Bible in 90 Days

Elisha and the Pot of Food

³⁸ When Elisha returned to Gilgal, there was no food in the land. The sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future were sitting in front of him. Elisha said to his servant, “Put the large pot over the fire and make food ready for the sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future.” ³⁹ One of them went out into the field to gather plants. He found a wild vine, and gathered wild gourds from it. He came and cut them up in the pot of food, not knowing what they were. ⁴⁰ Then they poured it out for the men to eat. As they were eating the food, they cried out, “O man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it. ⁴¹ But he said, “Get some grain.” And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people to eat.” Then there was no danger in the pot.

Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men

⁴² A man came from Baal-shalishah. He brought the man of God a gift of the first-fruits. There were twenty loaves of barley bread and new-grown grain in his bag. Elisha said, “Give them to the people, that they may eat.” ⁴³ But his servant said, “What? Should I put this in front of 100 men?” But Elisha said, “Give them to the people to eat. For the Lord says, ‘They will eat and have some left.’” ⁴⁴ So he put it in front of them. And they ate and had some left, as the word of the Lord had said.

Naaman Is Healed

5 Naaman the captain of the army of the king of Syria was an important man to his king. He was much respected, because by him the Lord had made Syria win in battle. Naaman was a strong man of war, but he had a bad skin disease. ² Now the Syrians had gone out in groups of soldiers, and had taken a little girl from the land of Israel. She served Naaman’s wife. ³ And she said to her owner, “I wish that my owner’s husband were with the man of God who is in Samaria! Then he would heal his bad skin disease.” ⁴ So Naaman went in and told his king, “This is what the girl from the land of Israel said.” ⁵ The king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman went and took with him silver weighing as much as ten men, 6,000 pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothes. ⁶ He brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, “I have sent my servant Naaman to you with this letter, that you may heal his bad skin disease.” ⁷ When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive? Is this why this man sends word to me to heal a man’s bad skin disease? Think about it. He wants to start a fight with me.” ⁸ Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes. So he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me. Then he will know that there is a man of God in Israel.” ⁹ So Naaman came with his horses and his war-wagons, and stood at the door of Elisha’s house. ¹⁰ Elisha sent a man to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times. And your flesh will be made well and you will be clean.” ¹¹ But Naaman was very angry and went away. He said, “I thought he would come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over the place, and heal the bad skin disease. ¹² Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away very angry. ¹³ Then his servants came and said to him, “My father, if the man of God had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash and be clean’?” ¹⁴ So Naaman went down into the Jordan River seven times, as the man of God had told him. And his flesh was made as well as the flesh of a little child. He was clean.

¹⁵ Then Naaman returned to the man of God with all those who were with him. He came and stood in front of Elisha and said, “See, now I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. So I ask you now to take a gift from your servant.” ¹⁶ But Elisha said, “As the Lord lives, before Whom I stand, I will take nothing.” Naaman tried to talk him into taking it, but he would not. ¹⁷ Naaman said, “If not, I ask you, let your servant be given as much dirt as two horses can carry. For your servant will not give burnt gifts or kill animals on the altar in worship to other gods any more. I will only give gifts to the Lord. ¹⁸ But may the Lord forgive your servant for this. My king goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there. He rests on my arm and I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon. When I put my face to the ground in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant.” ¹⁹ And Elisha said to him, “Go in peace.” So Naaman went away from him a short way.

Gehazi Wants More

²⁰ But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, “See, my owner has let Naaman the Syrian go without receiving the gift he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” ²¹ So Gehazi went after Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he stepped off the war-wagon to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” ²² Gehazi said, “All is well. My owner has sent me, saying, ‘See, just now two young sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. I ask of you, give them a man’s weight in silver and two changes of clothes.’” ²³ Naaman said, “Be pleased to take silver weighing as much as two men.” And he had him take two bags of silver weighing as much as two men, with two changes of clothes. He gave them to two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi. ²⁴ When he came to the hill, Gehazi took them from the servants and put them in the house. Then he sent the men away, and they left. ²⁵ And Gehazi went in and stood in front of his owner. Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not leave.” ²⁶ Elisha said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when the man turned from his war-wagon to meet you? Was it a time to receive money and clothes and olive fields and grape-fields and sheep and cattle and men servants and women servants? ²⁷ So now the bad skin disease will be upon you and your children forever.” And Gehazi went away from Elisha with a bad skin disease. He was as white as snow.

The Ax Head That Was Not Lost

6 Now the sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future said to Elisha, “See, the place where we are living under your care is too small for us. ² Let us go to the Jordan and each of us cut down a tree there. And let us make a place for us to live there.” So Elisha said, “Go.” ³ Then one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And Elisha answered, “I will go.” ⁴ So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. ⁵ But as one of them was cutting a tree, the ax head fell into the water. The man cried out, “It is bad, sir! The ax belongs to another man, and I was to return it.” ⁶ The man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in, and the iron came to the top of the water. ⁷ He said, “Pick it up.” So his servant put out his hand and took it.

