Bible in 90 Days

Deadly Food in a Pot

³⁸ Elisha returned to Gilgal. There wasn’t enough food to eat in that area. The group of the prophets was meeting with Elisha. So he said to his servant, “Put the large pot over the fire. Cook some stew for these prophets.”

³⁹ One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs. He found a wild vine and picked some of its gourds. He picked as many as he could fit in his coat. Then he cut them up and put them into the pot of stew. But no one knew what they were. ⁴⁰ The stew was poured out for the men. They began to eat it. But then they cried out, “Man of God, the food in that pot will kill us!” They couldn’t eat it.

⁴¹ Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it in the pot. He said, “Serve it to the men to eat.” Then there wasn’t anything in the pot that could harm them.

Elisha Feeds 100 People

⁴² A man came from Baal Shalishah. He brought the man of God 20 loaves of barley bread. They had been baked from the first grain that had ripened. The man also brought some heads of new grain. “Give this food to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

⁴³ “How can I put this in front of 100 men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat. Do it because the Lord says, ‘They will eat and have some left over.’ ” ⁴⁴ Then the servant put the food in front of them. They ate it and had some left over. It happened just as the Lord had said it would.

Naaman Is Healed of a Skin Disease

5 Naaman was army commander of the king of Aram. He was very important to his master and was highly respected. That’s because the Lord had helped him win the battle over Aram’s enemies. He was a brave soldier. But he had a skin disease.

² Groups of soldiers from Aram had marched out. They had captured a young girl from Israel. She became a servant of Naaman’s wife. ³ The young girl spoke to the woman she was serving. She said, “I wish my master would go and see the prophet who is in Samaria. He would heal my master of his skin disease.”

⁴ Naaman went to see his own master. He told him what the girl from Israel had said. ⁵ “I think you should go,” the king of Aram replied. “I’ll give you a letter to take to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left. He took 750 pounds of silver with him. He also took 150 pounds of gold. And he took ten sets of clothes. ⁶ He carried the letter to the king of Israel. It said, “I’m sending my servant Naaman to you with this letter. I want you to heal him of his skin disease.”

⁷ The king of Israel read the letter. As soon as he did, he tore his royal robes. He said, “Am I God? Can I kill people and bring them back to life? Why does this fellow send someone to me to be healed of his skin disease? He must be trying to pick a fight with me!”

⁸ Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes. So he sent the king a message. Elisha said, “Why have you torn your robes? Tell the man to come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman went to see Elisha. He took his horses and chariots with him. He stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a messenger out to him. The messenger said, “Go! Wash yourself in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed. You will be pure and ‘clean’ again.”

¹¹ But Naaman went away angry. He said, “I was sure Elisha would come out to me. I thought he would stand there and pray to the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my skin. Then I would be healed. ¹² And what about the Abana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus? Aren’t they better than all the rivers of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in the rivers of Damascus and be made pure and ‘clean’?” So he turned and went away. He was very angry.

¹³ Naaman’s servants went over to him. They said, “You are like a father to us. What if Elisha the prophet had told you to do some great thing? Wouldn’t you have done it? But he only said, ‘Wash yourself. Then you will be pure and “clean.” ’ You should be even more willing to do that!” ¹⁴ So Naaman went down to the Jordan River. He dipped himself in it seven times. He did exactly what the man of God had told him to do. Then his skin was made pure again. It became “clean” like the skin of a young boy.

¹⁵ Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God. Naaman stood in front of Elisha. Naaman said, “Now I know that there is no God anywhere in the whole world except in Israel. So please accept a gift from me.”

¹⁶ The prophet answered, “I serve the Lord. You can be sure that he lives. And you can be just as sure that I won’t accept a gift from you.” Even though Naaman begged him to take it, Elisha wouldn’t.

¹⁷ “I can see that you won’t accept a gift from me,” said Naaman. “But please let me have some soil from your land. Give me as much as a pair of mules can carry. Here’s why I want it. I won’t ever bring burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god again. I’ll bring them only to the Lord. I’ll worship him on his own soil. ¹⁸ But there is one thing I hope the Lord will forgive me for. From time to time my master will enter the temple to bow down to his god Rimmon. When he does, he’ll lean on my arm. Then I’ll have to bow down there also. I hope the Lord will forgive me for that.”

¹⁹ “Go in peace,” Elisha said.

Naaman started out on his way. ²⁰ Gehazi was the servant of Elisha, the man of God. Gehazi said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman from Aram. He should have accepted the gift Naaman brought. I’m going to run after him. I’m going to get something from him. And that’s just as sure as the Lord is alive.”

²¹ Gehazi hurried after Naaman. Naaman saw him running toward him. So he got down from the chariot to greet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

²² “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the group of the prophets have just come to me. They’ve come from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds of silver and two sets of clothes.’ ”

²³ “I wish you would take twice as much silver,” said Naaman. He begged Gehazi to accept it. Then Naaman tied up 150 pounds of silver in two bags. He also gave Gehazi two sets of clothes. He gave all of it to two of his own servants. They carried it ahead of Gehazi. ²⁴ Gehazi came to the hill where Elisha lived. Then the servants handed the things over to Gehazi. He put them away in Elisha’s house. He sent the men away, and they left. ²⁵ Then he went back inside the house. He stood in front of his master Elisha.

“Gehazi, where have you been?” Elisha asked.

“I didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

²⁶ But Elisha said to him, “Didn’t my spirit go with you? I know that the man got down from his chariot to greet you. Is this the time for you to accept money or clothes? Is it the time to take olive groves, vineyards, flocks or herds? Is it the time to accept male and female slaves? ²⁷ You and your children after you will have Naaman’s skin disease forever.” Then Gehazi left Elisha. And he had Naaman’s skin disease. His skin had become as white as snow.

An Ax Blade Floats

6 The group of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look. The place where we meet with you is too small for us. ² We would like to go to the Jordan River. Each of us can get some wood there. We want to build a place there for us to meet.”

Elisha said, “Go.”

³ Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with us?”

“I will,” Elisha replied. ⁴ And he went with them.

