2 Kings 13

1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 And he did what was evil before the Lord, and he walked after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he did not turn away from them. 3 And the Lord burned with anger against Israel, and he gave them into the hand of Hazael king of Aram and into the hand of the son of Hadad son of Hazael, all their days. [a]

4 And Jehoahaz pleaded before the face of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, because he saw the affliction of Israel, and how the king of Aram was afflicting them. 5 And the Lord gave rescue to Israel, and they came out from under the hand of Aram, and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before. [c] 6 Only they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin; they walked in them. And the sacred grove also still stood in Samaria. [e]

7 For no army was left to Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen and ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust for trampling. 8 And the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and everything he did, and his mighty deeds — are they not written in the book of the daily record of the kings of Israel? [f] 9 And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him with his fathers in Samaria; and Joash his son reigned in his place. [g]

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Joash son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did what was evil before the Lord; he did not turn away from any of the sin of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who made Israel sin; he walked in them. 12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and everything he did, and his mighty deeds, which he did along with Amaziah king of Judah — are they not written in the book of the daily record of the kings of Israel? 13 And Joash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne in Samaria with the children of Israel. [h]

14 Now Elisha had fallen ill with the illness he would die of. And Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept over his face and said, “My father, my father! The chariot of Israel, and its horseman!” 15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” And he took a bow and arrows to himself. 16 And he said to the king, “Set your hand on the bow.” And Joash set his hand on the bow, and Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.

17 And he said, “Open the window toward the east.” And he opened it. And Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “An arrow of rescue for the Lord, and an arrow of rescue in Aram! And you will strike Aram at Aphek until you have made an end of them.” [i]

18 And Elisha said to him, “Take the bows.” And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And the king struck three times, and stopped. [j] 19 And the man of God was grieved at him, and said, “If you had struck five times or six, then you would have struck Aram until you had made an end of it. But now you will strike Aram three times.”

20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And raiding bands of Moab came into the land at the turn of the year. [k] 21 And as they were burying a man, look — they saw the raiding band, and they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. And he went and touched the bones of Elisha, and he came to life and stood up on his feet. [l]

22 And Hazael pressed Israel hard all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 And the Lord had mercy on them and took pity on them and looked toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob; and the Lord was not willing to wipe them out, and he did not cast them away from his presence. 24 And Hazael king of Aram died, and the son of Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And Joash son of Jehoahaz turned back and took the cities out of the hand of the son of Hadad son of Hazael, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father in the war. Three times Joash struck him, and he took back the cities of Israel.