Jehoahaz’s Wicked Reign in Israel
1 In the 23rd year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria for seventeen years. 2 He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit. He did not depart from it. 3 The Lord’s anger burned against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, continually.
4 Jehoahaz sought the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, how the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 The Lord gave Israel a savior so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians, and the Israelites lived in their tents as before.
6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he caused Israel to commit but walked in them, and the Asherah also remained in Samaria. 7 For he did not leave to Jehoahaz any more than 50 horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 footmen, for the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like the dust in threshing.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his place.
10 In the 37th year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria for sixteen years. 11 He did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.
12 Now the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and the might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13 Joash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Elisha’s Final Prophecy
14 Now Elisha became sick with the illness from which he died, and Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”
15 Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows,” and he took bow and arrows for himself.
16 He said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow,” and he put his hand on it. Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.
17 He said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it.
Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he shot.
Elisha said,
“This is the Lord’s arrow of victory,
the arrow of victory over Syria,
for you will strike the Syrians in Aphek
until you have consumed them.”
18 He said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them.
He said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck three times and stopped.
19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times. Then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it, whereas now you will strike Syria just three times.”
20 Elisha died, and they buried him.
Now the bands of the Moabites used to invade the land at the coming in of the year. 21 As they were burying a man they saw a band of raiders, and they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb. As soon as the man touched Elisha’s bones, he revived and stood up on his feet.
22 Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them and had respect for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would not destroy them, and he did not cast them from his presence as yet.
24 Hazael king of Syria died, and Benhadad his son reigned in his place. 25 Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities which he had taken from the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Joash struck him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.