They went to the Jordan River. There they began to cut down trees. ⁵ One of them was cutting down a tree. The iron blade of his ax fell into the water. “Oh no, master!” he cried out. “This ax was borrowed!”

⁶ The man of God asked, “Where did the blade fall?” He showed Elisha the place. Then Elisha cut a stick and threw it there. That made the iron blade float. ⁷ “Take it out of the water,” he said. So the man reached out and took it.

Elisha Makes the Soldiers of Aram Blind

⁸ The king of Aram was at war with Israel. He talked things over with his officers. Then he said, “I’m going to set up my camp in a certain place.”

⁹ Elisha, the man of God, sent a message to the king of Israel. Elisha said, “Try to stay away from that place. Aram’s army is going to be down there.” ¹⁰ The king of Israel checked on the place the man of God had told him about. Time after time Elisha warned the king. So the king was on guard in those places.

¹¹ All of that made the king of Aram very angry. He sent for his officers. He said to them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

¹² “You are my king and master,” said one of his officers. “None of us is on Israel’s side. But Elisha is a prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your own bedroom.”

¹³ “Go and find out where he is,” the king ordered. “Then I can send my men and capture him.” The report came back. The officers said, “He’s in Dothan.” ¹⁴ Then the king sent horses and chariots and a strong army there. They went at night and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ The servant of the man of God got up the next morning. He went out early. He saw that an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my master!” the servant said. “What can we do?”

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ Elisha prayed, “Lord, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.” Then the Lord opened his eyes. Elisha’s servant looked up and saw the hills. He saw that Elisha was surrounded by horses and chariots made of fire.

¹⁸ Aram’s army came down toward Elisha. Then he prayed to the Lord, “Make these soldiers blind.” So the Lord made them blind, just as Elisha had prayed.

¹⁹ Elisha told them, “This isn’t the right road. This isn’t the right city. Follow me. I’ll lead you to the man you are looking for.” He led them to Samaria.

²⁰ They entered the city. Then Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men. Help them see again.” Then the Lord opened their eyes. They looked around. And there they were, inside Samaria!

²¹ The king of Israel saw them. So he asked Elisha, “Should I kill them? I need your advice. You are like a father to me. Should I kill them?”

²² “Don’t kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill people you have captured with your own sword or bow? Put some food and water in front of them. Then they can eat and drink. They can go back to their master.” ²³ So the king of Israel prepared a great feast for them. After they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away. They returned to their master. So the groups of fighting men from Aram stopped attacking Israel’s territory.

Aram’s Army Attacks Samaria and People Go Hungry

²⁴ Some time later, Ben-Hadad gathered his entire army together. Ben-Hadad was the king of Aram. His army marched up and surrounded Samaria. Then they attacked it. ²⁵ There wasn’t enough food anywhere in the city. It was surrounded for so long that people had to weigh out two pounds of silver for a donkey’s head. They had to weigh out two ounces of silver for half a pint of seed pods.

²⁶ One day the king of Israel was walking on top of the city wall. A woman cried out to him, “You are my king and master. Please help me!”

²⁷ The king replied, “If the Lord doesn’t help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” ²⁸ He continued, “What’s wrong?”

She answered, “A woman said to me, ‘Give up your son. Then we can eat him today. Tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ ²⁹ So we cooked my son. Then we ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son. Then we can eat him.’ But she had hidden him.”

³⁰ When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his royal robes. As he walked along the wall, the people looked up at him. They saw that under his robes he was wearing the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. ³¹ He said, “I’ll cut the head of Shaphat’s son Elisha off his shoulders today. If I don’t, may God punish me greatly!”

³² Elisha was sitting in his house. The elders were sitting there with him. The king went to see Elisha. He sent a messenger on ahead of him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha spoke to the elders. He said, “That murderer is sending someone here to cut off my head. Can’t you see that? When the messenger comes, close the door. Hold it shut against him. Can’t you hear his master’s footsteps right behind him?” ³³ Elisha was still talking to the elders when the messenger came down to him.

The king also arrived. He said, “The Lord has sent this horrible trouble on us. Why should I wait any longer for him to help us?”

7 Elisha replied, “Listen to a message from the Lord. He says, ‘About this time tomorrow, flour won’t cost very much. Even 12 pounds of the finest flour will cost less than half of an ounce of silver. You will also be able to buy 20 pounds of barley for the same price. That’s all you will have to pay for those things at the gate of Samaria.’ ”

² The king was leaning on an officer’s arm. The officer spoke to the man of God. The officer said, “Suppose the Lord opens the sky and pours down food on us. Even if he does, could what you are saying really happen?”

“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha. “But you won’t eat any of it!”

The Attack on Samaria Ends

³ There were four men who had a skin disease. They were at the entrance of the gate of Samaria. They said to one another, “Why should we stay here until we die? ⁴ Suppose we say, ‘We’ll go into the city.’ There isn’t any food there, and we’ll die. But if we stay here, we’ll die anyway. So let’s go over to Aram’s army camp. Let’s give ourselves up. If they spare us, we’ll live. If they kill us, we’ll die.”

⁵ At sunset they got up and went to Aram’s army camp. They arrived at the edge of it. But no one was there. ⁶ The Lord had caused the soldiers of Aram to hear a noise. It sounded like chariots and horses and a huge army. So the soldiers said to one another, “Listen! The king of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings. He has paid them to attack us!” ⁷ So the soldiers of Aram had run away at sunset. They had left their tents and horses and donkeys behind. They had left the camp just as it was. And they had run for their lives.

⁸ The men who had a skin disease arrived at the edge of the camp. They entered one of the tents. They ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes. They went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent. They took some things from it and hid them also.

⁹ But then they said to one another, “What we’re doing isn’t right. This is a day of good news. And we’re keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until sunrise, we’ll be punished. Let’s go at once. Let’s report this to the royal palace.”

¹⁰ So they went. They called out to the people who were guarding the city gates. They told them, “We went into Aram’s army camp. No one was there. We didn’t hear anyone. The horses and donkeys were still tied up. The tents were left just as they were.” ¹¹ The people who guarded the gates shouted the news. It was reported inside the palace.

