The Second Book of the
KINGS
God Judges Ahaziah
1Moab arebelled against Israel bafter the death of Ahab.
2Now cAhaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of dBaal-Zebub,1 the god of eEkron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”
3But the 2angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’
4“Now therefore, thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” So Elijah departed.
5And when the messengers returned to 3him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”
6So they said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and say to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ” ’ ”
7Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”
8So they answered him, f“A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, g“It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
9Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him; and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’ ”
10So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then hlet fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
11Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: “Man of God, thus has the king said, ‘Come down quickly!’ ”
12So Elijah answered and said to them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.
13Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and 4fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours ibe precious in your sight.
14“Look, fire has come down from heaven and burned up the first two captains of fifties with their fifties. But let my life now be precious in your sight.”
15And the 5angel of the LORD said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid of him.” So he arose and went down with him to the king.
16Then he said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed to which you have gone up, but you shall surely die.’ ”
17So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, jJehoram6 became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.
18Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
Elijah Ascends to Heaven
1And it came to pass, when the LORD was about to atake up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with bElisha from Gilgal.
2Then Elijah said to Elisha, c“Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and das your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.
3Now ethe sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master 1from over you today?” And he said, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
4Then Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Jericho.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they came to Jericho.
5Now the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came to Elisha and said to him, “Do you know that the LORD will take away your master from over you today?” So he answered, “Yes, I know; keep silent!”
6Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to the Jordan.” But he said, “As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So the two of them went on.
7And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood facing them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan.
8Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the water; and fit was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry gground.
9And so it was, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask! What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you?” Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be upon me.”
10So he said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.”
11Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly ha chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah iwent up by a whirlwind into heaven.
12And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, j“My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” So he saw him no more. And he took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces.
13He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.
14Then he took the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water, and said, “Where is the LORD God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the water, kit was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.
15Now when the sons of the prophets who were lfrom2 Jericho saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” And they came to meet him, and bowed to the ground before him.
16Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, mlest perhaps the Spirit of the LORD has taken him up and cast him upon some mountain or into some valley.” And he said, “You shall not send anyone.”
17But when they urged him till he was nashamed, he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.
18And when they came back to him, for he had stayed in Jericho, he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”
Elisha Performs Miracles
19Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Please notice, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the ground barren.”
20And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.
21Then he went out to the source of the water, and ocast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have 3healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ”
22So the water remains phealed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.
23Then he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up the road, some youths came from the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!”
24So he turned around and looked at them, and qpronounced a curse on them in the name of the LORD. And two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the youths.
25Then he went from there to rMount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.
Moab Rebels Against Israel
1Now aJehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, but not like his father and mother; for he put away the sacred pillar of Baal bthat his father had made.
3Nevertheless he persisted in cthe sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.
4Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he dregularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand elambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.
5But it happened, when fAhab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.
7Then he went and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up; gI am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”
8Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”
9So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom, and they marched on that roundabout route seven days; and there was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them.
10And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
11But hJehoshaphat said, “Is there no prophet of the LORD here, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?” So one of the servants of the king of Israel answered and said, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who ipoured1 water on the hands of Elijah.”
12And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom jwent down to him.
13Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, k“What have I to do with you? lGo to mthe prophets of your father and the nprophets of your mother.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”
14And Elisha said, o“As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not look at you, nor see you.
15“But now bring me pa musician.” Then it happened, when the musician qplayed, that rthe hand of the LORD came upon him.
16And he said, “Thus says the LORD: s‘Make this valley full of 2ditches.’
17“For thus says the LORD: ‘You shall not see wind, nor shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, so that you, your cattle, and your animals may drink.’
18“And this is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD; He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
19“Also you shall attack every fortified city and every choice city, and shall cut down every good tree, and stop up every spring of water, and ruin every good piece of land with stones.”
20Now it happened in the morning, when tthe grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.
21And when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, all who were able to bear arms and older were 3gathered; and they stood at the border.
22Then they rose up early in the morning, and the sun was shining on the water; and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood.
23And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”
24So when they came to the camp of Israel, Israel rose up and attacked the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they entered their land, killing the Moabites.
25Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of uKir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
26And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.
27Then vhe took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great 4indignation against Israel. wSo they departed from him and returned to their own land.
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
(cf. 1 Kin. 17:14–16)
1A certain woman of the wives of athe sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming bto take my two sons to be his slaves.”
2So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
3Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; cdo not gather just a few.
4“And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”
5So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
6Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
(cf. 1 Kin. 17:17–24)
8Now it happened one day that Elisha went to dShunem, where there was a 1notable woman, and she 2persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
9And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.
10“Please, let us make 3a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”
11And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.
12Then he said to eGehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
13And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”
15So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16Then he said, 4“About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, fdo not lie to your maidservant!”
17But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
18And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers.
19And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.
22Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
23So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the gNew Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, 5“It is well.”
24Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”
25And so she departed, and went to the man of God hat Mount Carmel.
So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman!
26“Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well.”
27Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”
28So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? iDid I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
29Then he said to Gehazi, j“Get6 yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, kdo not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but llay my staff on the face of the child.”
30And the mother of the child said, m“As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not nleave you.” So he arose and followed her.
31Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has onot awakened.”
32When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.
33He pwent in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, qand prayed to the LORD.
34And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and rhe stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.
35He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up sand stretched himself out on him; then tthe child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
36And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.”
37So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she upicked up her son and went out.
Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew
38And Elisha returned to vGilgal, and there was a wfamine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were xsitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
39So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.
40Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is ydeath in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
41So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And zhe put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
(cf. Matt. 14:13–21; 15:32–39)
42Then a man came from aBaal Shalisha, band brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”
43But his servant said, c“What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: d‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ”
44So he set it before them; and they ate eand had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
Naaman’s Leprosy Healed
1Now aNaaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was ba great and honorable man in the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.
2And the Syrians had gone out con1 raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She 2waited on Naaman’s wife.
3Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”
5Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and dtook with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
6Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,
Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.
7And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I eGod, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”
8So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and fwash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”
11But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’
12“Are not the 3Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
13And his gservants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
14So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his hflesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and ihe was clean.
15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is jno God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take ka gift from your servant.”
16But he said, l“As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, mI will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
17So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.
18“Yet in this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and nhe leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please pardon your servant in this thing.”
19Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.
Gehazi’s Greed
20But oGehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22And he said, “All is pwell. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”
23So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him.
24When he came to 4the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed.
25Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
26Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it qtime to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
27“Therefore the leprosy of Naaman rshall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence sleprous, as white as snow.
The Floating Ax Head
1And athe sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.
2“Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.”
3Then one said, b“Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”
4So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
5But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was cborrowed.”
6So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So dhe cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.
7Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.
The Blinded Syrians Captured
8Now the eking of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
9And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
10Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.
11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
12And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
13So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in fDothan.”
14Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16So he answered, g“Do not fear, for hthose who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD iopened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of jhorses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And kHe struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.
20So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!
21Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My lfather, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? mSet food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”
23Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So nthe bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine
24And it happened after this that oBen-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great pfamine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a 1kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.
26Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
27And he said, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”
28Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29“So qwe boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”
30Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rtore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.
31Then he said, s“God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”
32But Elisha was sitting in his house, and tthe elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, u“Do you see how this son of va murderer has sent someone to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
33And while he was still talking with them, there was the messenger, coming down to him; and then the king said, “Surely this calamity is from the LORD; wwhy should I wait for the LORD any longer?”
The Syrians Flee
1Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. Thus says the LORD: a‘Tomorrow about this time a 1seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.’ ”
2bSo an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, cif the LORD would make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” And he said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”
The Syrians Flee
3Now there were four leprous men dat the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die?
4“If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the earmy of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”
5And they rose at twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there.
6For the LORD had caused the army of the Syrians fto hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired against us gthe kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!”
7Therefore they harose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives.
8And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.
9Then they said to one another, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we wait until morning light, some 2punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”
10So they went and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, “We went to the Syrian camp, and surprisingly no one was there, not a human sound—only horses and donkeys tied, and the tents intact.”
11And the gatekeepers called out, and they told it to the king’s household inside.
