2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died: and Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over him, and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
The setting
Samaria, Israel, ~798 BC. The prophet Elisha lies dying in his house. King Joash arrives, weeping over his spiritual father who has guided Israel for 50+ years...
The emotion here: desperate grief over losing his only spiritual anchor
The original word
bakah (בָּכָה) — to weep audibly, not silent tears but open grieving
Why it matters
Joash ruled during Israel's weakest period, constantly threatened by Syrian armies
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 13:14
Joash uses the EXACT words Elisha said when Elijah was taken — showing Elisha meant as much to him as Elijah did to Elisha
Common misconceptionPeople think this is just about a king visiting a sick prophet, but Joash is panicking because Elisha was Israel's secret weapon — their spiritual defense against enemies.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 13:14
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 13:14 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 13:14 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Joash. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is tender. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include death, mourning, respect. Notable phrases: Elisha was fallen sick; wept over him; My father.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same grieving
“By the sweat of your face will you eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For you are dust, and to dust you…”
— Genesis 3:19
“Jesus wept.”
— John 11:35
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from helping me, and from the words of my groaning?”
— Psalms 22:1
“They divide my garments among them. They cast lots for my clothing.”
— Psalms 22:18
“for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;”
— Romans 3:23
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 13:14 mean to you, today?
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