Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
Parallel translations
- KJV And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
- BSB And Elisha died and was buried. Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring.
- NKJV Then Elisha died, and they buried him. And the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.
- NASB And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the marauding bands of the Moabites would invade the land in the spring of the year.
- NLT Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of Moabite raiders used to invade the land each spring.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Elisha dies and is buried, and Moabite raiding bands invade the land at the turn of the year.
Overview
The great prophet's death closes a long ministry of God's word and wonders in Israel, yet the immediate mention of Moabite raids shows the nation's continued vulnerability under judgment for its sins. Elisha's passing does not mean God's power has departed, as the very next verse will show. The scene reminds us that God's servants die, but His word and purposes endure beyond them.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- 2 Kgs 24:2Yahweh sent against him bands of the Chaldeans, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to Yahweh’s word, which he spoke by his servants the prophets.
- 2 Kgs 3:7He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?” He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
- Judg 3:12The children of Israel again did that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight, and Yahweh strengthened Eglon the king of Moab against Israel, because they had done that which was evil in Yahweh’s sight.
- 2 Kgs 3:5But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
- 2 Chr 24:16They buried him in David’s city among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, and toward God and his house.
- 2 Kgs 3:24–27When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land attacking the Moabites.
- 2 Kgs 5:2The Syrians had gone out in bands, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maiden; and she waited on Naaman’s wife.
- 2 Kgs 6:23He prepared great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.
- Acts 8:2Devout men buried Stephen, and lamented greatly over him.
- Judg 6:3–6So it was, when Israel had sown, that the Midianites, the Amalekites, and the children of the east came up against them.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 13:20 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.