Bible in 90 Days
Elisha Makes a Meal Edible
38 Now Elisha went back to Gilgal, while there was a famine in the land. Some of the prophets were visiting him[a] and he told his servant, “Put the big pot on the fire[b] and boil some stew for the prophets.”[c] 39 Someone went out to the field to gather some herbs and found a wild vine.[d] He picked some of its fruit,[e] enough to fill up the fold of his robe. He came back, cut it up, and threw the slices[f] into the stew pot, not knowing they were harmful.[g] 40 The stew was poured out[h] for the men to eat. When they ate some of the stew, they cried out, “Death is in the pot, O prophet!” They could not eat it. 41 He said, “Get some flour.” Then he threw it into the pot and said, “Now pour some out for the men so they may eat.”[i] There was no longer anything harmful in the pot.
Elisha Miraculously Feeds a Hundred People
42 Now a man from Baal Shalisha brought some food for the prophet[j]—twenty loaves of bread made from the firstfruits of the barley harvest, as well as fresh ears of grain.[k] Elisha[l] said, “Set it before the people so they may eat.” 43 But his attendant said, “How can I feed a hundred men with this?”[m] He replied, “Set it before the people so they may eat, for this is what the Lord has said, ‘They will eat and have some left over.’”[n] 44 So he set it before them; they ate and had some left over, just as in the Lord’s message.
Elisha Heals a Syrian General
5 Now Naaman, the commander of the king of Syria’s army, was esteemed and respected by his master,[o] for through him the Lord had given Syria military victories. But this great warrior had a skin disease.[p] 2 Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. 3 She told her mistress, “If only my master were in the presence of the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his skin disease.”
4 Naaman[q] went and told his master what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 The king of Syria said, “Go! I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman[r] went, taking with him 10 talents[s] of silver, 6,000 shekels of gold,[t] and 10 suits of clothes. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel. It read: “This is a letter of introduction for my servant Naaman,[u] whom I have sent to be cured of his skin disease.” 7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God? Can I kill or restore life? Why does he ask me to cure a man of his skin disease?[v] Certainly you must see that he is looking for an excuse to fight me!”[w]
8 When Elisha the prophet[x] heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent this message to the king, “Why did you tear your clothes? Send him[y] to me so he may know there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood in the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent out a messenger who told him, “Go and wash seven times in the Jordan; your skin will be restored[z] and you will be healed.” 11 Naaman went away angry. He said, “Look, I thought for sure he would come out, stand there, invoke the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the area, and cure the skin disease. 12 The rivers of Damascus, the Abana and Pharpar, are better than any of the waters of Israel![aa] Could I not wash in them and be healed?” So he turned around and went away angry. 13 His servants approached and said to him,[ab] “O master,[ac] if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task,[ad] you would have been willing to do it.[ae] It seems you should be happy that he simply said, ‘Wash and you will be healed.’[af] 14 So he went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, as the prophet had instructed.[ag] His skin became as smooth as a young child’s[ah] and he was healed.
15 He and his entire entourage returned to the prophet. Naaman[ai] came and stood before him. He said, “For sure[aj] I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel! Now, please accept a gift from your servant.” 16 But Elisha[ak] replied, “As certainly as the Lord lives (whom I serve),[al] I will take nothing from you.” Naaman[am] insisted that he take it, but he refused. 17 Naaman said, “If not, then please give your servant a load of dirt, enough for a pair of mules to carry,[an] for your servant will never again offer a burnt offering or sacrifice to a god other than the Lord.[ao] 18 May the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship, and he leans on my arm and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”[ap] 19 Elisha[aq] said to him, “Go in peace.”
When he had gone a short distance,[ar] 20 Gehazi, the prophet Elisha’s servant, thought,[as] “Look, my master did not accept what this Syrian Naaman offered him.[at] As certainly as the Lord lives, I will run after him and accept something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from his chariot to meet him and asked, “Is everything all right?”[au] 22 He answered, “Everything is fine.[av] My master sent me with this message, ‘Look, two servants of the prophets just arrived from the Ephraimite hill country.[aw] Please give them a talent[ax] of silver and two suits of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said, “Please accept two talents of silver.”[ay] He insisted, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, along with two suits of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants and they carried them for Gehazi.[az] 24 When he arrived at the hill, he took them from the servants[ba] and put them in the house. Then he sent the men on their way.[bb]
25 When he came and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” He answered, “Your servant hasn’t been anywhere.” 26 Elisha[bc] replied, “I was there in spirit when a man turned and got down from his chariot to meet you.[bd] This is not the proper time to accept silver or to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, cattle, and male and female servants.[be] 27 Therefore Naaman’s skin disease will afflict[bf] you and your descendants forever!” When Gehazi[bg] went out from his presence, his skin was as white as snow.[bh]
Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float
6 Some of the prophets[bi] said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you[bj] is too cramped[bk] for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there, and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there.” He said, “Go.” 3 One of them said, “Please come along with your servants.” He replied, “All right, I’ll come.” 4 So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they started cutting down trees. 5 As one of them was felling a tree, the ax head[bl] dropped into the water. He shouted, “Oh no,[bm] my master! It was borrowed!” 6 The prophet[bn] asked, “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot, Elisha[bo] cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float. 7 He said, “Lift it out.” So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.
