Melakhim B 13-14: The Fall and Rise of Yisrael
SEFER MELAKHIM BET: THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS
By Rav Alex Israel
Shiur #15 Chapters 1314. The Fall and Rise of Yisrael
Our past two shiurim have discussed the southern kingdom of Yehuda under
Atalia and Yoash. We shall now return to the northern kingdom, Yisrael. The
last event we discussed was Yeihu's dramatic and violent revolt. Today we shall
describe the course of events under the four kings of the Yeihu dynasty:
- Yeihu (28 year reign)
- Yehoachaz, son of Yeihu (17 years)
- Yoash/ Yehoash (16 years)
- Yeravam, son of Yoash (41 years)
PRESSURE FROM ARAM
The central feature characterizing this period is the overwhelming dominance of
Aram under the leadership of Chazael. These turbulent times
predicted by Eliyahu[1] and by Elisha[2]
see Chazael absolutely controlling the northern kingdom, granting a reprieve
only to the capital city of Shomron. Furthermore, Chazael advances along the
coastal plain as far as the city of Gat, threatening the southern kingdom too,
including Jerusalem.[3] Our chapter charts this crushing
military campaign.
In the reign of Yeihu the attack begins with Chazael controlling all the lands
of Yisrael on the eastern side of the Jordan River:
In those days, the Lord began to reduce Yisrael; and Chazael smote them
throughout the territory of Yisrael east of the Jordan, all the land of the
Gilad of Gad, of Reuvein and of Menasheh from Aroer by Wadi Arnon up to
Gilad and Bashan." (II Melakhim 10:32-33)
This continues in the reign of Yehoachaz, a king who "did that which was evil
in God's eyes." Here, Chazael and his son Ben-Haddad seem to make further
inroads into Yisraels territory, decimating the military:
And the anger of
the Lord was kindled
against Yisrael, and He delivered them into the hand of Chazael King of Aram,
and into the hand of Ben-Haddad the son of Chazael, continually
For there was not left to Yehoachaz of
the people save fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for
the king of Aram destroyed them, and made them like the dust in threshing. (II
Melakhim 13:3,7)
Yisrael's desperate situation in which Aram allows only fifty cavalry and ten
chariots indicates that Chazael has imposed a regime of full demilitarization,
other than a ceremonial guard. Yisrael is too weak to resist Aram:
Chazael king of Aram oppressed Yisrael all the days of Yehoachaz. (II
Melakhim 13:22)
However, at
this point, we begin to identify a turnaround:
And Chazael
king of Aram died; and Ben-Haddad his son reigned in his stead. And Yehoash the
son of Yehoachaz took again out of the hand of Ben-Haddad the son of Chazael
the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Yehoachaz his father by war.
Three times did Yoash smite him, and recovered the cities of Yisrael. (II
Melakhim 13:24)
The new king in Aram appears to lack the ferocity and
military prowess of his predecessor. The new king in Yisrael, Yoash, has the
power to fight back, regaining territories previously lost to Aram.
The process of the fall of Aram and the restoration of Yisrael reaches its peak
in the reign of Yehoash's son, Yeravam II:
He restored the border of Yisrael from the entrance of Chamat unto the sea of
the Arava, according to the word of
the Lord, the God of
Yisrael, which He spoke by the hand of His servant Yona the son of Amittai, the
prophet, who was of Gat-Chefer." (II Melakhim 14:25)
In other words, in Yeravam's time, Yisrael restores its border against Aram,
making inroads into Aramean territory as far as Chamat!
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Now, we may ask what caused this turnaround? Here we face two options. One
possibility is to chart the geo-political shifts that befell the region during
this period. Historians[4]
point to a peak in Aram's power under Chazael's regime due to a lull in Ashurs
power which afforded Aram regional control. This power advantage continued under
Ben-Haddad III until the rise of King
Adad-nirari III of Ashur (806-782 BCE) who attacked Aram, besieged Damascus, and
subjected Aram to continued military pressure and heavy taxation. With Aram
paralyzed, Yisrael expanded, extending its northern and eastern borders to a
size not witnessed since the period of David and Solomon.
