Bible in 90 Days
Poisoned Stew is Purified
38 Elisha returned to Gilgal during a time of famine in the land. While the Guild of Prophets were having a meal[a] with him, he instructed his attendant, “Put a large pot on the fire and boil some stew for the Guild of Prophets.” 39 Somebody went out into the fields to grab some herbs, found a wild vine, and gathered a lap full of wild gourds, which he came and sliced up into the stew pot, but nobody else knew.
40 When they served the men, they began to eat the stew. But they cried out, “That pot of stew is deadly, you man of God!” So they couldn’t eat the stew.
41 But he replied, “Bring me some flour.” He tossed it into the pot and said, “Serve the people so they can eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Feeding of the Crowd(A)
42 Later on, a man arrived from Baal-shalishah, bringing the man of God some bread as a first fruit offering. He had 20 loaves of barley and ripe ears of corn in his sack. So Elisha[b] said, “Give them to the people so they can eat.”
43 Elisha’s attendant asked, “What? Will this serve 100 men?”
But he replied, “Distribute it to the people so they can eat, because this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have a surplus!’” 44 So he served them, and they ate and had some left over, just as the Lord had indicated.
The Healing of Naaman
5 Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram,[c] was a great man in the opinion[d] of his master. He was highly favored, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. Though he was a mighty and valiant man, he was suffering from leprosy. 2 On one of their raids to the territory of Israel, Aram had taken captive a young girl when she was an infant,[e] who had eventually become an attendant to[f] Naaman’s wife. 3 She mentioned to her mistress, “If only my master were to visit the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Later, Naaman[g] went to inform his master and told him something like this: “Thus and so spoke the young woman from the territory of Israel.”
5 The king of Aram replied, “Go now, and I’ll send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he left and took with him ten talents[h] of silver and 6,000 units[i] of gold, along with ten sets[j] of clothing. 6 He also brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read as follows: “…and now as this letter finds its way to you, look! I’ve sent my servant Naaman to you so you may heal him of his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel read the letter, he ripped his clothes and cried out, “Am I God? Can I kill and give life? Is this man sending me a request[k] to heal a man’s leprosy? Let’s think about this—he’s looking for a reason to start a fight[l] with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message[m] to the king and asked, “Why did you tear your clothes? Please, let the man come visit me and he will learn that there is a prophet in Israel!”
9 So Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots and stood in front of the door to Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger out to him, who told him, “Go bathe in the Jordan River[n] seven times. Your flesh will be restored for you. Now stay clean!”
11 But Naaman flew into a rage and left, telling himself, “Look! I thought ‘He’s surely going to come out to me, stand still, call out in the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the infection,[o] and cure the leprosy!’ 12 Aren’t the Abana and Pharpar rivers in Damascus better than all of the water in Israel? Couldn’t I just bathe in them and become clean?” So he turned away and left, filled with anger.
13 But then his servants approached him and spoke with him. They said, “My father, had the prophet only asked of you something great, you would have done it, wouldn’t you? Yet he told you, ‘Bathe, and be clean…!’” 14 So he went down and plunged himself into the Jordan River[p] seven times, just as the man of God had said, and his flesh rejuvenated like the flesh of a newborn child. And he was clean.
Gehazi’s Greed is Punished
15 Naaman[q] went back to the man of God, along with his entire entourage, and stood before him. “Please look!” he said. “I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel! So please, take a present from your servant.”
16 But Elisha[r] replied, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not receive anything from you.” Though Naaman[s] urged him to take it, Elisha[t] declined.
17 So Naaman asked, “No? Then please let your servant load two mules with dirt from Israel,[u] because your servant will no longer offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other god but the Lord. 18 In this one area may the Lord pardon your servant: Whenever my master enters the temple of Rimmon to worship there, he will lean on my hand while I bow down in the temple of Rimmon. So may the Lord pardon your servant in this one area.”
19 “Go in peace,” he said. So Naaman[v] left.
After Naaman had gone only a short distance, 20 Gehazi, the attendant to Elisha, the man of God, told himself, “Look how my master has spared this Aramean, Naaman! He declined to take from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I’m going to run after him and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran after Naaman.
When Naaman noticed someone running after him, he came down from his chariot, greeted him and asked, “Is everything all right?”[w]
22 Gehazi said, “Everything’s all right. My master sent me to tell you, ‘Just now two men from the Guild of Prophets have arrived from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them each a talent[x] of silver bullion and two sets[y] of clothes.’”
23 But Naaman said, “Please accept my invitation to take two talents[z] of silver.” He urged him, binding two talents[aa] of silver in two bags, along with two sets of clothes. He placed them in the care of two of his young men, and they went on ahead of Gehazi.[ab] 24 When he arrived at the stronghold, Gehazi[ac] took the bags from their custody and hid them away in the house. Then he sent the men away and they left.
25 Later he went to address[ad] his master. Elisha asked him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?”
“Your servant went nowhere in particular,” he said.
26 But Elisha[ae] responded, “Didn’t my heart break[af] as the man was turning from his chariot to greet you? Is now the time to receive money? To receive clothes? And olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, servants, or female attendants? 27 Naaman’s leprosy will plague you and your descendants forever!” As he left Elisha’s presence, he was infected with leprosy that looked like white snow.
The Miracle of the Ax Head
6 One day the Guild of Prophets told Elisha, “Notice how the place where we are living is too small for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan River,[ag] fashion some rafters,[ah] and build a place for us so we can live there.”
So he said, “Go!”
