Jehoahaz King of Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. ² He did evil^(A) in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. ³ So the Lord’s anger^(B) burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power^(C) of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad^(D) his son.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz sought^(E) the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw^(F) how severely the king of Aram was oppressing^(G) Israel. ⁵ The Lord provided a deliverer^(H) for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. ⁶ But they did not turn away from the sins^(I) of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole^[a](J) remained standing in Samaria.

⁷ Nothing had been left^(K) of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust^(L) at threshing time.

⁸ As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? ⁹ Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash^[b] his son succeeded him as king.

Jehoash King of Israel

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

⁸ “And now you plan to resist the kingdom of the Lord, which is in the hands of David’s descendants.^(A) You are indeed a vast army and have with you^(B) the golden calves^(C) that Jeroboam made to be your gods. ⁹ But didn’t you drive out the priests^(D) of the Lord,^(E) the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and make priests of your own as the peoples of other lands do? Whoever comes to consecrate himself with a young bull^(F) and seven rams^(G) may become a priest of what are not gods.^(H)

¹⁰ “As for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forsaken him. The priests who serve the Lord are sons of Aaron, and the Levites assist them. ¹¹ Every morning and evening^(I) they present burnt offerings and fragrant incense^(J) to the Lord. They set out the bread on the ceremonially clean table^(K) and light the lamps^(L) on the gold lampstand every evening. We are observing the requirements of the Lord our God. But you have forsaken him.