Elisha Defeats an Army
8 Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade[bp] at such and such[bq] a place.” 9 But the prophet sent this message to the king of Israel, “Make sure you don’t pass through this place because Syria is invading there.” 10 So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out, warning it[br] to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions.[bs] 11 This made the king of Syria upset.[bt] So he summoned his advisers[bu] and said to them, “One of us must be helping the king of Israel.”[bv] 12 One of his advisers said, “No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom.” 13 The king[bw] ordered, “Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him.”[bx] The king was told, “He is in Dothan.” 14 So he sent horses and chariots there, along with a good-sized army.[by] They arrived during the night and surrounded the city.
15 The prophet’s[bz] attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha,[ca] “Oh no, my master! What will we do?” 16 He replied, “Don’t be afraid, for our side outnumbers them.”[cb] 17 Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes so he can see.” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw that[cc] the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 As the army approached him,[cd] Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people[ce] with blindness.”[cf] The Lord[cg] struck them with blindness as Elisha requested.[ch] 19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the right road or city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you’re looking for.” He led them to Samaria.
20 When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open their eyes, so they can see.” The Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.[ci] 21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down,[cj] my master?”[ck] 22 He replied, “Do not strike them down! You did not capture them with your sword or bow, so what gives you the right to strike them down?[cl] Give them some food and water, so they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he threw a big banquet[cm] for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back[cn] to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.
The Lord Saves Samaria
24 Later King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled his entire army and attacked[co] and besieged Samaria. 25 Samaria’s food supply ran out.[cp] They laid siege to it so long that[cq] a donkey’s head was selling for eighty shekels of silver[cr] and a quarter of a kab[cs] of dove’s droppings[ct] for five shekels of silver.[cu]
26 While the king of Israel was passing by on the city wall, a woman shouted to him, “Help us, my master, O king!” 27 He replied, “No, let the Lord help you. How can I help you? The threshing floor and winepress are empty.”[cv] 28 Then the king asked her, “What’s your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Hand over your son; we’ll eat him today and then eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day, ‘Hand over your son and we’ll eat him.’ But she hid her son!” 30 When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his clothes. As he was passing by on the wall, the people could see he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes.[cw] 31 Then he said, “May God judge me severely[cx] if Elisha son of Shaphat still has his head by the end of the day!”[cy]
32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house with the community leaders.[cz] The king[da] sent a messenger on ahead, but before he arrived,[db] Elisha[dc] said to the leaders,[dd] “Do you realize this assassin intends to cut off my head?[de] Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and lean against it. His master will certainly be right behind him.”[df] 33 He was still talking to them when[dg] the messenger approached[dh] and said, “Look, the Lord is responsible for this disaster![di] Why should I continue to wait for the Lord to help?” 7 1 Elisha replied, “Listen to the Lord’s message. This is what the Lord has said, ‘About this time tomorrow a seah[dj] of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’” 2 An officer who was the king’s right-hand man[dk] responded to the prophet,[dl] “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?”[dm] Elisha[dn] said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!”[do]
3 Now four men with a skin disease[dp] were sitting at the entrance of the city gate. They said to one another, “Why are we just sitting here waiting to die?[dq] 4 If we go into the city, we’ll die of starvation,[dr] and if we stay here we’ll die! So come on, let’s defect[ds] to the Syrian camp! If they spare us,[dt] we’ll live; if they kill us—well, we were going to die anyway.”[du] 5 So they started toward[dv] the Syrian camp at dusk. When they reached the edge of the Syrian camp, there was no one there. 6 The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 8 When the men with a skin disease reached the edge of the camp, they entered a tent and had a meal.[dw] They also took some silver, gold, and clothes and went and hid it all.[dx] Then they went back and entered another tent. They looted it[dy] and went and hid what they had taken. 9 Then they said to one another, “It’s not right what we’re doing! This is a day to celebrate, but we haven’t told anyone.[dz] If we wait until dawn,[ea] we’ll be punished.[eb] So come on, let’s go and inform the royal palace.” 10 So they went and called out to the gatekeepers[ec] of the city. They told them, “We entered the Syrian camp and there was no one there. We didn’t even hear a man’s voice.[ed] But the horses and donkeys are still tied up, and the tents remain up.”[ee] 11 The gatekeepers relayed the news to the royal palace.[ef]
12 The king got up in the night and said to his advisers,[eg] “I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know we are starving, so they left the camp and hid in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and enter the city.’” 13 One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people—we’re all going to die!)[eh] Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.”[ei] 14 So they picked two horsemen and the king sent them out to track the Syrian army.[ej] He ordered them, “Go and find out what’s going on.”[ek] 15 So they tracked them[el] as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste.[em] The scouts[en] went back and told the king. 16 Then the people went out and looted the Syrian camp. A seah[eo] of finely milled flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, just as in the Lord’s message.
