2 Kings 13:4
New International Version
Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.

New Living Translation
Then Jehoahaz prayed for the LORD’s help, and the LORD heard his prayer, for he could see how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.

English Standard Version
Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.

Berean Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.

King James Bible
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

New King James Version
So Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

New American Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz appeased the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

NASB 1995
Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

NASB 1977
Then Jehoahaz entreated the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz entreated the face of Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

Amplified Bible
But Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

Christian Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD heard him, for he saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD’s favor, and the LORD heard him, for He saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.

American Standard Version
And Jehoahaz besought Jehovah, and Jehovah hearkened unto him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yahuakhaz prayed before LORD JEHOVAH, and LORD JEHOVAH heard him because he saw the affliction of Israel with which the King of Edom oppressed them.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joachaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened to him, for he saw the affliction of Israel, because the king of Syria afflicted them.

Contemporary English Version
Jehoahaz prayed to the LORD for help, and the LORD saw how terribly Hazael was treating the Israelites. He answered Jehoahaz

Douay-Rheims Bible
But Joachaz besought the face of the Lord, and the Lord heard him: for he saw the distress of Israel, because the king of Syria had oppressed them:

English Revised Version
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD heard him because he saw how the Aramean king was oppressing Israel.

Good News Translation
Then Jehoahaz prayed to the LORD, and the LORD, seeing how harshly the king of Syria was oppressing the Israelites, answered his prayer.

International Standard Version
But Jehoahaz sought the LORD, and the LORD paid attention to him, because the LORD had been watching the oppression that Israel was enduring from the king of Aram.

JPS Tanakh 1917
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Aram oppressed them.--

Literal Standard Version
And Jehoahaz appeases the face of YHWH, and YHWH listens to him, for He has seen the oppression of Israel, for the king of Aram has oppressed them—

Majority Standard Bible
Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.

New American Bible
Then Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, who heard him, since he saw the oppression to which the king of Aram had subjected Israel.

NET Bible
Jehoahaz asked for the LORD's mercy and the LORD responded favorably, for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria.

New Revised Standard Version
But Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, and the LORD heeded him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them.

New Heart English Bible
Jehoahaz begged the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Aram oppressed them.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened to him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

World English Bible
Jehoahaz begged Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them.

Young's Literal Translation
And Jehoahaz appeaseth the face of Jehovah, and Jehovah hearkeneth unto him, for He hath seen the oppression of Israel, for oppressed them hath the king of Aram, --

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel
3So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad. 4Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel. 5So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.…

Cross References
Exodus 3:7
The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.

Exodus 3:9
And now the cry of the Israelites has reached Me, and I have seen how severely the Egyptians are oppressing them.

Numbers 21:7
Then the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned by speaking against the LORD and against you. Intercede with the LORD so He will take the snakes away from us." So Moses interceded for the people.

2 Kings 14:26
For the LORD saw that the affliction of the Israelites, both slave and free, was very bitter. There was no one to help Israel,


Treasury of Scripture

And Jehoahaz sought the LORD, and the LORD listened to him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

Jehoahaz

Numbers 21:7
Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.

Judges 6:6,7
And Israel was greatly impoverished because of the Midianites; and the children of Israel cried unto the LORD…

Judges 10:10
And the children of Israel cried unto the LORD, saying, We have sinned against thee, both because we have forsaken our God, and also served Baalim.

the Lord

2 Kings 14:26
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

Genesis 21:17
And God heard the voice of the lad; and the angel of God called to Hagar out of heaven, and said unto her, What aileth thee, Hagar? fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad where he is.

Exodus 3:7
And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

he saw

Genesis 31:42
Except the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. God hath seen mine affliction and the labour of my hands, and rebuked thee yesternight.

Exodus 3:9
Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.

Isaiah 63:9
In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old.

because the king

2 Kings 13:22
But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

2 Kings 14:26
For the LORD saw the affliction of Israel, that it was very bitter: for there was not any shut up, nor any left, nor any helper for Israel.