THE PROPHETIC PERSPECTIVE
And yet, Sefer Melakhim is a prophetic book rather than a chronicle of
political-military history. It explains historical events in spiritual terms:
sin breeds war, poverty and invasion, while fidelity to God stimulates economic
prosperity and peace. And so, when we witness a dramatic turnaround from
domestic collapse and foreign domination to secure borders and military victory,
we presume that it is a response to religious devotion or national repentance.
However, in our situation, this was not the case. A different process was
underway.
And Yehoachaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him; for He saw
the oppression of Yisrael, how that the king of Aram oppressed them. And the
Lord gave Yisrael a deliverer, so that they went out from under the hand of the
Arameans; and the children of Yisrael dwelt in their tents, as beforetime. (II
Melakhim 13:4-5)
And Chazael king of Aram oppressed Yisrael all the days of Yehoachaz. But
the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect
unto them, because of His covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, and
would not destroy them, neither hath He cast them from His presence until now.
(II Melakhim 13:22-23)
He restored the border of Yisrael
by the word of the Lord, the God of Yisrael,
which He spoke by the hand of His servant Yona the son of Amittai, the prophet,
who was of Gat-Chefer. For the Lord saw the affliction of Yisrael, that it
was very bitter; for there was neither bond nor free left, and with none to help
Yisrael. And the Lord said He would not blot out the name of Yisrael from
under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Yeravam the son of Yoash. (II
Melakhim 14:25-27)
1. GOD'S MERCY GOD'S LOVE FOR YISRAEL
Throughout this period, under three kings, we fail to discern any significant
national process of religious improvement. Certainly, Yehoachaz beseeches God,
but the Asheira remains in Shomron (14:6), and the nation continues to worship
in the shrines of Beit-El and Dan. Likewise with his successor, we lack evidence
of any alteration in the religious climate of Yisrael.
So why does God assist? Why does He rescue Yisrael?
With Yehoachaz we read that, "the Lord hearkened to him for He saw the
oppression of Yisrael." Yisrael's helplessness stimulates God's merciful
rehabilitation. They are saved not because Yisrael is particularly deserving of
salvation, but simply because God is concerned for the nation's welfare. In a
second image under Yehoachaz, God grants Yisrael a reprieve due to "the
covenant with Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov." It is the power of His ancient
relationship with Yisrael, sealed with Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov
that saves the nation.[5]
Finally, under Yeravam, He would not
blot out the name of Yisrael from under heaven."
God saves Yisrael because their very survival is in jeopardy; at this point in
time, the alternative to salvation is exile and decimation. God has no desire to
see Yisrael disappear.[6]
We may even identify an incremental deterioration here. In the first instance,
God's assistance is stimulated by prayer. In the second instance, it is the
memory of the forefathers and their merits which save the nation. But the third
time, there is nothing positive to offer; the nation's survival is merely an
expression of God's aversion to destroying Yisrael.
But God's patience, his caring and mercy do not last indefinitely. When Sefer
Melakhim refers to the potential "blotting out" of Yisrael, it would seem
to be issuing a message of caution, suggesting that Yisrael's demise is a real
and present possibility! Indeed, after the reign of Yeravam ben Yoash, the
northern kingdom swiftly crumbles and is dominated by Ashur, which eventually
sends the people of Yisrael into exile. This period, a lull in terms of
international pressure on Yisrael, really is the last opportunity! God exercises
forbearance now, but later even God's tolerance will be exhausted.
2. THE ROLE OF THE PROPHET: A CALL TO CHANGE.
As we read of the reversal in Yisrael's fortunes, we read twice of the presence
of a prophet, predicting the national upswing. We are informed twice that this
process of national rehabilitation is being spearheaded by a prophet.
Chapter thirteen relates King Yoash's visit to the great prophet Elisha as he
lies on his death bed.[7]
And in that encounter, the prophet foresees the victory of Yisrael against Aram.
Later, with Yeravam (II Melakhim 14:23), we read of a certain
Yona Ben Amittai, (quite possibly the very prophet of the book that bears his
name), who had predicted Yisrael's return to independence and the restoration of
its border with Aram.
Why does God send two prophets to herald Yisrael's victory against Aram? What
effect should this foreknowledge generate? What does the prophet seek to achieve
by informing the king of the impending national upswing?
I think that this relates directly to our earlier observation. Spiritually,
Yisrael is at an all-time low and not particularly deserving of salvation. And
yet, God has predicted that the kingdom will rise once more and break the
shackles of Aram.