3 Someone asked, “Would you be willing to come with your servants?”
“I’m willing,” he replied. 4 So he accompanied them, and when they came to the Jordan River,[ai] they cut down some trees.
5 It happened that as one of them was felling a beam, his axe head fell into the water. He cried out, “Oh no! Master! The axe was on loan to me!”
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he was shown the place, he cut off a branch, tossed it there, and made the iron axe head float. 7 Then Elisha said, “Pick it up!” So the young man reached out and picked it[aj] up.
The Arameans Attack
8 Eventually the king of Aram went to war against Israel, taking counsel with his advisors and concluding, “In such and such a place I’ll build my encampment.”
9 So the man of God sent a message[ak] to the king of Israel, warning him, “Keep an eye on that area, because the Arameans are going to be there!” 10 The king of Israel confirmed the matter[al] about which the man of God had warned him. Having been forewarned, he was able to protect himself there on more than one or two occasions.
11 The king of Aram flew into a rage over this, so he called in his advisors and asked them, “Will you please tell me which of us has joined the king of Israel?”
12 “No, your majesty,” one of his servants said. “Elisha the prophet, who lives in Israel, tells the king of Israel what you talk about in your bedroom!”
13 So the king[am] ordered, “Go and discover where he is, so I may send men[an] to take him into custody.”
Later somebody told him, “Look! He’s in Dothan!”
14 So the king of Aram[ao] sent out horses, chariots, and an elite force, and they arrived during the night and surrounded the city. 15 Meanwhile, the attendant to the man of God got up early in the morning and went outside, and there were the elite forces, surrounding the city, accompanied by horses and chariots! So Elisha’s attendant cried out to him, “Oh no! Master! What will we do!?”
16 Elisha[ap] replied, “Stop being afraid, because there are more with us than with them!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, asking the Lord, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the Lord enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!
18 When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the Lord, asking him, “Lord, I’m asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!” So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.
19 Then Elisha told the army, “This isn’t the way, and this isn’t the city! Follow me, and I’ll bring you to the man you’re seeking.” Then he led them to Samaria. 20 When they arrived in Samaria, Elisha asked the Lord, “Enable them to see again.” So the Lord did so, and there they were—right in the middle of Samaria!
21 When the king of Israel saw Elisha, he asked him, “Shall I execute them, my father?”
22 But he replied, “No! You’re not to kill them! Would you execute those whom you’ve taken captive at the point of a sword or with your bow? Give them food and water so they can eat and drink. Then send them back to their master!” 23 So he prepared a large festival for them, and when they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them back to their master, and marauding gangs of Arameans never came into the territory of Israel again.
Ben-hadad Attacks Samaria
24 Some time later, King Ben-hadad from Aram mustered his army, invaded the land,[aq] and attacked Samaria 25 until there was a great famine throughout Samaria. The siege lasted until a donkey’s head cost[ar] 80 silver coins[as] and one quarter of a unit[at] of dove’s dung cost[au] five silver coins.[av]
26 While the king of Israel was walking along the city[aw] wall, a woman cried out to him. “Help me, your majesty!”[ax] she said.
27 He replied, “No! Since the Lord won’t give you victory, how will I be able to deliver you? From the threshing floor? From the wine press?” 28 Then the king asked her, “What’s bothering[ay] you?”
She said, “This woman told me, ‘Give up your son, and we’ll eat him today, and we’ll eat my son tomorrow.’” 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. The next day, I told her, ‘Give me your son so we can eat him!’ But she has hidden her son!”
30 When the king heard what the woman said, he ripped his garments as he continued walking along the city[az] wall. As the people watched, all of a sudden they noticed he was wearing sackcloth underneath his clothes, inside next to his flesh! 31 He said, “May God do to me—and more also!—if the head of Shaphat’s son Elisha remains on his shoulders[ba] today!”
32 Meanwhile, Elisha was sitting in his house, along with the elders, when the king[bb] sent a man to kill him,[bc] but before the messenger arrived, Elisha[bd] told the elders, “Are you watching how this descendant of murderers has ordered my head be cut off? Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and hold it to shut them out! Don’t you hear the sound of his master’s feet right behind him?”
33 While he was still talking with them, the messenger arrived to see him and delivered the king’s message to Elisha,[be] “Look! This evil has come from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord anymore?”
Elisha Predicts Deliverance the Next Day
7 So Elisha responded, “Listen to this message from the Lord! ‘This is what the Lord says: “At about this time tomorrow, in Samaria’s city gate, a seah[bf] of finely ground flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel.”’”
2 But the royal attendant on whom the king depended responded to the man of God: “Look here! Even if the Lord were to open a window in the sky, how could this happen?”
He replied, “No, you look! You’ll see it with your eyes, but you won’t eat any of it!”
The Arameans Flee
3 Now there happened to be four lepers who were at that very moment at the entrance to the city gate. As they were talking with one another, they said, “Why are we sitting here waiting to die? 4 If we tell ourselves, ‘Let’s remain in the city,’ we’ll die there since there’s famine in the city. But if we sit here, we’ll die, too. So let’s go over[bg] to the Arameans! If they spare our lives, we’ll live, and if they kill us…we’re dying anyway!”[bh]
5 So they got up at dusk and went out to the Aramean encampment. But when they arrived at the outskirts of the Aramean encampment, there was no one there! 6 The Lord had made the Aramean army hear the sounds of chariots, horses, and a large army, so they told one another, “Look! The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the Egyptians to come attack us!” 7 So the Arameans[bi] got up and ran away in the gathering darkness. They left behind their tents, horses, and donkeys just as they were—and fled for their lives!