17 Now the king had placed the officer who was his right-hand man[ep] at the city gate. When the people rushed out, they trampled him to death in the gate.[eq] This fulfilled the prophet’s word which he had spoken when the king tried to arrest him.[er] 18 The prophet had told the king, “Two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of finely milled flour for a shekel; this will happen about this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.” 19 But the officer had replied to the prophet, “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?”[es] Elisha[et] had said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!”[eu] 20 This is exactly what happened to him. The people trampled him to death in the city gate.
Elisha Again Helps the Shunammite Woman
8 Now Elisha advised the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “You and your family should go and live somewhere else for a while,[ev] for the Lord has decreed that a famine will overtake the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman did as the prophet said.[ew] She and her family went and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ask the king to give her back her house and field.[ex] 4 Now the king was talking to Gehazi, the prophet’s[ey] servant, and said, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 While Gehazi[ez] was telling the king how Elisha[fa] had brought the dead back to life, the woman whose son he had brought back to life came to ask the king for her house and field.[fb] Gehazi said, “My master, O king, this is the very woman, and this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she gave him the details.[fc] The king assigned a eunuch to take care of her request and ordered him,[fd] “Give her back everything she owns, as well as the amount of crops her field produced from the day she left the land until now.”
Elisha Meets with Hazael
7 Elisha traveled to Damascus while King Ben Hadad of Syria was sick. The king[fe] was told, “The prophet[ff] has come here.” 8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift[fg] and go visit the prophet. Request from him an oracle from the Lord. Ask him,[fh] ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 9 So Hazael went to visit Elisha.[fi] He took along a gift,[fj] as well as[fk] forty camel-loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son,[fl] King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question,[fm] ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” 10 Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will surely recover,’[fn] but the Lord has revealed to me that he will surely die.” 11 Elisha[fo] just stared at him until Hazael became uncomfortable.[fp] Then the prophet started crying. 12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my master?” He replied, “Because I know the trouble you will cause the Israelites. You will set fire to their fortresses, kill their young men with the sword, smash their children to bits, and rip open their pregnant women.” 13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, who is as insignificant as a dog, accomplish this great military victory?”[fq] Elisha answered, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”[fr] 14 He left Elisha and went to his master. Ben Hadad[fs] asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?” Hazael[ft] replied, “He told me you would surely recover.” 15 The next day Hazael[fu] took a piece of cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over Ben Hadad’s[fv] face until he died. Then Hazael replaced him as king.
Jehoram’s Reign over Judah
16 In the fifth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram became king over Judah.[fw] 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem. 18 He followed in the footsteps of the kings of Israel, just as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he married Ahab’s daughter.[fx] He did evil in the sight of[fy] the Lord. 19 But the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah. He preserved Judah for the sake of[fz] his servant David to whom he had promised a perpetual dynasty.[ga]
20 During his reign Edom freed themselves from Judah’s control and set up their own king.[gb] 21 Jehoram[gc] crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites, who had surrounded him, attacked at night and defeated him and his chariot officers.[gd] The Israelite army retreated to their homeland.[ge] 22 So Edom has remained free from Judah’s control to this very day.[gf] At that same time Libnah also rebelled.
23 The rest of the events of Jehoram’s reign, including a record of his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.[gg] 24 Jehoram passed away[gh] and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Ahaziah replaced him as king.
Ahaziah Takes the Throne of Judah
25 In the twelfth year of the reign of Israel’s King Joram, son of Ahab, Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became king over Judah. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. His mother was Athaliah, the granddaughter[gi] of King Omri of Israel. 27 He followed in the footsteps of Ahab’s dynasty and did evil in the sight of[gj] the Lord, as Ahab’s dynasty had done, for he was related to Ahab’s family.[gk]
28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in a battle against King Hazael of Syria at Ramoth Gilead in which the Syrians defeated Joram. 29 King Joram returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians[gl] in Ramah when he fought against King Hazael of Syria. King Ahaziah son of Jehoram of Judah went down to visit[gm] Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he was ill.
Jehu Becomes King
9 Now Elisha the prophet summoned a member of the prophetic guild[gn] and told him, “Tuck your robes into your belt, take this container[go] of olive oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you arrive there, look for Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi and take him aside into an inner room.[gp] 3 Take the container of olive oil, pour it over his head, and say, ‘This is what the Lord has said, “I have designated[gq] you as king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and run away quickly!”[gr]
4 So the young prophet[gs] went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When he arrived, the officers of the army were sitting there.[gt] So he said, “I have a message for you, O officer.”[gu] Jehu asked, “For which one of us?”[gv] He replied, “For you, O officer.” 6 So Jehu[gw] got up and went inside. Then the prophet[gx] poured the olive oil on his head and said to him, “This is what the Lord God of Israel has said, ‘I have designated you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. 7 You will destroy the family of your master Ahab.[gy] I will get revenge against Jezebel for the shed blood of my servants the prophets and for the shed blood of all the Lord’s servants.[gz] 8 Ahab’s entire family will die. I[ha] will cut off every last male belonging to Ahab in Israel, including even the weak and incapacitated.[hb] 9 I will make Ahab’s dynasty[hc] like those of Jeroboam son of Nebat and Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 Dogs will devour Jezebel on the plot of ground in Jezreel; she will not be buried.’”[hd] Then he opened the door and ran away.
