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 he reigned seventeen 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 handed them over to King Hazael^(E) of Aram and to 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 returned to their former way of life,^{[a] 6} but they didn’t turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Jehoahaz continued them,^(I) and the Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria. ⁷ Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand 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 ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash^[b] 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 he reigned sixteen 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 continued them.^(M)

¹² The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with all his accomplishments and the power he had to wage war against Judah’s King Amaziah,^(N) are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings. ¹³ Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam^(O) sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Elisha’s Death

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

¹⁵ Elisha responded, “Get a bow and arrows.” So he got a bow and arrows.^{(Q) 16} Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Grasp the bow.” So the king grasped 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.^(R) 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^(S) 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^(T) 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 strike down Aram only three times.” ²⁰ Then Elisha died and was buried.^(U)

Now Moabite raiders^(V) 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!^(W)

God’s Mercy on Israel

²² King Hazael^(X) of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz, ²³ but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them,^(Y) and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.^(Z) He was not willing to destroy them. Even now he has not banished them from his presence.^(AA)

²⁴ King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad^(AB) 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.^(AC)

Judah’s King Amaziah

14 In^(AD) the second year of Israel’s King Jehoash^[c](AE) son of Jehoahaz,^[d] Amaziah^(AF) son of Joash became king of Judah. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan;^[e] she was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the Lord’s sight, but not like his ancestor David. He did everything his father Joash had done.^{(AG) 4} Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.^(AH)

⁵ As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah killed his servants who had killed his father the king.^{(AI) 6} However, he did not put the children of the killers to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses where the Lord commanded, “Fathers are not to be put to death because of children, and children are not to be put to death because of fathers; instead, each one will be put to death for his own sin.”^(AJ)

⁷ Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in Salt Valley.^(AK) He took Sela^(AL) in battle and called it Joktheel,^(AM) which is still its name today. ⁸ Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”^(AN)

⁹ King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar^(AO) in Lebanon,^(AP) saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. ¹⁰ You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident.^[f](AQ) Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh^(AR) that belonged to Judah. ¹² Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent.^{(AS) 13} King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash,^[g] son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards^[h] of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate^(AT) to the Corner Gate.^{(AU) 14} He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace, and some hostages.^(AV) Then he returned to Samaria.

Jehoash’s Death

¹⁵ The rest of the events of Jehoash’s reign, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against King Amaziah of Judah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(AW) 16} Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.

Amaziah’s Death

¹⁷ Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash lived fifteen years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz.^{(AX) 18} The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^{(AY) 19} A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem,^(AZ) and he fled to Lachish.^(BA) However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. ²⁰ They carried him back^(BB) on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the city of David.^(BC)

²¹ Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,^[i](BD) who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²² After Amaziah the king rested with his ancestors, Azariah rebuilt Elath^[j](BE) and restored it to Judah.

Israel’s King Jeroboam

²³ In the fifteenth year of Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam^(BF) son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. ²⁴ He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.^(BG)

²⁵ He restored Israel’s border^(BH) from Lebo-hamath^(BI) as far as the Sea of the Arabah,^(BJ) according to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through his servant, the prophet Jonah^(BK) son of Amittai from Gath-hepher.^{(BL) 26} For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter^(BM) for both slaves and free people.^[k] There was no one to help Israel. ²⁷ The Lord had not said he would blot out the name of Israel under heaven,^(BN) so he delivered^(BO) them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.

²⁸ The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign—along with all his accomplishments, the power he had to wage war, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus^(BP) and Hamath,^(BQ) which had belonged to Judah^[l]—are written in the Historical Record of Israel’s Kings.^{(BR) 29} Jeroboam rested with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.^(BS)

Jesus at the Festival of Dedication

²² Then the Festival of Dedication took place in Jerusalem, and it was winter. ²³ Jesus was walking in the temple in Solomon’s Colonnade.^{(A) 24} The Jews surrounded him and asked, “How long are you going to keep us in suspense?^[a] If you are the Messiah,^(B) tell us plainly.”^[b](C)

²⁵ “I did tell you and you don’t believe,” Jesus answered them. “The works^(D) that I do in my Father’s name testify about me. ²⁶ But you don’t believe because you are not of my sheep.^{[c](E) 27} My sheep hear my voice, I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life,^(F) and they will never perish.^(G) No one will snatch^(H) them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father,^(I) who has given them to me, is greater than all. No one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”^(J)

Renewed Efforts to Stone Jesus

³¹ Again the Jews picked up rocks to stone him.^(K)

³² Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works^(L) from the Father. For which of these works are you stoning me?”

³³ “We aren’t stoning^(M) you for a good work,” the Jews answered, “but for blasphemy, because you—being a man—make yourself God.”

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Isn’t it written in your law,^[d] I said, you are gods?^{[e](N) 35} If he called those to whom the word^(O) of God came ‘gods’—and the Scripture^(P) cannot be broken— ³⁶ do you say, ‘You are blaspheming’ to the one the Father set apart and sent into the world, because I said: I am the Son of God?^{(Q) 37} If I am not doing my Father’s works,^(R) don’t believe me. ³⁸ But if I am doing them and you don’t believe me, believe the works. This way you will know and understand^[f] that the Father is in me and I in the Father.”^{(S) 39} Then they were trying again to seize him,^(T) but he escaped their grasp.^(U)

Many beyond the Jordan Believe in Jesus

⁴⁰ So he departed again across the Jordan^(V) to the place where John^(W) had been baptizing earlier, and he remained there. ⁴¹ Many came to him^(X) and said, “John never did a sign, but everything John said about this man was true.” ⁴² And many believed in him there.