2 Kings 13

1In 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 seventeen years.

2He did what was evil in the eyes of Yahweh and walked after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them.

3So Yahweh’s anger burned against Israel, and he gave them into the hand of Hazael king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael, all those days.

4Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of Yahweh, and Yahweh listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Aram oppressed them.

5And Yahweh gave Israel a deliverer, so that they went out from under the hand of Aram; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as formerly.

6Yet they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, by which he caused Israel to sin; in them he walked, and even the Asherah remained standing in Samaria.

7For he left Jehoahaz no people except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust at threshing.

8The 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?

9And Jehoahaz lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son reigned in his place.

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

11He did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. He did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he caused Israel to sin; he walked in them.

12The rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his 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?

13And Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14Elisha had become sick with the illness from which he would die. And Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept over him and said, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

15Then Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.

16Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.

17Then he said, “Open the window eastward,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and he shot. And he said, “Yahweh’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! For you will strike Aram at Aphek until you have destroyed it.”

18Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and stopped.

19Then the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have struck Aram until it was finished. But now you will strike Aram only three times.”

20Then Elisha died, and they buried him. Now raiding bands of Moab used to come into the land at the coming of the year.

21And it happened, as they were burying a man, that behold, they saw the raiding band; so they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. And when the man went and touched Elisha’s bones, he came to life and stood up on his feet.

22Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23But Yahweh was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them, and he did not cast them from his presence until now.

24Then Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-hadad his son became king in his place.

25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz regained and took back the cities from the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael, which he had taken from the hand of Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash struck him, and he restored the cities of Israel.