2 Kings 13:14

The visit of Joash to Elisha on his deathbed. Elisha's prediction of victory over Syria. A dead body brought to life on touching Elisha's bones (Not in Chronicles)

14. and wept over his face R.V. over him. -Face" in Hebrew is constantly used for -a person", and it seems more suitable to omit the very literal rendering here. For examples cf. Genesis 19:21, -I have accepted thee", margin -thy face"; Genesis 43:34, -He sent messes from before him", margin -his face".

It is manifest from this history that though Jehoash continued the worship of the calves, the worship of Jehovah can have met with no opposition from him, and Jehovah's prophet was held in the highest esteem. Indeed the picture presented of the king leaving his palace to visit the house of the dying prophet, and weeping over the approaching loss which Israel was to suffer makes us wonder that Elisha's influence had not the effect of banishing the calves. The political significance of these objects must have been very great to have outweighed the counsels which we cannot doubt Elisha gave for their abolition.

O my father, my father R.V. omits - O", which A.V. does not give in the corresponding passage 2 Kings 2:12. Elisha's help had been so often given to Israel against their enemies, that the words seem to apply even better to him than to Elijah.

the chariot[R.V. chariots] of Israel The word is meant to embrace the whole mounted host, the chariotry of the land. Hence the plural is the more correct rendering. See the note on 2 Kings 2:12.