Jump to Previous
Appeaseth Aram Begged Besought Cruelly Crushed Ear Entreated Face Favor Hearkened Hearkeneth Israel Jehoahaz Jeho'ahaz Lord's Oppressed Oppressing Oppression Prayer Severely Sought Syria
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Appeaseth Aram Begged Besought Cruelly Crushed Ear Entreated Face Favor Hearkened Hearkeneth Israel Jehoahaz Jeho'ahaz Lord's Oppressed Oppressing Oppression Prayer Severely Sought Syria
2 Kings 13
1. Jehoahaz's wicked reign
3. Jehoahaz, oppressed by Hazael, is relieved by prayer
8. Joash succeeds him
10. His wicked reign
12. Jeroboam succeeds him
14. Elisha dying, prophesies to Joash three victories over the Syrians
20. The Moabites invading the land, Elisha's bones raise a dead man.
22. Joash gets three victories over Ben-hadad














(4) Besought.--Literally, stroked the face of; a metaphor which occurs in Exodus 32:11; 1Kings 13:6).

And the Lord hearkened unto him.--Not, however, immediately. (See 2Kings 13:7.) The Syrian invasions, which began under Jehu, were renewed again and again throughout the reign of Jehoahaz (2Kings 13:22), until the tide of conquest began to turn in the time of Joash (2Kings 13:15), whose incomplete victories (2Kings 13:17; 2Kings 13:19; 2Kings 13:25) were followed up by the permanent successes of his son Jeroboam II. (2Kings 14:25-28). . . .

Verse 4. - And Jehoahaz besought the Lord; literally, besought the face of the Lord (comp. 1 Kings 13:6, and the comment ad loc.). Jehoahaz, as Josephus says, "betook him-serf to prayer and supplication of God, entreating that he would deliver him out of the hands of Hazael, and not suffer him to continue subject" ('Ant. Jud.,' 9:8. § 5). He did not turn from his sin of idolatry, perhaps did not suspect that it was this sin which had provoked God's anger; but in a general way he repented, humbled himself, and besought God's mercy and assistance. And the Lord hearkened unto him. God accepted his repentance, all imperfect as it was, so far as to save the people from the entire destruction with which it was threatened by the severe measures of Hazael (ver. 7), to continue the national existence (ver. 23), and ultimately to restore the national prosperity (ver. 25 and 2 Kings 14:25-27). But he did not remove the oppression, as Josephus imagines, in Jehoahaz's time. Ver. 22 makes this fact absolutely certain. For he saw the oppression of Israel, because the King of Syria oppressed them. Oppression is always hateful to God, even when he is using it as his instrument for chastising or punishing a guilty people. He "sees" it, notes it, lays it up in his remembrance for future retribution (camp. Exodus 3:7; Isaiah 10:5-12, etc.). (On the nature and extent of the oppression of this period, see ver. 7, and the comment ad loc.)

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
Then Jehoahaz
יְהוֹאָחָ֖ז (yə·hō·w·’ā·ḥāz)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3059: Jehoahaz -- 'Yah has grasped', the name of several Israelites

sought
וַיְחַ֥ל (way·ḥal)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2470: To be weak or sick

the favor
פְּנֵ֣י (pə·nê)
Noun - common plural construct
Strong's 6440: The face

of the LORD,
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

and the LORD
יְהוָ֔ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

listened
וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

to him
אֵלָיו֙ (’ê·lāw)
Preposition | third person masculine singular
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

because
כִּ֤י (kî)
Conjunction
Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction

He saw
רָאָה֙ (rā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the oppression
לַ֣חַץ (la·ḥaṣ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3906: Oppression, distress

that the king
מֶ֥לֶךְ (me·leḵ)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 4428: A king

of Aram
אֲרָֽם׃ (’ă·rām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

had inflicted
לָחַ֥ץ (lā·ḥaṣ)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3905: To squeeze, press, oppress

on Israel.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל (yiś·rā·’êl)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc


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OT History: 2 Kings 13:4 Jehoahaz begged Yahweh and Yahweh listened (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 13:3
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