Bible in 90 Days
Elisha and the Stew
38 When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was a ·shortage of food [famine] in the land. While the ·groups [company; brotherhood; L sons] of prophets were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “Put the large pot on the fire, and boil some stew for ·these men [this company/brotherhood/L sons of prophets].”
39 One of them went out into the field to gather ·plants [herbs]. Finding a wild vine, he ·picked fruit from the vine and filled his robe with it [gathered a lapful of wild gourds]. ·Then he came and cut up the fruit into the pot. But they didn’t know what kind of fruit it was. [He returned and sliced them into a pot of stew, not knowing what they were.] 40 They ·poured out [served] the stew for the others to eat. When they began to eat it, they shouted, “Man of God, there’s death [C poison] in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
41 Elisha told them to bring some ·flour [meal]. He threw it into the pot and said, “·Pour it out for [Serve it to] the people to eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Elisha Feeds the People
42 A man from Baal Shalishah came to Elisha, bringing him twenty loaves of barley bread from the first ·harvest [fruits]. He also brought fresh grain in his sack. Elisha said, “Give it to the people to eat.”
43 Elisha’s servant asked, “How can I ·feed a hundred people with so little [L set this before a hundred people]?”
“Give the bread to the people to eat,” Elisha ·said [repeated]. “·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘They will eat and will have food left over.’” 44 After he gave it to them, the people ate and had food left over, ·as the Lord had said [L in accordance with the word of the Lord].
Naaman Is Healed
5 Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram. He was ·honored [held in great favor] by his master and much respected, because the Lord used him to give victory to Aram. He was a ·mighty and brave man [valiant soldier], but he had ·a skin disease [T leprosy; C refers to a variety of skin diseases; Lev. 13:2].
2 The Arameans had gone out to raid the Israelites and had taken a little girl as a captive. This little girl served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “I wish my ·master [lord] would meet the prophet who lives in Samaria. He would cure him of his ·disease [T leprosy; 5:1].”
4 Naaman went to the king and told him ·what the girl from Israel had said [L according to this and according to that the girl said]. 5 The king of Aram said, “Go ahead, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left and took with him ·about seven hundred fifty pounds [L ten talents] of silver, as well as ·one hundred fifty pounds [L six thousand shekels] of gold and ten ·changes of clothes [sets of festal/formal robes]. 6 He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, “I am sending my servant Naaman to you so you can heal him of his ·skin disease [T leprosy; 5:1].”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress]. He said, “·I’m not God! I can’t kill and make alive again! [L Am I God, to give life or take it away?] Why does this man send someone with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; 5:1] for me to heal? You can see that the king of Aram is trying to ·start trouble [pick a fight/quarrel] with me.”
8 When Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent the king this message: “Why have you torn your clothes? Let Naaman come to me. Then he will ·know [learn] there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and stood outside the door.
10 Elisha sent Naaman a messenger who said, “Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then your ·skin will be healed [L flesh will be restored], and you will be ·clean [cleansed].”
11 Naaman ·became angry [was provoked/aroused to anger] and left. He said, “I thought Elisha would surely come out and stand before me and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over the place and heal the ·disease [T leprosy; 5:1]. 12 ·The [Are not the…?] Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than all the waters of Israel. Why can’t I wash in them and ·become clean [be cleansed; C both physically healed and ritually clean]?” So Naaman went away ·very angry [in a rage].
13 Naaman’s servants came near and said to him, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do some ·great [very difficult] thing, wouldn’t you have done it? All the more reason then when he simply says, ‘Wash, and you will be clean [v. 12].’” 14 So Naaman went down and dipped in the Jordan seven times, ·just as Elisha had said [L in accordance with the word of the man of God]. Then his skin ·became new again [was restored], like the skin of a child. And he was clean.
15 Naaman and all his ·group [company; brotherhood] returned to Elisha. He stood before Elisha and said, “Look, I now know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now please accept a gift from me.”
16 But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives ·whom I serve [L before whom I stand], I won’t accept anything.” Naaman urged him to take the gift, but he refused.
17 Then Naaman said, “If you won’t take the gift, then please give me some soil—as much as two of my mules can carry. From now on I’ll not offer any burnt offering [Lev. 1:1–17] or sacrifice to any other gods but the Lord. 18 But let the Lord pardon me for this: When my ·master [lord] goes into the ·temple [L house] of Rimmon [C a pagan deity] to worship, he leans on my arm. Then I must bow in that ·temple [L house]. May the Lord pardon me when I do that.”
19 Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.”
Naaman had left Elisha and gone a short way 20 when Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “My ·master [lord] has ·gone easy on [spared] this Naaman the Aramean by not taking what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I’ll run after him and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ·went after [pursued; ran after] Naaman.
When Naaman saw someone running after him, he got off the chariot to meet Gehazi. He asked, “Is ·everything all right [all well]?”
22 Gehazi said, “Everything is ·all right [well]. My ·master [lord] has sent me. He said, ‘Two young men from the ·groups [company; brotherhood; L sons] of prophets in the ·mountains [hill country] of Ephraim just came to me. Please give them ·seventy-five pounds [L a talent] of silver and two changes of clothes.’”
23 Naaman said, “Please take ·one hundred fifty pounds [L two talents],” and he urged Gehazi to take it. He tied ·one hundred fifty pounds [L two talents] of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes. Then he gave them to two of his servants to carry for Gehazi. 24 When they came to the hill, Gehazi took these things from Naaman’s servants and ·put [hid; stored] them in the house. Then he let Naaman’s servants go, and they left.
25 When he came in and stood before his ·master [lord], Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”
“I didn’t go anywhere,” he answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “·My spirit was [L Did not my heart/spirit go…?] with you. I knew when the man ·turned [stepped down] from his chariot to meet you. ·This isn’t [Is this…?] a time to take money, clothes, ·olives, grapes [olive groves and vineyards], sheep, oxen, male servants, or female servants. 27 So Naaman’s ·skin disease [T leprosy; 5:1] will ·come on [cling to] you and your ·children [descendants] forever.” When Gehazi left Elisha, he ·had the disease [T was a leper; 5:1] and was as white as snow.