11 When Jehu rejoined[he] his master’s servants, they[hf] asked him, “Is everything all right?[hg] Why did this madman visit you?” He replied, “Ah, it’s not important. You know what kind of man he is and the kinds of things he says.”[hh] 12 But they said, “You’re lying! Tell us what he said.” So he told them what he had said. He also related how he had said,[hi] “This is what the Lord has said, ‘I have designated you as king over Israel.’” 13 Each of them quickly took off his cloak, and they spread them out at Jehu’s[hj] feet on the steps.[hk] The trumpet was blown[hl] and they shouted, “Jehu is[hm] king!” 14 Then Jehu son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi conspired against Joram.
Jehu the Assassin
Now Joram had been in Ramoth Gilead with the whole Israelite army,[hn] guarding against an invasion by King Hazael of Syria. 15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds he received from the Syrians[ho] when he fought against King Hazael of Syria.[hp] Jehu told his supporters,[hq] “If you really want me to be king,[hr] then don’t let anyone escape from the city to go and warn Jezreel.” 16 Jehu drove his chariot[hs] to Jezreel, for Joram was recuperating[ht] there. (Now King Ahaziah of Judah had come down to visit[hu] Joram.)
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and saw Jehu’s troops approaching.[hv] He said, “I see troops!”[hw] Joram[hx] ordered,[hy] “Send a rider out to meet them and have him ask, ‘Is everything all right?’”[hz] 18 So the horseman[ia] went to meet him and said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’”[ib] Jehu replied, “None of your business![ic] Follow me.” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but hasn’t started back.” 19 So he sent a second horseman out to them[id] and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’”[ie] Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.” 20 The watchman reported, “He reached them, but hasn’t started back. The one who drives the lead chariot drives like Jehu son of Nimshi;[if] he drives recklessly.” 21 Joram ordered, “Hitch up my chariot.”[ig] When his chariot had been hitched up,[ih] King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out in their respective chariots[ii] to meet Jehu. They met up with him[ij] in the plot of land that had once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel.
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he asked, “Is everything all right, Jehu?” He replied, “How can everything be all right as long as your mother Jezebel promotes idolatry and pagan practices?”[ik] 23 Joram turned his chariot around and took off.[il] He said to Ahaziah, “It’s a trap,[im] Ahaziah!” 24 Jehu aimed his bow and shot an arrow right between Joram’s shoulders.[in] The arrow went through[io] his heart and he fell to his knees in his chariot. 25 Jehu ordered[ip] his officer Bidkar, “Pick him up and throw him into the part of the field that once belonged to Naboth of Jezreel. Remember, you and I were riding together behind his father, Ahab, when the Lord pronounced this oracle against him, 26 ‘“Know for sure that I saw the shed blood of Naboth and his sons yesterday,” says the Lord, “and that I will give you what you deserve[iq] right here in this plot of land,” says the Lord.’ So now pick him up and throw him into this plot of land, just as in the Lord’s message.”
27 When King Ahaziah of Judah saw what happened, he took off[ir] up the road to Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him and ordered, “Shoot him too.” They shot him while he was driving his chariot up the ascent of Gur near Ibleam.[is] He fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 His servants took his body[it] back to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab.
30 Jehu approached Jezreel. When Jezebel heard the news, she put on some eye liner,[iu] fixed up her hair, and leaned out the window. 31 When Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is everything all right, Zimri, murderer of his master?”[iv] 32 He looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three[iw] eunuchs looked down at him. 33 He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down, and when she hit the ground,[ix] her blood splattered against the wall and the horses, and Jehu drove his chariot over her.[iy] 34 He went inside and had a meal.[iz] Then he said, “Dispose of this accursed woman’s corpse. Bury her, for after all, she was a king’s daughter.”[ja] 35 But when they went to bury her, they found nothing left but[jb] the skull, feet, and palms of the hands. 36 So they went back and told him. Then he said, “It is the fulfillment of the Lord’s message[jc] that he had spoken through his servant, Elijah the Tishbite, ‘In the plot of land at Jezreel, dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. 37 Jezebel’s corpse will be like manure on the surface of the ground in the plot of land at Jezreel. People will not be able to even recognize her.’”[jd]
Jehu Wipes Out Ahab’s Family
10 Ahab had seventy sons living in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the leading officials of Jezreel and to the guardians of Ahab’s dynasty. This is what the letters said,[je] 2 “You have with you the sons of your master, chariots and horses, a fortified city, and weapons. So when this letter arrives,[jf] 3 pick the best and most capable[jg] of your master’s sons, place him on his father’s throne, and defend[jh] your master’s dynasty.”