Syrian Army Loses the Battle

⁸ Now the king of Syria was fighting a war against Israel. He had a meeting with his servants, and said, “This is the place where I will be staying.” ⁹ The man of God sent news to the king of Israel, saying, “Be careful that you do not pass this place. For the Syrians are coming down there.” ¹⁰ The king of Israel sent men to the place where the man of God said there would be danger. So he saved himself there more than once or twice. ¹¹ The heart of the king of Syria was angry because of this. He called his servants and said to them, “Will you show me which one of us is helping the king of Israel?” ¹² And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king. Elisha, the man of God who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you say in your bedroom.” ¹³ So he said, “Go and see where Elisha is, that I may send men to take him.” And he was told, “See, he is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ So the king of Syria sent horses and war-wagons and an army of many soldiers there. They came during the night and gathered around the city.

¹⁵ The servant of the man of God got up early and went out. And he saw an army with horses and war-wagons around the city. The servant said to Elisha, “It is bad, sir! What should we do?” ¹⁶ He answered, “Do not be afraid. For those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” ¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes, that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw. He saw that the mountain was full of horses and war-wagons of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸ When the Syrians came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, saying, “Make these people blind, I pray.” So the Lord made them blind, as Elisha had said. ¹⁹ Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way. This is not the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the man you are looking for.” And he brought them to Samaria.

²⁰ When they had come to Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men. Let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw. They saw they were in the center of Samaria. ²¹ When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?” ²² He answered, “Do not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken against their will with your sword and bow? Give them bread and water. Let them eat and drink and return to their owner.” ²³ So he made a big supper for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away. And they went to their owner. The Syrians sent no more small groups of soldiers into the land of Israel.

Samaria’s Trouble

²⁴ After this, Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army and went up against Samaria. ²⁵ There was a time of no food in Samaria. The Syrian army gathered around it, until a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver. A half cup of dove’s waste sold for five pieces of silver. ²⁶ As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help, my lord, O king!” ²⁷ And he said, “If the Lord does not help you, from where can I help you? From the grain-floor, or from the grape-crusher?” ²⁸ Then the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, so we may eat him today. And we will eat my son tomorrow.’ ²⁹ So we made my son ready to eat over the fire, and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, so we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” ³⁰ When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. He was passing by on the wall, and the people looked. They saw that he wore cloth made from hair under his clothes. ³¹ Then he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”

³² Now Elisha was sitting in his house. And the leaders were sitting with him. The king sent a man, but before the man came to him, Elisha said to the leaders, “Do you see how this son of a killer has sent to take off my head? See, when the king’s man comes, shut the door. Hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his owner’s feet behind him?” ³³ While he was still talking with them, the king came down to him and said, “See, this trouble is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

7 Then Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the Lord. The Lord says, ‘Tomorrow about this time, a basket of fine flour will be sold for one piece of silver in the gate of Samaria. And two baskets of barley will be sold for a piece of silver.’” ² The captain on whose arm the king rested said to the man of God, “See, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?” Elisha said, “You will see it with your own eyes. But you will not eat of it.”

The Syrians Leave

³ Now there were four men at the city gate with a bad skin disease. They said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die? ⁴ If we go into the city, there is no food there and we will die. And if we sit here, we will die also. So now come, let us go over to the tents of the Syrians. If they do not kill us, we will live. And if they kill us, we will die there.” ⁵ So they got up in the evening to go to the Syrians. When they came to the tents of the Syrians, there was no one there. ⁶ For the Lord had made the Syrian army hear a sound of war-wagons and horses and an army of many soldiers. So they said to one another, “The king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to fight against us.” ⁷ And they ran away in the evening. They left their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left everything just as it was, and ran for their lives. ⁸ Then the men with a bad skin disease came to the tents. They went into one tent and ate and drank. They carried away silver and gold and clothing, and hid them. Then they returned and went into another tent and carried things away from it, and hid them.

⁹ They said to one another, “We are not doing right. This is a day of good news, but we are keeping quiet. We will be punished if we wait until morning. So now let us go and tell those of the king’s house.” ¹⁰ And they came and called the men who watched the city gate. They said to them, “We went to the tents of the Syrians. But there was no one to be seen or heard there. Only the horses and donkeys were tied there. The tents were left just as they were.” ¹¹ So the men at the gate called out, and the news was heard in the king’s house. ¹² The king got up in the night and said to his servants, “I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. So they have left the tents to hide themselves in the field. They are saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and get into the city.’” ¹³ One of his servants said, “Let some men take five of the horses that are left. Those who are left in the city are not doing better than all those who have died. So let us send men out to see.” ¹⁴ So they took two war-wagons with horses. And the king sent them after the Syrian army, saying, “Go and see.” ¹⁵ They went after them to the Jordan. All the way was covered with clothes and objects which the Syrians had thrown away in their hurry. Then the men returned and told the king.