An Axhead Floats
6 The ·groups [company; brotherhood; L sons] of prophets said to Elisha, “The place where we ·meet [or are living] with you is too small for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan River. There everyone can get a ·log [beam; pole], and let’s build a place there to ·live [meet].”
Elisha said, “Go.”
3 One of them said, “Please go with us.”
Elisha answered, “I will go,” 4 so he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they cut down some trees. 5 As one man was cutting down a tree, the head of his ax fell into the water. He yelled, “·Oh no [T Alas], my ·master [lord]! I borrowed that ax!”
6 ·Elisha [L The man of God] asked, “Where did it fall?” The man showed him the place. Then Elisha cut down a stick and threw it into the water, and it made the iron head float. 7 Elisha said, “Pick up the axhead.” Then the man reached out and took it.
Elisha and the Blinded Arameans
8 The king of Aram was at war with Israel. He ·had [would have] a council meeting with his officers and ·said [say], “I will set up my camp in ·this [such and such a] place.”
9 Elisha, the man of God, ·sent [would send] a message to the king of Israel, saying, “·Be careful [Beware]! Don’t pass that place, because the Arameans are going ·down [to attack/gather] there!”
10 The king of Israel ·checked [would send word to] the place about which Elisha had warned him. Elisha warned him several times, so the king ·protected himself [was on his guard] there.
11 The king of Aram was ·angry [greatly disturbed] about this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Tell me who of us is ·working for [siding with; C he suspects a traitor] the king of Israel.”
12 One of the officers said, “No one, my ·master [lord] and king. It’s Elisha, the prophet from Israel. He can tell ·you [L the king of Israel] what you speak in your bedroom.”
13 The king said, “Go and find him so I can send men and ·catch [capture; seize] him.”
The report came back, “He is in Dothan.”
14 Then the king sent horses, chariots, and many troops to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city.
15 ·Elisha’s [L The man of God’s] servant got up early, and when he went out, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, “·Oh no [T Alas], my ·master [lord], what ·can [will] we do?”
16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. ·The army that fights for us is larger than the one against us [L Those with us are more than those with them].”
17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open my servant’s eyes, and let him see.”
The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the ·mountain [hillside] was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 As the enemy came down toward Elisha, he prayed to the Lord, “·Make [Strike] these people blind.” So he made the Aramean army blind, ·as Elisha had asked [L in accordance with the word of Elisha].
19 Elisha said to them, “This is not the ·right road [way] or the ·right city [city]. Follow me and I’ll take you to the man you are looking for.” Then Elisha led them to Samaria [C the city, not the region].
20 After they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open these men’s eyes so they can see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and the Aramean army saw that they were inside the city of Samaria!
21 When the king of Israel saw the Aramean army, he said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”
22 Elisha answered, “Don’t kill them. ·You wouldn’t [L Would you…?] kill people whom you captured with your sword and bow. Give them food and water, and let them eat and drink and then go home to their ·master [lord].” 23 So he prepared a great feast for the Aramean army. After they ate and drank, the king sent them away, and they went home to their ·master [lord]. The ·soldiers [raiders] of Aram did not come anymore into the land of Israel.
A Great Famine
24 Later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered his whole army and ·surrounded and attacked [besieged] Samaria. 25 There was a ·shortage of food [great famine] in Samaria. ·It was so bad [or The siege lasted so long] that a donkey’s head sold for ·about two pounds [L eighty shekels/or pieces] of silver, and ·half of a pint [L a fourth of a kab] of dove’s dung sold for ·about two ounces [L five shekels/or pieces] of silver. 26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman yelled out to him, “Help me, my ·master [lord] and king!”
27 The king said, “If the Lord doesn’t help you, how can I? Can I get help from the threshing floor or from the winepress [C he has neither food nor drink to offer]?” 28 Then the king said to her, “What is your ·trouble [complaint]?”
She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we ·boiled [cooked] my son and ate him. Then the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him.’ But she has hidden him.”
30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress]. As he walked along the wall, the people looked and saw he had on ·rough cloth [sackcloth; burlap] under his clothes [C also a sign of mourning]. 31 He said, “May God ·punish me terribly [deal severely with me, and worse; L do to me, and even more] if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat ·isn’t cut off from his body [L remains on his shoulders] today [C the king blames Elisha for the situation]!”
32 The king sent a messenger to Elisha, who was sitting in his house with the elders [C an indication that Elisha is more powerful than the king]. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to them, “See, this murderer is sending men to ·cut off [L take away] my head. When the messenger arrives, shut the door and hold it; don’t let him in. ·The [L Is not the…?] sound of his ·master’s [lord’s] feet is behind him.”
33 Elisha was still talking with the leaders when the messenger arrived. The king said, “This ·trouble [misery; L evil] has come from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
7 Elisha said, “Listen to the Lord’s word. ·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: ‘About this time tomorrow ·seven quarts [a measure/L seah; C the exact quantity of a seah is debated] of ·fine [choice] flour will be sold for ·two-fifths of an ounce of silver [L a shekel], and ·thirteen quarts [two measures/L seahs] of barley will be sold for ·two-fifths of an ounce of silver [L a shekel; C food would be readily available]. This will happen at the gate of Samaria [C the common location of the marketplace].’”
2 Then the officer ·who was close to the king [L on whose arm the king was leaning] answered Elisha, “Even if the Lord opened windows in the sky [C resulting in rain], that couldn’t happen.”
Elisha said, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”
3 There were four men with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; 5:1] at the entrance to the city gate. They said to each other, “Why ·do [should] we sit here until we die? 4 There is ·no food [famine] in the city. So if we go into the city, we will die there. If we stay here, we will die. So let’s go to the Aramean camp. If they ·let us live [spare us], we will live. If they kill us, we die.”
5 So they got up at ·twilight [dusk] and went to the Aramean camp, but when they arrived at the edge of the camp, no one was there. 6 The Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army. They had said to each other, “The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and ran away in the ·twilight [dusk], ·leaving [abandoning] their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp ·standing [just as it was] and ·ran [fled] for their lives.
8 When the ·men with the skin disease [T lepers; 5:1] came to the edge of the camp, they went into one of the tents and ate and drank. They carried silver, gold, and clothes out of the camp and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent. They carried things from this tent and hid them, also. 9 Then they said to each other, “We’re ·doing wrong [L not doing right]. ·Today we have [This is a day of] good news, but we are ·silent [keeping it to ourselves; holding our tongues]. If we wait until the sun comes up, we’ll be ·discovered [punished; found guilty]. Let’s go right now and tell the people in the king’s ·palace [L household].”
