New Spirit-Filled Life Bible

God Judges Ahaziah

1 MOAB ^arebelled against Israel ^bafter the death of Ahab.

2 Now ^aAhaziah fell through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria, and was injured; so he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, inquire of ^bBaal-Zebub,¹ the god of ^cEkron, whether I shall recover from this injury.”

3 But the ¹angel 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.

5 And when the messengers returned to ¹him, he said to them, “Why have you come back?”

6 So 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.’ ” ’ ”

7 Then he said to them, “What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?”

8 So they answered him, ^a“A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, ^b“It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then 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!’ ”

10 So Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, then ^alet fire come down from ^*heaven and consume you and your fifty men.” And fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty.

11 Then 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!’ ”

12 So 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.

13 Again, he sent a third captain of fifty with his fifty men. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and ¹fell 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 ^abe 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.”

15 And the ¹angel 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.

16 Then 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.’ ”

17 So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. Because he had no son, ^aJehoram¹ became king in his place, in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

18 Now 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

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1 And 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.

2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, ^a“Stay here, please, for the LORD has sent me on to Bethel.” But Elisha said, “As the LORD lives, and ^bas your soul lives, I will not leave you!” So they went down to Bethel.

3 Now ^athe 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!”

4 Then 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.

5 Now 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!”

6 Then 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.

7 And 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.

8 Now Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the ^*water; and ^ait was divided this way and that, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ^bground.

9 And 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.”

10 So 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.”

11 Then it happened, as they continued on and talked, that suddenly ^aa chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and separated the two of them; and Elijah ^bwent up by a whirlwind into heaven.

12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried out, ^a“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.

13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

14 Then 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, ^ait was divided this way and that; and Elisha crossed over.

15 Now when the sons of the prophets who were ^afrom¹ 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.

16 Then they said to him, “Look now, there are fifty strong men with your servants. Please let them go and search for your master, ^alest 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.”

17 But when they urged him till he was ^aashamed,^* he said, “Send them!” Therefore they sent fifty men, and they searched for three days but did not find him.

18 And 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

19 Then 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.”

20 And he said, “Bring me a new bowl, and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went out to the source of the water, and ^acast in the salt there, and said, “Thus says the LORD: ‘I have ¹healed this water; from it there shall be no more death or barrenness.’ ”

22 So the water remains ^ahealed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Then 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!”

24 So he turned around and looked at them, and ^apronounced 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.

25 Then he went from there to ^aMount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Moab Rebels Against Israel

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1 Now ^aJehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years.

2 And 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 ^athat his father had made.

3 Nevertheless he persisted in ^athe sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin; he did not depart from them.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepbreeder, and he ^aregularly paid the king of Israel one hundred thousand ^blambs and the wool of one hundred thousand rams.

5 But it happened, when ^aAhab died, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 So King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel.

7 Then 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; ^aI am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he answered, “By way of the Wilderness of Edom.”

9 So 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.

10 And the king of Israel said, “Alas! For the LORD has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.”

11 But ^aJehoshaphat 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 ^bpoured¹ water on the hands of Elijah.”

12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the LORD is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom ^awent down to him.

13 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, ^a“What have I to do with you? ^bGo to ^cthe prophets of your father and the ^dprophets 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.”

14 And Elisha said, ^a“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 ^aa musician.” Then it happened, when the musician ^bplayed, that ^cthe hand of the LORD came upon him.

16 And he said, “Thus says the LORD: ^a‘Make this valley full of ¹ditches.’

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.”

20 Now it happened in the morning, when ^athe grain offering was offered, that suddenly water came by way of Edom, and the land was filled with water.

21 And 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 ¹gathered; and they stood at the border.

22 Then 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.

23 And they said, “This is blood; the kings have surely struck swords and have killed one another; now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!”

24 So 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.

25 Then 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 ^aKir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.

26 And 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.

27 Then ^ahe 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 ¹indignation against Israel. ^bSo they departed from him and returned to their own land.