¹² The king of Israel got up in the night. He spoke to his officers. He said, “I’ll tell you what the men of Aram have done to us. They know we are very hungry. So they have left the camp to hide in the countryside. They are thinking, ‘We are sure they’ll come out. Then we’ll take them alive. And we’ll get into the city.’ ”

¹³ One of the king’s officers said, “A few horses are still left in the city. Have some men get five of them. Those men won’t be any worse off than all the other Israelites who are left here. In fact, all of us will soon be dead anyway. So let’s send the men to find out what happened.”

¹⁴ The men chose two chariots and their horses. The king sent them out to look for Aram’s army. He commanded the drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” ¹⁵ They followed the trail of Aram’s soldiers all the way to the Jordan River. They found clothes and supplies all along the road. The soldiers had thrown them down when they ran away. So the men who were sent out returned. They reported to the king what they had seen. ¹⁶ Then the people went out of the city. They took everything of value from Aram’s army camp. So 12 pounds of the finest flour sold for less than half of an ounce of silver. And 20 pounds of barley sold for the same price. That’s exactly what the Lord had said would happen.

¹⁷ The king had put an officer in charge of the city gate. He was the officer on whose arm the king leaned. On their way out of the city, the people knocked the officer down. In the entrance of the gate he was crushed as they walked on top of him. And so he died. That’s exactly what the man of God had said would happen. He had said it when the king came down to his house. ¹⁸ What Elisha, the man of God, had told the king came true. Elisha had said, “About this time tomorrow, flour won’t cost very much. Even 12 pounds of the finest flour will cost less than half of an ounce of silver. You will also be able to buy 20 pounds of barley for the same price. That’s all you will have to pay for those things at the gate of Samaria.”

¹⁹ The officer had spoken to the man of God. The officer had said, “Suppose the Lord opens the sky and pours down food on us. Even if he does, could what you are saying really happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes. But you won’t eat any of it!” ²⁰ And that’s exactly what happened to the officer. On their way out of the city, the people knocked him down. In the entrance of the gate he was crushed as they walked on top of him. And so he died.

The Woman From Shunem Gets Her Land Back

8 Elisha had brought a woman’s son back to life. He had said to her, “Go away with your family. Stay for a while anywhere you can. The Lord has decided that there won’t be enough food in the land. That will be true for seven years.” ² The woman did just as the man of God told her to. She and her family went away. They stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

³ The seven years passed. Then she came back from the land of the Philistines. She went to the king of Israel. She wanted to ask him to get her house and land back. ⁴ The king was talking to Gehazi. Gehazi was the servant of the man of God. The king had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” ⁵ Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought a dead boy back to life. Just then the woman came to ask the king to get her house and land back. She was the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life.

Gehazi said, “King Joram, this is the woman I’ve been telling you about. And this is her son. He’s the one Elisha brought back to life.” ⁶ The king asked the woman about her house and land. And she told him.

Then he appointed an official to look into her case. The king told him, “Give her back everything that belonged to her. That includes all the money that was earned from her land. It was earned from the day she left the country until now.”

Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad

⁷ Elisha went to Damascus. Ben-Hadad was sick. He was king of Aram. The king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here.” ⁸ Then the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift with you. Go and see the man of God. Ask him for the Lord’s advice. Ask him whether I will get well again.”

⁹ Hazael went to see Elisha. Hazael took 40 camels with him as a gift. The camels were loaded with all the finest goods of Damascus. Hazael went into Elisha’s house and stood in front of him. Hazael said, “Ben-Hadad has sent me. He is the king of Aram. He asks, ‘Will I get well again?’ ”

¹⁰ Elisha answered, “Go and tell him, ‘Yes. You will get well again.’ But the Lord has shown me that he will in fact die.” ¹¹ Elisha stared at him without looking away. He did it until Hazael felt uncomfortable. Then the man of God began to weep.

¹² “Why are you weeping?” asked Hazael.

“Because I know how much harm you will do to the people of Israel,” Elisha answered. “You will set fire to their cities that have high walls around them. You will kill their young men with your swords. You will smash their little children on the ground. You will rip open their pregnant women.”

¹³ Hazael said, “How could I possibly do a thing like that? I’m nothing but a dog. I don’t have that kind of power.”

“You will become king of Aram,” Elisha answered. “That’s what the Lord has shown me.”

¹⁴ Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me you would get well again.” ¹⁵ But the next day Hazael got a thick cloth. He soaked it in water. He spread it over the king’s face. He held it there until the king died. Then Hazael became the next king after him.

Jehoram King of Judah

¹⁶ Jehoram began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the fifth year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat. ¹⁷ Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years. ¹⁸ He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the royal family of Ahab had done. In fact, he married a daughter of Ahab. Jehoram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. ¹⁹ But the Lord didn’t want to destroy Judah. That’s because the Lord had made a covenant with his servant David. The Lord had promised to keep the lamp of David’s kingdom burning brightly. The Lord had promised that for him and his children after him forever.

²⁰ When Jehoram was king over Judah, Edom refused to remain under Judah’s control. Edom set up their own king. ²¹ So Jehoram went to Zair. He took all his chariots with him. The men of Edom surrounded him and his chariot commanders. He got up at night and fought his way out. But his army ran back home. ²² To this day Edom has refused to remain under Judah’s control. When Jehoram was Judah’s king, Libnah also refused to remain under the control of Judah.

²³ The other events of Jehoram’s rule are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah. ²⁴ Jehoram joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the next king after him.

Ahaziah King of Judah

²⁵ Ahaziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 12th year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Ahaziah was the son of Jehoram. ²⁶ Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah. She was a granddaughter of Omri. Omri had been the king of Israel. ²⁷ Ahaziah followed the ways of the royal family of Ahab. Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as the family of Ahab had done. That’s because he had married into Ahab’s family.

²⁸ Ahaziah joined forces with Joram. They went to war against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram was the son of Ahab. Hazael was king of Aram. The soldiers of Aram wounded King Joram. ²⁹ So he returned to Jezreel to give his wounds time to heal. The soldiers of Aram had wounded him at Ramoth in his battle against Hazael, the king of Aram.

Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, went down to Jezreel. He went there to see Joram. That’s because Joram had been wounded. Ahaziah was king of Judah. Joram was the son of Ahab.

Jehu Is Anointed as King of Israel

9 Elisha the prophet sent for a man from the group of the prophets. Elisha said to him, “Tuck your coat into your belt. Take this bottle of olive oil with you. Go to Ramoth Gilead. ² When you get there, look for Jehu. He’s the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Go to Jehu. Get him away from his companions. Take him into an inside room. ³ Then get the bottle. Pour the oil on his head. Announce to him, ‘The Lord says, “I anoint you as king over Israel.” ’ After that, open the door and run away. Do it quickly!”

⁴ So the young prophet went to Ramoth Gilead. ⁵ When he arrived, he found the army officers sitting together. “Commander, I have a message for you,” he said.

“For which one of us?” asked Jehu.

“For you, commander,” he replied.

⁶ Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head. He announced, “The Lord is the God of Israel. He says, ‘I am anointing you as king over the Lord’s people Israel. ⁷ You must destroy the royal house of your master Ahab. I will pay them back for spilling the blood of my servants the prophets. I will also pay them back for the blood of all the Lord’s servants that Jezebel spilled. ⁸ The whole house of Ahab will die out. I will destroy every male in Israel who is related to Ahab. It does not matter whether they are slaves or free. ⁹ I will make Ahab’s royal house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. I will make it like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ Dogs will eat up Jezebel on a piece of land at Jezreel. No one will bury her.’ ” Then the prophet opened the door and ran away.

¹¹ Jehu went out to where the other officers were. One of them asked him, “Is everything all right? Why did that crazy man come to you?”

“You know the man. You know the kinds of things he says,” Jehu replied.

¹² “That’s not true!” they said. “Tell us.”

Jehu said, “Here is what he told me. He announced, ‘The Lord says, “I am anointing you as king over Israel.” ’ ”

¹³ The officers quickly grabbed their coats. They spread them out under Jehu on the bare steps of the house. Then they blew a trumpet. They shouted, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Kills Joram and Ahaziah

¹⁴ Jehu was the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Jehu made plans against Joram. During that time Joram and Israel’s whole army had been guarding Ramoth Gilead. They had been guarding it against Hazael, the king of Aram. ¹⁵ But King Joram had returned to Jezreel. He had gone there to give his wounds time to heal. The soldiers of Aram had wounded him in his battle against Hazael, the king of Aram. Jehu said to his men, “Do you want to make me king? If you do, don’t let anyone sneak out of the city. Don’t let them go and tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶ Then Jehu got into his chariot. He rode off to Jezreel. Joram was resting there. And Ahaziah, the king of Judah, had gone down to see him.

¹⁷ A lookout was standing on the roof of the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s troops approaching. So he called out, “I see some troops coming.”

“Get a horseman,” Joram ordered. “Send him to ride out to them. Have him ask, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”

¹⁸ The horseman rode out to where Jehu was. He said, “The king asks, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”

“What do you know about peace?” Jehu answered. “Get in line behind me.”

The lookout reported, “The messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back.”

¹⁹ So the king sent out a second horseman. When he came to them, he said, “The king asks, ‘Are you coming in peace?’ ”

Jehu replied, “What do you know about peace? Get in line behind me.”

²⁰ The lookout reported, “The second messenger has reached them. But he isn’t coming back either. The one driving the chariot drives like Jehu, the son of Nimshi. He’s driving like a crazy person.”

²¹ “Get my chariot ready,” King Joram ordered. When it was ready, he rode out. Ahaziah, the king of Judah, rode out with him. Each of them was in his own chariot. They both went to meet Jehu. They met him at the piece of land that had belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. ²² When Joram saw Jehu he asked, “Have you come here in peace, Jehu?”

“Your mother Jezebel worships statues of gods,” Jehu replied. “She also worships evil powers. The evil things she does have spread everywhere. As long as all of that goes on, how can there be peace?”

²³ Joram turned around and tried to get away. He called out, “It’s treason, Ahaziah!”

²⁴ Then Jehu shot an arrow at Joram. It hit him between the shoulders. It went through his heart. He sank down slowly in his chariot. ²⁵ Jehu spoke to Bidkar, his chariot officer. Jehu said, “Pick Joram up. Throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth from Jezreel. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Joram’s father Ahab? It was when the Lord spoke this prophecy against him. The Lord announced, ²⁶ ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons. You can be sure that I will make you pay for it on this piece of land.’ So pick Joram up. Throw him on that piece of land. That’s what the Lord said would happen.”

²⁷ Ahaziah, the king of Judah, saw what had happened. So he tried to get away. He went up the road toward Beth Haggan. Jehu chased him. He shouted, “Kill him too!” Jehu’s men wounded Ahaziah in his chariot. It happened on the way up to Gur near Ibleam. But Ahaziah escaped to Megiddo. And that’s where he died. ²⁸ Ahaziah’s servants took him to Jerusalem in his chariot. They buried him in his family tomb in the City of David. ²⁹ Ahaziah had become king of Judah. It was in the 11th year of Joram, the son of Ahab.

Jehu Kills Jezebel

³⁰ Jehu went to Jezreel. Jezebel heard about it. So she put makeup on her eyes and fixed her hair. Then she looked out of a window. ³¹ Jehu entered the gate below. Jezebel said to him, “You are just like Zimri. You murdered your master. Have you come here in peace?”

³² Jehu looked up at the window. “Who is on my side?” he called out. “Who?” Two or three officials looked down at him. ³³ “Throw her down!” Jehu said. So they threw her down. Some of her blood splashed on the wall. Some of it splashed on Jehu’s chariot horses as they ran over her.

