2 Kings 13:21It happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they spied a band; and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha: and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
The setting
A burial cave near Samaria, ~795 BC. Panicked mourners spot Moabite raiders and hastily throw a corpse into Elisha's tomb in modern-day West Bank...
The emotion here: stunned amazement at recording the impossible
The original word
chayah (חיה) — came to life, revived with full vitality and breath
Why it matters
This is the only resurrection miracle in Scripture caused by touching dead bones
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 13:21
They were literally running from raiders — this wasn't a planned miracle but panic-induced contact with holy remains
Common misconceptionPeople think this was a planned demonstration of Elisha's power, but it was accidental — terrified people dumping a body and witnessing God's surprise miracle.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 13:21
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 13:21 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 13:21 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Narrator. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 80% and a tone that is celebratory. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include miraculous power, resurrection, divine presence. Notable phrases: cast the man into the tomb of Elisha; touched.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 13:21 mean to you, today?
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