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2 Kings 13
International Standard Version
2 Kings 13
International Standard Version
Jehoahaz Becomes King of Israel
13 During the twenty-third year of the reign of[a] Ahaziah’s son Joash, king of Judah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz began his seventeen year reign in Samaria over Israel.[b] 2 He did what the Lord considered to be evil, after the pattern of Nebat’s son Jeroboam. By doing so, he caused Israel to sin, and he never changed course from it. 3 As a result, the Lord’s wrath flared up against Israel, so he handed them over to domination by King Hazael of Aram and later into constant domination[c] by Hazael’s son Ben-hadad. 4 But Jehoahaz sought the Lord,[d] and the Lord paid attention to him, because the Lord[e] had been watching the oppression that Israel was enduring from the king of Aram.[f]
God Delivers Israel
5 The Lord provided Israel with a deliverer, so they escaped the Aramean oppression while the descendants of Israel lived in tents as they had formerly. 6 Nevertheless, they did not change course away from the sins of Jeroboam’s household, by which he caused Israel to sin, but continued on that same course, with Asherah poles[g] remaining in place in Samaria. 7 For the Aramean king[h] had left only 50 cavalry, ten chariots, and 10,000 soldiers out of the army belonging to Jehoahaz, because the king of Aram had destroyed the others,[i] making them like chaff left over after threshing.
8 Now the rest of the activities of Jehoahaz, including everything he did and his grandeur, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 9 So Jehoahaz died, as did[j] his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria while his son Joash replaced him as king.
Jehoash Reigns in Samaria
10 During the thirty-seventh year of the reign of[k] King Joash[l] of Judah, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash began a sixteen year reign as king over Israel in Samaria. 11 He practiced what the Lord considered to be evil, not changing course from all of the sins practiced by Nebat’s son Jeroboam by which he caused Israel to sin. Instead, he continued on that same course. 12 The rest of Joash’s activities, including everything he did and the vehemence with which he fought against King Amaziah of Judah are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 13 So Joash died, as did[m] his ancestors, and Jeroboam assumed his throne after Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Elisha Predicts Partial Victory for Joash
14 When Elisha fell ill with the sickness from which he was about to die, King Joash of Israel came down to see[n] him, wept in his presence, and told him, “My father, Israel’s chariots and cavalry!”
15 Elisha told him, “Pick up a bow and some arrows.” So he picked up a bow and some arrows.
16 Then Elisha told Israel’s king, “Draw the bow!” As he did so, Elisha laid his hands on top of the king’s hands 17 and ordered him, “Open a window that faces east.” So he did so.
Elisha ordered him, “Shoot!” So he shot.
Then Elisha said, “This is the Lord’s arrow of victory—the victory arrow against Aram, because you will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you will have utterly finished them off.”
18 After this Elisha said, “Pick up the arrows.” So the king picked them up.
Then Elisha told the king of Israel, “Strike the ground!” So he struck it three times and then stood still.
19 At this, the man of God became angry at him and told him, “You should have struck five or six times! Then you would have attacked Aram until you would have destroyed it! But as it is now, you’ll defeat Aram only three times!”
The Death of Elisha
20 Later, Elisha died and was buried. Now at that time, various Moabite marauders had been invading the land each spring. 21 One day while some Israelis[o] were burying a man, they saw some marauders, so they threw the man into Elisha’s grave. But when the man fell against Elisha’s remains,[p] he revived and rose to his feet.
Elisha’s Prophecy of Partial Victory is Fulfilled
22 Meanwhile, King Hazael of Aram had been oppressing Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz, 23 but the Lord showed grace to them, displayed his compassion toward them, and turned to them due to his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would not destroy them or evict them from his presence up until that time. 24 After King Hazael of Aram died, his son Ben-hadad replaced him as king. 25 At that time, Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash recaptured from Hazael’s son Ben-hadad the cities that Hazael[q] had captured through warfare from the control of Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. Joash[r] defeated and recovered cities of Israel from Ben-hadad[s] three times.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 13:1 The Heb. lacks the reign of
- 2 Kings 13:1 I.e. over the northern kingdom
- 2 Kings 13:3 Lit. into domination all their days
- 2 Kings 13:4 Lit. the Lord’s face
- 2 Kings 13:4 Lit. because he
- 2 Kings 13:4 The Heb. lacks that Israel was enduring from the king of Aram
- 2 Kings 13:6 I.e. cultic pillars used in pagan worship, and so throughout the book
- 2 Kings 13:7 Lit. For he
- 2 Kings 13:7 Lit. destroyed them
- 2 Kings 13:9 Lit. Jehoahaz slept with
- 2 Kings 13:10 The Heb. lacks the reign of
- 2 Kings 13:10 Joash and Jehoash are alternate spellings of the same name
- 2 Kings 13:13 Lit. Joash slept with
- 2 Kings 13:14 The Heb. lacks see
- 2 Kings 13:21 Lit. As they
- 2 Kings 13:21 Lit. bones
- 2 Kings 13:25 Lit. he
- 2 Kings 13:25 Joash and Jehoash are alternate spellings of the same name
- 2 Kings 13:25 Lit. him
2 Kings 13
New International Version
2 Kings 13
New International Version
Jehoahaz King of Israel
13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. 2 He did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. 3 So the Lord’s anger(B) burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power(C) of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad(D) his son.
4 Then Jehoahaz sought(E) the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw(F) how severely the king of Aram was oppressing(G) Israel. 5 The Lord provided a deliverer(H) for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 6 But they did not turn away from the sins(I) of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole[a](J) remained standing in Samaria.
7 Nothing had been left(K) of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust(L) at threshing time.
8 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 9 Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash[b] his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoash King of Israel
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.
12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah(M) king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals(N) of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam(O) succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots(P) and horsemen of Israel!”
15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,”(Q) and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!”(R) Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”(S)
18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”(T)
20 Elisha died and was buried.
Now Moabite raiders(U) used to enter the country every spring. 21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life(V) and stood up on his feet.
22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed(W) Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant(X) with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy(Y) them or banish them from his presence.(Z)
24 Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad(AA) his son succeeded him as king. 25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times(AB) Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered(AC) the Israelite towns.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 13:6 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Kings
- 2 Kings 13:9 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 12-14 and 25
2 Kings 13
King James Version
2 Kings 13
King James Version
13 In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
3 And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.
4 And Jehoahaz besought the Lord, and the Lord hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them.
5 (And the Lord gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
6 Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.)
7 Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
9 And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.
10 In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.
11 And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.
12 And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
13 And Joash slept with his fathers; and Jeroboam sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14 Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.
15 And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.
16 And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.
17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the Lord's deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed them.
18 And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite upon the ground. And he smote thrice, and stayed.
19 And the man of God was wroth with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice.
20 And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year.
21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.
22 But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 And the Lord was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet.
24 So Hazael king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.
25 And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.