2 Kings 13:4

4 Forsooth Jehoahaz besought the face of the Lord, and the Lord heard him; for he saw the anguish of Israel, for the king of Syria had all-broken them.

2 Kings 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 13:4

And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto
him
He did not apply in his distress to the calves he worshipped, but to the Lord; who had a regard to his prayer, not for his sake, or any righteousness of his, or even his repentance and humiliation, which were only external; but for the sake of Israel, and because they were oppressed, who were his people, and he their God, though they had sadly departed from him:

for he saw the oppression of Israel;
not only with his eye of omniscience, but with an eye of mercy and compassion:

because the king of Syria oppressed them;
by his incursions upon them, and wars with them.

2 Kings 13:4 In-Context

2 And he did evil before the Lord, and he followed the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, that made Israel to do sin; and he bowed not away from those sins.

3 And the strong vengeance of the Lord was wroth against Israel, and he betook them into the hand of Hazael, king of Syria, and in(to) the hand of Benhadad, son of Hazael, in all (their) days.

4 Forsooth Jehoahaz besought the face of the Lord, and the Lord heard him; for he saw the anguish of Israel, for the king of Syria had all-broken them.

5 And the Lord gave a saviour to Israel, and he was delivered from the hand of the king of Syria; and the sons of Israel dwelled in their tabernacles, as yesterday and the third day ago. (And the Lord gave a saviour to Israel, and they were rescued from the hands of the king of Syria; and then the Israelites lived in their homes, like yesterday and the third day ago.)

6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, that made Israel to do sin; but they went in those sins; soothly also the [maumet] wood dwelled in Samaria (and also the idol grove/the sacred pole remained in Samaria).