Elisha and the Widow’s Oil

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1 A 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.”

2 So 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.”

3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; ^ado 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.”

5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.

6 Now 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.

7 Then 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

8 Now it happened one day that Elisha went to ^aShunem, 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.

9 And 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 ¹a 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.”

11 And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.

12 Then he said to ^aGehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.

13 And 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.”

14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.

16 Then he said, ¹“About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, ^ado not lie to your maidservant!”

17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

18 And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers.

19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”

20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.

21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.

22 Then 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.”

23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the ^aNew Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, ¹“It is well.”

24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”

25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God ^aat 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.”

27 Now 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.”

28 So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? ^aDid I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, ^a“Get¹ yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, ^bdo not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but ^clay my staff on the face of the child.”

30 And the mother of the child said, ^a“As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not ^bleave you.” So he arose and followed her.

31 Now 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 ^anot awakened.”

32 When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.

33 He ^awent in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, ^band prayed to the LORD.

34 And 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 ^ahe stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.

35 He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up ^aand stretched himself out on him; then ^bthe child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

36 And 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.”

37 So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she ^apicked up her son and went out.

Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew

38 And Elisha returned to ^aGilgal, and there was a ^bfamine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were ^csitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”

39 So 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.

40 Then 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 ^adeath in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

41 So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And ^ahe 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

42 Then 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.”

43 But his servant said, ^a“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: ^b‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ”

44 So he set it before them; and they ate ^aand had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

Naaman’s Leprosy Healed

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1 Now ^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.

Kingdom Dynamics

5:1–15 Lessons in Sharing Healing Hope, DIVINE HEALING. Naaman the Syrian general was a good man, and apparently his leprosy was not the result of his wrongdoing. Thus, the episode furnishes us with some practical insights into God’s healing process when the sick person is innocent of known disobedience or action exposing them to their affliction. 1) See the importance of our sharing the hope of God’s healing with others. The door to Naaman’s healing was opened by a Jewish maid who recommended he seek out the prophet Elisha. Believers do good when they witness to others of both the saving and healing power of Jesus. 2) See how God knows what to deal with in each person. Naaman was instructed to dip seven times in the Jordan River, and this displeased him. His human brashness and hidden pride were surfaced, and his obedience and submission opened the way to health. A similar call may face any of us, as healing often awaits obedient action. For example, Jesus instructed 10 lepers to show themselves to the priest, and they were healed after taking that first step of obedience (Luke 17:12–14). People who have received prayer for healing sometimes give up when they do not see immediate healing, rather than seek God for a possible faith-building step of submission. (See also 2 Kin. 20:1–11.)

(Num. 21:5–9/2Kin. 20:1–11) N.V.

2 And the Syrians had gone out ^aon¹ raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She ²waited on Naaman’s wife.

3 Then 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.”

4 And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”

5 Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and ^atook with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.

6 Then 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.

7 And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I ^aGod, 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.”

8 So 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.”

9 Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.

10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and ^awash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”

11 But 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 ¹Abanah 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.

13 And his ^aservants 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’?”

14 So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his ^aflesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and ^bhe was clean.

15 And 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 ^ano God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take ^ba gift from your servant.”

16 But he said, ^a“As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, ^bI will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

17 So 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 ^ahe 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.”

19 Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.

Gehazi’s Greed

20 But ^aGehazi, 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.”

21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”

22 And he said, “All is ^awell. 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.’ ”

23 So 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.

24 When he came to ¹the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed.

25 Now 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.”

26 Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it ^atime to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?

27 “Therefore the leprosy of Naaman ^ashall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence ^bleprous, as white as snow.

The Floating Ax Head

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1 And ^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.”