8 When the lepers arrived at the outskirts of the encampment, they entered one tent and ate and drank. Then they carried off from there some silver, gold, and clothes, and went out and hid them. After this, they returned, entered another tent, raided it, and went and hid all of that,[bj] too! 9 But then they told each other, “We’re not doing the right thing. This is a day of good news, but if we keep quiet until morning, we’re sure to be punished! So let’s leave and go tell the king’s household!” 10 So they left, called out to the city gatekeepers, and reported to them: “We went out to the Aramean encampment, and there was nobody there! Not even the sound of men—only horses and donkeys tied up, and tents left just as they were!”
11 The gatekeepers announced the report to the king’s attendants, 12 so the king got up in the middle of the night and ordered his servants: “Let me explain what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we’re hungry, so they’ve left their encampment to conceal themselves in the surrounding fields. They’re telling themselves, ‘When they come out of the city, we’ll capture them alive and enter the city!’”
13 One of his attendants suggested, “Please, let’s take five of the remaining horses, since those who remain here will end up like the rest of Israel, which has already died, and we’ll send them out to look.” 14 So they took two chariots and horses, and the king sent them out after the Aramean army with the orders, “Go and look!”
The Prophecy is Fulfilled
15 They went out in the direction of the Jordan River,[bk] and the entire roadway was strewn with clothes and equipment that the Arameans had abandoned in their haste to leave![bl] So the messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 At this, the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. At that time, a seah[bm] of finely ground flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the Lord’s message.
17 Meanwhile, the king appointed the same royal attendant on whom he depended[bn] to take control of the city gate, but the people trampled him to death in the gate, just as the man of God had told the king when the king came down to him. 18 It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king:
“At about this time tomorrow, in Samaria’s city gate, a seah[bo] of finely ground flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel.”
19 But the royal attendant on whom the king depended responded to the man of God: “Look here! Even if the Lord were to make a window in the sky, how could this happen?”
He replied, “No, you look! You’ll see it with your eyes, but you won’t eat any of it!”[bp]
20 And so it happened to him, because the people trampled him in the city gate and he died.
The Shunammite’s Land is Restored
8 Meanwhile, Elisha urged the woman whose son he had restored to life, “You must get up and leave with your household to go live wherever you can, because the Lord has called for a famine, and it’s going to come over the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman followed the instructions given to her by the man of God, and she went to the territory of the Philistines to live for seven years with her household. 3 At the end of the seven years, the woman returned from the territory of the Philistines and went to the king in order to file an appeal regarding her house and her grain field.
4 The king was talking with Gehazi, the attendant of the man of God. He had asked Gehazi, “Please tell me about all of the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 Just as he was telling the king about Elisha’s having restored the dead to life, the woman whose son had been restored arrived and appealed to the king for her house and her land!
Gehazi told the king, “Your majesty, this is the woman! And here’s her son, whom Elisha restored to life!”
6 The king consulted with the woman, who related the story. So the king appointed a court official to represent her and ordered him: “Restore to her everything that belonged to her, including all of the produce that her fields yielded from the day she left the land until now.”
The Murder of King Ben-hadad of Aram
7 Later on, Elisha traveled to Damascus. King Ben-hadad of Aram was ill, but someone informed him, “The man of God has come here!”
8 So the king told Hazael, “Take a gift with you and go meet the man of God. Inquire of the Lord through him and ask, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
9 So Hazael went out to meet with him and took a gift with him—40 camel loads filled with samples of everything good in Damascus. He approached the man of God[bq] and said, “Your son King Ben-hadad from Aram has sent me to you to ask you, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
10 But Elisha told him, “Go tell him, ‘You will certainly recover,’ but the Lord has shown me that he will certainly die.” 11 Then Elisha[br] looked steadily at Hazael[bs] until Hazael grew ashamed, and then the man of God began to cry.
12 “Why are you crying, sir?” Hazael asked.
“Because I know the evil that you’re about to bring on the Israelis,” he replied. “You’ll burn down their fortified cities, execute their young men with swords, dash to pieces their little ones, and you’ll tear open their pregnant women!”
13 But Hazael responded, “What? Who am I, your servant, that I should do such a horrible thing?”
But Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
14 So he left Elisha and returned to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha tell you?”
He replied, “He told me that you would certainly get better.”
15 But the very next day, Hazael[bt] grabbed a thick covering, soaked it in water, and spread it over the king’s[bu] face, and he suffocated.[bv] Then Hazael succeeded Ben-hadad[bw] as king.
Jehoram Comes to the Throne of Judah
16 Sometime during the fifth year of the reign of Ahab’s son Joram, king of Israel (while Jehoshaphat was still ruling as king of Judah), Jehoshaphat’s son Jehoram ascended to the throne of Judah. 17 He was 32 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for eight years. 18 He lived his life like the kings of Israel did, following the example of Ahab’s household when he married Ahab’s daughter and practiced what was evil in the Lord’s presence.[bx] 19 But the Lord remained unwilling to destroy Judah for the sake of his servant David, since he had promised to keep[by] David’s lamp burning brightly through his descendants every day.
20 During Jehoram’s lifetime, Edom rebelled from Judah’s hegemony and appointed a king to rule over themselves. 21 Then Joram crossed over to Zair, along with all of his chariots. At night he attacked the Edomites who had surrounded him and the commanders of his chariots, but the army[bz] ran away to their tents. 22 Edom remains in rebellion against Judah to this day, and Libnah revolted at the same time. 23 The rest of the official[ca] acts of Joram, along with everything else that he did, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah,[cb] are they not?