4 They were absolutely terrified[ji] and said, “Look, two kings could not stop him![jj] How can we?”[jk] 5 So the palace supervisor,[jl] the city commissioner,[jm] the leaders,[jn] and the guardians sent this message to Jehu, “We are your subjects![jo] Whatever you say, we will do. We will not make anyone king. Do what you consider proper.”[jp]
6 He wrote them a second letter, saying, “If you are really on my side and are willing to obey me,[jq] then take the heads of your master’s sons and come to me in Jezreel at this time tomorrow.”[jr] Now the king had seventy sons, and the prominent men[js] of the city were raising them. 7 When they received the letter, they seized the king’s sons and executed all seventy of them.[jt] They put their heads in baskets and sent them to him in Jezreel. 8 The messenger came and told Jehu,[ju] “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” Jehu[jv] said, “Stack them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” 9 In the morning he went out and stood there. Then he said to all the people, “You are innocent. I conspired against my master and killed him. But who struck down all of these men? 10 Therefore take note that not one of the Lord’s words which he pronounced against Ahab’s dynasty[jw] will fail to materialize.[jx] The Lord has done what he announced through his servant Elijah.”[jy] 11 Then Jehu killed all who were left of Ahab’s family in Jezreel, and all his nobles, close friends, and priests. He left no survivors.
12 Jehu then left there and set out for Samaria.[jz] While he was traveling through Beth Eked of the Shepherds, 13 Jehu encountered[ka] the relatives[kb] of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked, “Who are you?” They replied, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We have come down to see how[kc] the king’s sons and the queen mother’s sons are doing.” 14 He said, “Capture them alive!” So they captured them alive and then executed all forty-two of them by the cistern at Beth Eked. He left no survivors.
15 When he left there, he met[kd] Jehonadab son of Rekab who had been looking for him.[ke] Jehu greeted him and asked,[kf] “Are you as committed to me as I am to you?”[kg] Jehonadab answered, “I am!” Jehu replied, “If so, give me your hand.”[kh] So he offered his hand and Jehu[ki] pulled him up into the chariot. 16 Jehu[kj] said, “Come with me and see how zealous I am for the Lord’s cause.”[kk] So he[kl] took him along in his chariot. 17 He went to Samaria and killed each of Ahab’s remaining family members who were in Samaria until he destroyed them,[km] in keeping with the Lord’s message which he had announced to Elijah.
Jehu Executes the Prophets and Priests of Baal
18 Jehu assembled all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped[kn] Baal a little; Jehu will worship[ko] him with great devotion.[kp] 19 So now, bring to me all the prophets of Baal, as well as all his servants and priests.[kq] None of them must be absent, for I am offering a great sacrifice to Baal. Any of them who fails to appear will lose his life.” But Jehu was tricking them[kr] so he could destroy the servants of Baal. 20 Then Jehu ordered, “Make arrangements for[ks] a celebration for Baal.” So they announced it. 21 Jehu sent invitations throughout Israel, and all the servants of Baal came; not one was absent. They arrived at the temple of Baal and filled it up from end to end.[kt] 22 Jehu ordered the one who was in charge of the wardrobe,[ku] “Bring out robes for all the servants of Baal.” So he brought out robes for them. 23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Rekab went to the temple of Baal. Jehu[kv] said to the servants of Baal, “Make sure there are no servants of the Lord here with you; there must be only servants of Baal.”[kw] 24 They went inside to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had stationed eighty men outside. He had told them, “If any of the men inside gets away, you will pay with your lives!”[kx]
25 When he finished offering the burnt sacrifice, Jehu ordered the royal guard[ky] and officers, “Come in and strike them down! Don’t let any escape!” So the royal guard and officers struck them down with the sword and left their bodies lying there.[kz] Then they entered the inner sanctuary of the temple of Baal.[la] 26 They hauled out the sacred pillar of the temple of Baal and burned it. 27 They demolished[lb] the sacred pillar of Baal and[lc] the temple of Baal; it is used as[ld] a latrine[le] to this very day. 28 So Jehu eradicated Baal worship[lf] from Israel.
A Summary of Jehu’s Reign
29 However, Jehu did not repudiate the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had encouraged Israel to commit; the golden calves remained in Bethel and Dan.[lg] 30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished my will and carried out my wishes with regard to Ahab’s dynasty. Therefore four generations of your descendants will rule over Israel.”[lh] 31 But Jehu did not carefully and wholeheartedly obey the law of the Lord God of Israel.[li] He did not repudiate the sins which Jeroboam had encouraged Israel to commit.[lj]
32 In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel’s territory.[lk] Hazael attacked their eastern border.[ll] 33 He conquered all the land of Gilead, including the territory of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh, extending all the way from the Aroer in the Arnon Valley through Gilead to Bashan.[lm]
34 The rest of the events of Jehu’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[ln] 35 Jehu passed away[lo] and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz replaced him as king. 36 Jehu reigned over Israel for twenty-eight years in Samaria.