3 Then one said, ^a“Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”

4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

5 But 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 ^aborrowed.”

6 So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So ^ahe cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.

7 Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

The Blinded Syrians Captured

8 Now the ^aking of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”

Kingdom Dynamics

6:8–17 The Invisible Realm and Victorious Warfare, FAITH’S WARFARE. To believe the impossible one must first see the invisible—the lesson Elisha taught his servant. The text involves war between Israel and Syria, and the prophet Elisha’s informing his people of the enemy’s tactics through prophetic insight (v. 12). Here is the lesson: Prayer is the key to discerning our adversary’s stratagems. Further, the key to dispelling Elisha’s servant’s panic was his vision being opened to see the invisible. Note these crucial words: “Elisha prayed”! Elisha did not ask God simply to show the servant another miracle; he asked for his servant to see into another dimension. The answer came immediately: “The LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha” (v. 17). Seeing into the invisible is a key to victorious praying—discerning spiritual issues from God’s perspective rather than man’s, seeing the Adversary’s attack plan, and perceiving God’s angelic strike force.

(Eph. 6:10–18/Jer. 33:3) D.E.

9 And 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.”

10 Then 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.

11 Therefore 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?”

12 And 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.”

13 So 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 ^aDothan.”

14 Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 And 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?”

16 So he answered, ^a“Do not fear, for ^bthose who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD ^aopened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of ^bhorses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And ^aHe struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 Now 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.

20 So 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!

21 Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My ^afather, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”

22 But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? ^aSet food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”

23 Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So ^athe bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.

Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine

24 And it happened after this that ^aBen-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

25 And there was a great ^afamine 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.

26 Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”

27 And he said, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”

28 Then 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 ^awe 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.”

30 Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he ^atore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.

31 Then he said, ^a“God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”

32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and ^athe 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, ^b“Do you see how this son of ^ca 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?”

33 And 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; ^awhy should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

7

1 Then 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.’ ”

2 ^aSo an officer on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, “Look, ^bif 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

3 Now there were four leprous men ^aat 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 ^aarmy of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”

5 And 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.

6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians ^ato 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 ^bthe kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!”

7 Therefore they ^aarose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives.

8 And 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.

9 Then 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 ¹punishment will come upon us. Now therefore, come, let us go and tell the king’s household.”

10 So 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.”

11 And the gatekeepers called out, and they told it to the king’s household inside.

12 So 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 ^ahungry; therefore they have gone out of the camp to ¹hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.’ ”

13 And 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.”

14 Therefore they took two chariots with horses; and the king sent them in the direction of the Syrian army, saying, “Go and see.”

15 And 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.

16 Then 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, ^aaccording to the word of the LORD.

17 Now 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 ^aas the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.

18 So it happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, ^a“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.”

19 Then 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.”

20 And so it happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gate, and he died.

The King Restores the Shunammite’s Land

8

1 Then 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.”

2 So 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.

3 It 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.

4 Then the king talked with ^aGehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the great things Elisha has done.”

5 Now 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 ^arestored 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.”

6 And 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

7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, and ^aBen-Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, “The man of God has come here.”

8 And the king said to ^aHazael, ^b“Take a present in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, and ^cinquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Shall I recover from this disease?’ ”

9 So ^aHazael 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?’ ”

10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the LORD has shown me that ^ahe will really die.”

11 Then he ¹set his countenance in a stare until he was ashamed; and the man of God ^awept.

12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He answered, “Because I know ^athe 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 ^bwill dash their children, and rip open their women with child.”

13 So Hazael said, “But what ^ais your servant—a dog, that he should do this gross thing?” And Elisha answered, ^b“The LORD has shown me that you will become king over Syria.”

14 Then 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.”

15 But 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

16 Now ^ain the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been king of Judah, ^bJehoram the son of Jehoshaphat began to reign as ¹king of Judah.

17 He was ^athirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for ^athe daughter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the sight of the LORD.

19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant David, ^aas He promised him to give a lamp to him and his sons forever.

20 In his days ^aEdom revolted against Judah’s authority, ^band made a king over themselves.

21 So ¹Joram 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.

22 Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day. ^aAnd Libnah revolted at that time.

23 Now the rest of the acts of ¹Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

24 So Joram ¹rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David. Then ^aAhaziah² his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king of Judah, began to reign.

