2 Kings 13:5

2Ki 13:5 (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.

Ver. 5. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour.] An angel, say some; the prophet Elisha, say others; or rather king Jehoash, {2Ki 13:25} encouraged by Elisha, with promise of a threefold victory over the Syrians.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2Ki 13:5. The Lord gave Israel a saviour — Either Elisha, below, (2Ki 13:14,) or rather, Jehoash the son of this Jehoahaz, (2Ki 13:25,) and Jeroboam his son, 2Ki 14:25. Both of these were instrumental in working out great deliverances for Israel, although they were wicked men, who still kept up the idolatry of the calves. Israel dwelt in their tents as before time — In peace and security: not only in their strong cities, but even in their tents in the fields.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Safely and without danger.

To wit, Joash the son of Jehoahaz.

Hebrew, as yesterday and before yesterday.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

a saviour--This refers neither to some patriotic defender nor some signal victory, but to the deliverance obtained for Israel by the two successors of Jehoahaz, namely, Joash, who regained all the cities which the Syrians had taken from his father (Kg2 13:25); and Jeroboam, who restored the former boundaries of Israel (Kg2 14:25).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 5. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour] This was undoubtedly Joash, whose successful wars against the Syrians are mentioned at the conclusion of the chapter. Houbigant recommends to read the seventh verse after the fourth, then the fifth and sixth, and next the eighth, &c.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(5) A saviour.—Jeroboam II., the grandson of Jehoahaz, a vigorous and successful sovereign, of whom it is said that Jehovah “saved” Israel by his hand (2Ki_14:27).

They went out from under the hand.—Referring to the oppressive supremacy of Syria. From these words, and from those of 2Ki_13:22, it would appear that Israel was tributary to Syria during some part of this period.

Dwelt in their tents—i.e., in the open country. In time of war they were obliged to take refuge in strongholds and fortified cities.

As before time.—See Note on 1Ch_11:2; Gen_31:2.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

5. And the Lord gave Israel a saviour] The LXX, has σωτηρίαν ‘salvation’, ‘deliverance’. The two verses 5 and 6 are a parenthesis, and interrupt the connexion. The ‘saviour’ alludes to what is said of Jeroboam 2. (2Ki_14:27). ‘The Lord saved Israel by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash’. This was the time when the prayer of Jehoahaz was truly answered, in the reign of his grandson. That passage is connected with this also by the language of the preceding verse (26) ‘The Lord saw the affliction of Israel, that it was bitter’.

so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians] Language like this must refer to some very great change in the relative positions of Syria and Israel. We have some indication of it in the statement (2Ki_14:28) that Jeroboam recovered Damascus for Israel. By such a reverse the power of Syria must have been severely broken. We learn from the cuneiform inscriptions (1 Rawl. 35) that Damascus was about this time made subject to Assyria (Schrader p. 110; Eng. Trans. vol. 1. 203). It may be therefore that by the help of Assyria (which we have seen that Israel sometimes gained at the expense of liberty) the kings of Israel were able to shake off the thraldom of their nearer, and therefore more galling, oppressor, at first partially, then completely, so as to come from under his hand.

the children of Israel dwelt in their tents] The expression may refer to the peaceful state when the dwellers in the country could live safely out amid their flocks and crops, and not be constrained by the pressure of war to seek refuge in the towns. But it has been noted (see on 1Ki_8:66) that ‘tents’ is used for ‘homes’. Hence the words of this verse may mean only that the people lived quietly at home, and were not constantly called forth to resist the inroads of the Syrians.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Lord gave Israel a saviour,.... Not an angel sent by him, nor a captain raised up among them, nor the prophet Elisha, who predicted their deliverance, nor Jehoahaz himself, but his son Joash, Kg2 13:25.

so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians; were not in subjection to them, nor harassed by them, nor in fear of them:

and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as before time; in peace and safety.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

The Lord gave Israel a saviour - Not immediately on the repentance of Jehoahaz but after his death (see 2Ki 13:25).

They went out from under the hand of the Syrians - i. e. they ceased to be oppressed by the Syrians; they shook off their yoke, and became once more perfectly independent.

Tents - See 1Ki 8:66 note.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Saviour, in the person of Joas, (ver. 23.; Tostat) after the death of Joachaz, whose repentance preserved him, at least, in this world. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

A saviour; either Elisha, below, 2Ki 13:14; or rather, Jehoash, the son of this Jehoahaz, below, 2Ki 13:25, and Jeroboam his son, 2Ki 14:25.

In their tents, as beforetime; in peace and security, not only in their strong cities, but even in their tents in the fields.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

5. A saviour — According to 2Ki_13:22, this saviour could not have saved Israel in the days of Jehoahaz; so it is hardly satisfactory to refer it to some unknown temporary deliverer during the reign of this king. This saviour came not in Jehoahaz’s days, but, after his death in the person of his son Jehoash, who, according to 2Ki_13:25, recovered from the then Syrian king the cities which his father had lost by war. The deliverance was still further secured under Jeroboam, the son of Joash. Compare 2Ki_14:27. Others have supposed, but with little reason, that this saviour was an angel, or perhaps Elisha.

Dwelt in their tents — That is, at peace in their homes, not disturbed by constant rumours of war, and invasion by foreign armies.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And the Lord gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians. A "savior means a deliverer from the hand of the Syrians. (comp. Jud_1:3:9, 15 Neh_9:27, where in the Hebrew the word used is the same) The special "deliverer" was probably in the mind of the writer, Jeroboam II, by whom he says, in 2Ki_14:27, that God "saved" Israel; but Joash, who began the deliverance (ver. 25), may also be glanced at, And the children of Israel dwelt in their tents. Here, as so often elsewhere (1Ki_8:66 1Ki_12:16; Zec_12:7) the word "tents" is a mere archaism for "abodes, houses." Israel had dwelt in tents until the going down into Egypt, and again from the time of quitting Egypt to the entrance into Canaan; and thus the word ohel had ac quired a secondary meaning of "abode," "dwelling-place." In the time which followed on the deliverance from the Syrian yoke, the Israelites of the ten tribes were no longer engaged in marches and countermarches, in battles, skirmishes, or sieges, but quietly abode in their several houses. As beforetime; i.e. as in the peaceful time before the attacks of Hazael began.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And Adonoy provided Yisroel with a savior. Yoash son of Yehoachaz, concerning whom it is stated, “You will strike [and defeat] Arom [only] three times.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.