Jehoahaz Is King of Israel
4 Kingdoms 13, verse 1. In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and ruled seventeen years. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 2. And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who led Israel to sin. He did not depart from them. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 3. Thus the Lord was roused to anger against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of the son of Hadad, the son of Hazael, for all their days. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 4. But Jehoahaz pleaded with the Lord, and the Lord heard him; for He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 5. Then the Lord gave deliverance to Israel, so they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians. And the sons of Israel dwelt in their habitations as before. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 6. But still they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who led Israel to sin, but walked in them. Indeed, the wooden image remained in Samaria. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 7. Yet there were no more troops left for Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariot drivers, and ten thousand infantry. For the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like dust to be trampled. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 8. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, everything he did, and his mighty acts, are these not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 9. So Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then Joash his son ruled in his place.
Jehoash Is King of Israel
4 Kingdoms 13, verse 10. In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and ruled for sixteen years. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 11. And he did evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who led Israel to sin. He walked in them. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 12. Now the rest of the acts of Joash, everything he did, and his might in fighting with Amaziah king of Judah, is all this not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel? 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 13. And Joash slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat upon his throne in Samaria among the sons of Israel.
The Death of Elisha
4 Kingdoms 13, verse 14. Elisha became sick with an illness from which he would die. Joash king of Israel came down to him and wept before him, and said, “My father! My father! The chariots of Israel and their horsemen!” 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 15. And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he brought him a bow and some arrows. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 16. Then he said to the king, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 17. Then he said, “Open the east window.” And he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot the arrow with the bow,” and he shot. And Elisha said, “An arrow of the Lord's deliverance; an arrow of release from Syria. For you will strike the Syrians at Aphek till their end.” 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 18. Then Elisha said to him, “Take the bow of an archer.” And he did. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” So the king struck three times and stopped. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 19. Then the man of God was grieved and said, “If you had struck five or six times, then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! But now you shall strike Syria only three times.” 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 20. Now Elisha died, and they buried him. Then in the following year, the raiding bands from Moab invaded the land. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 21. And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, they beheld a lightly armed band of raiders, and cast the man into the tomb of Elisha. When the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood up on his feet.
Israel Retakes Syrian Cities
4 Kingdoms 13, verse 22. Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 23. But the Lord had mercy on them. He pitied them and watched over them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Thus He did not want to destroy them or cast them from His presence. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 24. Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then the grandson of Hadad reigned in his place. 4 Kingdoms 13, verse 25. And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz returned and captured the cities out of the hand of the grandson of Hazael, the cities which he took from the hand of Jehoahaz his father in the war. Joash defeated him three times and recaptured the cities of Israel.