2 Kings 13

Tree of Life Version

The Reign of Jehoahaz and Jehoash

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of King Ahaziah of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned 17 years. ² But he did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes—he continued in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, and did not turn away from them. ³ So the anger of Adonai was kindled against Israel, and He continually gave them into the hand of King Hazael of Aram and into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz sought Adonai’s face, so Adonai listened to him, for He saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Aram oppressed them. ⁵ Adonai gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Arameans, and the men of Israel dwelt in their tents as they had before.

⁶ Nevertheless they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit, but walked in them—and the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria. ⁷ Indeed, Jehoahaz was not left with a force of more than 50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and trampled them like dust when threshing. ⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ⁹ Then Jehoahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria. His son Joash became king in his place.

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of King Joash of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned 16 years. ¹¹ But he did what was evil in Adonai’s eyes. He did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them. ¹² Now the rest of the events of Joash’s reign and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ¹³ Then Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. So Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Victories as Elisha Dies

¹⁴ When Elisha got sick with his illness from which he would die, King Joash of Israel came down to him, wept over him and cried, “Avi, avi, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”

¹⁵ Then Elisha said to him, “Take bow and arrows.” So he took bow and arrows. ¹⁶ Then he said to the king of Israel, “Mount your hand on the bow!” So he mounted his hand on it. Elisha then laid his hands on the king’s hands, ¹⁷ and said, “Open the window to the east,” and then Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he shot. Then he said, “Adonai’s arrow of deliverance! Yes, an arrow of victory over Aram! You will strike down the Arameans in Aphek until they are demolished.” ¹⁸ Then he said, “Take the arrows!” and he took them. Then he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” and he struck it three times, then stopped. ¹⁹ But the man of God was upset with him and said, “If only you had struck five or six times, then you would have annihilated Aram till you had consumed it. But now you will strike Aram only three times.”

²⁰ Then Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabite marauders used to invade the land at the spring of the year. ²¹ It came about, as they were burying a man, behold, they saw a marauding band, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. As soon as the man’s body touched Elisha’s bones, he came back to life and stood up on his feet!

²² But King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³ Yet Adonai was gracious to them, had compassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So He was not willing to destroy them or cast them from His presence up to now. ²⁴ Then King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad became king in his place. ²⁵ Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz restored from the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns which he had taken out from the hand of his father Jehoahaz in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel.