¹⁷ So Ahaziah died, just as the Lord had promised through Elijah. Since Ahaziah did not have a son to succeed him, his brother Joram^[a] became the next king. This took place in the second year of the reign of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah.

War between Israel and Moab

3 Ahab’s son Joram^[a] began to rule over Israel in the eighteenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria twelve years.

⁶ So King Joram promptly mustered the army of Israel and marched from Samaria.

²⁴ But Jehu drew his bow and shot Joram between the shoulders. The arrow pierced his heart, and he sank down dead in his chariot.

⁵ Following their evil advice, Ahaziah joined Joram,^[a] the son of King Ahab of Israel, in his war against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead. When the Arameans^[b] wounded Joram in the battle, ⁶ he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he had received at Ramoth.^[c] Because Joram was wounded, King Ahaziah^[d] of Judah went to Jezreel to visit him.

⁷ But God had decided that this visit would be Ahaziah’s downfall. While he was there, Ahaziah went out with Joram to meet Jehu grandson of Nimshi,^[e] whom the Lord had appointed to destroy the dynasty of Ahab.