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)

Judah’s King Amaziah

25 Amaziah^(A) became king when he was twenty-five years old, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. ² He did what was right in the Lord’s sight but not wholeheartedly.^(B)

³ As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp,^[a] he executed his servants who had killed his father the king. ⁴ However, he did not put their children to death, because—as it is written in the Law, in the book of Moses,^(C) where the Lord commanded—“Fathers are not to die because of children, and children are not to die because of fathers, but each one will die for his own sin.”^(D)

Amaziah’s Campaign against Edom

⁵ Then Amaziah gathered Judah and assembled them according to ancestral families,^[b] according to commanders of thousands, and according to commanders of hundreds. He numbered those twenty years old or more^(E) for all Judah and Benjamin. He found there to be three hundred thousand fit young men who could serve in the army, bearing spear and shield.^{(F) 6} Then for 7,500 pounds^[c] of silver he hired one hundred thousand valiant warriors from Israel.

⁷ However, a man of God^(G) came to him and said, “King, do not let Israel’s army go with you, for the Lord is not with Israel—all the Ephraimites. ⁸ But if you go with them, do it! Be strong for battle! But God will make you stumble before the enemy,^(H) for God has the power to help^(I) or to make one stumble.”

⁹ Then Amaziah said to the man of God, “What should I do about the 7,500 pounds of silver I gave to Israel’s division?”

The man of God replied, “The Lord is able to give you much more than this.”

¹⁰ So Amaziah released the division that came to him from Ephraim to go home. But they got very angry with Judah and returned home in a fierce rage.

¹¹ Amaziah strengthened his position and led his people to the Salt Valley. He struck down ten thousand Seirites,^{[d] 12} and the Judahites captured ten thousand alive. They took them to the top of a cliff where they threw them off, and all of them were dashed to pieces.

¹³ As for the men of the division that Amaziah sent back so they would not go with him into battle, they raided the cities of Judah from Samaria to Beth-horon, struck down three thousand of their people, and took a great deal of plunder.

¹⁴ After Amaziah came from the attack on the Edomites, he brought the gods of the Seirites and set them up as his gods. He worshiped before them and burned incense to them.^{(J) 15} So the Lord’s anger was against Amaziah, and he sent a prophet to him, who said, “Why have you sought a people’s gods that could not rescue their own people from you?” ^(K)

¹⁶ While he was still speaking to him, the king asked, “Have we made you the king’s counselor? Stop, why should you lose your life?”

So the prophet stopped, but he said, “I know that God intends to destroy you, because you have done this and have not listened to my advice.”

Amaziah’s War with Israel’s King Jehoash

¹⁷ King Amaziah of Judah took counsel^(L) and sent word to Jehoash^[e] son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, and challenged him: “Come, let’s meet face to face.”

¹⁸ King Jehoash of Israel sent word to King Amaziah of Judah, saying, “The thistle in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle.^{(M) 19} You have said, ‘Look, I^[f] have defeated Edom,’ and you have become overconfident^[g](N) that you will get glory. Now stay at home. Why stir up such trouble so that you fall and Judah with you?”

²⁰ But Amaziah would not listen, for this turn of events was from God in order to hand them over to their enemies because they went after the gods of Edom. ²¹ So King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face at Beth-shemesh that belonged to Judah. ²² Judah was routed before Israel, and each man fled to his own tent. ²³ King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, son of Jehoahaz,^[h](O) at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash took him to Jerusalem and broke down two hundred yards^[i] of Jerusalem’s wall from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate.^{[j](P) 24} He took all the gold, silver, all the utensils that were found with Obed-edom^(Q) in God’s temple, the treasures of the king’s palace, and the hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.

Amaziah’s Death

²⁵ Judah’s King Amaziah^(R) son of Joash lived fifteen years after the death of Israel’s King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz. ²⁶ The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign, from beginning to end, are written in the Book of the Kings of Judah and Israel.

²⁷ From the time Amaziah turned from following the Lord, a conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. ²⁸ They carried him back on horses and buried him with his ancestors in the city of Judah.^[k](S)

Psalm 53

A Portrait of Sinners

For the choir director: on Mahalath.^(A) A Maskil of David.