26 Ahaziah was ^atwenty-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.

27 ^aAnd 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.

28 Now he went ^awith Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at ^bRamoth Gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

29 Then ^aKing Joram went back to Jezreel to recover from the wounds which the Syrians had inflicted on him at ¹Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. ^bAnd 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

9

1 And 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 ^ahis associates, and take him to an inner room.

3 “Then ^atake 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.”

4 So the young man, the servant of the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead.

5 And 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.”

6 Then he arose and went into the house. And he poured the oil on his head, and said to him, ^a“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 ^aavenge the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, ^bat the hand of Jezebel.

8 ‘For the whole house of Ahab shall ^*perish; and ^aI will cut off from Ahab all ^bthe males in Israel, both ^cbond and free.

9 ‘So I will make the house of Ahab like the house of ^aJeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of ^bBaasha the son of Ahijah.

10 ^a‘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.

11 Then Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “Is all well? Why did ^athis madman come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his babble.”

12 And 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.” ’ ”

13 Then each man hastened ^ato take his garment and put it ¹under him on the top of the ^*steps; and they blew trumpets, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Joram of Israel Killed

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, conspired against ^aJoram. (Now Joram had been defending Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, against Hazael king of Syria.

15 But ^aKing ¹Joram 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.”

16 So Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was laid up there; ^aand Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

17 Now 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, ¹‘Is it peace?’ ”

18 So 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? ¹Turn around and follow me.” So the watchman reported, saying, “The messenger went to them, but is not coming back.”

19 Then 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.”

20 So 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!”

21 Then Joram said, ¹“Make ready.” And his chariot was made ready. Then ^aJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot; and they went out to meet Jehu, and ²met him ^bon the property of Naboth the Jezreelite.

22 Now 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?”

23 Then Joram turned around and fled, and said to Ahaziah, “Treachery, Ahaziah!”

24 Now Jehu ¹drew 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.

25 Then 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 ^athe LORD laid this ^bburden upon him:

26 ‘Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, ^a‘and I will repay you ¹in 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

27 But when Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he fled by the road to ¹Beth Haggan. So Jehu pursued him, and said, ²“Shoot him also in the chariot.” And they shot him at the Ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. Then he fled to ^aMegiddo, and died there.

28 And his servants carried him in the chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the City of David.

29 In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah had become king over Judah.

Jezebel’s Violent Death

30 Now when Jehu had come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; ^aand she put paint on her eyes and adorned her head, and looked through a window.

31 Then, as Jehu entered at the gate, she said, ^a“Is it peace, Zimri, murderer of your master?”

32 And he looked up at the window, and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” So two or three eunuchs looked out at him.

33 Then 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.

34 And when he had gone in, he ate and drank. Then he said, “Go now, see to this accursed woman, and bury her, for ^ashe was a king’s daughter.”

35 So they went to bury her, but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands.

36 Therefore 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, ^a‘On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel;

37 ‘and the corpse of Jezebel shall be ^aas 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

10

1 Now 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:

2 Now 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,

3 choose the ¹best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.

4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, ^atwo kings could not ¹stand up to him; how then can we stand?”

5 And 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.”

6 Then 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.

7 So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and ^aslaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel.

8 Then 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.”

9 So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed ^aI conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these?

10 “Know now that nothing shall ^afall 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 ^bby His servant Elijah.”

11 So 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

12 And he arose and departed and went to Samaria. On the way, at ¹Beth Eked of the Shepherds,

13 ^aJehu 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.”

14 And he said, “Take them alive!” So they took them alive, and ^akilled them at the well of ¹Beth Eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.

The Rest of Ahab’s Family Killed

15 Now when he departed from there, he ¹met ^aJehonadab the son of ^bRechab, 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, ^cgive me your hand.” So he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot.

16 Then he said, “Come with me, and see my ^azeal for the LORD.” So they had him ride in his chariot.

17 And when he came to Samaria, ^ahe killed all who remained to Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed them, according to the word of the LORD ^bwhich He spoke to Elijah.

