2 Kings 13:18He said, "Take the arrows;" and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground;" and he struck three times, and stopped.
The setting
Same deathbed scene in Samaria. King Jehoash holds arrows, unsure how many times to strike. Elisha watches intently, knowing this determines Israel's future...
The emotion here: watching anxiously to see if the king understands the test
The original word
nakah (נָכָה) — to strike, smite, used for both physical blows and divine judgment
Why it matters
Ancient Near Eastern kings often performed symbolic acts to seal military campaigns
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 13:18
Jehoash STOPPED on his own — Elisha gave no instruction to stop after three strikes
Common misconceptionPeople assume Elisha told him to stop, but the text shows Jehoash stopped on his own — this was a test of persistence that he failed.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 13:18
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 13:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 13:18 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Elisha. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the prophecy genre of biblical literature. Key themes include obedience, testing, faith action. Notable phrases: Take the arrows; Strike the ground. This verse contains a command.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 13:18 mean to you, today?
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