10 So they went and called to the gatekeepers of the city. They said, “We went to the Aramean camp, but no one is there; we didn’t hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up, and the tents ·were still standing [as they were].” 11 Then the gatekeepers shouted out and told the ·people in the palace [L king’s household].
12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I’ll tell you what the Arameans are doing to us. They know we are starving. They have gone out of the camp to hide in the field. They’re saying, ‘When the Israelites come out of the city, we’ll capture them alive. Then we’ll enter the city.’”
13 One of his officers answered, “Let some men take five of the horses that are still left in the city. These men are like all the Israelites who are left; they, like a multitude of Israelites who have already perished, are about to die. Let’s send them to see what has happened.”
14 So the men took two chariots with horses. The king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see what has happened.” 15 The men followed the Aramean army as far as the Jordan River. The road was full of clothes and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away as they had hurriedly left. So the messengers returned and told the king. 16 Then the people went out and ·took valuables from [plundered; ransacked] the Aramean camp. So ·seven quarts [a measure/L seah] of fine flour were sold for ·two-fifths of an ounce of silver [L a shekel], and ·thirteen quarts [two measures/L seahs; 7:1] of barley were sold for ·two-fifths of an ounce of silver [L a shekel], ·just as the Lord had said [L in accordance with the word of the Lord].
17 The king ·chose [appointed] the officer ·who was close to him [L on whose arm he leaned] to guard the gate, but the people trampled the officer to death. This happened just as ·Elisha [the man of God] had told the king when the king came to his house. 18 He had said, “·Thirteen quarts [Two measures/L seahs] of barley and ·seven quarts [a measure/L seah]of fine flour will each sell for ·two-fifths of an ounce of silver [a shekel] about this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria.”
19 But the officer had answered, “Even if the Lord opened windows in the sky, that couldn’t happen.” And Elisha had told him, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.” 20 It happened to the officer just that way. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
The Shunammite Regains Her Land
8 Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had ·brought back [restored] to life. He said, “Get up and go with your ·family [L household]. ·Stay [Settle; Live; T Sojourn] any place you can, because the Lord has called for a ·time without food [famine] that will last seven years.” 2 So the woman got up and did as the man of God had said. She left with her ·family [L household], and they ·stayed [settled; lived; T sojourned] in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines and went to ·beg [appeal to] the king for her house and land. 4 The king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king had said, “Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done.” 5 Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had ·brought [restored] a dead boy back to life. Just then the woman whose son Elisha had ·brought back [restored] to life came and ·begged [appealed to] the king for her house and land.
Gehazi said, “My ·master [lord] and king, this is the woman, and this is the son Elisha ·brought back [restored] to life.”
6 The king ·asked [questioned] the woman, and she told him about it. Then the king ·chose [appointed] an officer to help her. “·Give [Restore to] the woman everything that is hers,” the king said. “Give her all the ·money made [revenue] from her land from the day she left until now.”
Ben-Hadad Is Killed
7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, where Ben-Hadad king of Aram was sick. Someone told him, “The man of God has ·arrived [come all this way].”
8 The king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand and go meet him. ·Ask [Inquire of] the Lord through him if I will recover from my sickness.”
9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift of forty camels loaded with ·every good thing [the finest wares] in Damascus. He came and stood before Elisha and said, “Your son [C a term of respect, not literal] Ben-Hadad king of Aram sent me to you. He asks if he will recover from his sickness.”
10 Elisha said to Hazael, “Go and tell Ben-Hadad, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the Lord has told me he will really die [C perhaps indicating that Elisha knew that the king would soon die, but not from illness].” 11 ·Hazael stared at Elisha [or Elisha stared at Hazael; L He stared at him] until he felt ·ashamed [uneasy]. Then Elisha cried.
12 Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, my ·master [lord]?”
Elisha answered, “Because I know what ·evil [harm; terrible things] you will do to the ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel]. You will burn their ·strong, walled [fortified] cities with fire and kill their young men with the sword. You will ·throw [dash] their babies ·to the ground [or in pieces] and ·split [rip] open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “·Am I a dog? How could I [or How could I, a mere dog,] ·do such things [or accomplish such great things]?”
Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and ·came [returned] to his ·master [lord]. Ben-Hadad said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?”
Hazael answered, “He told me that you will ·surely [certainly] recover.” 15 But the next day Hazael took a blanket and ·dipped [soaked] it in water. Then he ·put [spread; held] it over Ben-Hadad’s face, and he died. So Hazael became king in Ben-Hadad’s place.
Jehoram King of Judah(A)
16 While Jehoshaphat was king in Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. This was during the fifth year Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel. 17 Jehoram was thirty-two years old when he ·began to rule [became king], and he ·ruled [reigned] eight years in Jerusalem. 18 He ·followed [L walked in] the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the ·family [L house] of Ahab had done, because he married Ahab’s daughter. Jehoram did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. 19 But the Lord ·would not [was unwilling to] destroy Judah ·because [for the sake] of his servant David. The Lord had promised ·that one of David’s descendants would always rule [L to give a lamp to him and his descendants forever; C a metaphor for the reign of a king; 2 Sam. 7:12; 1 Kin. 11:36; 2 Chr. 21:7].
20 In Jehoram’s time Edom ·broke away from [revolted against] Judah’s ·rule [L hand] and ·chose [set up] their own king. 21 So Jehoram and all his chariots ·went [crossed over] to Zair. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders. Jehoram got up and attacked the Edomites at night, but his army ran away to their ·tents [homes]. 22 From then until now Edom has ·fought [been in revolt/rebellion] against the rule of Judah. At the same time Libnah also ·broke away from Judah’s rule [revolted; rebelled].
23 The other acts of Jehoram and all the things he did ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 24 Jehoram ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried with his ·ancestors [fathers] in the City of David [C Jerusalem], and Jehoram’s son Ahaziah ·ruled [became king] in his place.
