2 Kings 13:17 net — Elisha said,“Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said,“Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said,“This arrow symboliz…

NET Bible

"Elisha said,“Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said,“Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said,“This arrow symbolizes the victory the LORD will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!”"

— 2 Kings 13:17, NET Bible

Read in Another Translation

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2 Kings 13:17 in Other Translations

6 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “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.”

  • ASV

    “And he said, Open the window eastward; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot; and he shot. And he said, Jehovah’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them. ”

  • WEB

    “He said, "Open the window eastward;" and he opened it. Then Elisha said, "Shoot!" and he shot. He said, "Yahweh's arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Syria; for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, until you have consumed them."”

  • DRB

    “And said: Open the window to the east. And when he had opened it, Eliseus said: Shoot an arrow. And he shot. And Eliseus said: The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of the deliverance from Syria: and thou shalt strike the Syrians in Aphec, till thou consume them.”

  • BBE

    “Then he said; Let the window be open to the east: and he got it open. Then Elisha said, Let the arrow go; and he let it go. And he said, The Lord's arrow of salvation, of salvation over Aram; for you will overcome the Aramaeans in Aphek and put an end to them.”

  • KJVA

    “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.”

2 Kings 13 — Context

14

Elisha Makes One Final Prophecy Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said,“My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”

15

Elisha told him,“Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so.

16

Then Elisha told the king of Israel,“Aim the bow.” He did so, and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands.

17

Elisha said,“Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said,“Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said,“This arrow symbolizes the victory the LORD will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!”

18

Then Elisha said,“Take the arrows,” and he did so. He told the king of Israel,“Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped.

19

The prophet got angry at him and said,“If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria! But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”

20

Elisha died and was buried. Moabite raiding parties invaded the land at the beginning of the year.

2 Kings 13:17 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Kings 13:17 say?
2 Kings 13:17 in the NET Bible reads: “Elisha said,“Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said,“Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said,“This arrow symbolizes the victory the LORD will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!””
Where is 2 Kings 13:17 in the Bible?
2 Kings 13:17 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 13, verse 17.
Who wrote 2 Kings?
2 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 2 Kings about?
2 Kings carries the divided kingdom from Elijah and Elisha through the fall of both Israel and Judah. Despite the prophets' warnings, both kingdoms decline through idolatry — the north into Assyrian captivity, the south into Babylonian exile — fulfilling the covenant curses.
What are the major themes of 2 Kings?
2 Kings explores themes including Judgment, Exile, Prophets, Covenant Curses, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Kings 13:17.
What translation should I read 2 Kings 13:17 in?
2 Kings 13:17 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Kings 13:17?
2 Kings 13:17 reads (NET): “Elisha said,“Open the east window,” and he did so. Elisha said,“Shoot!” and he did so. Elisha said,“This arrow symbolizes the victory the LORD will give you over Syria. You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!”” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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