The Way
Elisha's Last Arrows
The arrows that stopped at three
Story
The aged Elisha lay ill with the sickness that would end his life. Joash king of northern Israel came to see him and wept over his face. He was a king of the north who had the same name as Joash king of Judah, the boy who grew up hidden in the temple. Joash cried out, “My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” They were the very words Elisha had cried long ago as he watched Elijah go up to heaven.
Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows.” When the king took hold of the bow, Elisha put his own hands on the king's hands. Elisha said, “Open the east window and shoot.” As the arrow flew out the window, Elisha cried, “The Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! You will strike Aram at Aphek.”
Elisha said again, “Take the arrows and strike the ground.” The king struck three times and stopped. Elisha was angry and said, “You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have destroyed Aram completely, but now you will defeat it only three times.” Elisha died and was buried. Later a dead man was thrown into Elisha's tomb, and when the body touched Elisha's bones, the man came to life and stood up.
Walk this scene on the map →Words of God and the Prophets
You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Aram down to the end, but now you will defeat it only three times.
This is the Lord's arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram.
My father, my father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!
The sayings are fresh renderings of the original meaning in today's language. Text: 2 Kgs 13:14–21
Background
Elisha is thought to have served as a prophet for more than fifty years, from the time of Ahab's son Joram to the time of Jehu's grandson Joash. Afterward Joash defeated Aram three times and won back the towns that had been taken.
Pause and Reflect
While asking for God's help, am I giving up too easily?