¹⁶ So the people went out and took what the Syrians had left. Then a basket of fine flour was sold for a piece of silver. And two baskets of barley sold for a piece of silver, just as the word of the Lord had said. ¹⁷ Now the king chose the captain on whose arm he rested to watch the gate. But the people stepped on him at the gate. He died just as the man of God had said when the king came down to him. ¹⁸ It happened just as the man of God had told the king, saying, “About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, two baskets of barley will sell for a piece of silver. And a basket of fine flour will sell for a piece of silver.” ¹⁹ Then the captain had said to the man of God, “See, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?” And Elisha had said, “You will see it with your own eyes. But you will not eat of it.” ²⁰ So it happened to him. The people stepped on him at the gate, and he died.

The Shunammite’s Land Given Back

8 Now Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. He said, “Get ready and go with those of your house. Stay in whatever country you can. For the Lord has called for a time of no food. It will come upon the land for seven years.” ² So the woman got ready as the man of God had told her. She went with those of her house and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years. ³ At the end of seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines. And she went out to ask the king for her house and field. ⁴ Now the king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things that Elisha has done.” ⁵ Gehazi started telling the king how Elisha had brought the one who was dead to life again. Then the woman whose son he had brought back to life asked the king for her house and field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha brought back to life.” ⁶ When the king asked the woman, she told him what had happened. So the king chose a certain captain to help her, saying, “Give her all that was hers. And give her all the food taken from the field from the day she left the land until now.”

The Death of Ben-hadad

⁷ Then Elisha came to Damascus. Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick, and he was told, “The man of God has come here.” ⁸ The king said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go meet the man of God. Ask the Lord through him, saying, ‘Will I get better from this sickness?’” ⁹ So Hazael went to meet Elisha and took with him a gift of every kind of good thing of Damascus. It took forty camels to carry it all. He came and stood in front of Elisha and said, “Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I get better from this sickness?’” ¹⁰ Elisha said to him, “Go and tell him, ‘You will get better for sure.’ But the Lord has shown me that he will die for sure.” ¹¹ Then Elisha looked at Hazael until he was ashamed. And the man of God cried. ¹² Hazael said, “Why are you crying, my lord?” Then Elisha answered, “Because I know the bad things that you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their strong places on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will crush their little ones against the stones. And you will cut up their women who are with child.” ¹³ Hazael said, “What is your servant, only a dog, that he should do this bad thing?” Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be the king of Syria.” ¹⁴ Then he left Elisha and returned to his owner. Ben-hadad said to him, “What did Elisha tell you?” And Hazael answered, “He told me that you will get better for sure.” ¹⁵ But the next day Hazael took the bed covering and put it in water. Then he spread it on Ben-hadad’s face so that he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

Jehoram Rules Judah

¹⁶ In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to rule. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. ¹⁸ He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as those of Ahab’s house had done. Ahab’s daughter became his wife. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. ¹⁹ But the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because of His servant David. The Lord had promised to give David one to rule through his sons always.

²⁰ In his days Edom turned against the rule of Judah and chose a king of their own. ²¹ Then Joram crossed over to Zair, with all his war-wagons. He and his war-wagon captains got up during the night and fought against the Edomites who had gathered around them. But his army ran away to their tents. ²² So Edom turned against the rule of Judah to this day. Libnah turned against Judah’s rule at the same time. ²³ The rest of the acts of Joram and all he did, are they not written in the Book of Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? ²⁴ Then Joram died and was buried in the city of David. His son Ahaziah became king in his place.

Ahaziah Rules Judah

²⁵ In the twelfth year of Ahab’s son Joram the king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to rule. ²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king. He ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. ²⁷ He walked in the way of the family of Ahab. He did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, like those of the family of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the family of Ahab. ²⁸ He went with Ahab’s son Joram to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. And the Syrians hurt Joram. ²⁹ So King Joram returned to Jezreel to be healed of the cuts the Syrians had given him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. Then Jehoram’s son Ahaziah king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram the son of Ahab because he was sick.

