2 Kings 3:13

13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What is to me and to thee, an idolater? Go thou to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to betake them into the hands of Moab? (But the king of Israel said to him, Nay! for the Lord hath gathered these three kings together, to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites.)

2 Kings 3:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 3:13

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do
with thee?
&c.] An idolater; I can hold no discourse nor have any conversation with thee, nor give thee any advice or assistance:

get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy
mother;
the prophets of Baal, and of the groves:

and the king of Israel said unto him, nay;
meaning, he would not apply to them, who he was sensible could give him no relief, only to the Lord God, from whom this affliction was, and therefore begs he would pray to him to have mercy on them; so the Targum,

``I beseech thee remember not the sins of that wickedness, pray for mercy for us:''

for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them
into the hand of Moab;
signifying, that he should not perish alone, but the other two kings with him, who had no connection with the prophets of his father and mother in their idolatry, and therefore hoped for their sakes mercy would be shown.

2 Kings 3:13 In-Context

11 And Jehoshaphat said, Whether any prophet of the Lord is here, (so) that we (can) beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered, Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, that poured water upon the hands of Elijah (Elisha, the son of Shaphat, is here, who poured water upon Elijah's hands).

12 And Jehoshaphat said, Is the word of the Lord at him? Which said, Yea/It is (And Jehoshaphat said, And the word of the Lord is with him). And (so) the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and the king of Edom, went down to him.

13 And Elisha said to the king of Israel, What is to me and to thee, an idolater? Go thou to the prophets of thy father and of thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him, Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to betake them into the hands of Moab? (But the king of Israel said to him, Nay! for the Lord hath gathered these three kings together, to deliver them into the hands of the Moabites.)

14 And Elisha said to him, The Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if I were not ashamed of the cheer of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, truly I had not perceived, neither I had beheld thee. (And Elisha said to him, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, if I did not have such great respect for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, truly I would not have bothered to look upon thee, nor receive thee into my presence.)

15 Now forsooth bring ye to me a psalterer (But now bring ye to me a singer of psalms, or of songs). And when the psalterer sang, the hand of the Lord was made upon Elisha,