12So the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “Let me now tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are ihungry; therefore they have gone out of the camp to 3hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.’ ”
13And one of his servants answered and said, “Please, let several men take five of the remaining horses which are left in the city. Look, they may either become like all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; or indeed, I say, they may become like all the multitude of Israel left from those who are consumed; so let us send them and see.”
14Therefore they took two chariots with horses; and the king sent them in the direction of the Syrian army, saying, “Go and see.”
15And they went after them to the Jordan; and indeed all the road was full of garments and weapons which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned and told the king.
16Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, jaccording to the word of the LORD.
17Now the king had appointed the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people trampled him in the gate, and he died, just kas the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
18So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, l“Two seahs of barley for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour for a shekel, shall be sold tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria.”
19Then that officer had answered the man of God, and said, “Now look, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And he had said, “In fact, you shall see it with your eyes, but you shall not eat of it.”
20And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.
The King Restores the Shunammite’s Land
1Then Elisha spoke to the woman awhose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; for the LORD bhas called for a cfamine, and furthermore, it will come upon the land for seven years.”
2So the woman arose and did according to the saying of the man of God, and she went with her household and dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3It came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to the king for her house and for her land.
4Then the king talked with dGehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done.”
5Now it happened, as he was telling the king how he had restored the dead to life, that there was the woman whose son he had erestored to life, appealing to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.”
6And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed a certain officer for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all the proceeds of the field from the day that she left the land until now.”
Death of Ben-Hadad
7Then Elisha went to Damascus, and fBen-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.”
8And the king said to gHazael, h“Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and iinquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”
9So jHazael went to meet him and took a present with him, of every good thing of Damascus, forty camel-loads; and he came and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”
10And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the LORD has shown me that khe will really die.”
11Then he 1set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God lwept.
12And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He answered, “Because I know mthe evil that you will do to the children of Israel: Their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword; and you nwill dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”
13So Hazael said, “But what ois your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, p“The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”
14Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he answered, “He told me you would surely recover.”
15But it happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his place.
Jehoram Reigns in Judah
16Now qin the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, rJehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as 2king of Judah.
17He was sthirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.
18And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for tthe daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.
19Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, uas He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.
20In his days vEdom revolted against Judah’s authority, wand made a king over themselves.
21So 3Joram went to Zair, and all his chariots with him. Then he rose by night and attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the captains of the chariots; and the troops fled to their tents.
22Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. xAnd Libnah revolted at that time.
23Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
24So Joram 4rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then yAhaziah5 his son reigned in his place.
Ahaziah Reigns in Judah
25In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign.
26Ahaziah was ztwenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel.
27aAnd he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
28Now he went bwith Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at cRamoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.
29Then dKing Joram went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him at 6Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. eAnd Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
Jehu Anointed King of Israel
1And Elisha the prophet called one of athe sons of the prophets, and said to him, b“Get1 yourself ready, take this flask of oil in your hand, cand go to Ramoth Gilead.
2“Now when you arrive at that place, look there for Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, and go in and make him rise up from among dhis associates, and take him to an inner room.
3“Then etake the flask of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ Then open the door and flee, and do not delay.”
4So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.
5And when he arrived, there were the captains of the army sitting; and he said, “I have a message for you, Commander.” Jehu said, “For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, Commander.”
6Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, f“Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the LORD, over Israel.
7‘You shall strike down the house of Ahab your master, that I may gavenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, hat the hand of Jezebel.
8‘For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and iI will cut off from Ahab all jthe males in Israel, both kbond and free.
9‘So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of lJeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of mBaasha the son of Ahijah.
10n‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel on the plot of ground at Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her.’ ” And he opened the door and fled.
11Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did othis madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his babble.”
12And they said, “A lie! Tell us now.” So he said, “Thus and thus he spoke to me, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD: “I have anointed you king over Israel.” ’ ”
13Then each man hastened pto take his garment and put it 2under him on the top of the steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!”
Joram of Israel Killed
14So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against qJoram. (Now Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael king of Syria.
15But rKing 3Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, “If you are so minded, let no one leave or escape from the city to go and tell it in Jezreel.”