How will the king and the nation relate to these victories? What processes will
this turnabout effect in the national psyche? Will it be perceived as a fluke, a
random regional fluctuation? Will it lead Yisrael to serve God? Or will a new
period of peace and prosperity merely lead to a rise in the standard of living
with an ensuing atmosphere of hedonism, corruption, materialism, and continued
abuse of the poor? Will people take advantage of prosperity, calm, and security
to better the ills of society?
The role of the prophet is to convey that this victory is God-given, not a
product of the winds of chance. This awareness might stimulate a positive
response from the nation. Possibly the carrot will work instead of the stick;
the good times as heralded by the prophet will draw people closer to God. And
so, in charting the fall and rise of the Northern Kingdom, the prophet seeks to
generate appreciation for God, His love for Yisrael, and His great mercy.
ELISHA AND SYMBOLIC ACTIONS
The final scenes of Elisha are striking in their dramatic
power:
Elisha had been stricken with the illness of which he was to die. King
Yoash of Yisrael went down to see him. He wept over him, and said: My father,
my father, Yisrael's chariots and horsemen! Elisha
said to him: Take a bow and arrows; and he took a bow and arrows. He said to
the king of Yisrael: Put your hand upon the bow; and he put his hand upon it,
and Elisha laid his hands upon the king's hands. He said: Open the window eastward;
and he opened it. Then Elisha said: Shoot! and he shot. And he said: The
Lord's arrow of victory, an arrow of victory over Aram! You shall rout Aram
completely at Afek, until they are destroyed. And he said: Take the arrows; and he
took them. And he said to the king of Yisrael: Strike the ground; and he
struck three times and stopped. The
man of God was angry with him, and said: If only you would have struck five or
six times! Then you would have annihilated Aram; whereas now you shall defeat
Aram only three times. (II
Melakhim 13:14-19)
The story
begins with the king's visit to the dying Elisha. The king of Yisrael cries at
the thought of the prophet's death, and he proclaims Elisha as Yisrael's "chariots and horsemen," in other words, the
protector of the nation, an echo of Elisha's lament at the moment of Eliyahu's
passing (I Melakhim 2:11).
At this point
Elisha demands that the king engage in some peculiar drama: the shooting of the
"arrow of victory" eastwards, and the dashing of the arrows on the floor. Why
does the prophet demand this strange behavior, almost a theatrical performance?
Is it a magic ritual? What place does this activity have in the world of
prophecy?
In truth,
there is a rich tradition of prophetic drama: Yirmiyahu is instructed to wear a
yoke on his shoulders to demonstrate subservience to Bavel (Yirmiyahu
27); Yishayahu walks barefoot and undressed, simulating a prisoner of war (Yishayahu
20); Hoshea is commanded to marry a harlot to express Yisrael's infidelity
to God (Hoshea 1); Yechezkel acts out a scene of exile by breaking the
wall of his house and leaving with a small bag of essential items (Yechezkel
12); at another point, Yechezkel makes a show of merging separate pieces of
wood into a single branch to communicate a lesson of national unity (Yechezkel
37:1617). Prophets of Yisrael were frequently commanded to dramatize Gods
message.
Is this
merely theater or do the actions of a prophet have some effect? Many of the
above instances are clearly designated as a sign, in order to dramatize and
animate the divine message.[8] However, in our
story with Yoash, the prophet critiques the king, and says: "If only you would have struck five or six times!" The
implication is that these actions are determining future events!
Rabbi Yosef
Caspi suggests that the kings behavior in this scene is a psychological
reflection of his resolve:
If the king
had struck [the ground with the arrows] several times, as the man of God
intended
this would demonstrate his success in battle, for it would reveal his
enthusiasm and determination, his mood regarding the war
and when he failed to
do this, it highlighted his tepid enthusiasm and his foolishness. It was this
that angered the prophet.
In other
words, striking the floor three, or six times will not change the national fate.
But a passionate and desperate king may have struck the floor with more gusto.
Yoash's lukewarm response exposes an absence of rage and desperation, which may
also affect his determination in the war campaign.
