2 Kings 13:25

25 Yeho'ash the son of Yeho'achaz took again out of the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Haza'el the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Yeho'achaz his father by war. Three times did Yo'ash strike him, and recovered the cities of Yisra'el.

2 Kings 13:25 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 13:25

And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of
Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken out of the
hand of Jehoahaz his father by war
Which were in the countries of Gilead and Bashan, and belonged to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh, ( 2 Kings 10:33 ) ,

three times did Joash beat him:
in so many pitched battles, but where is not said, no doubt one of them was in Aphek, at least, ( 2 Kings 13:17 ) , and perhaps the other two on the other side Jordan; this agrees with the three times he smote the ground, significant thereof, ( 2 Kings 13:18 )

and recovered the cities of Israel;
those before mentioned; otherwise, if those had not been recovered, not ten tribes, only seven and a half, would have been carried captive by the king of Assyria; whereas Josephus ^F25 says expressly, the ten tribes were carried captive.

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FOOTNOTES:

F25 Antiqu. l. 9. c. 14. sect. 1.

2 Kings 13:25 In-Context

23 But the LORD was gracious to them, and had compassion on them, and had respect to them, because of his covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya`akov, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.

24 Haza'el king of Aram died; and Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place.

25 Yeho'ash the son of Yeho'achaz took again out of the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Haza'el the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Yeho'achaz his father by war. Three times did Yo'ash strike him, and recovered the cities of Yisra'el.