1   In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and he reigned seventeen years. 2   He did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord and continued the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin, and did not give them up. 3   So the Lord was roused to anger against Israel and he made them subject for some years to Hazael king of Aram and Ben-hadad son of Hazael. 4   Then Jehoahaz sought to placate the Lord, and the Lord heard his prayer, for he saw how the king of Aram oppressed Israel. 5   The Lord appointed a deliverer for Israel, who rescued them from ^note the power of Aram, and the Israelites settled down again in their own homes. 6   But they did not give up the sinful practices of the house of Jeroboam who led Israel into sin, but continued ^note in them; the goddess Asherah ^note remained in Samaria. 7   Hazael had left Jehoahaz no armed force except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry; all the rest the king of Aram had destroyed and made like dust under foot.

Kings of Israel and Judah

8   The other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, and all his achievements and his exploits, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel. 9   So Jehoahaz rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria; and he was succeeded by his son Jehoash.

10   In the thirty-ninth ^note year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned sixteen years. 11   He did what was wrong in the eyes of the Lord; he did not give up any of the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin, but continued in them. 12   The other events of the reign of Jehoash, all his achievements, his exploits and his war with Amaziah king of Judah, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel. 13   So Jehoash rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne.

14   Elisha fell ill and lay on his deathbed, and Jehoash king of Israel went down to him and wept over him and said, ‘My father! My father, the chariots and the horsemen of Israel!’ 15   ‘Take bow and arrows’, said Elisha, and he took bow and arrows. 16   ‘Put your hand to the bow’, said the prophet. He did so, and Elisha laid his hands on those of the king. 17   Then he said, ‘Open the window toward the east’; he opened it and Elisha told him to shoot, and he shot. Then the prophet said, ‘An arrow for the Lord's victory, an arrow for victory over Aram! You will defeat Aram utterly at Aphek’; 18   and he added, ‘Now take up your arrows.’ When the king had taken them, Elisha said, ‘Strike the ground with them.’ 19   He struck three times and stopped. The man of God was furious with him and said, ‘You should have struck five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram utterly; as it is, you will strike Aram three times and no more.’

20   Then Elisha died and was buried.

21   Year by year Moabite raiders used to invade the land. Once some men were burying a dead man when they caught sight of the raiders. They threw the body into the grave of Elisha and made off; ^note when the body touched the prophet's bones, the man came to life and rose to his feet.

22   All through the reign of Jehoahaz, Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel. 23   But the Lord was gracious and took pity on them; because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he looked on them with favour and was unwilling to destroy them; nor has he even yet banished them from his sight. 24   When Hazael king of Aram died and was succeeded by his son Ben-hadad, 25   Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured the cities which Ben-hadad had taken in war from Jehoahaz his father; three times Jehoash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.

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