Bible Strands
2 Kings 13:17
“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.”
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Elisha commands a royal attendant to open the eastern window so the king of Israel may shoot an arrow. This happens immediately after Elisha placed his hands over the king’s hands on the bow.
The words — The Hebrew imperative פְּתַ֧ח (pe.Tach) orders the opening of the הַ/חַלּ֛וֹן (ha./cha.Lon), the window facing קֵ֖דְמָ/ה (Ke.de.ma/h), eastward. The action is followed by the command יְרֵה֙ (ye.Reh), shoot, directed at the king.
The thread — The declared victory over Aram at Aphek recalls the earlier Aramean mobilization in 1 Kings 20:26. The physical act of opening a barrier to release a message or power runs parallel to Elisha’s Jordan command in 2 Kings 5:10 and Jesus’ stone removal in John 11:39.
Why it lands — The text states that the released arrow represents the LORD’s victory over Aram and guarantees the king will strike them in Aphek until they are destroyed. It asks the reader to observe how prophetic action concretizes divine promise without adding human condition.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
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.
Cross-references
- 1 Kings 20:26 In the spring, Ben-hadad mobilized the Arameans and went up to Aphek to fight against Israel.
- 2 Kings 5:10 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.”
- John 11:39 “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.”
- 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.
- Exodus 4:2 And the LORD asked him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
- Exodus 4:17 But take this staff in your hand so you can perform signs with it.”
- Judges 7:9 That night the LORD said to Gideon, “Get up and go down against the camp, for I have delivered it into your hand.
- 1 Samuel 4:1 Thus the word of Samuel came to all Israel. Now the Israelites went out to meet the Philistines in battle and camped at Ebenezer, while the Philistines camped at Aphek.
- 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 gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.”
- John 2:5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”