Ramban adopts
an entirely different understanding of this scene:
Know that once a decree delivered by angels emerges from the potential to the
actual via symbolization, this decree will be fulfilled in all cases. Therefore,
the prophets perform an act of prophecy, as Yirmiyahu ordered Barukh (Yirmiyahu 51:63-64): When you finish reading
this book, tie a stone to it and cast it into the midst of the Euphrates, and
say, Thus shall Babylon sink, etc. This
is the issue of Elishas putting his hand on the bow: Then Elisha said,
Shoot, and he shot. And he said, The Lords arrow of victory, the arrow of victory
over Aram! (II Melakhim 13:17). And it says there (v. 19):
Then the man of God was angry with him and said, You should have struck five
or six times; then you would have struck down Aram until you had made an end of
it, but now you will strike down Aram only three times.
(Ramban,
Commentary to Bereishit 12:6)
Ramban
perceives prophetic symbolic drama as a means of transforming God's will from a
potential decree to the realm of action. He believes that the acts of the
prophet will have a mechanical effect, determining future events. Elisha's
laying of hands upon the king instills the prophet's aura or authority into the
figurative act. And the precise performance of the act is critical; a mistake in
the choreography engenders a flaw in the outcome. This view, while highly
non-rational, reflects Rambans mystical wisdom regarding the machinations of
prophecy. Despite the difficulty in comprehending the lines that connect cause
and effect, this supernatural interpretation may be the best manner of reading
this episode.
Possibly
though, by examining this encounter of king and prophet closely, we may discern
the composite way in which the story is constructed and identify two different
segments, each with their own dynamic.[9] The scene is in
fact comprised of two segments, two separate actions:
Segment 1: Verses 15-17 |
Segment 2: Verses 18-19 |
Take a bow
and arrows
and he took |
Take arrows
and he took |
Put your hand upon the bow |
- |
And Elisha
placed his hands
|
- |
Open the window
|
- |
Shoot!
And he shot |
"Strike the
ground!"
and he struck three times, and stopped. |
Message: "God's arrow of victory"
You shall rout Aram completely |
Message:
If only you would have struck five or
six times!
Now you shall defeat Aram only three times. |
In the first
segment, the prophet enacts a scene with a specific series of actions, very
carefully instructed and completely fulfilled. Only one arrow is fired; there is
not much that can go wrong. The prophet waits patiently at each stage to ensure
that his instructions are followed. In this instance, the arrow fired in the
eastern direction is symbolic of God's decision to turn the tables and commence
the process of Aram's decline. This segment involves the laying of the prophet's
hands upon the arrow, and it seems to express the force of a divine
communication. The message here is the announcement to the king that he can
prepare for better times.
But the
second segment allows more room for the king's initiative. The instruction by
the prophet is general, not specific, and all the activity is performed by the
king; the prophet is inactive. It may be that this scene is reflective of the
human response and involvement in God's plan. It seeks to expose the inner
attitude and determination of the king. Here the question is the extent to which
man will play his role in God's drama. In this instance, the king's half-hearted
response irritates the prophet as an insufficient reaction to God's
pronouncement.
Of course,
the "arrow of victory" predicted by Elisha will wait a generation until it is
completely fulfilled; the kingdom is restored to its borders only in the period
of Yeravam, son of Yoash.
RESURRECTION
The deathbed
scene ends with a report of Elisha's burial, followed by the enigmatic anecdote
of Elisha's bones causing a man to come back to life.
Then Elisha
died and was buried. Groups of raiders of Moav used to invade the land each
spring. Once when some people of Yisrael were
burying a man, they spied a band of these raiders. So they hastily threw the
corpse into the tomb of Elisha and fled. But as soon as the body touched
Elisha's bones, the dead man revived and jumped to his feet. (II
Melakhim 13:20-21)
So much about
this story is incoherent. Why are there troops from Moav in Yisrael? Up until
this point the enemy has been Aram! And is the identity of the raiders relevant
to the story of the dead man? Who is the individual being buried; is his
identity significant?[10] Why did the man
come to life? And what became of him afterwards? Most importantly, we wish to
comprehend: why is this story important to our knowledge of Elisha? The
commentaries each search for answers. Ralbag suggests:
It was unlike
the [resurrection of the] son of the Shunammite who gradually returned to life,
but here, he suddenly arose and stood up
. But this was not to return home to
his previous life, but merely to have him leave Elisha's grave for the honor of
Elisha. (Ralbag, II Melakhim 13:21)
Radak
disagrees:
The Rabbis
said that he lived and had children, and the reason that he was revived was to
fulfill Eliyahu's blessing to Elisha that he be granted a double portion of his
[Eliyahu's] spirit (II Melakhim 2:9). Eliyahu resurrected one
person, and he [Elisha] resurrected two: one in his lifetime - the Shunammite's
son, and in his death this man." (Radak 13:21)
For Ralbag,
the story demonstrates how miracles will transpire, even after Elisha's death,
to ensure that the prophet's bones are undisturbed. For Radak, based on
Sanhedrin 47a, this is a fulfillment of a promise made by Eliyahu that his
student be granted a double portion of his power, thereby designating him to
revive the dead twice.
