The Meaning of 2 Kings 13:23 Explained

2 Kings 13:23

KJV: And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

YLT: and Jehovah doth favour them, and pity them, and turn unto them, for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and hath not been willing to destroy them, nor to cast them from His presence as yet.

Darby: And Jehovah was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he would not destroy them, neither did he cast them from his presence up to that time.

ASV: But Jehovah was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the LORD  was gracious  unto them, and had compassion  on them, and had respect  unto them, because of  his covenant  with Abraham,  Isaac,  and Jacob,  and would  not destroy  them, neither cast  he them from his presence  as yet. 

What does 2 Kings 13:23 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 13:23 mean?

But was gracious Yahweh to them and had compassion on them and regarded them because of His covenant with with Abraham Isaac and Jacob and not would destroy them or cast them from His presence even to yet
וַיָּחָן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתָ֤ם וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ וַיִּ֣פֶן אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְמַ֣עַן בְּרִית֔וֹ אֶת־ אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִצְחָ֣ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־ הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם מֵֽעַל־ פָּנָ֖יו עַד־ עָֽתָּה

וַיָּחָן֩  But  was  gracious 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָנַן 
Sense: to be gracious, show favour, pity.
יְהוָ֨ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֹתָ֤ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙  and  had  compassion  on  them 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: רָחַם  
Sense: to love, love deeply, have mercy, be compassionate, have tender affection, have compassion.
וַיִּ֣פֶן  and  regarded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: פֹּונֶה 
Sense: to turn.
לְמַ֣עַן  because 
Parse: Preposition
Root: לְמַעַן 
Sense: purpose, intent prep.
בְּרִית֔וֹ  of  His  covenant 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: בְּרִית  
Sense: covenant, alliance, pledge.
אַבְרָהָ֖ם  with  Abraham 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַבְרָהָם  
Sense: friend of God and founder of Hebrew nation via God’s elective covenant.
יִצְחָ֣ק  Isaac 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִצְחָק  
Sense: son of Abraham by Sarah his wife and father of Jacob and Esau.
וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב  and  Jacob 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יַעֲקֹב  
Sense: son of Isaac, grandson of Abraham, and father of the 2 patriarchs of the tribes of Israel.
וְלֹ֤א  and  not 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם  destroy  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Infinitive construct, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחַת  
Sense: to destroy, corrupt, go to ruin, decay.
הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם  cast  them 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁלַךְ  
Sense: to throw, cast, hurl, fling.
פָּנָ֖יו  His  presence 
Parse: Noun, common plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
עַד־  even  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַד  
Sense: as far as, even to, until, up to, while, as far as.
עָֽתָּה  yet 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.