Charles Spurgeon Commentary 2 Kings 13:4

"And Jehoahaz besought Jehovah, and Jehovah hearkened unto him; for he saw the oppression of Israel, how that the king of Syria oppressed them." — 2 Kings 13:4 (ASV)

And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him

Bad as he was, he knew the hand that struck him, and he implored Jehovah. What a wonder it is that God does hear the prayers of even wicked men!

I have heard it said, sometimes, that "the prayer of the wicked is an abomination to God." There is no such passage as that in Scripture. It is the sacrifice of the wicked that is abomination to the Lord.

Even when a wicked man cries to God, and even if his prayer is not a spiritual and acceptable prayer, yet God may hear it in a measure, as he did in this case. Sometimes that hearing of prayer leads men to repentance, and they then pray better prayers and receive greater blessings.

For he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

God cannot bear to see the sorrows of his own people. Even when he himself is laying on the rod, if his child cries, it goes to his heart. Remember what he did to Pharaoh when he heard the sighing and crying of his people in Egypt. There is nothing more powerful with a father's heart than the tears of his child; and God heard the prayers of this bad man because He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.