(And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
A saviour. This refers neither to some patriotic defender nor some signal victory, but to the deliverance obtained for Israel by the two successors of Jehoahaz-namely, Joash, who regained all the cities which the Syrians had taken from big father (2 Kings 13:25); and Jereboam II., who restored the former boundaries of Israel (2 Kings 14:25). [The Septuagint has: edooke kurios sooteerian too Israeel, the Lord gave deliverance to Israel.] This is probably the correct reading (see 2 Kings 13:17, "the Lord's deliverance"). Several critics are of opinion that 2 Kings 13:7 is out of its proper place, and suggest that it should come immediately after 2 Kings 13:4.