16So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there; sand Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17Now a watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he saw the company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a company of men.” And Joram said, “Get a horseman and send him to meet them, and let him say, 4‘Is it peace?’ ”
18So the horseman went to meet him, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? 5Turn around and follow me.” So the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger went to them, but is not coming back.”
19Then he sent out a second horseman who came to them, and said, “Thus says the king: ‘Is it peace?’ ” And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn around and follow me.”
20So the watchman reported, saying, “He went up to them and is not coming back; and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives furiously!”
21Then Joram said, 6“Make ready.” And his chariot was made ready. Then tJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot; and they went out to meet Jehu, and 7met him uon the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.
22Now it happened, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” So he answered, “What peace, as long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft are so many?”
23Then Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”
24Now Jehu 8drew his bow with full strength and shot Jehoram between his arms; and the arrow came out at his heart, and he sank down in his chariot.
25Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up, and throw him into the tract of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember, when you and I were riding together behind Ahab his father, that vthe LORD laid this wburden upon him:
26‘Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, x‘and I will repay you 9in this plot,’ says the LORD. Now therefore, take and throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of the LORD.”
Ahaziah of Judah Killed
27But when Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the road to 10Beth Haggan. So Jehu pursued him, and said, 11“Shoot him also in the chariot.” And they shot him at the Ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to yMegiddo, and died there.
28And his servants carried him in the chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the City of David.
29In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.
Jezebel’s Violent Death
30Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; zand she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window.
31Then, as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, a“Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?”
32And he looked up at the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” So two or three eunuchs looked out at him.
33Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered on the wall and on the horses; and he trampled her underfoot.
34And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for bshe was a king’s daughter.”
35So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.
36Therefore they came back and told him. And he said, “This is the word of the LORD, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, c‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;
37‘and the corpse of Jezebel shall be das refuse on the surface of the field, in the plot at Jezreel, so that they shall not say, “Here lies Jezebel.” ’ ”
Ahab’s Seventy Sons Killed
1Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of 1Jezreel, to the elders, and to 2those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying:
2Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons,
3choose the 3best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.
4But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, atwo kings could not 4stand up to him; how then can we stand?”
5And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight.”
6Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying:
If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow.
Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them.
7So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and bslaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.
8Then a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.”
9So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed cI conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these?
10“Know now that nothing shall dfall to the earth of the word of the LORD which the LORD spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the LORD has done what He spoke eby His servant Elijah.”
11So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining.
Ahaziah’s Forty-two Brothers Killed
12And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way, at 5Beth Eked of the Shepherds,
13fJehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, “Who are you?” So they answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah; we have come down to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.”
14And he said, “Take them alive!” So they took them alive, and gkilled them at the well of 6Beth Eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.
The Rest of Ahab’s Family Killed
15Now when he departed from there, he 7met hJehonadab the son of iRechab, coming to meet him; and he greeted him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is toward your heart?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, jgive me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.
16Then he said, “Come with me, and see my kzeal for the LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot.
17And when he came to Samaria, lhe killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD mwhich He spoke to Elijah.
Worshipers of Baal Killed
18Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, n“Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much.
19“Now therefore, call to me all the oprophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests. Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu acted deceptively, with the intent of destroying the worshipers of Baal.
20And Jehu said, 8“Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it.
21Then Jehu sent throughout all Israel; and all the worshipers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into the 9temple of Baal, and the ptemple of Baal was full from one end to the other.
22And he said to the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out vestments for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out vestments for them.
23Then Jehu and Jehonadab the son of Rechab went into the temple of Baal, and said to the worshipers of Baal, “Search and see that no servants of the LORD are here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.”
24So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed for himself eighty men on the outside, and had said, “If any of the men whom I have brought into your hands escapes, whoever lets him escape, it shall be qhis life for the life of the other.”
25Now it happened, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, “Go in and kill them; let no one come out!” And they killed them with the edge of the sword; then the guards and the officers threw them out, and went into the 10inner room of the temple of Baal.
26And they brought the rsacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them.
27Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the 11temple of Baal and smade it a refuse dump to this day.
28Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.
29However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from tthe golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.
