Question 1

What does it mean that Jehoahaz followed the sins of Jeroboam?

Accepted Answer

When the passage says Jehoahaz followed the sins of Jeroboam, it means he kept the same false worship that Jeroboam started. Jeroboam had set up golden calves and led Israel away from true worship of the LORD at the place God chose. Instead of turning back to God’s ways, Jehoahaz held on to these man-made practices. So even though he later prayed to God when Israel was in trouble, his general way of ruling stayed the same. He did not lead the nation to remove idols or return fully to the LORD.

Question 2

Why did God give Israel into the hand of Hazael and Ben-hadad?

Accepted Answer

God gave Israel into the hand of Hazael and his son Ben-hadad because the nation, led by its kings, kept doing evil in His sight. They would not turn from the sins started by Jeroboam, so God’s anger was stirred and He removed His protection. The Syrian kings then oppressed Israel and cut down their army to almost nothing. This shows that ongoing sin has real consequences. God had warned His people about this pattern, and here He lets them feel the weight of their choices so they will see their need to turn back to Him.

Question 3

Why did the Lord listen when Jehoahaz prayed, even though he was sinful?

Accepted Answer

Jehoahaz was not a faithful king, but when the Syrians oppressed Israel badly, he begged the LORD for help. God listened, not because Jehoahaz deserved it, but because God saw the suffering of the people and is merciful. The passage also says God had compassion because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. That means God remembered His promises to their forefathers. So He answered the prayer and gave Israel a savior from their enemies. This shows that God can hear and help even weak and failing people who cry out to Him.

Question 4

What is the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance from Syria about?

Accepted Answer

As Elisha was dying, he told King Joash to shoot an arrow out the east window. Elisha then said that arrow was “the arrow of the Lord’s deliverance” and meant that God would give Israel victory over Syria at Aphek. The act of shooting the arrow was like a sign that God Himself would fight for Israel. Elisha’s hands on the king’s hands showed that the king’s success still depended on God’s power, not his own strength. It was both a promise and a call for the king to act in faith and go to battle trusting what God had said.

Question 5

Why was Elisha angry when Joash only struck the ground three times?

Accepted Answer

After the first arrow, Elisha told Joash to take more arrows and strike the ground. Joash hit the ground three times and then stopped. Elisha grew angry and said Joash should have struck five or six times. If he had done that, Israel would have fully broken Syria’s power. By stopping early, Joash showed small expectation and weak zeal. So God’s promise of victory would be limited: Joash would defeat Syria only three times. This scene teaches that half-hearted response to God’s word can lead to smaller blessings than God was ready to give.

Question 6

What is the meaning of the man raised to life by touching Elisha’s bones?

Accepted Answer

After Elisha died, some men were burying a dead body when they saw raiders coming. They quickly threw the body into Elisha’s tomb, and when it touched Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life and stood up. This short story shows that God’s power was still at work even after His prophet had died. It is not that Elisha’s bones were magic, but that God chose to use this moment to show His power over death and to remind Israel that He had not left them, even though they were weak and often unfaithful.

Question 7

What does this passage teach about God’s mercy and covenant?

Accepted Answer

This chapter shows that God’s mercy does not depend on Israel’s goodness. Both Jehoahaz and Joash walk in the same sins as Jeroboam. Yet when Jehoahaz cries out under Syrian oppression, God listens and brings help. Later the passage says plainly that the LORD was gracious and had compassion because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So God holds back from destroying them or casting them away. This teaches that God keeps His promises, and His kindness can break in even when His people have failed badly and need discipline.

Question 8

How can the story of Joash and the arrows apply to believers today?

Accepted Answer

Joash’s story warns against half-hearted trust and small expectation. God, through Elisha, was ready to give Israel greater victory over Syria, but Joash’s timid striking of the ground matched the limited victories he would see. For believers today, this can encourage us to take God’s word seriously and respond with steady faith and effort, not with lazy or fearful hearts. While the arrow sign was for that king and that war, the pattern is still true: when God speaks, we should respond fully, pray earnestly, and not give up quickly.

2 Kings 13:1

In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

Elisha’s Final Prophecy

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

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2 Kings 13:1

In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

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Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

Elisha’s Final Prophecy

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

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