25 Ahaziah son of Jehoram ·became king of [began to reign/rule over] Judah during the twelfth year Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 Ahaziah ·followed [L walked in] the ways of Ahab’s ·family [L house]. He did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], as Ahab’s ·family [L house] had done, because he was a son-in-law to the house of Ahab.
28 Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to Ramoth in Gilead, where they fought against Hazael king of Aram. The Arameans wounded Joram. 29 So King Joram returned to Jezreel to ·heal [recover] from the wound he had received from the Arameans at Ramoth when he fought Hazael king of Aram. Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to visit Joram son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he ·had been wounded [was ailing/ill].
Jehu Is Chosen King
9 At the same time, Elisha the prophet called a man from the ·groups [company; brotherhood; L sons] of prophets. Elisha said, “·Get ready [L Gird up your loins; 4:29], and take this ·small bottle [flask] of olive oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth in Gilead. 2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go in and make Jehu get up from among his ·brothers [companions], and take him to an ·inner [private] room. 3 Then take the ·bottle [flask] and pour the oil on Jehu’s head and say, ‘·This is what the Lord says [T Thus says the Lord]: I have ·appointed [anointed] you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and ·run away [flee]. Don’t wait!”
4 So the young man, the young prophet, went to Ramoth in Gilead. 5 When he arrived, he saw the officers of the army sitting together. He said, “Commander, I have a message for you.”
Jehu asked, “For which one of us?”
The young man said, “For you, commander.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the olive oil on Jehu’s head and said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I have ·appointed [anointed] you king over the Lord’s people Israel. 7 You must ·destroy [strike down] the ·family [L house] of Ahab your ·master [lord]. I will ·punish [have vengeance against] Jezebel for the ·deaths [L blood] of my servants the prophets and ·for [L for the blood of] all the Lord’s servants. 8 All of Ahab’s ·family [L house] must die. I will ·destroy [L cut off] every ·male [L one who urinates against the wall] child in Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Israel, whether slave or free. 9 I will make Ahab’s ·family [L house] like the ·family [L house] of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the ·family [L house] of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will ·eat [devour] Jezebel at Jezreel, and no one will bury her.’”
Then the young prophet opened the door and ·ran away [fled].
11 When Jehu went back to his ·master’s [lord’s] officers, one of them said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this ·crazy man [madman] come to you?”
Jehu answered, “You know ·the [that kind of] man and how he ·talks [babbles].”
12 They answered, “·That’s not true [Liar]. Tell us.”
Jehu said, “He said to me, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have ·appointed [anointed] you to be king over Israel.’”
13 Then the officers hurried, and each man took off his own coat and put it on the stairs for Jehu [C signifying submission]. They blew the trumpet and shouted, “Jehu is king!”
Joram and Ahaziah Are Killed(B)
14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi, ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel had been defending Ramoth in Gilead from Hazael king of Aram. 15 But King Joram had to return to Jezreel to ·heal [recover] from the ·injuries [wounds] the Arameans had given him when he fought against Hazael king of Aram.
Jehu said, “If you ·agree with this [want me to be king], don’t let anyone leave the city to tell the news in Jezreel.” 16 Then he got into his chariot and set out for Jezreel, where Joram was resting. Ahaziah king of Judah had gone down to see him.
17 The lookout was standing on the watchtower in Jezreel when he saw Jehu’s troops coming. He said, “I see ·some [a company of] soldiers!”
Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them. Tell him to ask, ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”
18 The horseman rode out to meet Jehu, and he said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”
Jehu said, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”
The lookout reported, “The messenger reached them, but he is not coming back.”
19 Then Joram sent out a second horseman. This rider came to Jehu’s group and said, “This is what the king says: ‘·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace]?’”
Jehu answered, “·Why bother yourself with order [What is peace to you]? ·Come along [Fall in] behind me.”
20 The lookout reported, “He reached them, but he is not coming back. The man in the chariot is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi. He drives ·as if he were crazy [like a madman/maniac]!”
21 Joram said, “Get my chariot ready.” Then the servant got Joram’s chariot ready. Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, and met Jehu at the ·property of [plot of ground belonging to] Naboth the Jezreelite [1 Kin. 21:1–19].
22 When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “·Is all in order [Do you come in peace; L Is it peace], Jehu?”
Jehu answered, “There will never be any ·order [peace] as long as your mother ·Jezebel worships idols and uses witchcraft [Jezebel’s prostitutions/harlotries and witchcraft/sorceries abound].”
23 Joram turned the horses to run away and yelled to Ahaziah, “·It’s a trick [Treason; Treachery], Ahaziah!”
24 Then Jehu drew his bow with all his strength and shot Joram between his shoulders. The arrow ·went through [pierced] Joram’s heart, and he ·fell [sank; slumped] down in his chariot.
25 Jehu ordered Bidkar, his chariot officer, “Pick up Joram’s body, and throw it into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember when you and I rode together ·with [behind] Joram’s father Ahab. The Lord ·made this prophecy [pronounced this oracle; 1 Kin. 19:17, 21:19–29] against him: 26 ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons, says the Lord, so I will ·punish [repay] Ahab in his field, says the Lord.’ Take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, ·as the Lord has said [L in accordance with the word of the Lord].”
27 When Ahaziah king of Judah saw this, he ·ran away [fled] toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him, saying, “Shoot Ahaziah, too!” Ahaziah was wounded in his chariot ·on the way up to [at the Ascent of] Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo but died there. 28 Ahaziah’s servants carried his body in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him with his ·ancestors [fathers] in his tomb in the City of David [C Jerusalem]. 29 (Ahaziah had become king over Judah in the eleventh year Joram son of Ahab was king.)
Death of Jezebel
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She ·put on her eye makeup [painted her eyes] and ·fixed her hair [adorned her head]. Then she ·looked out [appeared/sat at] the window. 31 When Jehu entered the city gate, Jezebel said, “·Have you come in peace [L Is it peace], ·you Zimri [L Zimri; C a sarcastic reference to a previous king who had assassinated his predecessor; 1 Kin. 16:8–12], you who ·killed [murdered] your ·master [lord]?”
32 Jehu looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three ·servants [officials] looked ·out the window [down] at Jehu. 33 He said to them, “Throw her down.” So they threw Jezebel down, and the horses ·ran over [trampled] her. Some of her blood ·splashed [spattered] on the wall and on the horses.
