2 Kings 13:22-25
SUMMARY
An unexpectedly theological and hopeful moment occurs in the midst of a description of war with Aram.
ANALYSIS
For the most part, 2 Kings 13 continues the pattern of the neighboring chapters: an unvarnished, disconsolate march through the violence, idolatries, and various oppressions of Israel and, at times, JudahJudah was the name of Jacob's fourth son and one of the 12 tribes. More. The center of the chapter takes an unexpected turn outward. In the middle of a recounting of Israel’s ongoing hostilities with Aram, the authors/editors of the text make a theological shift: “But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them; he turned toward them, because of his covenantA covenant is a promise or agreement. In the Bible the promises made between God and God's people are known as covenants; they state or imply a relationship of commitment and obedience. More with AbrahamGod promised that Abraham would become the father of a great nation, receive a land, and bring blessing to all nations. More, IsaacSon born to Abraham and Sarah in fulfillment of God's promise. More, and JacobThe son of Isaac and Rebekah, renamed Israel, became the father of the twelve tribal families. More, and would not destroy them; nor has he banished them from his presence until now” (verse 23).
This abruptly hopeful note is out of character with the surrounding text. The acts of the LORD that 2 Kings takes pains to describe tend much more toward that of the angry and vengeful. In addition, the reference to the covenant with “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob” is a rare phrase in 1-2 Kings. It occurs only one other time in the whole corpus, in 1 Kings 18:36. Finally, the note that God has not banished Israel from the divine presence “until now” suggests an intentional and self-conscious intervention in the text. It is texts such as these that suggest to modern scholars that 1-2 Kings was later reinterpreted in light of events of national trauma, events that may have made many think they had indeed been banished from the light, love, and presence of their God.