Worshipers of Baal Killed

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, ^a“Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much.

19 “Now therefore, call to me all the ^aprophets 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.

20 And Jehu said, ¹“Proclaim a solemn assembly for Baal.” So they proclaimed it.

21 Then 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 ¹temple of Baal, and the ^atemple of Baal was full from one end to the other.

22 And 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.

23 Then 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.”

24 So 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 ^ahis life for the life of the other.”

25 Now 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 ¹inner room of the temple of Baal.

26 And they brought the ^asacred pillars out of the temple of Baal and burned them.

27 Then they broke down the sacred pillar of Baal, and tore down the ¹temple of Baal and ^amade it a refuse dump to this day.

28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal from Israel.

29 However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from ^athe golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.

30 And the LORD ^asaid 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, ^byour sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.”

31 But Jehu ¹took no heed to walk in the law of the LORD God of Israel with all his heart; for he did not depart from ^athe sins of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin.

Death of Jehu

32 In those days the LORD began to cut off parts of Israel; and ^aHazael conquered them in all the territory of Israel

33 from the Jordan eastward: all the land of Gilead—Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh—from ^aAroer, which is by the River Arnon, including ^bGilead and Bashan.

34 Now 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?

35 So Jehu ¹rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then ^aJehoahaz his son reigned in his place.

36 And the period that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.

Athaliah Reigns in Judah

11

1 When ^aAthaliah ^bthe mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was ^cdead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.

2 But ¹Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of ^aAhaziah, 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.

3 So 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

4 In ^athe seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the ¹escorts—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.

5 Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who ¹come on duty ^aon 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 ¹contingents 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.”

9 ^aSo 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.

10 And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, ^athat were in the temple of the LORD.

11 Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right ¹side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house.

12 And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the ^aTestimony;¹ they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, ^b“Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah

13 ^aNow when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the LORD.

14 When she looked, there was the king standing by ^aa 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!”

15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside ¹under 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.”

16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

17 ^aThen Jehoiada ^bmade a covenant between the LORD, the king, and the people, that they should be the LORD’s people, and also ^cbetween the king and the people.

18 And all the people of the land went to the ^atemple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly ^bbroke in pieces its altars and ¹images, and ^ckilled Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And ^dthe priest appointed ²officers over the house of the LORD.

19 Then 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.

20 So 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.

21 Jehoash was ^aseven years old when he became king.

Jehoash Repairs the Temple

12

1 In the seventh year of Jehu, ^aJehoash¹ became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba.

2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which ^aJehoiada the priest instructed him.

3 But ^athe ¹high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, ^a“All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD—each man’s ^bcensus¹ money, each man’s ^cassessment money—and all the money that ²a man ^dpurposes 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 ¹damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found.”

6 Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, ^athat the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple.

7 ^aSo 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.”

8 And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest took ^aa 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 ¹kept the door put ^bthere all the money brought into the house of the LORD.

Word Wealth

12:9 altar, mizbeach (meez-beh-ahch); Strong’s #4196: Altar, place of sacrifice. The root of mizbeach is zabach, which means “to slay, to sacrifice, to offer an animal.” The word mizbeach occurs more than 400 times. Altars were of great importance in the lives of Noah and the three patriarchs. In the Levitical system and in Solomon’s temple, the altar was the center of daily activity, without which the rest of Israel’s worship could not take place. The “altar of sacrifice” was also crucial in God’s revelation of true worship for joyful times, such as feasts.

10 So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s ^ascribe¹ and the high priest came up and ²put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD.

11 Then 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 ¹paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the LORD,

12 and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to ^arepair the damage of the house of the LORD, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple.

13 However ^athere 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.

14 But they gave that to the workmen, and they repaired the house of the LORD with it.

15 Moreover ^athey did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt ^*faithfully.

16 ^aThe money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the LORD. ^bIt belonged to the priests.