Athaliah is Eliminated
11 When Athaliah, the mother of Ahaziah, saw that her son was dead, she was determined to destroy the entire royal line.[lp] 2 So Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[lq] and sister of Ahaziah, took Ahaziah’s son Joash and stole him away from the rest of the royal descendants who were to be executed. She hid him and his nurse in the room where the bed covers were stored.[lr] So he was hidden from Athaliah and escaped execution.[ls] 3 He hid out with his nurse in the Lord’s temple[lt] for six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada summoned[lu] the officers of the units of hundreds of the Carians[lv] and the royal bodyguard.[lw] He met with them[lx] in the Lord’s temple. He made an agreement[ly] with them and made them swear an oath of allegiance in the Lord’s temple. Then he showed them the king’s son. 5 He ordered them, “This is what you must do. One third of the unit that is on duty during the Sabbath will guard the royal palace. 6 Another third of you will be stationed at the Foundation[lz] Gate. Still another third of you will be stationed at the gate behind the royal guard.[ma] You will take turns guarding the palace.[mb] 7 The two units who are off duty on the Sabbath will guard the Lord’s temple and protect the king.[mc] 8 You must surround the king. Each of you must hold his weapon in his hand. Whoever approaches your ranks must be killed. You must accompany the king wherever he goes.”[md]
9 The officers of the units of hundreds did just as[me] Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each of them took his men, those who were on duty during the Sabbath as well as those who were off duty on the Sabbath, and reported[mf] to Jehoiada the priest. 10 The priest gave to the officers of the units of hundreds King David’s spears and the shields that were kept in the Lord’s temple. 11 The royal bodyguard[mg] took their stations, each holding his weapon in his hand. They lined up from the south side of the temple to the north side and stood near the altar and the temple, surrounding the king.[mh] 12 Jehoiada[mi] led out the king’s son and placed on him the crown and the royal insignia.[mj] They proclaimed him king and poured olive oil on his head.[mk] They clapped their hands and cried out, “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the royal guard[ml] shout, she joined the crowd[mm] at the Lord’s temple. 14 Then she saw[mn] the king standing by the pillar, according to custom. The officers stood beside the king with their trumpets, and all the people of the land were celebrating and blowing trumpets. Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason, treason!”[mo] 15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the officers of the units of hundreds, who were in charge of the army,[mp] “Bring her outside the temple to the guards.[mq] Put to death by the sword anyone who follows her.” The priest gave this order because he had decided she should not be executed in the Lord’s temple.[mr] 16 They seized her and took her into the precincts of the royal palace through the horses’ entrance.[ms] There she was executed.
17 Jehoiada then drew up a covenant between the Lord and the king and people, stipulating that they should be loyal to the Lord.[mt] 18 All the people of the land went and demolished[mu] the temple of Baal. They smashed its altars and idols[mv] to bits.[mw] They killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altar. Jehoiada the priest[mx] then placed guards at the Lord’s temple. 19 He took the officers of the units of hundreds, the Carians, the royal bodyguard, and all the people of the land, and together they led the king down from the Lord’s temple. They entered the royal palace through the Gate of the Royal Bodyguard,[my] and the king[mz] sat down on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land celebrated, for the city had rest now that they had killed Athaliah with the sword in the royal palace.
Joash’s Reign over Judah
21 (12:1)[na] Jehoash[nb] was seven years old when he began to reign. 12 1 (12:2) In Jehu’s seventh year Jehoash became king; he reigned for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother was Zibiah, who was from Beer Sheba. 2 Jehoash did what the Lord approved[nc] all his days when[nd] Jehoiada the priest taught him. 3 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
4 Jehoash said to the priests, “I place at your disposal[ne] all the consecrated silver that has been brought to the Lord’s temple, including the silver collected from the census tax,[nf] the silver received from those who have made vows,[ng] and all the silver that people have voluntarily contributed to the Lord’s temple.[nh] 5 The priests should receive the silver they need from the treasurers and repair any damage to the temple they discover.”[ni]
6 By the twenty-third year of King Jehoash’s reign the priests had still not repaired the damage to the temple. 7 So King Jehoash summoned Jehoiada the priest along with the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damage to the temple? Now, take no more silver from your treasurers unless you intend to use it to repair the damage.”[nj] 8 The priests agreed[nk] not to collect silver from the people and relieved themselves of personal responsibility for the temple repairs.[nl]
9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and drilled a hole in its lid. He placed it on the right side of the altar near the entrance of[nm] the Lord’s temple. The priests who guarded the entrance would put into it all the silver brought to the Lord’s temple. 10 When they saw the chest was full of silver, the royal secretary[nn] and the high priest counted the silver that had been brought to the Lord’s temple and bagged it up.[no] 11 They would then hand over[np] the silver that had been weighed to the construction foremen[nq] assigned to the Lord’s temple. They hired carpenters and builders to work on the Lord’s temple, 12 as well as masons and stonecutters. They bought wood and chiseled stone to repair the damage to the Lord’s temple and also paid for all the other expenses.[nr] 13 The silver brought to the Lord’s temple was not used for silver bowls, trimming shears, basins, trumpets, or any kind of gold or silver implements. 14 It was handed over[ns] to the foremen who used it to repair the Lord’s temple. 15 They did not audit the treasurers who disbursed[nt] the funds to the foremen, for they were honest.[nu] 16 (The silver collected in conjunction with reparation offerings and sin offerings was not brought to the Lord’s temple; it belonged to the priests.)
