< 2 Kings 13 >

1 After Joash had been ruling Judah for almost 23 years, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz became the king of Israel. He ruled in Samaria [city] for 17 years.
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת עֶשְׂרִ֤ים וְשָׁלֹשׁ֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיֹואָ֥שׁ בֶּן־אֲחַזְיָ֖הוּ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהֹואָחָ֨ז בֶּן־יֵה֤וּא עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון שְׁבַ֥ע עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃
2 He did many things that Yahweh considered to be evil and committed the same kind of sins that Jeroboam had committed, sins which led the people of Israel to sin. He did not stop committing those sins.
וַיַּ֥עַשׂ הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַ֠יֵּלֶךְ אַחַ֨ר חַטֹּ֜את יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לֹא־סָ֥ר מִמֶּֽנָּה׃
3 So Yahweh became very angry with the Israeli people, and he allowed the army of King Hazael of Syria and his son Ben-Hadad to defeat the Israelis many times.
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַֽיִּתְּנֵ֞ם בְּיַ֣ד ׀ חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֗ם וּבְיַ֛ד בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֖ל כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃
4 Then Jehoahaz prayed to Yahweh [for help], and Yahweh heeded him, because he saw that the army of the king of Syria was oppressing the Israelis.
וַיְחַ֥ל יְהֹואָחָ֖ז אֶת־פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁמַ֤ע אֵלָיו֙ יְהוָ֔ה כִּ֤י רָאָה֙ אֶת־לַ֣חַץ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל כִּֽי־לָחַ֥ץ אֹתָ֖ם מֶ֥לֶךְ אֲרָֽם׃
5 Yahweh sent a leader to Israel, who enabled them to be freed from being controlled by Syria. After that, the Israeli people lived peacefully as they had done previously.
וַיִּתֵּ֨ן יְהוָ֤ה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל֙ מֹושִׁ֔יעַ וַיֵּ֣צְא֔וּ מִתַּ֖חַת יַד־אֲרָ֑ם וַיֵּשְׁב֧וּ בְנֵֽי־יִשְׂרָאֵ֛ל בְּאָהֳלֵיהֶ֖ם כִּתְמֹ֥ול שִׁלְשֹֽׁום׃
6 But they still continued to commit the same kind of sins that Jeroboam and his family had committed and which led the Israelis to [also] sin. And the statue of the goddess Asherah remained in Samaria.
אַ֠ךְ לֹֽא־סָ֜רוּ מֵחַטֹּ֧אות בֵּית־יָרָבְעָ֛ם אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִי (הֶחֱטִ֥יא) אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֣הּ הָלָ֑ךְ וְגַם֙ הָאֲשֵׁרָ֔ה עָמְדָ֖ה בְּשֹׁמְרֹֽון׃
7 Jehoahaz had only 50 men who rode on horses and ten chariots and 10,000 other soldiers, because the army of Syria had killed all the rest, trampling them like people walk on dirt.
כִּ֣י לֹא֩ הִשְׁאִ֨יר לִיהֹואָחָ֜ז עָ֗ם כִּ֣י אִם־חֲמִשִּׁ֤ים פָּֽרָשִׁים֙ וַעֲשָׂ֣רָה רֶ֔כֶב וַעֲשֶׂ֥רֶת אֲלָפִ֖ים רַגְלִ֑י כִּ֤י אִבְּדָם֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם וַיְשִׂמֵ֥ם כֶּֽעָפָ֖ר לָדֻֽשׁ׃
8 [If you want to read about] [RHQ] everything else that Jehoahaz did, you can read about it in the scroll called ‘The History of the Kings of Israel’.
וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֧י יְהֹואָחָ֛ז וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה וּגְבוּרָתֹ֑ו הֲלֹוא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
9 Jehoahaz died [EUP] and was buried in Samaria. Then his son Jehoash became the king.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יְהֹֽואָחָז֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֖הוּ בְּשֹׁמְרֹ֑ון וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ יֹואָ֥שׁ בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃ פ
10 Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, started to rule in Israel after King Joash had been ruling in Judah for 23 years. Jehoash ruled in Samaria for 17 years.
בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שְׁלֹשִׁ֤ים וָשֶׁ֙בַע֙ שָׁנָ֔ה לְיֹואָ֖שׁ מֶ֣לֶךְ יְהוּדָ֑ה מָ֠לַךְ יְהֹואָ֨שׁ בֶּן־יְהֹואָחָ֤ז עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון שֵׁ֥שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֖ה שָׁנָֽה׃
11 He did many things that Yahweh considered to be evil. He refused to turn away from worshiping idols, which was the sin that [many years earlier King] Jeroboam had told the Israeli people to commit.
וַיַּֽעֲשֶׂ֥ה הָרַ֖ע בְּעֵינֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה לֹ֣א סָ֗ר מִכָּל־חַטֹּ֞אות יָרָבְעָ֧ם בֶּן־נְבָ֛ט אֲשֶׁר־הֶחֱטִ֥יא אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בָּ֥הּ הָלָֽךְ׃
12 The other things that happened while Jehoash was king and all the things that he did are written in the book called ‘The Account of What the Kings of Israel Did’. In that account they wrote about Jehoash’s [army’s] victories, and their war with [the army of] King Amaziah of Judah.
וְיֶ֨תֶר דִּבְרֵ֤י יֹואָשׁ֙ וְכָל־אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשָׂ֔ה וּגְב֣וּרָתֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִלְחַ֔ם עִ֖ם אֲמַצְיָ֣ה מֶֽלֶךְ־יְהוּדָ֑ה הֲלֹֽוא־הֵ֣ם כְּתוּבִ֗ים עַל־סֵ֛פֶר דִּבְרֵ֥י הַיָּמִ֖ים לְמַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃
13 When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria where the [other] kings of Israel were buried. Then his son Jeroboam became king.
וַיִּשְׁכַּ֤ב יֹואָשׁ֙ עִם־אֲבֹתָ֔יו וְיָרָבְעָ֖ם יָשַׁ֣ב עַל־כִּסְאֹ֑ו וַיִּקָּבֵ֤ר יֹואָשׁ֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון עִ֖ם מַלְכֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ
14 Elisha became very ill. Just before he died, King Jehoash went to Elisha and cried in front of him. [Saying the same words that Elisha had said when Elijah was taken to heaven], he said, “My father/master! My father/master! The chariots of us Israeli people and their drivers [are taking my master away]!”
וֶֽאֱלִישָׁע֙ חָלָ֣ה אֶת־חָלְיֹ֔ו אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָמ֖וּת בֹּ֑ו וַיֵּ֨רֶד אֵלָ֜יו יֹואָ֣שׁ מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וַיֵּ֤בְךְּ עַל־פָּנָיו֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר אָבִ֣י ׀ אָבִ֔י רֶ֥כֶב יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל וּפָרָשָֽׁיו׃
15 Elisha said to him, “Bring to me a bow and some arrows!” So the king did that.
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לֹו֙ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע קַ֖ח קֶ֣שֶׁת וְחִצִּ֑ים וַיִּקַּ֥ח אֵלָ֖יו קֶ֥שֶׁת וְחִצִּֽים׃
16 Then Elisha told the king to put his hands on the bow [and prepare to shoot some arrows]. And then Elisha put his own hands on the king’s hands.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר ׀ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל הַרְכֵּ֤ב יָֽדְךָ֙ עַל־הַקֶּ֔שֶׁת וַיַּרְכֵּ֖ב יָדֹ֑ו וַיָּ֧שֶׂם אֱלִישָׁ֛ע יָדָ֖יו עַל־יְדֵ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃
17 Then Elisha told him, “[Have someone] open that window toward the east.” So they opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” So the king did. Then Elisha said, “That is the arrow that [indicates that your army] will defeat the Syrian army. Your army will completely defeat their [army] at Aphek [town].”
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר פְּתַ֧ח הַחַלֹּ֛ון קֵ֖דְמָה וַיִּפְתָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֤ע יְרֵה֙ וַיֹּ֔ור וַיֹּ֗אמֶר חֵץ־תְּשׁוּעָ֤ה לַֽיהוָה֙ וְחֵ֣ץ תְּשׁוּעָ֣ה בַֽאֲרָ֔ם וְהִכִּיתָ֧ אֶת־אֲרָ֛ם בַּאֲפֵ֖ק עַד־כַּלֵּֽה׃
18 Then Elisha said, “Pick up the other arrows and strike the ground with them!” So the king picked up the arrows and struck the ground three times.
