2 Kings 13:16

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow: and he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

2 Kings 13:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 13:16

And he said unto the king of Israel, put thine hand upon the
bow, and he put his hand upon it
His left hand:

and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands;
on both his hands, which were put, the one on the bow, the other on the arrow ^F13; hereby signifying, that though the king would draw the bow in battle, the Lord, whom the prophet represented, would give the success; and that it would be by his help, and through his blessing on his arms, that he would obtain victory over his enemies.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 See Virgil. Aeneid. 11. ver. 831, 862.

2 Kings 13:16 In-Context

14 Now Elisha became ill with the disease which was the cause of his death: and Joash, king of Israel, came down to him, and weeping over him said, My father, my father, the war-carriages of Israel and its horsemen!

15 Then Elisha said to him, Take bow and arrows: and he took bow and arrows.

16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put your hand on the bow: and he put his hand on it; and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.

17 Then he said; Let the window be open to the east: and he got it open. Then Elisha said, Let the arrow go; and he let it go. And he said, The Lord's arrow of salvation, of salvation over Aram; for you will overcome the Aramaeans in Aphek and put an end to them.

18 And he said, Take the arrows: and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, Send them down into the earth; and he did so three times and no more.