34 Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, “Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king’s daughter.”
35 The men went to bury Jezebel, but they found only her skull, feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 When they came back and told Jehu, he said, “The ·Lord [word of the Lord] said this through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: ‘The dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh at Jezreel [1 Kin. 21:23; 2 Kin. 9:7–10]. 37 Her body will be like ·manure [dung] on the field in the land at Jezreel. No one will be able to say that this is Jezebel.’”
Families of Ahab and Ahaziah Killed
10 Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria [C the city, not the region]. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the officers of the city[a] and elders—and to the guardians of the sons of Ahab. Jehu said, 2 “You have your ·master’s [lord’s] sons with you, and you have chariots, horses, a ·city with strong walls [fortified city], and weapons. When you get this letter, 3 choose the best and most worthy person among your ·master’s [lord’s] sons, and make him king. Then fight for your ·master’s [lord’s] ·family [L house].”
4 But the officers and leaders of Jezreel were ·frightened [utterly terrified]. They said, “Two kings could not ·stand up to [resist] Jehu, so how can we?”
5 The ·palace manager [steward of the house], the city ·governor [administrator], the ·leaders [elders], and the guardians sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants,” they said. “We will do everything you tell us to do. We won’t make any man king, so do whatever ·you think is best [L is good in your eyes/sight].”
6 Then Jehu wrote a second letter, saying, “If you are on my side and will obey me, cut off the heads of your ·master’s [lord’s] sons and come to me at Jezreel tomorrow about this time.”
Now the seventy sons of the king’s ·family [L house] were with the leading men of the city who were ·their guardians [raising them]. 7 When the leaders received the letter, they took the king’s sons and ·killed [slaughtered] all seventy of them. They put their heads in baskets and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Then Jehu said, “·Lay [Pile] the heads in two ·piles [heaps] at the city gate until morning.”
9 In the morning, Jehu went out and stood before the people and said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against my ·master [lord] and killed him. But who killed all these [C Jehu might have been blaming the Samaritan officials, or perhaps was implying that God ordered the killing]? 10 You should know that ·everything [L nothing] the Lord said about Ahab’s ·family [L house] will ·come true [L fall to the ground/earth]. The Lord ·has spoken [spoke his word] through his servant Elijah, and the Lord has done what he said.” 11 So Jehu killed everyone of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Jezreel who was still alive. He also killed all Ahab’s ·leading men [important officials], ·close [personal] friends, and priests. ·No one who had helped Ahab was left alive [He left no one to survive him].
The Killing of Ahaziah’s Relatives(C)
12 Then Jehu left and went to Samaria by way of the road to Beth Eked of the Shepherds. 13 There Jehu met some relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are relatives of Ahaziah. We have come down to ·get revenge for [or greet; visit] the families of the king and the king’s mother.”
14 Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!” So they captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive and killed them at the ·well [pit] near Beth Eked—forty-two of them. Jehu ·did not leave anyone alive [spared no one].
15 After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab [Jer. 35], who was also on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted him and said, “·Are you as good a friend to me as I am to you [Are you as loyal to me as I am to you; L Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart]?”
Jehonadab answered, “·Yes, I am [L It is].”
Jehu said, “If you are, then give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu pulled him into the chariot. 16 “Come with me,” Jehu said. “You can see ·how strong my feelings are [my zeal/devotion] for the Lord.” So Jehu had Jehonadab ride in his chariot.
17 When Jehu came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s ·family [L house] in Samaria. He destroyed all those who were left, ·just as the Lord had told Elijah it would happen [L in accordance with the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah].
Baal Worshipers Killed
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal ·much [greatly]. 19 Now ·call for me [summon; assemble] all Baal’s prophets and priests and all the people who ·worship [serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting, because I have a great sacrifice for Baal. Anyone who is not there will not live.” But Jehu was ·tricking them [deceiving them; L acting cunningly] so he could destroy ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal. 20 He said, “Prepare a ·holy [sacred; solemn] meeting for Baal.” So they ·announced [proclaimed] the meeting. 21 Then Jehu sent word through all Israel, and all ·the worshipers of [who served] Baal came; not one stayed ·home [behind]. They came into the ·temple [L house] of Baal, and the ·temple [L house] was filled from one side to the other.
22 Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out ·robes [garments; vestments] for all ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” After he brought out ·robes [garments; vestments] for them, 23 Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the ·temple [L house] of Baal. Jehu said to ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal, “Look around, and make sure there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only ·worshipers of [those who serve] Baal.” 24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Jehu had eighty men waiting outside. He had told them, “·Don’t let anyone escape. If you do, you [The one who allows any of these men who I have put in your hands to escape] must ·pay with [exchange] your own life.”
25 As soon as Jehu finished offering the burnt offering, he ordered the guards and the ·captains [officers], “Go in and kill ·the worshipers of [those who serve] Baal. Don’t let anyone ·come out [escape].” So the guards and ·captains [officers] killed ·the worshipers of [those who served] Baal with the sword and threw their bodies out. Then they went to the inner rooms of the ·temple [L house of Baal] 26 and brought out the ·pillars [sacred poles/stone; C used in worship] of the ·temple [L house] of Baal and burned them. 27 They ·tore down [smashed] the stone pillar of Baal, as well as the ·temple [L house] of Baal. And they made it into a ·sewage pit [public toilet; latrine], as it is today.
28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29 but he did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin by worshiping the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well in ·obeying what I said was right [L doing what was right in my eyes/sight]. You have done to the ·family [L house] of Ahab ·as I wanted [L all that was in my heart/mind]. Because of this, your ·descendants as far as your great-great-grandchildren [sons to the fourth generation] will ·be kings [L sit on the throne] of Israel.” 31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the ·teachings [law; L torah] of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not ·stop doing [turn/depart from] the same sins Jeroboam had done, by which he had led Israel to sin.
32 At that time the Lord began to ·make Israel smaller [cut/trim off parts of Israel]. Hazael defeated the Israelites ·in all the land [throughout the territory] of Israel, 33 taking all the land east of the Jordan known as the land of Gilead. (It was the region of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh.) He took land from Aroer by the Arnon Ravine through Gilead to Bashan.