³⁴ Jehu went inside. He ate and drank. “The Lord put a curse on that woman,” he said. “Take proper care of her body. Bury her. After all, she was a king’s daughter.” ³⁵ So they went out to bury her. But all they found was her head, feet and hands. ³⁶ They went back and reported it to Jehu. He told them, “That’s what the Lord said would happen. He announced it through his servant Elijah, who was from Tishbe. He said, ‘On a piece of land at Jezreel, dogs will eat up Jezebel’s body. ³⁷ Her body will end up as garbage on that piece of land. So no one will be able to say, “Here’s where Jezebel is buried.” ’ ”

Jehu Wipes Out Ahab’s Royal House

10 Ahab’s royal family in the city of Samaria had a total of 70 sons. Jehu wrote some letters to the officials of the city. He also sent them to the elders there. And he sent them to the people who took care of Ahab’s children. Jehu said, ² “Your master’s sons are with you. You also have chariots and horses and weapons. And you are living in a city that has high walls around it. As soon as you read this letter, here’s what I want you to do. ³ Choose the best and most respected son of your master. Place him on his father Joram’s throne. Then fight for your master’s royal house.”

⁴ The leaders of Samaria were terrified. They said, “King Joram and King Ahaziah couldn’t stand up against Jehu. So how can we?”

⁵ The city governor and the person in charge of the palace sent a message to Jehu. The message was also from the elders and the people who took care of Ahab’s children. In the message, they said, “We will serve you. We’ll do anything you say. We won’t appoint anyone to be king. Do what you think is best.”

⁶ Then Jehu wrote them a second letter. He said, “You say you are on my side. You say you will obey me. If you really mean it, bring me the heads of your master’s sons. Meet me in Jezreel by this time tomorrow.”

There were 70 royal princes. They were with the most important men of the city. Those men were in charge of raising them. ⁷ When Jehu’s letter arrived, the men went and got the princes. They killed all 70 of them. They put their heads in baskets. Then they sent them to Jehu in Jezreel. ⁸ When the messenger arrived, he spoke to Jehu. He told him, “The heads of the princes have been brought here.”

Then Jehu ordered his men, “Put them in two piles. Stack them up at the entrance of the city gate until morning.”

⁹ The next morning Jehu went out. He stood in front of all the people. He said, “You aren’t guilty of doing anything wrong. I’m the one who made plans against my master Joram. I killed him. But who killed all these? ¹⁰ I want you to know that the Lord has spoken against Ahab’s royal house. Not a word of what he has said will fail. The Lord has done exactly what he announced through his servant Elijah.” ¹¹ So Jehu killed everyone from Ahab’s family who was in Jezreel. He also killed all Ahab’s chief men. And he killed Ahab’s close friends and his priests. He didn’t leave anyone alive in Ahab’s family.

¹² Then Jehu started out for Samaria. At Beth Eked of the Shepherds, ¹³ he saw some people. They were relatives of Ahaziah, the king of Judah. Jehu asked them, “Who are you?”

They said, “We are Ahaziah’s relatives. We’ve come down to visit the families of the king and of his mother.”

¹⁴ “Take them alive!” Jehu ordered. So his men took them alive. Then they killed them by the well of Beth Eked. They killed a total of 42 of them. Jehu didn’t leave anyone alive.

¹⁵ Jehu left there. On the way he met Jehonadab. He was the son of Rekab. Jehonadab was on his way to see Jehu. Jehu greeted him. He asked, “Are you my friend? You know I’m your friend.”

“I am,” Jehonadab answered.

“If that’s true,” said Jehu, “hold out your hand.” So he did. Then Jehu helped him up into the chariot. ¹⁶ Jehu said, “Come along with me. See how committed I am to serve the Lord.” Jehu had Jehonadab ride along in his chariot.

¹⁷ Jehu came to Samaria. He killed everyone there who was left from Ahab’s family. And so he completely destroyed Ahab’s royal house. That’s what the Lord had said would happen. He had spoken that message to Elijah.

Jehu Kills the People Who Serve Baal

¹⁸ Then Jehu brought together all the people. He said to them, “Ahab served the god named Baal a little. I will serve him a lot. ¹⁹ Send for all of Baal’s prophets. Also send for all his priests and the others who serve him. Make sure that not a single one is missing. I’m going to hold a great sacrifice to honor Baal. Anyone who doesn’t come will be killed.” But Jehu was lying to them. He was planning to destroy everyone who served Baal.

²⁰ Jehu said, “Call everyone together to honor Baal.” So they did. ²¹ Then he sent a message all through Israel. All those who served Baal came. Not a single one of them stayed away. They crowded into Baal’s temple. It was full from one end to the other. ²² Jehu spoke to the one who took care of the sacred robes. He told him, “Bring robes for everyone who serves Baal.” So he brought the robes out for them.

²³ Then Jehu went into Baal’s temple. Jehonadab, the son of Rekab, went with him. Jehu said to those who served Baal, “Look around. Make sure that no one who serves the Lord is here with you. Make sure only those who serve Baal are here.” ²⁴ So they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Jehu had stationed 80 men outside. He warned them, “I’m placing some men in your hands. Don’t let a single one of them escape. If you do, you will pay for his life with yours.”

²⁵ Jehu finished sacrificing the burnt offering. As soon as he did, he gave an order to the guards and officers. He commanded them, “Go inside and kill everyone. Don’t let a single one of them escape.” So they cut them down with their swords. The guards and officers threw the bodies outside. Then they entered the most sacred area inside Baal’s temple. ²⁶ They brought the sacred stone of Baal outside. They burned it up. ²⁷ So they destroyed Baal’s sacred stone. They also tore down Baal’s temple. People have used it as a public toilet to this day.

²⁸ So Jehu destroyed the worship of the god named Baal in Israel. ²⁹ But he didn’t turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. Jehu worshiped the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.

³⁰ The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have accomplished what is right in my eyes. You have done to Ahab’s royal house everything I wanted you to do. So your sons after you will sit on the throne of Israel. They will rule until the time of your children’s grandchildren.” ³¹ But Jehu wasn’t careful to obey the law of the Lord. He didn’t obey the God of Israel with all his heart. He didn’t turn away from the sins of Jeroboam. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.

³² In those days the Lord began to make the kingdom of Israel smaller. Hazael gained control over many parts of Israel. He gained control over all their territory ³³ east of the Jordan River. It included the whole land of Gilead from Aroer by the Arnon River valley all the way to Bashan. That was the territory of Gad, Reuben and Manasseh.

³⁴ The other events of Jehu’s rule are written down. Everything he did and accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

³⁵ Jehu joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the next king after him. ³⁶ Jehu had ruled over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.

Athaliah and Joash

11 Athaliah was Ahaziah’s mother. She saw that her son was dead. So she began to destroy the whole royal house of Judah. ² But Jehosheba went and got Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Jehosheba was the daughter of King Jehoram and the sister of Ahaziah. She stole Joash away from among the royal princes. All of them were about to be murdered. She put Joash and his nurse in a bedroom. That’s how she hid him from Athaliah. And that’s why Athaliah didn’t kill him. ³ The child remained hidden with his nurse at the Lord’s temple for six years. Athaliah ruled over the land during that time.

⁴ In the seventh year Jehoiada the priest sent for the commanders of military groups of 100 men. They were the commanders over the Carites and the guards. Jehoiada had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them. At the temple he made them promise to be faithful. Then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ He gave them a command. He said, “Here’s what you must do. There are five groups of you. Some of you are in the three groups that are going on duty on the Sabbath day. A third of you must guard the royal palace. ⁶ A third of you must guard the Sur Gate. And a third of you must guard the gate that is behind the guard. All of you must take turns guarding the temple. ⁷ The rest of you are in the other two groups. Normally you are not on duty on the Sabbath day. But you also must guard the temple for the king. ⁸ Station yourselves around the king. Each of you must have his weapon in his hand. Anyone else who approaches your groups must be put to death. Stay close to the king no matter where he goes.”

⁹ The commanders of the military groups did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each commander got his men and came to Jehoiada. Some of the men were going on duty on the Sabbath day. Others were going off duty. ¹⁰ Then Jehoiada gave weapons to the commanders. He gave them spears and shields. The weapons had belonged to King David. They had been in the Lord’s temple. ¹¹ The guards stationed themselves around the new king. Each of them had his weapon in his hand. They were near the altar and the temple. They stood from the south side of the temple to its north side.

¹² Jehoiada brought out Ahaziah’s son. He put the crown on him. He gave him a copy of the covenant. And he announced that Joash was king. Jehoiada and his sons anointed him. The people clapped their hands. Then they shouted, “May the king live a long time!”

¹³ Athaliah heard the noise the guards and the people were making. So she went to the people at the Lord’s temple. ¹⁴ She looked, and there was the king! He was standing next to the pillar. That was the usual practice. The officers and trumpet players were standing beside the king. All the people of the land were filled with joy. They were blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her royal robes. She called out, “Treason! It’s treason!”

¹⁵ Jehoiada the priest gave an order to the commanders of the military groups of 100 men. The commanders were in charge of the troops. He said to them, “Bring her away from the temple between the line of guards. Use your swords to kill anyone who follows her.” The priest had said, “She must not be put to death at the Lord’s temple.” ¹⁶ So they grabbed her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds. There she was put to death.

¹⁷ Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord and the king and people. He had the king and people promise that they would be the Lord’s people. Jehoiada also made a covenant between the king and the people. ¹⁸ All the people of the land went to Baal’s temple. They tore it down. They smashed to pieces the altars and the statues of gods. They killed Mattan in front of the altars. He was the priest of Baal.

Then Jehoiada the priest stationed guards at the temple of the Lord. ¹⁹ Jehoiada took with him the commanders of groups of 100 men. They were the commanders over the Carites and the guards. He also took with him all the people of the land. All of them brought the new king down from the Lord’s temple. They went into the palace. They entered it by going through the gate of the guards. Then the king sat down on the royal throne. ²⁰ All the people of the land were filled with joy. And the city was calm. That’s because Athaliah had been killed with a sword at the palace.

²¹ Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Joash Repairs the Temple

12 Joash became king of Judah. It was in the seventh year of Jehu’s rule. Joash ruled in Jerusalem for 40 years. His mother’s name was Zibiah. She was from Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. Joash lived that way as long as Jehoiada the priest was teaching him. ³ But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁴ Joash spoke to the priests. He said, “Collect all the money the people bring as sacred offerings to the Lord’s temple. That includes the money collected when the men who are able to serve in the army are counted. It includes the money received from people who make a special promise to the Lord. It also includes the money people bring to the temple just because they want to. ⁵ Let each priest receive the money from one of the people in charge of the temple’s treasures. Then use all of that money to repair the temple where it needs it.”

⁶ It was now the 23rd year of the rule of King Joash. And the priests still hadn’t repaired the temple. ⁷ So the king sent for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests. He asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the temple where it needs it? Don’t take any more money from the people in charge of the treasures. Instead, hand it over so the temple can be repaired.” ⁸ The priests agreed that they wouldn’t collect any more money from the people. They also agreed that they wouldn’t repair the temple themselves.

⁹ Jehoiada the priest got a chest. He drilled a hole in its lid. He placed the chest beside the altar for burnt offerings. The chest was on the right side as people enter the Lord’s temple. Some priests guarded the entrance. They put into the chest all the money the people brought to the temple. ¹⁰ From time to time there was a large amount of money in the chest. When that happened, the royal secretary and the high priest came. They counted the money the people had brought to the temple. Then they put it into bags. ¹¹ After they added it all up, they used it to repair the temple. They gave it to the men who had been put in charge of the work. Those men used it to pay the workers. They paid the builders and those who worked with wood. ¹² They paid those who cut stones and those who laid them. They bought lumber and blocks of stone. So they used the money to repair the Lord’s temple. They also paid all the other costs to make the temple like new again.

¹³ The money the people brought to the Lord’s temple wasn’t used to make silver bowls. It wasn’t used for wick cutters, sprinkling bowls or trumpets. And it wasn’t used for any other things made out of gold or silver. ¹⁴ Instead, it was paid to the workers. They used it to repair the temple. ¹⁵ The royal secretary and the high priest didn’t require a report from those who were in charge of the work. That’s because they were completely honest. They always paid the workers. ¹⁶ Money was received from people who brought guilt offerings and sin offerings. But it wasn’t taken to the Lord’s temple. It belonged to the priests.