Hazael Threatens Jerusalem

17 ^aHazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then ^bHazael set his face to ¹go up to Jerusalem.

18 And Jehoash king of Judah ^atook 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

19 Now the rest of the acts of ¹Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20 And ^ahis servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of ¹the Millo, which goes down to Silla.

21 For ¹Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of ²Shomer, his servants, struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then ^aAmaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

13

1 In 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.

2 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the ^asins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not ¹depart from them.

3 Then ^athe anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of ^bHazael king of Syria, and into the hand of ^cBen-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days.

4 So Jehoahaz ^apleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him; for ^bHe saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.

5 ^aThen 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.

6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; ^aand the ¹wooden image also remained in Samaria.

7 For 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 ^aand made them ^blike the dust at threshing.

8 Now 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?

9 So Jehoahaz ¹rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then ²Joash his son reigned in his place.

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, ¹Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.

11 And 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.

12 ^aNow the rest of the acts of Joash, ^ball that he did, and ^chis 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?

13 So Joash ^arested¹ with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Death of Elisha

14 Elisha 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, ^athe chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows.

16 Then 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.

17 And 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 ^aAphek till you have destroyed them.”

18 Then 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.

19 And 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! ^aBut now you will strike Syria only three times.”

20 Then Elisha ¹died, and they buried him. And the ^araiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year.

21 So 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

22 And ^aHazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 But the LORD was ^agracious^* to them, had compassion on them, and ^bregarded them, ^cbecause of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.

24 Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place.

25 And ¹Jehoash 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. ^aThree times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.

Amaziah Reigns in Judah

14

1 In ^athe second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, ^bAmaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, became king.

2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.

3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, yet not like his father David; he did everything ^aas his father Joash had done.

4 ^aHowever the ¹high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

5 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he executed his servants ^awho had murdered his father the king.

6 But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which the LORD commanded, saying, ^a“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin.”

7 ^aHe killed ten thousand Edomites in ^bthe Valley of Salt, and took ¹Sela by war, ^cand called its name Joktheel to this day.

8 ^aThen Amaziah sent messengers to ¹Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.”

9 And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, ^a“The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the ^bcedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.

10 “You have indeed defeated Edom, and ^ayour heart has ¹lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not heed. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went out; so he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at ^aBeth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah.

12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent.

13 Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh; and he went to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from ^athe Gate of Ephraim to ^bthe Corner Gate—¹four hundred cubits.

14 And he took all ^athe gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of the LORD and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

15 ^aNow the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did—his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

16 So Jehoash ¹rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

17 ^aAmaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel.

18 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

19 And ^athey formed a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to ^bLachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there.

20 Then they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

21 And all the people of Judah took ^aAzariah,¹ who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah.

22 He built ^aElath¹ and restored it to Judah, after ²the king rested with his fathers.

Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel

23 In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, became king in Samaria, and reigned forty-one years.

24 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from all the ^asins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

25 He ^arestored the ¹territory of Israel ^bfrom the entrance of Hamath to ^cthe² Sea of the Arabah, according to the word of the LORD God of Israel, which He had spoken through His servant ^dJonah the son of Amittai, the prophet who was from ^eGath Hepher.

26 For the LORD ^asaw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter; and whether bond or free, ^bthere was no helper for Israel.

27 ^aAnd the LORD did not say that He would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven; but He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

28 Now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam, and all that he did—his might, how he made war, and how he recaptured for Israel, from ^aDamascus and Hamath, ^bwhat had belonged to Judah—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

29 So Jeroboam ¹rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. Then ^aZechariah his son reigned in his place.

Azariah Reigns in Judah

15

1 In the twenty-seventh year of Jeroboam king of Israel, ^aAzariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, ^bbecame king.

2 He was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah of Jerusalem.

3 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father Amaziah had done,

4 ^aexcept that the ¹high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

5 Then the LORD ^astruck the king, so that he was a leper until the day of his ^bdeath; so he ^cdwelt in an isolated house. And Jotham the king’s son was over the royal house, judging the people of the land.

