2 Kings 13

1In 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. 2He did what was evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he led Israel to sin; he did not turn away from them. 3So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he gave them into the power of Hazael king of Aram and of Ben-hadad son of Hazael throughout that time. 4Then Jehoahaz pleaded with the LORD for favor, and the LORD listened to him, because he saw how the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. 5The LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their homes as they had before. 6Yet they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, by which he led Israel to sin, but kept walking in them. The Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria. 7Jehoahaz had been left with no troops except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had wiped them out and made them like dust to be trampled. 8The rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did and his might, are written in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. 9Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Joash became king 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 the LORD. He did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, by which he led Israel to sin, but walked in them. 12The rest of the acts of Joash, all that he did and the might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel. 13Joash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14Now Elisha had fallen ill with the sickness that would bring his death. Joash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. He said, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” 15Elisha 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 to the bow.” He did so, and Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. 17He said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Elisha said, “Shoot!” and he shot. Then Elisha said, “The LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! You will strike down Aram at Aphek until you have made an end of it.” 18“Take the arrows,” he said, and the king took them. Then he told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19The man of God was angry with him. “You ought to have struck five or six times!” he said. “Then you would have struck Aram down until it was finished. As it is, you will strike Aram down only three times.”

20Elisha died, and they buried him. Now raiding bands from Moab used to come into the land each spring. 21Once, as some people were burying a man, suddenly they saw a raiding band, and they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. When the man touched Elisha’s bones, he came to life and stood up on his feet.

22Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them. He turned toward them for the sake of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was not willing to destroy them, and he had not yet cast them out of his presence. 24When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad became king in his place. 25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Ben-hadad had taken in war from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Joash struck him down, and he recovered the cities of Israel.