2 Kings Chapter 13

Jehoahaz Rules in Israel

¹ In the twenty-third year of Joash/Jehoash Ben-Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz Ben-Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria and ruled for 17 years. ² He followed the sins of Jeroboam^I that got Israel to sin. ³ Yahveh’s anger flared; he kept delivering them to Hazael, king of Aram, and Benhadad his son. ⁴ Jehoahaz asked for Yahveh’s help and he listened to him, because he saw the oppression by the king of Aram. ⁵ Yahveh gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped from under the Arameans and lived like before. ⁶ But they didn’t turn away from the sins of Jeroboam^I that got Israel to sin; the Asherah pole remained standing in Samaria. ⁷ The Arameans reduced Jehoahaz’s army to not more than 50 cavalry, 10 chariots, and 10,000 infantry, and made them like dust at threshing time. ⁸ The rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and the strength of his rule are recorded in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ⁹ He died and they buried him in Samaria. His son Joash became king.         2 Kg 13:1-9

Jehoash Rules in Israel

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Joash, king of Judah, Joash/Jehoash Ben-Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria and ruled for 16 years. ¹¹ He didn’t turn away from the sins of Jeroboam that got Israel to sin. ¹² The rest of the acts of Joash and his strength in fighting Amaziah, king of Judah, are recorded in The Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹³ Joash died, and they buried him in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jeroboam^II sat on his throne.                                                                                                                  2 Kg 13:10-13

¹⁴ When Elisha took sick with the illness he’d die from, Joash, king of Israel, came down and cried over him, “Father! Father! the chariots of Israel and their drivers!”

¹⁵ Elisha said, “Pick up a bow and arrows, ¹⁶ and put your hand on the bow.”

Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷ “Open the window toward the east. Shoot! Yahveh’s arrow of victory over Aram! You’ll destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”

¹⁸ Then he said, “Pick up some arrows and strike the floor.”

He struck it three times and stopped.

¹⁹ The man of God was mad at him, “You should have struck it five or six times. Then you would have struck Aram till you’d destroyed it. But as it is, you’ll strike Aram only three times.”

            ²⁰ Elisha died, and they buried him.

            Bands of Moabites would invade the land in the spring. ²¹ Once, as some Israelites were burying a man, they saw a marauding band. They threw him into Elisha’s tomb and ran. When he touched Elisha’s bones, he came back to life and stood up.

²² Hazael, king of Aram, had oppressed Israel all the time of Jehoahaz. ²³ But Yahveh was gracious, had mercy, and turned to them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He still hadn’t destroyed them or thrown them out of his presence. ²⁴ When Hazael died, Benhadad his son became king. ²⁵ Jehoash took back the towns Hazael had taken in war from his father. Three times he defeated him and recovered Israel’s towns.                                                                                                                              2 Kg 13:14-25