6 Now the rest of the acts of Azariah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

7 So Azariah ¹rested with his fathers, and ^athey buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then Jotham his son reigned in his place.

Zechariah Reigns in Israel

8 In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, ^aZechariah the son of Jeroboam reigned over Israel in Samaria six months.

9 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, ^aas his fathers had done; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

10 Then Shallum the son of Jabesh conspired against him, and ^astruck and killed him in front of the people; and he reigned in his place.

11 Now the rest of the acts of Zechariah, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

12 This was the word of the LORD which He spoke to Jehu, saying, ^a“Your sons shall sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” And so it was.

Shallum Reigns in Israel

13 Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of ¹Uzziah king of Judah; and he reigned a full month in Samaria.

14 For Menahem the son of Gadi went up from ^aTirzah, came to Samaria, and struck Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria and killed him; and he reigned in his place.

15 Now the rest of the acts of Shallum, and the conspiracy which he ¹led, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

16 Then from Tirzah, Menahem attacked ^aTiphsah, all who were there, and its territory. Because they did not surrender, therefore he attacked it. All ^bthe women there who were with child he ripped open.

Menahem Reigns in Israel

17 In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became king over Israel, and reigned ten years in Samaria.

18 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart all his days from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

19 ^aPul¹ king of Assyria came against the land; and Menahem gave Pul a thousand talents of silver, that his ²hand might be with him to ^bstrengthen the kingdom under his control.

20 And Menahem ^aexacted¹ the money from Israel, from all the very wealthy, from each man fifty shekels of silver, to give to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria turned back, and did not stay there in the land.

21 Now the rest of the acts of Menahem, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

22 So Menahem ¹rested with his fathers. Then Pekahiah his son reigned in his place.

Pekahiah Reigns in Israel

23 In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned two years.

24 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

25 Then Pekah the son of Remaliah, an officer of his, conspired against him and ¹killed him in Samaria, in the ^acitadel of the king’s house, along with Argob and Arieh; and with him were fifty men of Gilead. He killed him and reigned in his place.

26 Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Pekah Reigns in Israel

27 In the fifty-second year of Azariah king of Judah, ^aPekah the son of Remaliah became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned twenty years.

28 And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin.

29 In the days of Pekah king of Israel, ¹Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria ^acame and took ^bIjon, Abel Beth Maachah, Janoah, Kedesh, Hazor, Gilead, and Galilee, all the land of Naphtali; and he ^ccarried them captive to Assyria.

30 Then Hoshea the son of Elah led a conspiracy against Pekah the son of Remaliah, and struck and killed him; so he ^areigned in his place in the twentieth year of Jotham the son of Uzziah.

31 Now the rest of the acts of Pekah, and all that he did, indeed they are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

Jotham Reigns in Judah

32 In the second year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, ^aJotham the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, began to reign.

33 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was ¹Jerusha the daughter of Zadok.

34 And he did what was right in the sight of the LORD; he did ^aaccording to all that his father Uzziah had done.

35 ^aHowever the ¹high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. ^bHe built the Upper Gate of the house of the LORD.

36 Now the rest of the acts of Jotham, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

37 In those days the LORD began to send ^aRezin king of Syria and ^bPekah the son of Remaliah against Judah.

38 So Jotham ¹rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Ahaz his son reigned in his place.

Ahaz Reigns in Judah

16

1 In the seventeenth year of Pekah the son of Remaliah, Ahaz the son of Jotham, king of Judah, began to reign.

2 Ahaz was twenty years old when he became king, and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of the LORD his God, as his father David had done.

3 But he walked in the way of the kings of Israel; indeed ^ahe made his son pass through the fire, according to the ^babominations of the nations whom the LORD had cast out from before the children of Israel.

4 And he sacrificed and burned incense on the ^ahigh places, ^bon the hills, and under every green tree.

5 ^aThen Rezin king of Syria and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, came up to Jerusalem to make war; and they besieged Ahaz but could not overcome him.