Melachim 2-Chapter 13

The passing of Elisha the prophet:

• Elisha become sick: Elisha the prophet became ill with the illness from which he would eventually pass away.
• Yoash, king of Israel, goes down to visit Elisha: Yoash, the king of Israel, went down to visit Elisha. The king wept on his face, and said, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its riders.”
• Elisha gives the king a sign that he will be successful against Aram: Elisha instructed Yoash to grab a bow and arrow. After the king brought a bow and arrow Elisha told him to place his hand on the bow and then Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. Elisha then instructed the king to open the window to the east [opposite the nation of Aram[1]], and he opened it. Elisha then told him to shoot the arrow and he shot it. Elisha saw that the shot was successful, and proceeded to tell the king that this is a sign from God that he will give them salvation and victory over the nation of Aram, and that he will successfully strike the Arameans in the city of Afek until they are completely annihilated.
• A further omen is given to the king although he fails to properly utilize it: Elisha then told the king to once again take the arrows and to use them to strike at the ground. The king thus took the arrows and struck three times on the ground and then stopped. Elisha the prophet became angered with the king telling him that he should have struck the ground 5 to 6 times, then he would’ve been successful in striking Aram until they were completely annihilated. However, now that he only struck the ground three times, he will only be successful in striking the Arameans three times, and will not completely annihilate them.
• Elisha passes away and is buried: Elisha passed away and they buried him.
• Moav steals produce from the land of Israel: [After the death of Elisha] Moavite bandits invaded the land of Israel at the beginning of the year [to steal produce and animal fodder from the land[2]].
• Elisha resurrects a man who was accidentally thrown in his burial spot: It happened during one of the times that Moav came to invade the land that they were in the midst of burying a man, and when they saw the bandits of Moav they panicked and threw the man’s corpse into Elisha’s grave. The corpse landed near the bones of Elisha and touched them. Elisha [who was not happy with his new neighbor in the grave] resurrected the man, and he came back to life and stood up on his feet [and left the cave, and ended up living many more years having children[3]]. [This individual was Shalom the son of Tikvah who was a great Jewish leader and was a very kindhearted man who provided water for all the passerby’s, and in this merit he was resurrected.[4]]

2.      Hashem saves the Jewish people from Chazael:

• Chazael, the king of Aram, oppressed the Jewish people throughout all of the days of Yehoachaz. However, Hashem was gracious and merciful to the Jewish people, and he saved them from annihilation due to the covenant that he made with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and He did not want to destroy them.
• The death of Chazael and his successor: Chazael died, and his son Ben-Hadad reigned in his stead.
• Yehoash recaptures the cities of Israel from Aram: Yehoash, the son of Yehoachaz, returned and took back all of the cities from Ben-Hadad the son of Chazael, which he had taken from the hand of His father Yehoachaz in battle. Yoash beat him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.

[1] Rashi 13:17

[2] See Rashi and Metzudos Dovid 13:20

[3] Radak 13:21

[4] Radak 13:21