2 Kings 13

Modern

Literal

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

¹In the twenty-third year of the reign of Joash son of Ahaziah over Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel, and he reigned in Samaria seventeen years.

¹In the twentieth year and third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria seventeen years.

²And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

²And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH and went after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. He did not depart from them.

³So the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and He delivered them continually into the hands of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.

³And the anger of YHWH was kindled against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Aram and into the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael, all the days.

⁴Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him because He saw the oppression that the king of Aram had inflicted on Israel.

⁴And Jehoahaz pleaded before YHWH, and YHWH listened to him. For He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Aram oppressed them.

⁵So the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, and they escaped the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel lived in their own homes as they had before.

⁵And YHWH gave to Israel a deliverer, and they went out from under the hand of Aram. And the sons of Israel dwelt in their tents as yesterday and the day before yesterday.

⁶Nevertheless, they did not turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but they continued to walk in them.^a The Asherah pole even remained standing in Samaria.

⁶Nevertheless, they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam who had caused Israel to sin. They walked in them, and also the wooden image remained in Samaria.

⁷Jehoahaz had no army left, except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.

⁷For He left remaining none of the people of Jehoahaz, but only fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust for threshing.

⁸As for the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

⁸And the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel?

⁹And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. And his son Jehoash^a reigned in his place.

⁹And Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Joash his son reigned in his place.

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

¹⁰In the thirty-seventh year of the reign of Joash over Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.

¹⁰In the thirtieth year and seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria sixteen years.

¹¹And he did evil in the sight of the LORD and did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.

¹¹And he did evil in the eyes of YHWH. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. He walked in them.

¹²As for the rest of the acts of Jehoash, along with all his accomplishments and his might, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

¹²And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Words of the Days of the Kings of Israel?

¹³And Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

¹³And Joash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Elisha’s Final Prophecy

¹⁴When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness from which he would die, Jehoash king of Israel came down to him and wept over him, saying, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

¹⁴And Elisha had become sick with the illness from which He would die, and Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over his face and said, “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen.”

¹⁵Elisha told him, “Take a bow and some arrows.”

So Jehoash took a bow and some arrows.

¹⁵And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” And he took to him a bow and arrows.

¹⁶Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.”

So the king put his hand on the bow, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

¹⁶And he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he drove his hand, and Elisha put his hands on the hands of the king.

¹⁷“Open the east window,” said Elisha.

So he opened it and Elisha said, “Shoot!” So he shot.

And Elisha declared:

“This is the LORD’s arrow of victory,

the arrow of victory over Aram,

for you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek

until you have put an end to them.”

¹⁷And he said, “Open the window to the east.” And he opened it, and Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And he said, “The arrow of deliverance of YHWH, and the arrow of deliverance from Aram. For you must strike Aram at Aphek until you have consumed them.”

¹⁸Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows!”

So he took them, and Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!”

So he struck the ground three times and stopped.

¹⁸And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them, and he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck three times and he stood.

¹⁹But the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to it. But now you will strike down Aram only three times.”

¹⁹And the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Aram up to completion. Now three times you will strike Aram.”

²⁰And Elisha died and was buried.

Now the Moabite raiders used to come into the land every spring.^a

²⁰And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands from Moab came into the land at the coming in of the year.

²¹Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders, so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. And as soon as his body touched the bones of Elisha, the man was revived and stood up on his feet.

²¹And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band, and they cast the man in the tomb of Elisha, and the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, and he was revived and stood on his feet.

²²And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.

²²And Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

²³But the LORD was gracious to Israel and had compassion on them, and He turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And to this day, the LORD has been unwilling to destroy them or cast them from His presence.

²³And YHWH was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned to them on account of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And He would not destroy them nor cast them from His presence, even to now.

²⁴When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad reigned in his place.

²⁴And Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his place.

²⁵Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and so recovered the cities of Israel.

²⁵And Jehoash son of Jehoahaz turned and took the cities from the hand of Ben-hadad son of Hazael that he had taken from the hand of Jehoahaz his father in the war. Three times Joash defeated him and returned the cities of Israel.