34 The other things Jehu did—everything he did and all his ·victories [achievements; power]—·are [L are they not…?] recorded in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 35 Jehu ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. 36 Jehu ·was king [reigned] over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.
Athaliah and Joash(D)
11 When Ahaziah’s mother, Athaliah, ·saw [learned] that her son was dead, she ·killed [destroyed] all the royal ·family [offspring; C in order to claim power herself; she was a granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel; 8:26]. 2 But Jehosheba, King Jehoram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash [C about a year old], Ahaziah’s son [C Joash was also known as Jehoash]. She stole him away from among the other sons of the king who were about to be murdered. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah, so he was not ·killed [murdered]. 3 He hid with her in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for six years. During that time Athaliah ·ruled [reigned over] the land.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the ·commanders [captains] of groups of a hundred men, as well as the Carites [C mercenaries, probably a palace guard like the Kerethites and the Pelethites; 2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23]. He brought them together in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and ·made [L cut] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with them. There, in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, he ·made them promise loyalty [put them under oath], and then he showed them the king’s son. 5 He commanded them, “This is what you must do. A third of you who go on duty on the Sabbath will guard the king’s ·palace [L house]. 6 A third of you will be at the Sur Gate, and another third will be at the gate behind the guard. This way you will guard the ·Temple [L house]. 7 The two groups who go off duty on the Sabbath must ·protect [stand guard/watch over] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord for the king. 8 ·All of you must stand around [Surround] the king, with weapons in hand. Kill anyone who ·comes near [tries to break your ranks]. Stay ·close to [with] the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”
9 The ·commanders [captains] over a hundred men ·obeyed [did] everything Jehoiada the priest had commanded. Each one took his men who came on duty on the Sabbath and those who went off duty on the Sabbath, and they came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 He gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were kept in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.
Joash Becomes King
11 Then each guard took his place with his weapons in his hand. ·There were guards [They stretched] from the ·south [L right] side of the ·Temple [L house] to the ·north [L left] side. They stood by the altar and the ·Temple [L house] and around the king. 12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him and gave him a copy of the ·agreement [covenant; testimony]. They ·appointed him king and poured olive oil on [anointed] him. Then they clapped their hands and ·said [shouted], “Long live the king!”
13 When Athaliah heard the noise of the guards and the people, she went to them at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 14 She looked, and there was the king, standing by the pillar [C a symbol of authority], as the custom was. The ·officers [commanders; captains] and trumpeters were standing beside him, and all the people of the land were ·very happy [rejoicing] and were blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes [C a sign of mourning or distress] and screamed, “·Traitors! Traitors! [Treason! Treason!]”
15 Jehoiada the priest gave orders to the ·commanders [captains] of a hundred men, who led the army. He said, “·Surround her with soldiers [Take her out under guard; L Bring her out between the ranks] and kill with a sword anyone who follows her.” For he had said, “Don’t put Athaliah to death in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord.” 16 So they ·caught [seized] her ·when she came [and took her] to the horses’ entrance near the ·palace [L king’s house]. There she was put to death.
17 Then Jehoiada ·made [L cut] an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] between the Lord and the king and the people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made an ·agreement [covenant; treaty] between the king and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the ·temple [L house] of Baal and tore it down, smashing the altars and idols. They also killed Mattan, the priest of Baal, in front of the altars.
Then Jehoiada the priest ·placed [stationed; posted] guards at the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 19 He took with him the ·commanders [captains] of a hundred men and the ·Carites [C mercenaries; v. 4], the royal bodyguards, as well as the guards and all the people of the land. Together they ·took [brought; escorted] the king out of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and went into the ·palace [king’s house] through the gate of the guards. Then the king sat on the ·royal throne [throne of the kings]. 20 So all the people of the land ·were very happy [rejoiced], and Jerusalem ·had peace [was quiet/calm], because Athaliah had been put to death with the sword at the ·palace [L king’s house].
21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.
Joash’s Reign(E)
12 Joash became king of Judah in Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel, and he ·ruled [reigned] for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah, and she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the sight of the Lord] as long as Jehoiada the priest ·taught [instructed] him. 3 But the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; C worship sites that became associated with pagan worship or inappropriate worship of God] were not removed; the people still made sacrifices and burned incense there.
Joash Repairsthe Temple
4 Joash said to the priests, “Take all the money brought as offerings to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. This includes the money each person ·owes in taxes [is assessed] and the money ·each person promises [from personal vows] or ·brings freely [money brought voluntarily] to the Lord. 5 Each priest will take the money from ·the people he serves [donors; or acquaintances; or the treasurers]. Then the priests must ·repair [restore] any damage they find in the ·Temple [L house].”
6 But by the twenty-third year Joash was king, the priests still had not ·repaired [restored] the ·Temple [L house]. 7 So King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and said to them, “Why aren’t you ·repairing the damage of [restoring] the ·Temple [L house]? Don’t take any more money from ·the people you serve [donors; or acquaintances; or the treasurers], but hand over the money for the ·repair [restoration] of the ·Temple [L house].” 8 The priests agreed not to take any more money from the people and not to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] themselves.
9 Jehoiada the priest took a box and made a hole in the ·top of it [lid]. Then he put it by the altar, on the right side as the people came into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. The priests guarding the ·doorway [entrance; threshold] put all the money brought to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord into the box.
10 Each time the priests saw that the box was full of money, the king’s royal secretary and the high priest came. They counted the money that had been brought to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and they put it into bags. 11 Next they weighed the money and gave it to the people in charge of the work on the ·Temple [L house]. With it they paid the carpenters and the builders who worked on the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, 12 as well as the ·bricklayers [masons] and stonecutters. They also used the money to buy timber and cut stone to ·repair the damage of [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. It paid for ·everything [anything else that was used].
13 The money brought into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord was not used to make silver cups, ·wick trimmers [snuffers], bowls, trumpets, or gold or silver vessels. 14 They paid the money to the workers, who used it to ·repair [restore] the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord. 15 They did not ·demand to know how the money was spent [require an accounting], because the workers were honest. 16 The money from the ·penalty [guilt] offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, because it belonged to the priests.
