2 Kings 13:23
in 2 Kings 13But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
But Jehovah was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
KJV
And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
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This verse in 2 Kings 13
Commentary
7 notes on this verseAnd the Lord was gracious to them,.... To Israel, notwithstanding their apostasy from him, and the idolatry of the calves they were guilty of: and had compassion on them; being in oppression and distress: and had respect unto them; looked upon them with an eye of pity and mercy: because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; made so long ago he still remembered: and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet; or suffered them to be carried captive into another land, as he afterwards did in the times of Hoshea.
This site's exposition
oppressed Israel all the days
on 2 Kings 13:22-23
The narrator states the oppression once more before turning to the reason it did not become extermination, and the reason is named without qualification: the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Where thread one holds Judah's throne on David's covenant, the same chapter holds the northern people themselves on the patriarchal covenant older than either kingdom, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet leaves the door open rather than shut. Barnes reads as yet against 2 Ki 17:18-20's later casting out, a mercy with a horizon rather than a permanent reprieve.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It was of the Lord's mercies that they were not consumed, because he would not destroy them as yet. He foresaw they would destroy themselves at last, but as yet he would reprieve them, and give them space to repent. The slowness of God's processes against sinners must be construed to the honour of his mercy, not the impeachment of his justice.
), which, in such exigencies as these, he had long since promised to have respect to, Lev. xxvi. See swift God is to show mercy, how ready to hear prayers, how willing to find out a reason to be gracious, else he would not look so far back as that ancient covenant which Israel had so often broken and forfeited all the benefit of.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
Had compassion - The slowness of God's process against sinners even when they remain impenitent must be construed to the advantage of his mercy, not the impeachment of his justice.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The writer regards the captivity of Israel as God’s “casting them out of His sight” (see 2Ki 17:18, 2Ki 17:20); and notes that this extreme punishment, though deserved, was by God’s mercy not allowed to fall on them as yet.
And the Lord was gracious unto them - ויחן vaiyachon, he had tender affection for them, as a husband has for his wife, or a father for his own children. And had compassion on them - וירחמם vairachamem, his bowels yearned over them; he felt for them, he sympathized with them in all their distress: Therefore are my bowels troubled; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord, Jer 31:20. And had respect unto them - ויפן vaiyiphen, he turned face towards them, he received them again into favor; and this because of his covenant with their fathers: they must not be totally destroyed; the Messiah must come from them, and through them must come that light which is to enlighten the Gentiles, and therefore he would not make an entire end of them. Neither cast he them from his presence as yet - But now they are cast out from his presence; they have sinned against the only remedy for their souls. They sit in darkness and the shadow of death; the veil is upon their face; but if they yet turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּחָן֩ | vaiyachan | and he showed favor to | H2603 → | |
| יְהוָ֨ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֹתָ֤ם | ʾotam | with them | H854 → | 929 times |
| וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ | vayrachamem | and he had compassion on them | H7355 → | |
| וַיִּ֣פֶן | vaiyifen | and he turned | H6437 → | 135 times |
| אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם | ʾaleihem | to them | H413 → | 5510 times |
| לְמַ֣עַן | lemaan | on account of | H4616 → | 272 times |
| בְּרִית֔וֹ | berito | covenant his | H1285 → | 284 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | with | H854 → | 929 times |
| אַבְרָהָ֖ם | ʾavraham | Abraham | H85 → | |
| יִצְחָ֣ק | yitzchak | Isaac | H3327 → | |
| וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב | veyaako | and Jacob | H3290 → | |
| וְלֹ֤א | velo' | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אָבָה֙ | ʾavah | he was willing | H14 → | 54 times |
| הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם | hashchitam | to destroy them | H7843 → | 146 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם | hishlikham | he threw them | H7993 → | 125 times |
| מֵֽעַל־ | meal- | from on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| פָּנָ֖יו | panav | face his | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| עַד־ | ʾad- | until | H5704 → | 1261 times |
| עָֽתָּה׃ | ʾatah | now | H6258 → | 433 times |
וַיָּחָן֩and he showed favor to
vaiyachanH2603 →
יְהוָ֨הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֹתָ֤םwith them
ʾotamH854 →929 times
וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙and he had compassion on them
vayrachamemH7355 →
וַיִּ֣פֶןand he turned
vaiyifenH6437 →135 times
אֲלֵיהֶ֔םto them
ʾaleihemH413 →5510 times
לְמַ֣עַןon account of
lemaanH4616 →272 times
בְּרִית֔וֹcovenant his
beritoH1285 →284 times
אֶת־with
ʾet-H854 →929 times
אַבְרָהָ֖םAbraham
ʾavrahamH85 →
יִצְחָ֣קIsaac
yitzchakH3327 →
וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑בand Jacob
veyaakoH3290 →
וְלֹ֤אand not
velo'H3808 →5168 times
אָבָה֙he was willing
ʾavahH14 →54 times
הַשְׁחִיתָ֔םto destroy them
hashchitamH7843 →146 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
הִשְׁלִיכָ֥םhe threw them
hishlikhamH7993 →125 times
מֵֽעַל־from on
meal-H5921 →5755 times
פָּנָ֖יוface his
panavH6440 →2123 times
עַד־until
ʾad-H5704 →1261 times
עָֽתָּה׃now
ʾatahH6258 →433 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 86:15But You, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion and faithfulness.
it leads to
- Ephesians 2:4–7
But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy,
- Psalms 130:7
O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is loving devotion, and with Him is redemption in abundance.
- Ephesians 1:7
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace
- Psalms 103:8
The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion.
- Psalms 145:8
The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in loving devotion.
- Ephesians 2:4–7
Through
Psalms 105:8He remembers His covenant forever, the word He ordained for a thousand generations—
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 7:9
Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps His covenant of loving devotion for a thousand generations of those who love Him and keep His commandments.
- Psalms 111:5
He provides food for those who fear Him; He remembers His covenant forever.
- Psalms 106:45
And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.
- Deuteronomy 7:9
About 2 Kings
Who and where
3 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonPatriarchsAbrahamCalled out of Ur, the father of all who believe, justified by faith, and the friend of God through whose seed all nations are bles…
- PersonPatriarchsIsaacThe son of promise and of laughter — bound on Moriah, the quiet inheritor of the covenant.
- PersonPatriarchsJacobThe heel-grasping supplanter reshaped at Peniel into 'Israel, he who strives with God' — father of the twelve tribes.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.