17 At that time King Hazael of Syria attacked[nv] Gath and captured it. Hazael then decided to attack Jerusalem.[nw] 18 King Jehoash of Judah collected all the sacred items that his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had consecrated, as well as his own sacred items and all the gold that could be found in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and the royal palace. He sent it all[nx] to King Hazael of Syria, who then withdrew[ny] from Jerusalem.
19 The rest of the events of Joash’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.[nz] 20 His servants conspired against him[oa] and murdered Joash at Beth Millo, on the road that goes down to Silla.[ob] 21 His servants Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer murdered him.[oc] He was buried[od] with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah replaced him as king.
Jehoahaz’s Reign over Israel
13 In the twenty-third year of the reign of Judah’s King Joash son of Ahaziah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for seventeen years. 2 He did evil in the sight of[oe] the Lord. He continued in[of] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who had encouraged Israel to sin; he did not repudiate those sins.[og] 3 The Lord was furious with[oh] Israel and handed them over to[oi] King Hazael of Syria and to Hazael’s son Ben Hadad for many years.[oj]
4 Jehoahaz asked for the Lord’s mercy,[ok] and the Lord responded favorably,[ol] for he saw that Israel was oppressed by the king of Syria.[om] 5 The Lord provided a deliverer[on] for Israel, and they were freed from Syria’s power.[oo] The Israelites once more lived in security.[op] 6 But they did not repudiate[oq] the sinful ways of the family[or] of Jeroboam, who encouraged Israel to sin; they continued in those sins.[os] There was even an Asherah pole[ot] standing in Samaria. 7 Jehoahaz had no army left[ou] except for 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Syria had destroyed his troops[ov] and trampled on them as dust.[ow]
8 The rest of the events of Jehoahaz’s reign, including all his accomplishments and successes, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[ox] 9 Jehoahaz passed away[oy] and was buried[oz] in Samaria. His son Jehoash[pa] replaced him as king.
Jehoash’s Reign over Israel
10 In the thirty-seventh year of King Jehoash’s reign over Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the sight of[pb] the Lord. He did not repudiate[pc] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin; he continued in those sins.[pd] 12 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s[pe] reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[pf] 13 Jehoash passed away[pg] and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne.[ph] Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Elisha Makes One Final Prophecy
14 Now Elisha had a terminal illness.[pi] King Jehoash of Israel went down to visit him.[pj] He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot[pk] and horsemen of Israel!”[pl] 15 Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows,” and he did so.[pm] 16 Then Elisha[pn] told the king of Israel, “Aim the bow.”[po] He did so,[pp] and Elisha placed his hands on the king’s hands. 17 Elisha[pq] said, “Open the east window,” and he did so.[pr] Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he did so.[ps] Elisha[pt] said, “This arrow symbolizes the victory the Lord will give you over Syria.[pu] You will annihilate Syria in Aphek!”[pv] 18 Then Elisha[pw] said, “Take the arrows,” and he did so.[px] He told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” He struck the ground three times and stopped. 19 The prophet[py] got angry at him and said, “If you had struck the ground five or six times, you would have annihilated Syria![pz] But now, you will defeat Syria only three times.”
20 Elisha died and was buried.[qa] Moabite raiding parties invaded[qb] the land at the beginning of the year.[qc] 21 One day some men[qd] were burying a man when they spotted[qe] a raiding party. So they threw the dead man[qf] into Elisha’s tomb. When the body[qg] touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man[qh] came to life and stood on his feet.
22 Now King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout Jehoahaz’s reign.[qi] 23 But the Lord had mercy on them and felt pity for them.[qj] He extended his favor to them[qk] because of the promise he had made[ql] to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He has been unwilling to destroy them or remove them from his presence to this very day.[qm] 24 When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben Hadad replaced him as king. 25 Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash took back from[qn] Ben Hadad son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Jehoash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelite cities.
Amaziah’s Reign over Judah
14 In the second year of the reign of Israel’s King Joash son of Joahaz,[qo] Joash’s[qp] son Amaziah became king over Judah. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother[qq] was Jehoaddan, who was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what the Lord approved,[qr] but not like David his ancestor had done. He followed the example of his father Joash.[qs] 4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places.
5 When he had secured control of the kingdom,[qt] he executed the servants who had assassinated his father.[qu] 6 But he did not execute the sons of the assassins. He obeyed the Lord’s commandment as recorded in the scroll of the law of Moses, “Fathers must not be put to death for what their sons do,[qv] and sons must not be put to death for what their fathers do.[qw] A man must be put to death only for his own sin.”[qx]
7 He defeated[qy] 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley; he captured Sela in battle and renamed it Joktheel, a name it has retained to this very day. 8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel. He said, “Come, let’s meet face to face.”[qz] 9 King Jehoash of Israel sent this message back to King Amaziah of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent this message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.’ Then a wild animal[ra] of Lebanon came by and trampled down the thorn.[rb] 10 You thoroughly defeated Edom,[rc] and it has gone to your head![rd] Gloat over your success,[re] but stay in your palace. Why bring calamity on yourself? Why bring down yourself and Judah along with you?”[rf] 11 But Amaziah would not heed the warning,[rg] so King Jehoash of Israel attacked.[rh] He and King Amaziah of Judah met face to face[ri] in Beth Shemesh of Judah. 12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and each man ran back home.[rj] 13 King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, son of Jehoash son of Ahaziah, in Beth Shemesh. He[rk] attacked[rl] Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate—a distance of about 600 feet.[rm] 14 He took away all the gold and silver, all the items found in the Lord’s temple and in the treasuries of the royal palace, and some hostages.[rn] Then he went back to Samaria.