Joash Saves Jerusalem(F)
17 About this time Hazael king of Aram attacked Gath and captured it. Then he ·went [L set his face] to attack Jerusalem. 18 Joash king of Judah took all the ·holy things [sacred objects; votive gifts] ·given [dedicated] by his ·ancestors [fathers], the kings of Judah—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah. He also took his own ·holy things [sacred objects; votive gifts] as well as the gold that was found in the treasuries of the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord and the gold from the ·palace [L king’s house]. Joash sent all this treasure to Hazael king of Aram, who ·turned away [withdrew] from Jerusalem.
19 Everything else Joash did ·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 20 His officers ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against him and ·killed [assassinated] him at Beth Millo on the road down to Silla. 21 The officers who ·killed [assassinated] him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. Joash was buried with his ·ancestors [fathers] in the City of David [C Jerusalem], and Amaziah, his son, became king in his place.
Jehoahaz King of Israel
13 Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria during the twenty-third year Joash son of Ahaziah was king of Judah. Jehoahaz ·ruled [reigned] seventeen years, 2 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jehoahaz ·did [followed] the same sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin, and Jehoahaz did not ·stop doing these same sins [depart/turn away from them]. 3 So the ·Lord was angry with [L Lord’s anger burned/kindled against] Israel and handed them over to Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-Hadad ·for a long time [or repeatedly].
4 Then Jehoahaz ·begged [entreated; prayed to; sought the favor of] the Lord, and the Lord listened to him. The Lord had seen the ·troubles [oppression] of Israel; he saw how ·terribly [severely] the king of Aram was ·treating [oppressing] them. 5 He gave Israel a ·man to save them [rescuer; savior; T deliverer], and they escaped from the ·hand [grip; power] of the Arameans. The ·Israelites [L sons/T children of Israel] then lived in their own ·homes [L tents] as they had before, 6 but they still did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] these same sins that the ·family [L house] of Jeroboam had done. He had led Israel to sin, and they ·continued doing those sins [L walked in them]. The Asherah ·idol [pole; C a sacred tree or pole dedicated to the goddess Asherah; 1 Kin. 14:15] also was left standing in Samaria.
7 Nothing was left of Jehoahaz’s army except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers. The king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like ·chaff [L dust at threshing time].
8 Everything else Jehoahaz did and all his ·victories [achievements; power] ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 9 Jehoahaz ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria, and his son Jehoash became king in his place.
Jehoash King of Israel
10 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria during Joash’s thirty-seventh year as king of Judah. Jehoash ·ruled [reigned] sixteen years, 11 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] the same sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had led Israel to sin, and Jehoash continued to do the same thing. 12 Everything else he did and all his ·victories [achievements; power], including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 13 Jehoash ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], and Jeroboam took his place on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
The Death of Elisha
14 At this time Elisha became sick. ·Before he died [or …with the illness of which he would die], Jehoash king of Israel went to Elisha and cried ·for [over] him. Jehoash said, “My father, my father! ·The chariots [or Chariot; C a reference to Elisha as Israel’s defender; cf. 2:12] of Israel and ·their [its] horsemen!”
15 Elisha said to Jehoash, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. 16 Then Elisha said to him, “Put your hand on the bow.” So Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So Jehoash opened the window. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and Jehoash shot. Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! You will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you ·destroy [make an end of] them.”
18 Elisha said, “Take the arrows.” So Jehoash took them. Then Elisha said to him, “Strike the ground.” So Jehoash struck the ground three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was ·angry [aroused/provoked to anger] with him. “You should have struck five or six times!” Elisha said. “Then you would have struck Aram until you had completely destroyed it. But now you will ·defeat it [L strike down Aram] only three times.”
20 Then Elisha died and was buried.
At that time ·groups [bands] of Moabites would rob the land in the springtime. 21 Once as some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a ·group [band] of Moabites coming. The Israelites threw the dead man into Elisha’s ·grave [tomb]. When the man touched Elisha’s bones, the man ·came back to life [revived] and stood on his feet.
War with Aram
22 During all the days Jehoahaz was king, Hazael king of Aram ·troubled [oppressed] Israel. 23 But the Lord was ·kind [gracious] to the Israelites; he had ·mercy [compassion; pity] on them and helped them because of his ·agreement [covenant; treaty] with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To this day he has ·never wanted [been unwilling] to destroy them or ·reject them [banish/cast them from his presence].
24 When Hazael king of Aram died, his son Ben-Hadad became king in his place. 25 During a war Hazael had taken some cities from Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. Now Jehoash took back those cities from Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad. He defeated Ben-Hadad three times and ·took back [recovered] the cities of Israel.
Amaziah King of Judah(G)
14 Amaziah son of Joash became king of Judah during the second year Jehoash son of Jehoahaz was king of Israel. 2 Amaziah was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jehoaddin, and she was from Jerusalem. 3 Amaziah did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. He did everything his father Joash had done, but he did not do as his ·ancestor [father] David had done. 4 The ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; 12:3] were not removed, so the people still sacrificed and burned incense there.
5 As soon as Amaziah took control of the kingdom, he executed the ·officers [officials] who had ·murdered [assassinated] his father the king. 6 But he did not put to death the ·children [sons] of the ·murderers [assassins] because of the rule written in the Book of the ·Teachings [Law; L torah] of Moses. The Lord had commanded: “·Parents [Fathers] must not be put to death ·when their children do wrong [L for their sons], and ·children [sons] must not be put to death ·when their parents do wrong [L for their fathers]. Each must ·die [put to death] for his own sins [Deut. 24:16].”
7 In battle Amaziah killed ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt. He also took the city of Sela. He called it Joktheel, as it is still called today.
8 Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel. They said, “Come, let’s meet face to face [C either a call for negotiations or a challenge to battle, but taken by Jehoash as the latter].”
9 Then Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah, “A thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Let your daughter marry my son.’ But then a wild ·animal [beast] from Lebanon came by, ·walking [trampling] on and crushing the thornbush. 10 You have defeated Edom, ·but [and now] you have become ·proud [arrogant]. Stay at home and ·brag [or enjoy your victory/glory]. Don’t ·ask for [stir up] trouble, or you and Judah will ·be defeated [fall].”