Ahaziah Succeeds Jehoram
24 After Jehoram was laid to rest with his ancestors in the City of David, his son Ahaziah replaced him as king. 25 Jehoram’s son Ahaziah began to reign as king of Judah during the twelfth year of the reign of Ahab’s son Joram, king of Israel. 26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem for one year.
His mother was named Athaliah. She was the granddaughter of Omri, king of Israel. 27 Ahaziah lived his life following the example of Ahab’s household, practicing what the Lord considered to be evil, just like the household of Ahab, because he was a son-in-law to Ahab’s household. 28 He joined Ahab’s son Joram in an attack on King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth-gilead, and that’s where the Arameans wounded Joram. 29 Then King Joram retreated to Jezreel to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramah during the battle against King Hazael of Aram. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah, king of Judah, went to visit Ahab’s son Joram in Jezreel because Joram was sick.[cc]
Jehu Anointed King of Israel
9 Elisha called one of the members of the[cd] Guild of Prophets and told him, “Get ready to run,[ce] take this flask of oil in your hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. 2 As soon as you get there, go find Jehoshaphat’s son Jehu, the grandson of Nimshi. When you do,[cf] go in, tell him to get up and go apart with you away from his brothers. Lead him into a private chamber, 3 take the flask of oil, and pour it out on his head. Then tell him, ‘This is what the Lord says: I’m anointing you king over Israel.’ Then open the door and leave. Don’t linger there!”
4 So the young man, who was an attendant to the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 When he arrived, the army commanders were seated, so he said, “I have a message for you, captain!”
Jehu asked, “For which one of us?”
“For you, captain!” he answered.
6 So Jehu[cg] got up and went inside the house, and the young man[ch] told him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of the Lord—that is, over Israel. 7 You are to attack the household of your master Ahab, so I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, as well as the blood of all of the servants of the Lord that has been spilled[ci] at Jezebel’s orders.[cj] 8 The entire household of Ahab will die, and I will cut off from Ahab every male person in Israel, whether imprisoned or surviving.[ck] 9 I will make the household of Ahab like the household of Nebat’s son Jeroboam and the household of Ahijah’s son Baasha. 10 Furthermore, the dogs will eat Jezebel in the territory of Jezreel. There will be no burial for her.’” Then he opened the door and left.
11 As Jehu was coming out to his master’s attendants, one of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did this maniac visit you?”
“You know the man and how he speculates,” Jehu replied.
12 “That’s a lie!” they said. “Tell us what’s going on!”
“He said ‘This and that’ to me,” he responded. “‘This is what the Lord says: “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’”
13 At this, each man quickly grabbed his own garment, placed it under him at the top of the stairs,[cl] sounded a trumpet, and announced, “Jehu is king!”
Joram (Also Known as Jehoram) is Assassinated(B)
14 Meanwhile, Jehoshaphat’s son Jehu, the grandson of Nimshi, had been conspiring against Joram while Joram and all the army of[cm] Israel had been defending Ramoth-gilead against King Hazael from Aram. (15 But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to recover from wounds he had sustained from the Arameans when he had fought against King Hazael from Aram.) So Jehu concluded, “Since this is what you’ve decided,[cn] then let no one get away, leave the city, and go report to Jezreel!” 16 Then Jehu rode by chariot to Jezreel, since Joram was recovering[co] there. King Ahaziah from Judah had come to visit Joram.
17 While the watchman was standing guard in the tower at Jezreel, he watched Jehu’s entourage arrive. So he called out, “I see a group arriving.”
Joram ordered, “Take a horseman, send him out to meet them, and have him ask, ‘Have you come in peace?’”[cp]
18 So a horseman went out, greeted Jehu and said, “This is what the king said: ‘Have you come in peace?’”
But Jehu responded, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”
The watchman reported, “The messenger arrived there, but he hasn’t returned.”
19 Then Joram sent out a second horseman, who went out to them and said, “This is what the king said: ‘Have you come in peace?’”
Jehu responded, “What do you have to do with peace? Fall in behind me.”
20 The watchman reported to Joram, “He arrived there, but he hasn’t returned. Also, he drives like Nimshi’s son Jehu drives—irrationally!”
21 Joram replied, “Let’s begin our attack!” As soon as his chariot was prepared, both King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah went out, each in his own chariot, to fight against Jehu. They met together in the property that had belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite.[cq]
22 As soon as Joram noticed Jehu, he cried out, “Peace, Jehu?”
Jehu[cr] replied, “What peace, given[cs] your mother Jezebel’s prostitution and all of[ct] her witchcraft?”[cu]
23 Joram reined his horse[cv] around to flee and cried out to Ahaziah, “Ahaziah! Treachery!” 24 But Jehu drew his bow with all of his strength, shooting Joram between his shoulder blades.[cw] The arrow pierced his heart, and he collapsed in his chariot.
25 After this, Jehu called out to Bidkar, his third in command, “Pick up Joram’s body and throw it in the field, the property that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite, because you and I remember how when we were riding together in pursuit of his father Ahab, that the Lord pronounced this oracle[cx] against him:
26 ‘This is what the Lord says, “I have certainly observed the blood of Naboth and his sons, and I will repay you on this property,” declares the Lord.’
“Therefore take the body and throw it in the field, just as the Lord said.”