It is
possible that neither of these answers fully explains the elements of this
story, but we will suggest two somewhat speculative thoughts that may offer some
light here. First, when Yoash addresses Elisha as "Yisraels chariot and
horsemen," we sense the reflection of Eliyahu's death scene. But of course,
Eliyahu was not buried; he flew heavenwards, and tradition refuses to see his
power expiring with his passing from this Earth. Possibly, this story comes to
inform us that Elisha, just like his mentor Eliyahu, also retained some of his
miraculous potency, even after his demise.
Second, we
may suggest that Elisha's role here is in some way the resurrection of the
nation. The combination of the threatening troops and the man who is revived,
not through merit, but merely by proximity to the prophet
in some way mirrors the work of Elisha.
Elisha never calls for repentance. He simply offers assistance and healing to
the people with which he comes into contact. His life ends by announcing the
restoration of Yisrael's fortunes after an extended period of invasion and
hardship. The idea of the revival of the dead thus seems to encapsulate Elisha's
role in his lifetime.
[1]
I Melakhim
19:16-17
[2]
II Melakhim 8: 7-15
[3]
12:18-19
[4] See Sh.
Yeivin, The Foreign Policy of Judah and Yisrael in the Jehu Dynasty in Studies
in Kings vol.2 (Kiryat Sefer: Jerusalem, 1985) pgs. 299-305 [Hebrew];
Biblical Encyclopedia (Jerusalem: Mossad Bialik, 1950) vol.1, pg.
597-8 [Hebrew]; and A. Grossman: "Kings II chapter 14: The Conquests of Jeroboam
son of Yoash"
http://www.daat.ac.il/daat/tanach/rishonim/grosman7.htm [Hebrew].
[5] The Midrash
discusses how long zechut avot, the merit of the patriarch's, can serve a
protective function for Israel. See the discussion in Vayikra Rabba 36:6
(as well as Shabbat 55a and Yerushalmi Sanhedrin 10:1) in
which the opening opinion proposes, on the basis of the verse here, that the
reign of Yehoachaz is the last time at which the memory and good deeds of the
forefathers protect Israel. Our prayers which frequently appeal to zechut
avot would seem to adopt the dissenting opinion of Rav Acha, that "the merit
of the forefathers is in effect for all time."
[6] These lines
echo the song of Ha'azinu, in which God saves his people, even without their
repentance, so as to prevent their destruction. See especially the literary
parallel of "bond and free" in I Melakhim 14:26 and in Devarim
32:36. See also A. Bazak, "The Uniqueness of the Song of Haazinu", VBM,
http://www.vbm-torah.org/parsha.64/53haazinu.htm, which references
our verses directly.
[7]
There is a certain poetic irony here, as Elisha had visited Ben-Haddad as he was
on his death bed. That visit had led to Chazael's rise to power. Now on
Elisha's death-bed, he predicts Arams (Chazael's) decline and fall.
[8] Rambam
took a radical view that most of these actions transpired in a prophetic dream,
but not in reality. See Guide of the Perplexed
II:46.
[9]
See Rabbi David Sabato, "The Death of Elisha," Yeshivat Birkhat Moshe (Maaleh
Adumim):
http://www.ybm.org.il/hebrew/LessonArticle.aspx?item=3824
[10]
This question is widely discussed. See the Talmud in Sanhedrin 47a and
Rashi there s.v. "va-yechi va-yakam al raglav" who identifies the man as
the "old prophet" in I Melakhim ch.13. Radak on 13:21 identifies
him as Shalum son of Tikva, the husband of Chulda the prophetess.
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