· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 13:20Elisha died, and they buried him. Now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

The setting

Northern Israel, ~796 BC. The great prophet Elisha dies as Moabite raiders prepare their annual spring attacks near Samaria, modern-day Palestine/West Bank...

The emotion here: recording tragic timing with heavy heart

The original word

gadud (גדוד) — raiding bands, organized military strikes for plunder

Why it matters

Moabite raids came 'at the coming in of the year' — springtime when roads dried for warfare

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 13:20

Elisha's death coincided perfectly with enemy invasion — God's protection seemed to die with His prophet

Common misconceptionPeople think this is just historical data, but it's showing the terrifying vulnerability Israel felt when their miracle-working prophet died just as enemies attacked.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 13:20 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerNarrator
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotiongrieving
Literary typenarrative

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability40%
Memorability60%
Crisis relevance60%
Standalone60%
Themes:deathtransitioncontinuing conflict

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 13

2 Kings 13:20 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. The setting is the battlefield. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is grieving, with a comfort power of 30% and a tone that is lamenting. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include death, transition, continuing conflict. Notable phrases: Elisha died; bands of the Moabites invaded.

Your reflection

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