2 Kings 13:23

23 but the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now He has not banished them from His presence.

2 Kings 13:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 13:23

And the Lord was gracious to them
To Israel, notwithstanding their apostasy from him, and the idolatry of the calves they were guilty of:

and had compassion on them;
being in oppression and distress:

and had respect unto them;
looked upon them with an eye of pity and mercy:

because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
made so long ago he still remembered:

and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as
yet;
or suffered them to be carried captive into another land, as he afterwards did in the times of Hoshea.

2 Kings 13:23 In-Context

21 Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a marauding band, so they threw the man into Elisha's tomb. When he touched Elisha's bones, the man revived and stood up!

22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz,

23 but the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them and turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them. Even now He has not banished them from His presence.

24 King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad became king in his place.

25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in war from Jehoash's father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the cities of Israel.