¹⁷ About this time Hazael^(A) king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem.

²³ At the turn of the year,^[a] the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people.^(A) They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus. ²⁴ Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men,^(B) the Lord delivered into their hands a much larger army.^(C) Because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their ancestors, judgment was executed on Joash.

⁵³ but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.

Samaritan Opposition

⁵¹ As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven,^(A) Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.^(B)

¹⁵ then hear the word of the Lord,^(A) you remnant of Judah. This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘If you are determined to go to Egypt and you do go to settle there,

David’s Victories^(A)

18 In the course of time, David defeated the Philistines and subdued them, and he took Gath and its surrounding villages from the control of the Philistines.

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

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

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

“The Lord has shown me that you will become king^(F) 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.^(G) Then Hazael succeeded him as king.

¹⁷ Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael,^(A) and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.^(B)