King Ahaziah is Also Killed(C)
27 As soon as King Ahaziah of Judah observed this, he attempted to flee by the garden house road, but Jehu pursued him. At the ascent toward Gur which is near Ibleam, he ordered, “Shoot him in the chariot, too!”
Ahaziah fled to Megiddo, where he died. 28 Ahaziah’s servants transported the king’s body[cy] by chariot to Jerusalem and buried it in his own sepulcher near his ancestors in the City of David. 29 Ahaziah had begun to reign over Judah in the eleventh year of the reign of[cz] Ahab’s son Joram.
Jezebel is Executed
30 As soon as Jehu arrived at Jezreel, Jezebel adorned her eyes, arranged her hair, and peered out a window. 31 When Jehu had entered through the gate, she asked, “Was Zimri, who murdered his master,[da] received well?”
32 Jehu[db] looked up toward the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” When two or three eunuchs looked out at him, 33 he ordered, “Throw her down!”
So they did, and her blood splashed against the wall and on the horses, while Jehu trampled her underfoot. 34 Later on, after he had come in to eat and drink, he ordered, “Go and see to this cursed woman, and bury her, because she was a king’s daughter.” 35 But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing left of her except her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 So they returned and reported to Jehu,[dc] and he responded, “This fulfills[dd] this message from the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the foreigner,[de] who said:
‘Dogs will eat Jezebel’s flesh on the property of Jezreel, 37 and her corpse will lie like dung on the surface of the field on the property in Jezreel, but no one will say, “This is Jezebel.”’”
Ahab’s Dynasty is Ended
10 Meanwhile, Ahab had 70 sons who lived in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria—to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and the guardians of Ahab’s children.[df] He told them, 2 “As soon as you receive this letter (since your master’s children are with you, you have chariots and horses there with you, and you are protected by a walled city and weaponry), 3 select the best and most qualified of your master’s sons, set him in place on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s dynasty!”
4 But they were too terrified, and so they told one another,[dg] “Look! Two previous kings couldn’t stand up to Jehu, so how can we?” 5 So the household overseer and the city supervisor, along with the elders and the children’s guardians, sent word[dh] to Jehu, telling him, “We will serve you and do everything you ask. We won’t set up a king, so do what you want to do.”
6 But Jehu wrote them another letter: “If you’re loyal to me, and if you intend to obey my commands,[di] then bring the heads of your master’s sons and meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”
Now the king’s sons, totaling 70 men, were living with the leading men of the city, who were their guardians. 7 When the letter from Jehu[dj] arrived, the city leaders arrested the king’s sons, slaughtered all 70 of them, put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu[dk] at Jezreel.
8 When the messenger arrived to report to the king, he said, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Jehu[dl] replied, “Put them in two piles at the entrance of the city gate until morning.” 9 The next morning, Jehu went out, stood still, and announced to all the people: “Are you righteous? I conspired against my master and killed him, but who slaughtered all of these? 10 Keep this in mind—not a single statement by the Lord will fail to come about that he spoke concerning Ahab’s dynasty, because the Lord has accomplished what he predicted by his servant Elijah.”
11 So Jehu executed all those who remained from Ahab’s dynasty in Jezreel, including all of Ahab’s men, his friends, and his priests, until there remained not even one survivor. 12 Then Jehu got up, left the city,[dm] and went to Samaria. When he arrived at the shearing house[dn] that was located on the way, 13 Jehu met up with the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. He asked them, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We’re Ahaziah’s relatives, and we’ve come down to greet the king’s sons and the sons of the queen mother.”
14 Jehu ordered, “Take them alive!” So Jehu’s soldiers captured them and executed all 42 of them near the pit at the shearing house.[do] He left none of them alive.
15 After he left there, he encountered Rechab’s son Jehonadab. After he greeted him, Jehu[dp] asked him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with yours?”
“It is,” Jehonadab answered.
“If it is,” Jehu replied,[dq] “Put out your hand.” So Jehonadab stuck out his hand, and Jehu took him up to stand in his chariot. 16 He told him, “Come with me and see my enthusiasm for the Lord!” So Jehu[dr] had Jehonadab[ds] ride in his chariot.
17 When Jehu[dt] arrived in Samaria, he executed everyone who remained of Ahab’s household in Samaria, until he had utterly destroyed Ahab in accordance with the message from the Lord that he spoke to Elijah.
Jehu Executes the Prophets of Baal
18 Then Jehu assembled all the people and announced to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve him a lot! 19 Therefore summon all of Baal’s prophets to me, including all his worshipers and all his priests. Don’t leave even one out, because I’ve prepared a great sacrifice for Baal. Whoever doesn’t show up doesn’t live!” But Jehu did this deceptively, intending to destroy Baal’s worshippers. 20 Jehu ordered, “Set aside a solemn assembly for Baal!”
And so they proclaimed it. 21 Jehu sent the proclamation[du] throughout Israel, and all the Baal worshipers came. There wasn’t a single man left who failed to come. When they entered Baal’s temple, it was filled from one end to the other. 22 Then Jehu[dv] ordered the one in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all of the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them.
23 Jehu and Rechab’s son Jehonadab entered Baal’s temple, and Jehu told the Baal worshipers, “Look around and be sure that no servant of the Lord is here among you, but only worshipers of Baal.” 24 Then they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Meanwhile, Jehu had stationed 80 men outside, ordering them, “If any of these men whom I’ve brought into your control escape, the one who allows it will forfeit his life.”
