The Meaning of 2 Kings 13:17 Explained

2 Kings 13:17

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.

YLT: and saith, 'Open the window eastward;' and he openeth, and Elisha saith, 'Shoot,' and he shooteth; and he saith, 'An arrow of salvation to Jehovah, and an arrow of salvation against Aram, and thou hast smitten Aram, in Aphek, till consuming.'

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.

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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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]. 

What does 2 Kings 13:17 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 13:10-25 - "the Arrow Of The Lord's Deliverance"
A good man is a great defense to his country. Mary, Queen of Scots, dreaded the prayers of Knox more than the armies of the king of France. Perhaps the king expected that Elisha also might pass home to God in a chariot of fire, as Elijah had done.
Notice how much Israel missed through the unbelief of her king. If only he had smitten five or six times, Syria would have been consumed; but he was content with striking only three times. Let us not ask small things of God, or be content with a partial deliverance. Nothing pleases Him more than to be greatly trusted. For those who ask and expect the most, He will always go beyond all that they ask or think. Strike on the ground, child of God, nor stay thy striking. Claim the absolute overthrow of the power of Satan, which antagonizes and resists the coming of the Kingdom. Claim the salvation of your fatherland from the tyranny of drink, gambling, and impurity! Open the windows heavenward and Godward strike within and shoot without. It is not enough to do either without the other. And remember that unseen hands are empowering and guiding thine! Compare Genesis 49:24.
For Review Questions, see the e-Sword Book Comments. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 13

1  Jehoahaz's wicked reign
3  Jehoahaz, oppressed by Hazael, is relieved by prayer
8  Joash succeeds him
10  His wicked reign
12  Jeroboam succeeds him
14  Elisha dying, prophesies to Joash three victories over the Syrians
20  The Moabites invading the land, Elisha's bones raise a dead man
22  Joash gets three victories over Ben-hadad

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 13:17 mean?

And he said Open the window east And he opened [it] and said Elisha Shoot And he shot the arrow of deliverance of Yahweh and the arrow of deliverance from Syria for you must strike - Syria at Aphek till you have destroyed [them]
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּתַ֧ח הַחַלּ֛וֹן קֵ֖דְמָה וַיִּפְתָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֤ע יְרֵה֙ וַיּ֔וֹר חֵץ־ תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה לַֽיהוָה֙ וְחֵ֣ץ תְּשׁוּעָ֣ה בַֽאֲרָ֔ם וְהִכִּיתָ֧ אֶת־ אֲרָ֛ם בַּאֲפֵ֖ק עַד־ כַּלֵּֽה

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  And  he  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
פְּתַ֧ח  Open 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
הַחַלּ֛וֹן  the  window 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: חַלֹּון 
Sense: window (piercing of the wall).
קֵ֖דְמָה  east 
Parse: Adverb, third person feminine singular
Root: קֶדֶם 
Sense: east, antiquity, front, that which is before, aforetime.
וַיִּפְתָּ֑ח  And  he  opened  [it] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּתַח 
Sense: to open.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֱלִישָׁ֤ע  Elisha 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֱלִישָׁע  
Sense: the great prophet who succeeded Elijah.
יְרֵה֙  Shoot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.
וַיּ֔וֹר  And  he  shot 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יׄורֶה 
Sense: to throw, shoot, cast, pour.
חֵץ־  the  arrow 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵץ  
Sense: arrow.
תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה  of  deliverance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
לַֽיהוָה֙  of  Yahweh 
Parse: Preposition-l, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וְחֵ֣ץ  and  the  arrow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: חֵץ  
Sense: arrow.
תְּשׁוּעָ֣ה  of  deliverance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: תְּשׁוּעָה  
Sense: salvation, deliverance.
בַֽאֲרָ֔ם  from  Syria 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
וְהִכִּיתָ֧  for  you  must  strike 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אֲרָ֛ם  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
בַּאֲפֵ֖ק  at  Aphek 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲפֵק  
Sense: a Canaanite city near Jezreel.
עַד־  till 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
כַּלֵּֽה  you  have  destroyed  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Infinitive absolute
Root: כָּלָה  
Sense: to accomplish, cease, consume, determine, end, fail, finish, be complete, be accomplished, be ended, be at an end, be finished, be spent.