2 Kings 3:13
in 2 Kings 3Elisha, however, said to the king of Israel, “What have we to do with each other? Go to the prophets of your father and of your mother!” “No,” replied the king of Israel, “for it is the LORD who has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay; for Jehovah hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
KJV
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab.
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This verse in 2 Kings 3
Commentary
6 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Jehoram’s humility in seeking 2Ki 3:12 instead of summoning Elisha, does not save him from rebuke. His reformation 2Ki 3:2 had been but a half reformation - a compromise with idolatry. Nay: for the Lord hath called ... - The force of this reply seems to be - “Nay, reproach me not, since I am in a sore strait - and not only I, but these two other kings also. The Lord - Yahweh - is about to deliver us into the hand of Moab. If thou canst not, or wilt not help, at least do not reproach.”
This site's exposition
What have I to do with thee
on 2 Kings 3:13-14
Elisha sends Jehoram to the prophets of his father and mother before he will speak a word, refusing the king's own scale of religion. His oath, as the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, is Elijah's own sentence from 1 Ki 18:15 carried over syllable for syllable into his successor's mouth, the double portion of spirit made audible. Elisha says plainly that only Jehoshaphat's presence turns his face toward Jehoram at all.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
After the death of Ahab, his son Ahaziah died too, and since he had no children, his brother Jehoram took his place. Therefore the Scripture reports that he moved with his army against the king of Moab. He went to war because Mesha, king of …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
What have I, &c. - I desire to have no discourse with thee. Get thee - To the calves, which thou after thy father's example dost worship; and to the Baals which thy mother yet worshippeth by thy permission; let these idols whom thou worshippest in thy prosperity, now help thee in thy distress.
And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, what have I to do with thee?....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Get thee to the prophets of thy father - This was a just, but cutting reproof. Nay - The Chaldee adds here, I beseech thee, do not call the sins of this impiety to remembrance, but ask mercy for us; because the Lord hath called, etc. The Arabic has, I beseech thee, do not mention of our transgressions, but use kindness towards us. It is very likely that some such words were spoken on the occasion; but these are the only versions which make this addition.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
Do not [say that], for Adonoy has called, etc. [Targum Yonoson renders,] “Please [אל] 10 Alternatively, Gא means “do not,” i.e., “do not tell us these things now, etc.”—Radak do not mention the sins of that wicked woman. Beg mercy for us, for Adonoy has summoned, etc.”
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 4 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
30 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| אֱלִישָׁ֜ע | ʾelisha' | Elisha | H477 → | 58 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מֶ֤לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| מַה־ | mah- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| לִּ֣י | li | [is] to me | ||
| וָלָ֔ךְ | valakh | and to <the> you | ||
| לֵ֚ךְ | lekh | go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נְבִיאֵ֣י | neviei | [the] prophets of | H5030 → | 314 times |
| אָבִ֔יךָ | ʾavikha | father your | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וְאֶל־ | veel- | and to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נְבִיאֵ֖י | neviei | [the] prophets of | H5030 → | 314 times |
| אִמֶּ֑ךָ | ʾimekha | mother your | H517 → | 220 times |
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לוֹ֙ | lo | to him | ||
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| אַ֗ל | ʾal | may not [it be so] | H408 → | 724 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| קָרָ֤א | kara' | he has summoned | H7121 → | 733 times |
| יְהוָה֙ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| לִשְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙ | lishloshet | <to> [the] three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| הַמְּלָכִ֣ים | hamelakhim | the kings | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| הָאֵ֔לֶּה | haeleh | <the> these | H428 → | 746 times |
| לָתֵ֥ת | latet | to give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| אוֹתָ֖ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בְּיַד־ | beyad- | in [the] hand of | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| מוֹאָֽב׃ | moav | Moab | H4124 → | 181 times |
וַיֹּ֨אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
אֱלִישָׁ֜עElisha
ʾelisha'H477 →58 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מֶ֤לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙Israel
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
מַה־what?
mah-H4100 →752 times
לִּ֣י[is] to me
li
וָלָ֔ךְand to <the> you
valakh
לֵ֚ךְgo
lekhH1980 →1546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
נְבִיאֵ֣י[the] prophets of
nevieiH5030 →314 times
אָבִ֔יךָfather your
ʾavikhaH1 →1212 times
וְאֶל־and to
veel-H413 →5510 times
נְבִיאֵ֖י[the] prophets of
nevieiH5030 →314 times
אִמֶּ֑ךָmother your
ʾimekhaH517 →220 times
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
לוֹ֙to him
lo
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
אַ֗לmay not [it be so]
ʾalH408 →724 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
קָרָ֤אhe has summoned
kara'H7121 →733 times
יְהוָה֙Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
לִשְׁלֹ֙שֶׁת֙<to> [the] three
lishloshetH7969 →432 times
הַמְּלָכִ֣יםthe kings
hamelakhimH4428 →2525 times
הָאֵ֔לֶּה<the> these
haelehH428 →746 times
לָתֵ֥תto give
latetH5414 →2011 times
אוֹתָ֖ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
בְּיַד־in [the] hand of
beyad-H3027 →1618 times
מוֹאָֽב׃Moab
moavH4124 →181 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
1 Kings 22:6So the king of Israel assembled the prophets, about four hundred men, and asked them, “Should I go to war against Ramoth-gilead, or should I refrain?” “Go up,” they replied, “and the Lord will…
it leads to
- 1 Kings 18:19
Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
- Jeremiah 23:14–17
And among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: They commit adultery and walk in lies. They strengthen the hands of evildoers, so that no one turns his back on wickedness.…
- Ezekiel 13:22
Because you have disheartened the righteous with your lies, even though I have caused them no grief, and because you have encouraged the wicked not to turn from their evil ways to save their…
- 1 Kings 18:19
Through
1 Kings 18:19Now summon all Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel, along with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah who eat at Jezebel’s table.”
it leads to
- Joshua 19:26
Allammelech, Amad, and Mishal. On the west the border touched Carmel and Shihor-libnath,
- 1 Kings 16:33
Then he set up an Asherah pole. Thus Ahab did more to provoke the LORD, the God of Israel, to anger than all the kings of Israel before him.
- 2 Peter 2:1
Now there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them—bringing swift destruction on…
- 2 Kings 2:25
And Elisha went on to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
- Joshua 19:26
Through
2 Kings 3:10“Alas,” said the king of Israel, “for the LORD has summoned these three kings to deliver them into the hand of Moab!”
it leads to
- Genesis 4:13
But Cain said to the LORD, “My punishment is greater than I can bear.
- Genesis 4:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonDivided kingdomElishaElijah's successor with the firstborn's double portion; the prophet of the healed spring, the widow's oil, the Shunammite's son, N…
- PlaceTransjordanMoabThe high country east of the Dead Sea, home of Lot's descendants, where Balak hired Balaam, where Ruth was born, and where Moses l…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 3:9; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Keil, The Books of the Kings.