25 As soon as he had completed the burnt offering, Jehu ordered the guards and the officers, “Go in and execute them. Don’t let even one man escape.” So they executed them with swords, and the guards and the officers threw the bodies out and proceeded into the inner room of Baal’s temple, 26 from which they brought out the sacred pillars and burned them. 27 They also cut down the pillar to Baal, tore apart Baal’s temple, and turned it into a latrine—and it remains that way today. 28 That’s how Jehu eradicated Baal from Israel. 29 Even so, Jehu never abandoned the sins of Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, regarding the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.
Israel Begins to Reduce in Size
30 Nevertheless, the Lord told Jehu, “Because you have done well in carrying out what I saw as the right thing to do by completing everything I had in mind regarding Ahab’s dynasty, your sons will sit on the throne of Israel to the fourth generation.” 31 But Jehu did not remain careful to walk in the instruction[dw] of the Lord God of Israel with all his heart. He never abandoned the sins of Jeroboam that had caused Israel to sin. 32 In those days, the Lord began to reduce Israel in size: Hazael defeated them throughout the territory of Israel, 33 from the Jordan River[dx] eastward, all the territory of Gilead, the descendants of Gad, the descendants of Reuben, and the descendants of Manasseh, from Aroer by the Valley of the Arnon, including Gilead and Bashan.
Jehoahaz Succeeds Jehu
34 Now as to the rest of Jehu’s activities, including his valiant deeds, they are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 35 Then Jehu died, as did[dy] his ancestors, and they buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz reigned in his place. 36 Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.
Athaliah Reigns as Queen of Judah(D)
11 As soon as Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah learned that her son had died, she seized the throne[dz] and executed the entire royal bloodline.[ea] 2 But King Joram’s daughter Jehosheba, who was Ahaziah’s sister, rescued[eb] Ahaziah’s son Joash from the group of the king’s sons who were being executed and hid him and his nurse in her bedroom, concealing him from Athaliah so he was not put to death. 3 So Joash remained hidden with her in the Lord’s Temple for six years while Athaliah reigned over the land.
4 But during the seventh year of her reign,[ec] Jehoiada went out and called together the rulers of hundreds, the captains, and the guards, and assembled them together inside the Lord’s Temple. He made a covenant with them, making them take an oath in the Lord’s Temple, and then he revealed the king’s son to them. 5 He ordered them:
“Here’s what we’ll do: A third of you will enter here on this coming[ed] Sabbath dressed[ee] as guardians of the watch for the king’s palace, 6 with a third of you at the Sur gate, and a third at the gate behind the guards. Keep watch over the palace[ef] and defend it. 7 Two[eg] of you who enter here on this coming[eh] Sabbath are to stand watch at the Lord’s Temple, 8 guarding the king and surrounding him with weapons in hand. Whoever comes within range is to be killed. Stay with the king wherever he goes, coming or going.”
9 So the captains of hundreds did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one of them assembled his men who were to enter on the Sabbath, along with those who were to leave on the Sabbath, and approached Jehoiada the priest.
10 The priest issued King David’s personal spears and shields that had been stored in the Lord’s Temple to the captains of hundreds. 11 So the guards stood assembled, every soldier with weapons in hand, surrounding the king from the right side corner of the Temple to the left side corner, including around the altar and the Temple.
12 Then he brought out the king’s son, put the royal crown on him, presented him with the Testimony,[ei] and installed him as king. They anointed him, applauded, and said, “May the king live!”
13 When Athaliah heard all of the commotion coming from those who were guarding the people, she approached the people who were in the Lord’s Temple. 14 She looked around—and there was the king, standing near a column, as was the royal custom! He was accompanied by the commanding officers, along with trumpeters who stood beside the king. All the people of the land sounded trumpets in their excitement.
But Athaliah tore her clothes and bellowed, “It’s a plot! A conspiracy!”
Athaliah is Executed(E)
15 Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains in charge of[ej] the army, “Take her out the back way[ek] and execute anybody who follows her,” since the priest had also issued this order: “Let’s not put her to death in the Lord’s Temple.” 16 So they arrested Athaliah, took her out through the same entrance used by the horses for entering the king’s palace, and executed her.
A Covenant is Made(F)
17 Then Jehoiada entered into a covenant with the Lord, the king, and the people, that they would live as the Lord’s people, and also entered into a covenant with the king and the people. 18 Then all of the people of the land entered Baal’s temple, tore it down, and broke his altars and his images to pieces, killing Mattan the priest of Baal right in front of the altars. Furthermore, Jehoiada[el] the priest appointed officers to guard the Lord’s Temple, 19 and brought the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards, and all the people of the land, taking the king out of the Lord’s Temple, marching through the guard’s gate to the king’s palace, where Joash[em] took his seat on the throne of the kings. 20 After this, everyone throughout the land rejoiced and the city was at peace, because they had executed Athaliah at the king’s palace.
Jehoash (Joash) Reigns over Judah
21 [en] Jehoash began to reign as king when he was seven years old, 12 1 [eo] ascending to the throne in the seventh year of the reign of[ep] Jehu and then reigning for 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah from Beer-sheba. 2 Jehoash did what the Lord considered to be right during the entire time when Jehoiada the priest was instructing him, 3 except that the high places were not demolished, so the people continued to sacrifice and burn incense on the high places.
