Charles Ellicott Commentary 2 Kings 13:1-3

"In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and reigned] seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of Jehovah, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually." — 2 Kings 13:1-3 (ASV)

THE REIGN OF JEHOAHAZ.

In the twenty-third year of Joash. — Josephus makes it the twenty-first year of Joash, but wrongly. According to 2 Kings 12:1, Joash succeeded in the seventh year of Jehu, and Jehu reigned twenty-eight years (2 Kings 10:36).

Seventeen years. — This agrees with 2 Kings 14:1.

And he did. — See Notes on 2 Kings 3:3.

He delivered them into the hand of Hazael. — Compare 2 Kings 10:32 and following. The meaning is that Jehovah allowed Israel to be defeated in successive encounters with the Syrian forces, and to suffer loss of territory, but not total subjugation. According to the Assyrian data, Shalmaneser warred with Hazael in 842 B.C., and again in 839 B.C. (See Notes on 2 Kings 8:15; 2 Kings 9:2.)

All their days. — Rather, all the days, i.e., continually (not all the days of Jehoahaz, nor of Hazael and Ben-hadad). The phrase is an indefinite designation of a long period of disaster.