2 Kings 3:13

13 Elisha said to Israel's king, "What do we have to do with each other? Go to your father's or mother's prophets." Then Israel's king said to him, "Don't say that, because it is the LORD who has brought us three kings together—but only to hand us over to Moab!"

2 Kings 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:13

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do
with thee?
&c.] An idolater; I can hold no discourse nor have any conversation with thee, nor give thee any advice or assistance:

get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy
mother;
the prophets of Baal, and of the groves:

and the king of Israel said unto him, nay;
meaning, he would not apply to them, who he was sensible could give him no relief, only to the Lord God, from whom this affliction was, and therefore begs he would pray to him to have mercy on them; so the Targum,

``I beseech thee remember not the sins of that wickedness, pray for mercy for us:''

for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them
into the hand of Moab;
signifying, that he should not perish alone, but the other two kings with him, who had no connection with the prophets of his father and mother in their idolatry, and therefore hoped for their sakes mercy would be shown.

2 Kings 3:13 In-Context

11 Jehoshaphat said, "Isn't there any prophet of the LORD around, so we could question the LORD through him?" One of the servants of Israel's king answered, "Elisha, Shaphat's son, is here. He used to pour water on Elijah's hands."

12 Jehoshaphat said, "He has the LORD's word!" So Israel's king and Jehoshaphat and Edom's king went down to see Elisha.

13 Elisha said to Israel's king, "What do we have to do with each other? Go to your father's or mother's prophets." Then Israel's king said to him, "Don't say that, because it is the LORD who has brought us three kings together—but only to hand us over to Moab!"

14 Elisha said, "I swear by the life of the LORD of heavenly forces, the one I stand before and serve, if I didn't care about Judah's King Jehoshaphat, I wouldn't notice you or even look at you!

15 Now bring me a musician." While the musician played, the LORD's power came over Elisha.