards not the prayers of the wicked and impenitent, but for other reasons, expressed 2Ki 13:23. For he saw the oppression of Israel His chosen and once beloved people. He now helps them because of his former and ancient kindness to them. Because the king of Syria oppressed them To wit, very grievously, as it is expressed 2Ki 13:7. So that God helped them, not because they were worthy of his help, but because of the rage of their enemies, and the blasphemies which doubtless accompanied it. See Deu 32:27.