11 But Amaziah would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel went ·to attack [L up]. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other in battle at Beth Shemesh in Judah. 12 Israel ·defeated [routed] Judah, and every man of Judah ·ran away [fled] to his ·home [L tent]. 13 At Beth Shemesh Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah. (Amaziah was the son of Joash, who was the son of Ahaziah.) Jehoash went up to Jerusalem and ·broke down [demolished] the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, which was about ·six hundred feet [L four hundred cubits]. 14 He took all the gold and silver and all the utensils found in the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord, and he took the treasuries of the ·palace [L king’s house] and some hostages. Then he returned to Samaria.
15 The other acts of Jehoash and his ·victories [achievements; power], including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 16 Jehoash ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel, and his son Jeroboam became king in his place.
17 Amaziah son of Joash, the king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the king of Israel. 18 The other things Amaziah did ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 19 The people in Jerusalem ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against him. So he ·ran away [fled] to the town of Lachish, but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him. 20 They brought his body back on horses, and he was buried with his ·ancestors [fathers] in Jerusalem, in the city of David.
Uzziah Becomes King(H)
21 Then all the people of Judah made Uzziah [C also called Azariah] king in place of his father Amaziah. Uzziah was sixteen years old. 22 He rebuilt the town of Elath and ·made it part of [restored it to] Judah again after Amaziah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors].
Jeroboam King of Israel
23 Jeroboam son of Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria during the fifteenth year Amaziah was king of Judah. (Amaziah was the son of Joash.) Jeroboam ·ruled [reigned] forty-one years, 24 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to sin, and Jeroboam son of Jehoash did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] the same sins. 25 Jeroboam ·won back [restored] Israel’s border from Lebo Hamath to the ·Dead Sea [L Sea of Arabah]. This happened ·as [L in accordance with the word of] the Lord, the God of Israel, ·had said [spoken] through his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The Lord had seen how the Israelites suffered bitterly, and no one, slave or free, could help them. 27 The Lord had not said he would ·completely destroy [blot out; eradicate] Israel from the world, so he ·saved [rescued; T delivered] the Israelites through Jeroboam son of Jehoash.
28 Everything else Jeroboam did—all his ·victories [achievements; power] and how he ·won back [recovered] from Judah the towns of Damascus and Hamath for Israel—·is [L Is not all this…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 29 Jeroboam ·died and was buried with his ancestors [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], the kings of Israel. Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became king in his place.
Uzziah King of Judah(I)
15 Uzziah son of Amaziah became king of Judah during Jeroboam’s twenty-seventh year as king of Israel. 2 Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he ·ruled [reigned] fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jecoliah, and she was from Jerusalem. 3 He did ·what the Lord said was right [L right in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his father Amaziah had done. 4 But the ·places where gods were worshiped [L high places; 12:3] were not removed, so the people still made sacrifices and burned incense there.
5 The Lord struck Uzziah with ·a skin disease [T leprosy; 5:1], which he had until the day he died. So he had to live in a separate house. Jotham, the king’s son, was in charge of the ·palace [L king’s house], and he ·governed [judged] the people of the land.
6 All the other things Uzziah did ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Judah. 7 Uzziah ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors] and was buried ·near his ancestors [with his ancestors/fathers] in the City of David [C Jerusalem], and his son Jotham became king in his place.
Zechariah King of Israel
8 Zechariah son of Jeroboam was king over Israel in Samaria. He ·ruled [reigned] for six months during Uzziah’s [C also called Azariah] thirty-eighth year as king of Judah. 9 Zechariah did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord], just as his ·ancestors [fathers] had done. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led the people of Israel to sin, and Zechariah did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] the same sins.
10 Shallum son of Jabesh ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against Zechariah and ·killed [assassinated] him in front of the people. Then Shallum became king in his place. 11 The other acts of Zechariah ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 12 The Lord had told Jehu: “Your sons down to ·your great-great-grandchildren [the fourth generation; 10:30] will be kings of Israel,” and ·the Lord’s word came true [so it was/happened].
Shallum King of Israel
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king during Uzziah’s thirty-ninth year as king of Judah. Shallum ·ruled [reigned] for a month in Samaria. 14 Then Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria and attacked Shallum son of Jabesh in Samaria. He ·killed [assassinated] him and became king in Shallum’s place.
15 The other acts of Shallum and his ·secret plans [conspiracy; plot] ·are [L are they not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel.
Menahem King of Israel
16 Menahem ·started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah, destroying the city and the area nearby [or destroyed Tiphsah and everyone in it and the surrounding region/countryside as far as Tirzah]. This was because the people had refused to open the city gate for him. He defeated them and ripped open all their pregnant women.
17 Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during Uzziah’s thirty-ninth year as king of Judah. Menahem ·ruled [reigned] ten years in Samaria, 18 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to sin, and all the time Menahem was king, he did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] the same sins.
19 Pul [C another name for Tiglath-pileser] king of Assyria ·came to attack [invaded] the land. Menahem gave him ·about seventy-four thousand pounds [L a thousand talents] of silver so Pul would support him ·and make his hold on the kingdom stronger [in tightening his grip/hold on royal power/the kingdom]. 20 Menahem ·taxed [exacted/extorted the money from] the rich in Israel to pay ·about one and one-fourth pounds [L fifty shekels] of silver for each soldier to the king of Assyria. So the king left and did not stay in the land.
21 Everything else Menahem did ·is [L is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel. 22 Then Menahem ·died [L lay down/T slept with his fathers/ancestors], and his son Pekahiah became king in his place.
Pekahiah King of Israel
23 Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria during Uzziah’s [C also called Azariah] fiftieth year as king of Judah. Pekahiah ·ruled [reigned] two years, 24 and he did ·what the Lord said was wrong [L evil in the eyes/sight of the Lord]. Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to sin, and Pekahiah did not ·stop doing [depart/turn away from] the same sins.
25 Pekah son of Remaliah was one of Pekahiah’s captains, and he ·made plans [conspired; plotted] against Pekahiah. He took fifty men of Gilead with him and ·killed [assassinated] Pekahiah, as well as Argob and Arieh, in the ·palace [king’s house] at Samaria. Then Pekah became king in Pekahiah’s place.
26 Everything else Pekahiah did ·is [is it not…?] written in the book of the ·history [chronicles; annals; 1:18] of the kings of Israel.
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.