2 Kings

13 In the year twenty-three of Joash the son of Ahaziah as king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel for a reign of seventeen years at Samaria; 2 and he did what displeased Jehovah, and followed the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he did not turn from it. 3 And Jehovah was angry with Israel, and he gave them into the hands of King Hazael of Syria, and Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad, all the time. 4 And Jehoahaz took steps to propitiate Jehovah; and Jehovah listened to him, because he saw Israel’s oppressed condition, for the king of Syria had crowded them hard; 5 and Jehovah gave Israel a deliverer, who brought them out from under the hand of Syria, and the sons of Israel lived in their homes as they used to. 6 (Only they did not turn from the sin of the family of Jeroboam who made Israel sin; they walked in it, and the asherah too was standing in Samaria.) 7 For he had not left to Jehoahaz any men but fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand infantry; for the king of Syria had destroyed them and taken them for dust to trample on.

8 And as to the rest of the history of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his exploits, they are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 9 And Jehoahaz went to rest with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and his son Joash succeeded him.

10 In the year thirty-nine of Joash as king of Judah, Joash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel for a reign of sixteen years at Samaria; 11 and he did what displeased Jehovah, he did not turn from all the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; in it he walked. 12 And as to the rest of the history of Joash, and all that he did, and his exploits of fighting with King Amasiah of Judah, they are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Israel. 13 And Joash went to rest with his fathers, and his son Jeroboam took his seat on his throne; and Joash was buried at Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14 And Elishaʽ was taken with his last illness; and King Joash of Israel went down and shed tears over his face and said “Father, father, Israel’s chariots and cavalry!” 15 And Elishaʽ said to him “Fetch a bow and arrows”; and he fetched a bow and arrows to him. 16* And he said to the king “Take the bow ready for shooting”; and he did, and Elishaʽ put his own hands on the king’s hands. 17** And he said “Open the window”; and it was opened, and Elishaʽ said “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said “A victory-arrow for Jehovah! a victory-arrow against Syria! you shall defeat the Syrians at Aphek till you finish them.” 18 And he said “Take the arrows,” and he did; and he said to the king “Strike on the ground,” and he struck three times and stopped. 19 And the man of God was incensed against him, and said “Striking five or six times, then you would have defeated the Syrians till you had finished them; but now you are to defeat the Syrians three times.” 20* And Elishaʽ died, and they buried him.

And the raiders from Moab were coming into the country; 21 and they were burying a man, when they saw the raiders and threw the man into Elishaʽ’s tomb and went off; and the man touched Elishaʽ’s bones and came to life and stood up on his feet.

22* And King Hazael of Syria crowded the Israelites hard throughout the life of Jehoahaz; 23* and Hazael took Philistia out of his hands fro the western sea to Aphek. And Jehovah was gracious to them and took pity on them and turned toward them, on account of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and was not willing to make away with them, and did not throw them aside from before his face; 24 and King Hazael of Syria died, and his son Ben-Hadad succeeded him, 25* and Joash the son of Jehoahaz retook out of the hands of Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad the cities Hazael had taken in war out of the hands of his father Jehoahaz. Three times Joash defeated him, and recovered the Israelite cities.