Jehoash Institutes Temple Repairs
4 Jehoash spoke to the priests about all of the proceeds[eq] of the consecrated gifts that were being brought into the Lord’s Temple, cash from every man who was traveling through the area,[er] cash obtained by personal assessment,[es] and all the cash that came through voluntary gifts[et] into the Lord’s Temple:
5 “Let the priests get support for themselves from their own donors, and let them repair the Temple wherever a leak in need of repair is discovered.”
6 But 23 years into the reign of King Jehoash, the priests still had not repaired the leaks in the Temple. 7 So King Jehoash called for Jehoiada the priest, along with other[eu] priests, and asked them, “Why haven’t you fixed the leaks in the Temple? Stop receiving donations from your acquaintances for repairing the leaks in the Temple.”
8 So the priests agreed to receive no more cash from the people, but they didn’t repair the leaks in the Temple, either. 9 So Jehoiada the priest grabbed a chest, bored an opening in its lid, and placed it next to the altar, on the right side as one enters the Lord’s Temple. The priests who tended the entryway put all the money that was brought into the Lord’s Temple into the chest.[ev] 10 As a result, whenever they noticed that there was a lot of money in the chest, the king’s secretary and the high priest went forward, put the money in bags, counted the money that had been given over to the Lord’s Temple, 11 and disbursed the cash directly into the hands of those who did the work and who were in charge of the oversight of the Lord’s Temple. They paid it to the carpenters and builders who worked on the Lord’s Temple, 12 to masons and stonecutters, and for procurement of timber and quarried stone for making repairs to the Lord’s Temple, and for all outlays needed for repairs of the Temple.
13 But no provision was included for the Lord’s Temple from the money that was brought into the Lord’s Temple for silver basins, snuffers, bowls, trumpets, or any vessels made of gold or silver, 14 because that money had been allocated to the workmen who were repairing the Lord’s Temple. 15 Furthermore, they required no accounting from the men into whose hand they had paid the money to do the work, because the workers acted in good faith. 16 The money from the guilt offerings and[ew] from the sin offerings was not brought into the Lord’s Temple, because it was allocated to the priests.
Hazael Attacks Israel
17 Later, King Hazael of Aram invaded and attacked Gath, captured it, and then set out to approach Jerusalem. 18 So King Jehoash of Judah took all of the sacred things that his ancestors Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, along with his own dedicated things, and all the gold that could be located within the treasure vaults of the Lord’s Temple and in the king’s palace, and paid off King Hazael of Aram. Then Hazael[ex] left Jerusalem.
Amaziah Succeeds Jehoash (Joash)(G)
19 Now the rest of the Joash’s activities—everything he did—are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? 20 His servants rose up in rebellion, formed a conspiracy, and assassinated Joash in the palace at the terrace ramparts[ey] while he was on his way down to Silla. 21 Shimeath’s son Jozacar and Shomer’s son Jehozabad, his servants, attacked him and he died. They buried him alongside his ancestors in the City of David, and his son Amaziah became king to replace him.
Jehoahaz Becomes King of Israel
13 During the twenty-third year of the reign of[ez] Ahaziah’s son Joash, king of Judah, Jehu’s son Jehoahaz began his seventeen year reign in Samaria over Israel.[fa] 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[fb] by Hazael’s son Ben-hadad. 4 But Jehoahaz sought the Lord,[fc] and the Lord paid attention to him, because the Lord[fd] had been watching the oppression that Israel was enduring from the king of Aram.[fe]
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[ff] remaining in place in Samaria. 7 For the Aramean king[fg] 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,[fh] 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[fi] 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[fj] King Joash[fk] 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[fl] 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[fm] 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[fn] 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,[fo] 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[fp] had captured through warfare from the control of Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. Joash[fq] defeated and recovered cities of Israel from Ben-hadad[fr] three times.
Amaziah Becomes King of Judah
14 Amaziah, son of Judah’s King Joash, became king during the second year of the reign of[fs] Joash, son of King Joahaz of Israel, 2 at the age of 25. He reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin; she was[ft] from Jerusalem.
3 He practiced what the Lord considered to be right, but not like his ancestor David did. He acted as his father Joash had done, 4 except that the high places were not abolished. The people continued to offer sacrifices and to burn incense on the high places. 5 Later on, as soon as he was in firm control of his kingdom, he executed the servants who had murdered his father the king, 6 but he did not execute the children of the murderers, in keeping with what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the Lord had commanded: “Fathers must not be put to death because of their children’s sin; nor are children to die because of their fathers’ sin, for each person is to be put to death for his own sin.”[fu]
The Edomites are Defeated(H)
7 Joash executed 10,000 Edomites in the Salt Valley and captured Sela in battle, renaming it Joktheel, which remains its name to this day. 8 Later, Amaziah sent couriers to Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash, grandson of King Jehu of Israel, challenging him, “Come on! Let’s fight face to face!”
9 But King Jehoash of Israel sent this message to King Amaziah of Judah: “The thorn bush in Lebanon sent this message to the cedar[fv] of Lebanon: ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But just then a wild beast from Lebanon wandered by and trampled down the thorn bush. 10 You just defeated Edom and you’re[fw] arrogant. Bask in your victory and stay home. Why incite trouble so that you—yes, you!—fall, along with Judah with you?”
11 But Amaziah refused to listen. So Israel’s King Jehoash and Judah’s King Amaziah faced each other at Beth-shemesh, which is part of Judah. 12 Judah was defeated by Israel, and everybody fled to their own tents. 13 Then King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah’s King Amaziah, the son of Jehoash and grandson of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. He went to Jerusalem and demolished 400 cubits[fx] of the wall of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. 14 He confiscated all the gold and silver, all the instruments he could find in the Lord’s Temple and in the palace treasuries. He also captured some hostages and then returned to Samaria.