וַיֹּ֛אמֶר קַ֥ח הַחִצִּ֖ים וַיִּקָּ֑ח וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לְמֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ הַךְ־אַ֔רְצָה וַיַּ֥ךְ שָֽׁלֹשׁ־פְּעָמִ֖ים וַֽיַּעֲמֹֽד׃
19 But Elisha was angry with him. He exclaimed, “You should have struck the ground five or six times! If you had done that, your army would have defeated the Syrian [army] until they were completely wiped out! But now, [because you struck the ground only three times, ] your army will defeat them only three times!”
וַיִּקְצֹ֨ף עָלָ֜יו אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לְהַכֹּ֨ות חָמֵ֤שׁ אֹו־שֵׁשׁ֙ פְּעָמִ֔ים אָ֛ז הִכִּ֥יתָ אֶת־אֲרָ֖ם עַד־כַּלֵּ֑ה וְעַתָּ֕ה שָׁלֹ֥שׁ פְּעָמִ֖ים תַּכֶּ֥ה אֶת־אֲרָֽם׃ ס
20 Then Elisha died and was buried. Groups of raiders from Moab came to Israel each year during (spring/the time when the cold season was ending).
וַיָּ֥מָת אֱלִישָׁ֖ע וַֽיִּקְבְּרֻ֑הוּ וּגְדוּדֵ֥י מֹואָ֛ב יָבֹ֥אוּ בָאָ֖רֶץ בָּ֥א שָׁנָֽה׃
21 One year, when some Israeli people were burying a man’s body, they saw a group of those raiders. [They were afraid, ] so quickly they threw that man’s body into the tomb where Elisha [had been buried, and they ran away]. But as soon as the man’s body touched Elisha’s bones, the dead man became alive again and jumped up!
וַיְהִ֞י הֵ֣ם ׀ קֹבְרִ֣ים אִ֗ישׁ וְהִנֵּה֙ רָא֣וּ אֶֽת־הַגְּד֔וּד וַיַּשְׁלִ֥יכוּ אֶת־הָאִ֖ישׁ בְּקֶ֣בֶר אֱלִישָׁ֑ע וַיֵּ֜לֶךְ וַיִּגַּ֤ע הָאִישׁ֙ בְּעַצְמֹ֣ות אֱלִישָׁ֔ע וַיְחִ֖י וַיָּ֥קָם עַל־רַגְלָֽיו׃ פ
22 King Hazael of Syria [sent soldiers to] oppress the Israeli people all during the years that Jehoahaz [ruled Judah].
וַֽחֲזָאֵל֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם לָחַ֖ץ אֶת־יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל כֹּ֖ל יְמֵ֥י יְהֹואָחָֽז׃
23 But Yahweh was very kind [DOU] to the Israeli people. He helped them because of the agreement that he had made with [their ancestors] Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did not get rid of the Israelis, and he still has not rejected them.
וַיָּחָן֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֹתָ֤ם וַֽיְרַחֲמֵם֙ וַיִּ֣פֶן אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם לְמַ֣עַן בְּרִיתֹ֔ו אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֖ם יִצְחָ֣ק וְיַֽעֲקֹ֑ב וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ הַשְׁחִיתָ֔ם וְלֹֽא־הִשְׁלִיכָ֥ם מֵֽעַל־פָּנָ֖יו עַד־עָֽתָּה׃
24 When Hazael the king of Syria died, his son Ben-Hadad became the king.
וַיָּ֖מָת חֲזָאֵ֣ל מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֑ם וַיִּמְלֹ֛ךְ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד בְּנֹ֖ו תַּחְתָּֽיו׃
25 [The army of] King Jehoash of Israel defeated [the army of] King Ben-Hadad three times, and recaptured the cities that Ben-Hadad’s army had captured during the time that Jehoash’s father Jehoahaz was ruling Israel.
וַיָּ֜שָׁב יְהֹואָ֣שׁ בֶּן־יְהֹואָחָ֗ז וַיִּקַּ֤ח אֶת־הֶֽעָרִים֙ מִיַּד֙ בֶּן־הֲדַ֣ד בֶּן־חֲזָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר לָקַ֗ח מִיַּ֛ד יְהֹואָחָ֥ז אָבִ֖יו בַּמִּלְחָמָ֑ה שָׁלֹ֤שׁ פְּעָמִים֙ הִכָּ֣הוּ יֹואָ֔שׁ וַיָּ֖שֶׁב אֶת־עָרֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

< 2 Kings 13 >