2 Kings

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, began Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and he reigned] seventeen years.

2 And he did the thing that was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh,—and went after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat which he caused Israel to commit, he departed not therefrom.

3 Then was kindled the anger of Yahweh against Israel,—and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael, continually.

4 And Jehoahaz appeased the face of Yahweh,—and Yahweh hearkened unto him, because he had seen the oppression of Israel, for that the king of Syria oppressed them.

5 So Yahweh gave unto Israel a saviour, and they went forth from under the hand of Syria,—and the sons of Israel dwelt in their own homes as aforetime.

6 Howbeit they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam which he caused Israel to commit, therein they walked,—moreover also the Sacred Stem still stood in Samaria.

7 For he had not left remaining unto Jehoahaz a people, save only fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen,—for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like dust in threshing.

8 Now the rest of the story 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 So then Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria,—and Joash his son reigned in his stead.

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, began Jehoash son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, [and he reigned] sixteen years.

11 And he did that which was wicked in the eyes of Yahweh,—he turned not away from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he caused Israel to commit, therein he walked.

12 Now the rest of the story of Joash, and all that he did, and his might, wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

13 So then Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam took his seat on his throne,—and Joash was buried in Samaria, with the kings of Israel.

14 Now Elisha had fallen sick of his sickness whereof he was about to die,—so then Joash king of Israel came down unto him, and wept upon his face, and said, My father! my father! The chariots of Israel and the horsemen thereof!

15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. So he took unto him bow and arrows.

16 Then said he unto the king of Israel, Let thy hand rest upon the bow. So he let his hand rest thereon. Then Elisha put his own hands upon the hands of the king;

17 and said—Open the lattice eastward. And he opened it. Then said Elisha—Shoot! And he shot. Then he said,—The arrow of victory by Yahweh, Yea the arrow of victory over Syria, Therefore shalt thou smite Syria in Aphek till it be consumed.

18 And he said—Take the arrows. So he took them. Then said he unto the king of Israel—Smite unto the ground. So he smote three times, and then stayed.

19 Then was the man of God wroth against him, and said—Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria until it had been consumed; But now three times shalt thou smite Syria.

20 And Elisha died, and they buried him,—now troops of Moabites used to enter the land at the coming in of the year;

21 and it came to pass as they were burying a man, that, lo! they saw a troop, so they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha,—and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came to life again, and rose up on his feet.

22 And Hazael king of Syria had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23 Then was Yahweh gracious unto them, and had compassion upon them, and turned unto them for the sake of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob,—and was not willing to destroy them, nor to cast them off from his presence as yet.

24 So then Hazael king of Syria died; and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead.

25 And Jehoash son of Jehoahaz again took the cities out of the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father in war,—three times did Joash smite him, and recover the cities of Israel.