Lord of the Sabbath

12 At that time Jesus passed through the grainfields on the Sabbath.^(A) His disciples^(B) were hungry and began to pick and eat some heads of grain. ² When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “See, your disciples are doing what is not lawful^(C) to do on the Sabbath.”

³ He said to them, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry: ⁴ how he entered the house of God, and they ate^[a] the bread of the Presence—which is not lawful for him or for those with him to eat, but only for the priests?^{(D) 5} Or haven’t you read in the law that on Sabbath days the priests in the temple violate the Sabbath and are innocent?^{(E) 6} I tell you that something greater than the temple is here.^{(F) 7} If you had known what this means, I desire mercy and not sacrifice,^[b](G) you would not have condemned the innocent. ⁸ For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”^(H)

The Man with the Shriveled Hand

⁹ Moving on from there, he entered their synagogue.^{(I) 10} There he saw a man who had a shriveled hand, and in order to accuse him they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” ^(J)

¹¹ He replied to them, “Who among you, if he had a sheep that fell into a pit on the Sabbath, wouldn’t take hold of it and lift it out?^{(K) 12} A person is worth far more than a sheep; ^(L) so it is lawful to do what is good on the Sabbath.”

¹³ Then he told the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out, and it was restored,^(M) as good as the other. ¹⁴ But the Pharisees went out and plotted against him, how they might kill him.^(N)

The Servant of the Lord

¹⁵ Jesus was aware of this and withdrew. Large crowds^[c] followed him, and he healed them all.^{(O) 16} He warned them not to make him known,^{(P) 17} so that what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:

A House Divided

²² Then a demon-possessed man^(S) who was blind and unable to speak was brought to him. He healed him, so that the man^[f] could both speak and see.^{(T) 23} All the crowds were astounded and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” ^(U)

²⁴ When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “This man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.”^(V)

²⁵ Knowing their thoughts,^(W) he told them, “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. ²⁶ If Satan^(X) drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? ²⁷ And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons drive them out? For this reason they will be your judges.^{(Y) 28} If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.^{(Z) 29} How can someone enter a strong man’s house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up^(AA) the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. ³⁰ Anyone who is not with me is against me,^(AB) and anyone who does not gather with me scatters. ³¹ Therefore,^(AC) I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy,^(AD) but the blasphemy against^[g] the Spirit will not be forgiven.^{[h] 32} Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man,^(AE) it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come.^(AF)

A Tree and Its Fruit

³³ “Either make the tree good and its fruit will be good, or make the tree bad^[i] and its fruit will be bad; for a tree is known by its fruit.^{(AG) 34} Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow^(AH) of the heart. ³⁵ A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.^{(AI) 36} I tell you that on the day of judgment^(AJ) people will have to account^(AK) for every careless^[j] word they speak.^{[k] 37} For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”

The Sign of Jonah

³⁸ Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”^(AL)

³⁹ He answered them,^(AM) “An evil and adulterous generation demands a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.^{(AN) 40} For as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish^[l](AO) three days and three nights,^(AP) so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights. ⁴¹ The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,^(AQ) because they repented at Jonah’s preaching; and look—something greater than Jonah is here.^{(AR) 42} The queen of the south^(AS) will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and look—something greater than Solomon is here.

An Unclean Spirit’s Return

⁴³ “When an unclean spirit comes out of a person, it roams through waterless places looking for rest but doesn’t find any.^{(AT) 44} Then it says, ‘I’ll go back to my house that I came from.’ Returning, it finds the house vacant, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵ Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that person’s last condition is worse than the first.^(AU) That’s how it will also be with this evil generation.”

True Relationships

⁴⁶ While he^(AV) was still speaking with the crowds, his mother and brothers were standing outside wanting to speak to him.^{(AW) 47} Someone told him, “Look, your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”^[m]

⁴⁸ He replied to the one who was speaking to him, “Who is my mother and who are my brothers?” ⁴⁹ Stretching out his hand toward his disciples,^(AX) he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! ⁵⁰ For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.”^(AY)