¹⁵ The Lord said to him, “Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael^(A) king over Aram.

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

⁷ Elisha went to Damascus,^(A) and Ben-Hadad^(B) king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here,” ⁸ he said to Hazael,^(C) “Take a gift^(D) with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult^(E) the Lord through him; ask him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

⁹ Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”

¹⁰ Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’^(F) Nevertheless,^[a] the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.” ¹¹ He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed.^(G) Then the man of God began to weep.^(H)

¹² “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.

“Because I know the harm^(I) you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash^(J) their little children^(K) to the ground, and rip open^(L) their pregnant women.”

¹³ Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog,^(M) accomplish such a feat?”

“The Lord has shown me that you will become king^(N) of Aram,” answered Elisha.

¹⁴ Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” ¹⁵ But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died.^(O) Then Hazael succeeded him as king.

² This is what the Lord said to me: “Make a yoke^(A) out of straps and crossbars and put it on your neck. ³ Then send^(B) word to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon,^(C) Tyre and Sidon^(D) through the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. ⁴ Give them a message for their masters and say, ‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Tell this to your masters: ⁵ With my great power and outstretched arm^(E) I made^(F) the earth and its people and the animals^(G) that are on it, and I give^(H) it to anyone I please. ⁶ Now I will give all your countries into the hands of my servant^(I) Nebuchadnezzar^(J) king of Babylon; I will make even the wild animals subject to him.^{(K) 7} All nations will serve^(L) him and his son and his grandson until the time^(M) for his land comes; then many nations and great kings will subjugate^(N) him.

⁸ “‘“If, however, any nation or kingdom will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon or bow its neck under his yoke, I will punish^(O) that nation with the sword,^(P) famine^(Q) and plague,^(R) declares the Lord, until I destroy it by his hand. ⁹ So do not listen to your prophets,^(S) your diviners,^(T) your interpreters of dreams,^(U) your mediums^(V) or your sorcerers^(W) who tell you, ‘You will not serve^(X) the king of Babylon.’ ¹⁰ They prophesy lies^(Y) to you that will only serve to remove^(Z) you far from your lands; I will banish you and you will perish. ¹¹ But if any nation will bow its neck under the yoke^(AA) of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will let that nation remain in its own land to till it and to live^(AB) there, declares the Lord.”’”

¹² I gave the same message to Zedekiah king of Judah. I said, “Bow your neck under the yoke^(AC) of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.^{(AD) 13} Why will you and your people die^(AE) by the sword, famine and plague^(AF) with which the Lord has threatened any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? ¹⁴ Do not listen^(AG) to the words of the prophets^(AH) who say to you, ‘You will not serve the king of Babylon,’ for they are prophesying lies^(AI) to you. ¹⁵ ‘I have not sent^(AJ) them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name.^(AK) Therefore, I will banish you and you will perish,^(AL) both you and the prophets who prophesy to you.’”

¹⁶ Then I said to the priests and all these people, “This is what the Lord says: Do not listen to the prophets who say, ‘Very soon now the articles^(AM) from the Lord’s house will be brought back from Babylon.’ They are prophesying lies to you. ¹⁷ Do not listen^(AN) to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live.^(AO) Why should this city become a ruin? ¹⁸ If they are prophets and have the word of the Lord, let them plead^(AP) with the Lord Almighty that the articles remaining in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem not be taken to Babylon. ¹⁹ For this is what the Lord Almighty says about the pillars, the bronze Sea,^(AQ) the movable stands and the other articles^(AR) that are left in this city, ²⁰ which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away when he carried^(AS) Jehoiachin^[a](AT) son of Jehoiakim king of Judah into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon, along with all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— ²¹ yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says about the things that are left in the house of the Lord and in the palace of the king of Judah and in Jerusalem: ²² ‘They will be taken^(AU) to Babylon and there they will remain until the day^(AV) I come for them,’ declares the Lord. ‘Then I will bring^(AW) them back and restore them to this place.’”

¹⁰ See, today I appoint you over nations^(A) and kingdoms to uproot^(B) and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”^(C)

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah^(A)

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

²⁸ Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead.^(A) The Arameans wounded Joram;

¹⁵ During the night Abram divided his men^(A) to attack them and he routed them, pursuing them as far as Hobah, north of Damascus.^(B)