2 Kings 13

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1. 1Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria during the 23rd year of King Joash son of Ahaziah's reign over Judah. He ruled for 17 years.
2. 2The LORD saw that he was evil. He followed the same sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel into, and he never turned away from them.
3. 3So the LORD's anger burned against Israel, and he handed them over to King Hazael of Syria and his son Benhadad, for all their days.
4. 4Jehoahaz begged the LORD for help, and the LORD listened to him, because he saw the oppression of Israel by the king of Syria.
5. 5(The LORD provided a saviour for Israel, so they escaped from Syrian control, and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before.
6. 6Even so, they did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam's house, who led Israel into sin, but walked in them. The grove also remained in Samaria.
7. 7He did not leave Jehoahaz with more than fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like dust by threshing.
8. 8The rest of Jehoahaz's acts, all that he did, and his might, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
9. 9Jehoahaz died and was buried in Samaria. His son Joash succeeded him as king.
10. 10Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria during the 37th year of King Joash of Judah's reign. He ruled for 16 years.
11. 11The LORD saw that he was evil. He never turned away from any of the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel into — he continued in all of them.
12. 12The rest of Joash's acts, all he did, and his might in fighting against Amaziah, king of Judah, are recorded in the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
13. 13Joash died and was buried in Samaria with the other kings of Israel. Jeroboam took his place on the throne.
14. 14Now Elisha had become sick with the illness from which he would die. King Joash of Israel went down to him, wept over him, and said, 'My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!'
15. 15Elisha told him, "Get a bow and some arrows." So Joash got a bow and arrows.
16. 16Then Elisha said to the king, "Grip the bow." As Joash took hold of it, Elisha placed his own hands over the king's hands.
17. 17Elisha said, "Open the window facing east." Joash opened it. Then Elisha instructed, "Shoot." Joash shot the arrow. Elisha then proclaimed, "This is the arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria. You will strike the Syrians in Aphek until you have completely defeated them."
18. 18Then Elisha said, "Pick up the arrows." Joash picked them up. "Now strike the ground with them," Elisha told him. The king struck the ground 3 times and stopped.
19. 19The man of God was furious with him. "You should have struck 5 or 6 times!" he said. "Then you would have completely destroyed Syria. But now you will only defeat them 3 times."
20. 20Elisha died, and they buried him. At the beginning of the year, bands of Moabites invaded the land.
21. 21One day, some Israelites were burying a man when they saw a band of raiders approaching. They threw the body into Elisha's tomb, and when the dead man touched Elisha's bones, he came back to life and stood up on his feet.
22. 22King Hazael of Syria oppressed Israel throughout the entire reign of Jehoahaz.
23. 23But the LORD was gracious to Israel, showed them compassion, and had respect for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He refused to destroy them or banish them from his presence yet.
24. 24When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Benhadad succeeded him as king.
25. 25Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz, took back from Benhadad, the son of Hazael, the cities that had been taken from his father Jehoahaz in war. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.