¹⁷ About that time Hazael, the king of Aram, went up and attacked Gath. Then he captured it. After that, he turned back to attack Jerusalem. ¹⁸ But Joash, the king of Judah, didn’t want to go to war. So he took all the sacred objects. They had been set apart to the Lord by the kings who had ruled over Judah before him. Those kings were Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah. Joash took the gifts he himself had set apart. He took all the gold that was among the temple treasures. He also took all the gold from the royal palace. He sent all those things to Hazael, the king of Aram. Then Hazael pulled his army back from Jerusalem.

¹⁹ The other events of the rule of Joash are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah. ²⁰ The officials of Joash made evil plans against him. They killed him at Beth Millo. It happened on the road that goes down to Silla. ²¹ The officials who murdered him were Jozabad and Jehozabad. Jozabad was the son of Shimeath. Jehozabad was the son of Shomer. After Joash died, he was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. Joash’s son Amaziah became the next king after him.

Jehoahaz King of Israel

13 Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 23rd year of the rule of Joash, the king of Judah. Jehoahaz ruled for 17 years. Joash was the son of Ahaziah. Jehoahaz was the son of Jehu. ² Jehoahaz did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He committed the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. Jehoahaz didn’t turn away from them. ³ So the Lord was very angry with Israel. For a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael, the king of Aram. The Lord also kept them under the power of his son Ben-Hadad.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz asked the Lord for help. The Lord listened to him. The Lord saw how badly the king of Aram was treating Israel. ⁵ The Lord provided someone to save Israel. And they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes, just as they had before. ⁶ But the people didn’t turn away from the sins of the royal house of Jeroboam. He had caused Israel to commit those same sins. The people continued to commit them. And the pole used to worship the female god named Asherah remained standing in Samaria.

⁷ The army of Jehoahaz had almost nothing left. All it had was 50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 soldiers on foot. The king of Aram had destroyed the rest of them. He had made them like dust at threshing time.

⁸ The other events of the rule of Jehoahaz are written down. Everything he did and accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ⁹ Jehoahaz joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in Samaria. Jehoahaz’s son Jehoash became the next king after him.

Jehoash King of Israel

¹⁰ Jehoash became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 37th year that Joash was king of Judah. Jehoash ruled for 16 years. He was the son of Jehoahaz. ¹¹ Jehoash did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Jehoash didn’t turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. And Jehoash continued to commit them.

¹² The other events of the rule of Jehoash are written down. That includes his war against Amaziah, the king of Judah. Everything he did and accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ¹³ Jehoash joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the royal tombs in Samaria. Jeroboam became the next king on Israel’s throne after him.

¹⁴ Elisha had been suffering from a sickness. Later he would die from it. Jehoash, the king of Israel, went down to see him. Jehoash wept over him. “My father!” he cried. “You are like a father to me! You, Elisha, are the true chariots and horsemen of Israel!”

¹⁵ Elisha said to Jehoash, “Get a bow and some arrows.” So he did. ¹⁶ “Hold the bow in your hands,” Elisha said to the king of Israel. So Jehoash took hold of the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

¹⁷ “Open the east window,” Elisha said. So he did. “Shoot!” Elisha said. So he shot. “That’s the Lord’s arrow!” Elisha announced. “It means you will win the battle over Aram! You will completely destroy the men of Aram at Aphek.”

¹⁸ Elisha continued, “Get some arrows.” So the king did. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” Jehoash struck it three times. Then he stopped. ¹⁹ The man of God was angry with him. He said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have won the war over Aram. You would have completely destroyed them. But now you will win only three battles over them.”

²⁰ Elisha died and was buried.

Some robbers from Moab used to enter the country of Israel every spring. ²¹ One day some Israelites were burying a man. Suddenly they saw a group of robbers. So they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. The body touched Elisha’s bones. When it did, the man came back to life again. He stood up on his feet.

²² Hazael, the king of Aram, treated Israel badly. He did it the whole time Jehoahaz was king. ²³ But the Lord helped Israel. He was tender and kind to them. He showed concern for them. He did all these things because of the covenant he had made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he hasn’t been willing to destroy Israel. And he hasn’t driven them out of his land.

²⁴ Hazael, the king of Aram, died. His son Ben-Hadad became the next king after him. ²⁵ Then Jehoash won back some towns from Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael. Ben-Hadad had captured them in battle from Jehoahaz, the father of Jehoash. Jehoash won three battles over Ben-Hadad. So Jehoash won back the Israelite towns.

Amaziah King of Judah

14 Amaziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the second year that Jehoash was king of Israel. He was the son of Jehoahaz. Amaziah was the son of Joash. ² Amaziah was 25 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 29 years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan. She was from Jerusalem. ³ Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. But he didn’t do what King David had done. He always followed the example of his father Joash. ⁴ But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁵ The kingdom was firmly under his control. So he put to death the officials who had murdered his father, the king. ⁶ But he didn’t put their children to death. He obeyed what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses. There the Lord commanded, “Parents must not be put to death because of what their children do. And children must not be put to death because of what their parents do. People must die because of their own sins.” (Deuteronomy 24:16)

⁷ Amaziah won the battle over 10,000 men of Edom. It happened in the Valley of Salt. During the battle he captured the town of Sela. He called it Joktheel. That’s the name it still has to this day.

⁸ After the battle, Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash, the king of Israel. Jehoash was the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu. Amaziah said, “Come on. Let us face each other in battle.”

⁹ But Jehoash, the king of Israel, answered Amaziah, the king of Judah. Jehoash said, “A thorn bush in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar tree there. The thorn bush said, ‘Give your daughter to be married to my son.’ Then a wild animal in Lebanon came along. It crushed the thorn bush by walking on it. ¹⁰ It’s true that you have won the battle over Edom. So you are proud. Enjoy your success while you can. But stay home and enjoy it! Why ask for trouble? Why bring yourself crashing down? Why bring Judah down with you?”

