Israel’s King Jehoahaz

13 In the twenty-third year of Judah’s King Joash^(A) son of Ahaziah, Jehoahaz^(B) son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned 17 years. ² He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.^{(C) 3} So the Lord’s anger burned against Israel,^(D) and He surrendered them to the power of Hazael^(E) king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad^(F) during their reigns.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord’s favor, and the Lord heard him, for He saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.^{(G) 5} Therefore, the Lord gave Israel a deliverer,^(H) and they escaped from the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel dwelt in their tents as before, ⁶ but they didn’t turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Jehoahaz walked in them,^(I) and the Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria. ⁷ Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them,^(J) making them like dust at threshing.^(K)

⁸ The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(L) 9} Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash^[a] became king in his place.

Israel’s King Jehoash

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Judah’s King Joash, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned 16 years. ¹¹ He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.^(M)

Aramean Invasion of Judah

¹⁷ At that time Hazael^(A) king of Aram marched up and fought against Gath and captured it. Then he planned to attack Jerusalem.^{(B) 18} So King Joash of Judah took all the consecrated items that his ancestors—Judah’s kings Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah—had consecrated, along with his own consecrated items and all the gold found in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and in the king’s palace, and he sent them to Hazael king of Aram.^(C) Then Hazael withdrew from Jerusalem.

Joash Assassinated

¹⁹ The rest of the events of Joash’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^{(D) 20} Joash’s servants conspired against him and killed him^(E) at Beth-millo^(F) on the road that goes down to Silla. ²¹ His servants Jozabad^[a] son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer struck him down, and he died.^(G) Then they buried him with his fathers in the city of David, and his son Amaziah became king in his place.^(H)

Aramean Invasion of Judah

²³ At the turn of the year, an Aramean army went to war against Joash.^(A) They entered Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people among them and sent all the plunder to the king of Damascus. ²⁴ Although the Aramean army came with only a few men, the Lord handed over^(B) a vast army to them because the people of Judah had abandoned^(C) Yahweh, the God of their ancestors. So they executed judgment on Joash.

Joash Assassinated

²⁵ When^(D) the Arameans saw that Joash had many wounds, they left him. His servants conspired against him, and killed him on his bed, because he had shed the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings.^(E)

²⁶ Those who conspired against him were Zabad, son of the Ammonite woman Shimeath, and Jehozabad, son of the Moabite woman Shimrith.^{[a](F) 27} Concerning his sons, the many oracles about him, and the restoration^(G) of the Lord’s temple, they are recorded in the Writing^(H) of the Book of the Kings. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Elisha’s Death

¹⁴ When Elisha became sick with the illness that he died from, Jehoash king of Israel went down and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”^(A)

¹⁵ Elisha responded, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he got a bow and arrows.^{(B) 16} Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So the king put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷ Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot.^(C) Then Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek^(D) until you have put an end to them.”

¹⁸ Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped. ¹⁹ The man of God^(E) was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to them, but now you will only strike down Aram three times.” ²⁰ Then Elisha died and was buried.^(F)

Now Moabite raiders^(G) used to come into the land in the spring of the year. ²¹ Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a raiding party, so they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb. When he touched Elisha’s bones, the man revived and stood up!^(H)

God’s Mercy on Israel

²² Hazael^(I) king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz, ²³ but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them,^(J) and turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.^(K) He was not willing to destroy them. Even now He has not banished them from His presence.^(L)

²⁴ King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad^(M) became king in his place. ²⁵ Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in war from Jehoash’s father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the cities of Israel.^(N)