Melachim Bais 13:18

18 And he said, Take the khitzim (arrows). And he took them. And he said unto Melech Yisroel, Strike the ground. And he struck shalosh pe’amim (three times) and stopped.

Melachim Bais 13:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 13:18

And he said, take the arrows, and he took them
The rest of them:

and he said unto the king of Israel,
smite upon the ground; the floor of the room in which the prophet lay:

and he smote thrice, and stayed;
made a stop, ceased smiting; he might think this action trifling, and beneath him, only was willing to please the prophet, but did not do it with a good will, and therefore smote no more; though this was an emblem of his smiting the Syrians, which he might not understand.

Melachim Bais 13:18 In-Context

16 And he said to Melech Yisroel, Place thine yad upon the keshet. And he put his yad upon it; and Elishah put his hands upon the hands of HaMelech.

17 And he said, Open the east chalon. And he opened it. Then Elishah said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The khetz (arrow) of the teshuah (salvation) unto Hashem, and the khetz of teshuah against Aram; for thou shalt strike down Aram at Aphek, unto complete destruction.

18 And he said, Take the khitzim (arrows). And he took them. And he said unto Melech Yisroel, Strike the ground. And he struck shalosh pe’amim (three times) and stopped.

19 And the Ish HaElohim was in wrath with him, and said, Thou shouldest have struck chamesh or shesh pe’amim; then hadst thou struck down Aram till thou hadst completely destroyed it; whereas now thou shalt defeat Aram but 3 pe’amim.

20 And Elishah died, and they buried him. And the raiding parties of Mo’av would invade the land at the beginning of the shanah.