30And the LORD usaid to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My sight, and have done to the house of Ahab all that was in My heart, vyour sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”
31But Jehu 12took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from wthe sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.
Death of Jehu
32In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel; and xHazael conquered them in all the territory of Israel
33from the Jordan eastward: all the land of Gilead—Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh—from yAroer, which is by the River Arnon, including zGilead and Bashan.
34Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
35So Jehu 13rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then aJehoahaz his son reigned in his place.
36And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.
Athaliah Reigns in Judah
1When aAthaliah bthe mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was cdead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.
2But 1Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of dAhaziah, took 2Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.
3So he was hidden with her in the house of the LORD for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.
Joash Crowned King of Judah
4In ethe seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the 3escorts—and brought them into the house of the LORD to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the LORD, and showed them the king’s son.
5Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who 4come on duty fon the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house,
6“one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down.
7“The two 5contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the LORD for the king.
8“But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”
9gSo the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest.
10And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, hthat were in the temple of the LORD.
11Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right 6side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house.
12And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the iTestimony;7 they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, j“Long live the king!”
Death of Athaliah
13kNow when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD.
14When she looked, there was the king standing by la pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”
15And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside 8under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the LORD.”
16So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.
17mThen Jehoiada nmade a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people, and also obetween the king and the people.
18And all the people of the land went to the ptemple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly qbroke in pieces its altars and 9images, and rkilled Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And sthe priest appointed 10officers over the house of the LORD.
19Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the LORD, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings.
20So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house.
Jehoash Repairs the Temple
1In the seventh year of Jehu, aJehoash1 became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.
2Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which bJehoiada the priest instructed him.
3But cthe 2high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.
4And Jehoash said to the priests, d“All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD—each man’s ecensus3 money, each man’s fassessment money—and all the money that 4a man gpurposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD,
5“let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the 5damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found.”
6Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, hthat the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple.
7iSo King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple.”
8And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple.
9Then Jehoiada the priest took ja chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who 6kept the door put kthere all the money brought into the house of the LORD.
10So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s lscribe7 and the high priest came up and 8put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD.
11Then they gave the money, which had been apportioned, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the LORD; and they 9paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the LORD,
12and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to mrepair the damage of the house of the LORD, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple.
13However nthere were not made for the house of the LORD basins of silver, trimmers, sprinkling-bowls, trumpets, any articles of gold or articles of silver, from the money brought into the house of the LORD.
14But they gave that to the workmen, and they repaired the house of the LORD with it.
15Moreover othey did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt faithfully.
16pThe money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD. qIt belonged to the priests.
Hazael Threatens Jerusalem
17rHazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then sHazael set his face to 10go up to Jerusalem.
18And Jehoash king of Judah ttook all the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the LORD and in the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away from Jerusalem.
Death of Joash
19Now the rest of the acts of 11Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?
20And uhis servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of 12the Millo, which goes down to Silla.
21For 13Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of 14Shomer, his servants, struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then vAmaziah his son reigned in his place.
Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel
1In the twenty-third year of aJoash1 the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, bJehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the csins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not 2depart from them.
3Then dthe anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of eHazael king of Syria, and into the hand of fBen-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
4So Jehoahaz gpleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for hHe saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
5iThen the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before.
6Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; jand the 3wooden image also remained in Samaria.
7For He left of the army of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them kand made them llike the dust at threshing. The Assyrian Empire
8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9So Jehoahaz 4rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then 5Joash his son reigned in his place.
Jehoash Reigns in Israel
10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, 6Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11And he did evil in the sight of the LORD. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, but walked in them.
12mNow the rest of the acts of Joash, nall that he did, and ohis might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13So Joash prested7 with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Death of Elisha
14Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, qthe chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”
15And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows.
16Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the LORD’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at rAphek till you have destroyed them.”
18Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped.
19And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! sBut now you will strike Syria only three times.”
20Then Elisha 8died, and they buried him. And the traiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.
21So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
Israel Recaptures Cities from Syria
22And uHazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23But the LORD was vgracious to them, had compassion on them, and wregarded them, xbecause of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.
24Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place.
25And 9Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz recaptured from the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. yThree times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.