2 Kings 13
1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for seventeen years.
2 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from it.
3 The anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he handed them over to Hazael king of Aram and to Ben-hadad son of Hazael for all that time.
4 Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how Israel was oppressed, since the king of Aram was oppressing them.
5 The LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped Aram’s control; the Israelites returned to live in their tents as before.
6 Yet they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin; they continued in them. The Asherah pole also still stood in Samaria.
7 Jehoahaz had no troops left except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust to be trampled.
8 The rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, 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 ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Joash reigned in his place.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned for sixteen years.
11 He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin. He continued in them.
12 The rest of the acts of Joash, all that he did, his might, and how 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 ancestors, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Elisha became ill with the sickness from which he would die. Joash king of Israel went down to him, 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.” He took a bow and arrows.
16 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” He put his hand on it, and Elisha placed his hands over the king’s hands.
17 Elisha said, “Open the window facing east.” He opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” He shot. Then Elisha said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! You will strike Aram at Aphek until you have finished them off.”
18 Elisha also said, “Take the arrows.” He took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped.
19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck it five or six times. Then you would have struck Aram until you had finished them off. But now you will strike Aram only three times.”
20 Elisha died, and they buried him. At the beginning of the year, bands of Moabites would invade the land.
21 Once, while some men were burying a man, they saw a band of raiders and threw the man into Elisha’s tomb. When the man touched Elisha’s bones, he came back to life and stood on his feet.
22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 But the LORD was gracious to them, had compassion on them, and turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was unwilling to destroy them or cast them from his presence, even to this day.
24 Hazael king of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place.
25 Joash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Ben-hadad had taken from Joash’s father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.
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