15 The rest of the events of Jehoash’s[ro] reign, including all his accomplishments and his successful war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[rp] 16 Jehoash passed away[rq] and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam replaced him as king.
17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 18 The rest of the events of Amaziah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.[rr] 19 Conspirators plotted against him in Jerusalem,[rs] so he fled to Lachish. But they sent assassins after him,[rt] and they killed him there. 20 His body was carried back by horses,[ru] and he was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David. 21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in his father Amaziah’s place. 22 Azariah[rv] built up Elat and restored it to Judah after the king[rw] had passed away.[rx]
Jeroboam II’s Reign over Israel
23 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Judah’s King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam son of Joash became king over Israel. He reigned for forty-one years in Samaria. 24 He did evil in the sight of[ry] the Lord; he did not repudiate[rz] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25 He restored the border of Israel from Lebo Hamath[sa] in the north to the sea of the rift valley[sb] in the south,[sc] just as in the message from the Lord God of Israel that he had announced through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The Lord saw Israel’s intense suffering;[sd] everyone was weak and incapacitated and Israel had no deliverer.[se] 27 The Lord had not decreed that he would blot out Israel’s memory[sf] from under heaven,[sg] so he delivered them through Jeroboam son of Joash.
28 The rest of the events of Jeroboam’s reign, including all his accomplishments, his military success in restoring Israelite control over Damascus and Hamath, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[sh] 29 Jeroboam passed away[si] and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.[sj] His son Zechariah replaced him as king.
Azariah’s Reign over Judah
15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam’s reign over Israel, Amaziah’s son Azariah became king over Judah. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecholiah, who was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what the Lord approved, just as his father Amaziah had done.[sk] 4 But the high places were not eliminated; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense on the high places. 5 The Lord afflicted the king with an illness; he suffered from a skin disease[sl] until the day he died. He lived in separate quarters,[sm] while his son Jotham was in charge of the palace and ruled over the people of the land.
6 The rest of the events of Azariah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Judah.[sn] 7 Azariah passed away[so] and was buried[sp] with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jotham replaced him as king.
Zechariah’s Reign over Israel
8 In the thirty-eighth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for six months. 9 He did evil in the sight of[sq] the Lord, as his ancestors had done. He did not repudiate[sr] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 10 Shallum son of Jabesh conspired against him; he assassinated him in Ibleam[ss] and took his place as king. 11 The rest of the events of Zechariah’s reign are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[st] 12 His assassination fulfilled[su] the Lord’s message to Jehu, “Four generations of your descendants will rule on Israel’s throne.”[sv] And that is how it happened.
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of King Uzziah’s[sw] reign over Judah. He reigned for one month[sx] in Samaria. 14 Menahem son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to[sy] Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh.[sz] He killed him and took his place as king. 15 The rest of the events of Shallum’s reign, including the conspiracy he organized, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[ta] 16 At that time Menahem came from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He struck down all who lived in the city and the surrounding territory, because they would not surrender.[tb] He even ripped open the pregnant women.
Menahem’s Reign over Israel
17 In the thirty-ninth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel. He reigned for ten years in Samaria. 18 He did evil in the sight of[tc] the Lord; he did not repudiate[td] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who encouraged Israel to sin.[te]
During his reign, 19 Pul[tf] king of Assyria invaded the land, and Menahem paid[tg] him[th] 1,000 talents[ti] of silver to gain his support[tj] and to solidify his control of the kingdom.[tk] 20 Menahem got this silver by taxing all the wealthy men in Israel; he took fifty shekels of silver from each one of them and paid it to the king of Assyria.[tl] Then the king of Assyria left; he did not stay there in the land.
21 The rest of the events of Menahem’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[tm] 22 Menahem passed away[tn] and his son Pekahiah replaced him as king.
Pekahiah’s Reign over Israel
23 In the fiftieth year of King Azariah’s reign over Judah, Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel. He reigned in Samaria for two years. 24 He did evil in the sight of[to] the Lord; he did not repudiate[tp] the sinful ways of Jeroboam son of Nebat who encouraged Israel to sin. 25 His officer Pekah son of Remaliah conspired against him. He and fifty Gileadites assassinated Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in Samaria in the fortress of the royal palace.[tq] Pekah[tr] then took his place as king.
26 The rest of the events of Pekahiah’s reign, including all his accomplishments, are recorded in the scroll called the Annals of the Kings of Israel.[ts]
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.