Kings IV 13

1 In the twenty-third year of Joas son of Ochozias king of Juda began Joachaz the son of Ju to reign in Samaria, [and he reigned] seventeen years.

In the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash son of Ahaziah over Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria seventeen years.

2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked after the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin; he departed not from them.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

3 And the Lord was very angry with Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Azael king of Syria, and into the hand of the son of Ader son of Azael, all their days.

So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.

4 And Joachaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened to him, for he saw the affliction of Israel, because the king of Syria afflicted them.

Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.

5 And the Lord gave deliverance to Israel, and they escaped from under the hand of Syria: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as heretofore.

So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.

6 Only they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who led Israel to sin: they walked in them—moreover the grove also remained in Samaria.

Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but they continued to walk in them. The Asherah pole even remained standing in Samaria.

7 Whereas there was not left any army to Joachaz, except fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry: for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and they made them as dust for trampling.

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

8 And the rest of the acts of Joachaz, and all that he did, and his mighty acts [are] not these things written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

9 And Joachaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria: and Joas his son reigned in his stead.

And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And his son Jehoash reigned in his place.

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joas king of Juda, Joas the son of Joachaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria sixteen years.

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

11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sin of Jeroboam the son of Nabat, who led Israel to sin: he walked in it.

And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.

12 And the rest of the acts of Joas, and all that he did, and his mighty acts which he performed together with Amessias king of Juda, [are] not these written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

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

And Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14 Now Elisaie was sick of his sickness, whereof he died: and Joas king of Israel went down to him, and wept over his face, and said, [My] father, [my] father, the chariot of Israel, and the horseman thereof!

When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

15 And Elisaie said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took to himself a bow and arrows.

Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.

16 And he said to the king, Put thy hand on the bow. And Joas put his hand upon [it]: and Elisaie put his hands upon the king's hands.

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

17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. And Elisaie said, Shoot. And he shot. And [Elisaie] said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; and thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphec until thou have consumed them.

“Open the east window,” said Elisha. So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot. And Elisha declared: “This is the LORD’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram, for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until you have put an end to them.”

18 And Elisaie said to him, Take bow and arrows. And he took them. And [he] said to the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And the king smote three times, and stayed.

Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!” So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

19 And the man of God was grieved at him, and said, If thou hadst smitten five or six times, then thou shouldest have smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed them; but now thou shalt smite Syria [only] thrice.

But 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 down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

20 And Elisaie died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites came into the land, at the beginning of the year.

And Elisha died and was buried. Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring.

21 And it came to pass as they were burying a man, that behold, they saw a band [of men], and they cast the man into the grave of Elisaie: and as soon as he touched the bones of Elisaie, he revived and stood up on his feet.

Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. And as soon as his body touched the bones of Elisha, the man was revived and stood up on his feet.

22 And Azael greatly afflicted Israel all the days of Joachaz.

And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.

23 And the Lord had mercy and compassion upon them, and had respect to them because of his covenant with Abraam, and Isaac, and Jacob; and the Lord would not destroy them, and did not cast them out from his presence.

But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

24 And Azael king of Syria died, and the son of Ader his son reigned in his stead.

When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place.

25 And Joas the son of Joachaz returned, and took the cities out of the hand of the son of Ader the son of Azael, which he had taken out of the hand of Joachaz his father in the war: thrice did Joas smite him, and he recovered the cities of Israel.

Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.