¹¹ But Amaziah wouldn’t listen. So Jehoash, the king of Israel, attacked. He and Amaziah, the king of Judah, faced each other in battle. The battle took place at Beth Shemesh in Judah. ¹² Israel drove Judah away. Every man ran home. ¹³ Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah at Beth Shemesh. Amaziah was the son of Joash. Joash was the son of Ahaziah. Jehoash went to Jerusalem. He broke down part of its wall. It’s the part that went from the Ephraim Gate to the Corner Gate. That part of the wall was 600 feet long. ¹⁴ Jehoash took all the gold, silver and objects that were in the Lord’s temple. He also took all those same kinds of things that were among the treasures of the royal palace. And he took prisoners. Then he returned to Samaria.

¹⁵ The other events of the rule of Jehoash are written down. That includes his war against Amaziah, the king of Judah. Everything he did and accomplished is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ¹⁶ Jehoash joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in Samaria in the royal tombs of Israel. Jehoash’s son Jeroboam became the next king after him.

¹⁷ Amaziah king of Judah lived for 15 years after Jehoash king of Israel died. Amaziah was the son of Joash. Jehoash was the son of Jehoahaz. ¹⁸ The other events of Amaziah’s rule are written down. They are written in the official records of the kings of Judah.

¹⁹ Some people made evil plans against Amaziah in Jerusalem. So he ran away to Lachish. But they sent men to Lachish after him. There they killed him. ²⁰ His body was brought back on a horse. Then he was buried in the family tomb in Jerusalem, the City of David.

²¹ All the people of Judah made Uzziah king. He was 16 years old. They made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²² Uzziah rebuilt Elath. He brought it under Judah’s control again. He did it after Amaziah joined the members of his family who had already died.

Jeroboam II King of Israel

²³ Jeroboam became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 15th year that Amaziah was king of Judah. Jeroboam ruled for 41 years. Amaziah was the son of Joash. Jeroboam was the son of Jehoash. ²⁴ Jeroboam did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t turn away from any of the sins the earlier Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. That Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. ²⁵ Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, made the borders of Israel the same as they were before. They reached from Lebo Hamath all the way to the Dead Sea. That’s what the Lord, the God of Israel, had said would happen. He had spoken that message through his servant Jonah. Jonah the prophet was the son of Amittai. Jonah was from the town of Gath Hepher.

²⁶ The Lord had seen how much everyone in Israel was suffering. It didn’t matter whether they were slaves or free. They didn’t have anyone to help them. ²⁷ The Lord hadn’t said he would wipe out Israel’s name from the earth. So he saved them by the power of Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash.

²⁸ The other events of the rule of Jeroboam are written down. What he and his army accomplished is written down. That includes how he brought Damascus and Hamath back under Israel’s control. Damascus and Hamath had belonged to the territory of Judah. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ²⁹ Jeroboam joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried in the royal tombs of Israel. Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became the next king after him.

Uzziah King of Judah

15 Uzziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 27th year that Jeroboam was king of Israel. Uzziah was the son of Amaziah. ² Uzziah was 16 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for 52 years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah. She was from Jerusalem. ³ Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴ But the high places weren’t removed. The people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

⁵ The Lord caused King Uzziah to suffer from a skin disease until the day he died. He lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the palace. Jotham ruled over the people of the land.

⁶ The other events of the rule of Uzziah are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Judah. ⁷ Uzziah joined the members of his family who had already died. He was buried near them in the City of David. Uzziah’s son Jotham became the next king after him.

Zechariah King of Israel

⁸ Zechariah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 38th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Zechariah ruled for six months. He was the son of Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash. ⁹ Zechariah did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He did what the kings of Israel before him had done. He didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.

¹⁰ Shallum made evil plans against Zechariah. He attacked Zechariah in front of the people and killed him. Then he became the next king after him. Shallum was the son of Jabesh. ¹¹ The other events of the rule of Zechariah are written down. They are written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ¹² What happened to Zechariah is what the Lord said would happen. He had spoken that message to Jehu. The Lord had said, “Your sons after you will sit on the throne of Israel. They will rule until the time of your children’s grandchildren.” (2 Kings 10:30)

Shallum King of Israel

¹³ Shallum became king of Israel. It was in the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled in Samaria for one month. He was the son of Jabesh. ¹⁴ Menahem went from Tirzah up to Samaria. There he attacked Shallum, the son of Jabesh. Menahem killed him and became the next king after him. Menahem was the son of Gadi.

¹⁵ The other events of Shallum’s rule are written down. The evil things he planned are written down. All these things are written in the official records of the kings of Israel.

¹⁶ At that time Menahem started out from Tirzah and attacked Tiphsah. He attacked everyone in the city and the area around it. That’s because they refused to open their gates for him. He destroyed Tiphsah. He ripped open all their pregnant women.

Menahem King of Israel

¹⁷ Menahem became king of Israel. It was in the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled in Samaria for ten years. He was the son of Gadi. ¹⁸ Menahem did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. During his entire rule he didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins.

¹⁹ Then Tiglath-Pileser marched into the land of Israel. He was king of Assyria. Menahem gave him 38 tons of silver to get his help. He wanted to make his control over the kingdom stronger. ²⁰ Menahem forced Israel to give him that money. Every wealthy person had to give him 20 ounces of silver. All of it went to the king of Assyria. So he pulled his troops back. He didn’t stay in the land anymore.

²¹ The other events of the rule of Menahem are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel. ²² Menahem joined the members of his family who had already died. Menahem’s son Pekahiah became the next king after him.

Pekahiah King of Israel

²³ Pekahiah became king of Israel in Samaria. It was in the 50th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled for two years. He was the son of Menahem. ²⁴ Pekahiah did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord. He didn’t turn away from the sins Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, had committed. Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit those same sins. ²⁵ One of Pekahiah’s chief officers was Pekah. He was the son of Remaliah. Pekah made evil plans against Pekahiah. He took 50 men from Gilead with him and killed Pekahiah. Pekah also killed Argob and Arieh. He killed all of them in the safest place in the royal palace at Samaria. So Pekah killed Pekahiah. He became the next king after him.

²⁶ The other events of the rule of Pekahiah are written down. Everything he did is written in the official records of the kings of Israel.