Jeroboam Succeeds Israel’s King Jehoash
15 The rest of Jehoash’s activities that he undertook, including his valor in fighting King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 16 Jehoash died, as had[fy] his ancestors, and he was buried in Samaria alongside the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam reigned in his place.
The Death of Judah’s King Amaziah(I)
17 Joash’s son, King Amaziah of Judah, lived for fifteen years after Jehoahaz’ son, King Jehoash of Israel, died. 18 The rest of Amaziah’s activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? 19 A conspiracy arose against him in Jerusalem, and he ran off to Lachish, but he was pursued to Lachish and killed there. 20 His body was brought back on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem alongside his ancestors in the City of David.
Azariah’s Reign over Judah
21 All the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and installed him as king to take the place of his father Amaziah. 22 He rebuilt Elath and restored it to Judah. Later on the king died, as did[fz] his ancestors.
Jeroboam’s Reign over Israel
23 In the fifteenth year of the reign of[ga] Amaziah son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam son of Joash, king of Israel, began a 41 year reign in Samaria. 24 He did what the Lord considered to be evil by not abandoning all the sins of Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who made Israel sin. 25 He rebuilt Israel’s coastline from the entrance of Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah,[gb] in accordance with the message from the Lord God of Israel that he spoke through his servant Jonah the prophet, Amittai’s son, who was from Gath-hepher. 26 For the Lord observed Israel’s bitter misery, and there was no one left, neither slave nor free, and there was no deliverer for Israel. 27 The Lord had never said that he would erase the name of Israel from under heaven. Instead, he delivered them by Joash’s son Jeroboam. 28 The rest of Jeroboam’s actions—everything he did, including his powerful fighting and how on behalf of Israel he restored Damascus and Hamath to Judah—are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not?
Zechariah’s Reign over Israel
29 Jeroboam died, as had[gc] his ancestors the kings of Israel, and his son Zechariah became king in his place.
Azariah Becomes King of Judah
15 Amaziah’s son Azariah began reigning during the twenty-seventh year of the reign of[gd] Jeroboam, king of Israel. 2 He was sixteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah; she was[ge] from Jerusalem. 3 He did what the Lord considered to be right, just as his father Amaziah had done in everything, 4 except that the high places were never removed, and the people kept on sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.
5 The Lord struck the king so that he was afflicted with leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house while his son Jotham managed the household and ruled[gf] the people who lived in the land. 6 Now the rest of Azariah’s activities, including everything he did, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah, are they not? 7 Later, Azariah died, as had[gg] his ancestors, and they buried him with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Jotham then reigned in his place.
Zachariah’s Reign over Israel
8 During the thirty-eighth year of the reign of[gh] Azariah, king of Judah, Jeroboam’s son Zachariah began a six-month reign in Samaria. 9 He did what the Lord considered to be evil, just as his ancestors had done. He never abandoned the sins of Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin. 10 So Jabesh’s son Shallum conspired against him and attacked him in full view of the people, killed him, and reigned in his place. 11 The rest of Zachariah’s activities are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
Shallum’s Reign over Israel
12 This is what the Lord told Jehu: “Your children will sit on Israel’s throne for the next four generations.”[gi] And that is what happened:[gj] 13 Jabesh’s son Shallum began his reign in the thirty-ninth year of the reign of Uzziah,[gk] king of Judah. He reigned a full month[gl] in Samaria, 14 then Gadi’s son Menahem approached Samaria from Tirzah and attacked Jabesh’s son Shallum, executed him, and reigned in his place. 15 The rest of Shallum’s activities, including the conspiracy that he carried out, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not?
Menahem’s Reign over Israel
16 At another time, Menahem attacked Tiphsah and all of its inhabitants, including its coastlands from Tirzah, because they would not open the city gate for him. After defeating them, he ripped open all of their pregnant women. 17 In the thirty-ninth year of the reign of[gm] Azariah, king of Judah, Gadi’s son Menahem began a ten-year reign over Israel from Samaria. 18 He did what the Lord considered to be evil by never abandoning the sins of Nebat’s son Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, as long as he lived.
19 Later on, King Pul of Aram attacked the land, and Menahem paid Pul 1,000 silver talents[gn] so Pul[go] would join forces with Menahem[gp] to secure his hold on the kingdom. 20 Menahem exacted the money from all of Israel’s powerful and wealthy men, 50 shekels[gq] from each, to pay the king of Aram. As a result, the king of Aram retreated and did not remain there in the land. 21 The rest of Menahem’s activities, including everything that he did, are recorded in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel, are they not? 22 Then Menahem died, as did[gr] his ancestors, and his son Pekahiah reigned in his place.
Pekahiah’s Reign over Israel
23 Menahem’s son Pekahiah became king over Israel for two years during the fiftieth year of the reign of[gs] King Azariah of Judah. 24 He did what the Lord considered to be evil. Just as Nebat’s son Jeroboam had led Israel into sin, so also Pekahiah did not stop doing the same thing. 25 Then Remaliah’s son Pekah, Pekahiah’s[gt] officer, conspired against him with Argob and Arieh. Accompanied by 50 Gileadite men, Pekah attacked Pekahiah inside the palace of the king’s compound[gu] in Samaria, executed him, and reigned as king in his place. 26 The rest of Pekahiah’s activities, including everything he did, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.
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