Jehu Is Chosen to Be King of Israel

9 Now Elisha the man of God called one of the sons of those who spoke for God. He said to him, “Get ready to travel. Take this jar of oil and go to Ramoth-gilead. ² When you get there, find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat son of Nimshi. Go in and have him come away from his brothers. Bring him into a room in the house. ³ Then take the jar of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘The Lord says, “I have chosen you to be the king of Israel.”’ Then open the door and run. Do not wait.” ⁴ So the young servant of the man of God went to Ramoth-gilead. ⁵ When he came, he found the captains of the army sitting there. He said, “I have something to tell you, O captain.” And Jehu said, “Which one of us?” And he said, “You, O captain.” ⁶ So he got up and went into the house. He poured the oil on Jehu’s head and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I have chosen you king over the people of the Lord, over Israel. ⁷ You are to destroy the house of your owner Ahab, so that I will punish Jezebel for the blood of My servants who speak for God, and the blood of all the Lord’s servants. ⁸ The whole family of Ahab must be destroyed. And I will destroy every male person in Israel who belongs to Ahab, both the servants and those who are free. ⁹ I will make the family of Ahab like the family of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the family of Baasha the son of Ahijah. ¹⁰ The dogs will eat Jezebel in the land of Jezreel. No one will bury her.’” Then he opened the door and ran away.

¹¹ When Jehu came out to his owner’s servants, one said to him, “Is all well? Why did this crazy person come to you?” Jehu said, “You know the man and his talk.” ¹² And they said, “That is not true. Tell us now.” Jehu said, “This is how he spoke to me. He said, ‘The Lord says, “I have chosen you to be the king of Israel.”’” ¹³ Then each man took his clothes in a hurry and put them under him on the steps. And they sounded the horn and said, “Jehu is king!”

Joram of Israel Is Killed

¹⁴ So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi made plans against Joram. Now Joram and all Israel were fighting against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead. ¹⁵ But King Joram had returned to Jezreel to be healed of the cuts the Syrians had given him, when he fought with King Hazael of Syria. So Jehu said, “If this is what you have in mind, then let no one get out of the city to tell the news in Jezreel.” ¹⁶ Then Jehu went to Jezreel in a war-wagon, for Joram was lying there. And Ahaziah the king of Judah had come down to see Joram.

¹⁷ Now the man who watched for danger was standing in the tower in Jezreel. He saw the group of Jehu’s men coming, and said, “I see a group of men coming.” Joram said, “Send a horseman to meet them and ask, ‘Do you come in peace?’” ¹⁸ So a horseman went to meet him and said, “The king asks, ‘Do you come in peace?’” And Jehu said, “What have you to do with peace? Get behind me.” Then the watchman told Joram, “The horseman came to them, but he did not return.” ¹⁹ So he sent out a second horseman, who came to them and said, “The king asks, ‘Do you come in peace?’” And Jehu answered, “What have you to do with peace? Get behind me.” ²⁰ The watchman told Joram, “He came to them, and he did not return. The leader goes in his war-wagon like a mad man, just like Jehu.”

²¹ Then Joram said, “Get ready.” And they made his war-wagon ready. Then Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in their war-wagon, to meet Jehu. They found him in the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. ²² When Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?” And he answered, “What peace can there be, so long as the sinful ways and witchcrafts of your mother Jezebel are so many?” ²³ So Joram turned the horses around and ran away, saying to Ahaziah, “He is turning against the king, O Ahaziah!” ²⁴ Jehu pulled his bow with all his strength and shot Joram between his arms. The arrow went through his heart, and he fell in his war-wagon. ²⁵ Then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain, “Pick him up and throw him into the field of Naboth the Jezreelite. For I remember when you and I were going together after his father Ahab. The Lord said then that this would happen to him. ²⁶ The Lord said, ‘Yesterday I have seen the blood of Naboth and his sons. I will punish you in this field.’ So now take and throw him into the field, as the word of the Lord has said.”

Ahaziah of Judah Is Killed

²⁷ When Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he ran away toward the garden house. Jehu went after him and said, “Shoot him in the war-wagon also.” So they shot him at the hill of Gur, by Ibleam. But he got away to Megiddo and died there. ²⁸ His servants carried him in a war-wagon to Jerusalem. They buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.

²⁹ In the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became the king of Judah.

Queen Jezebel Is Killed

³⁰ When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard about it. She colored her eyes and combed her hair, and then looked out the window. ³¹ As Jehu came through the gate, she said, “Is it well, Zimri, your owner’s killer?” ³² Then he looked up to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three men looked down at him. ³³ Then he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw Jezebel down. Some of her blood went on the wall and on the horses. And Jehu made his war-wagons go over her. ³⁴ Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. And he said, “Now go out to this sinful woman and bury her, for she is a king’s daughter.” ³⁵ So they went to bury her. But all they found were her skull and feet and hands. ³⁶ When they returned and told Jehu, he said, “This is the word of the Lord, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite. He said, ‘In the land of Jezreel the dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel. ³⁷ Jezebel’s body will be as waste on the field in the land of Jezreel. So no one will be able to say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

Ahab’s Seventy Sons Are Killed

10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. So Jehu wrote letters. He sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the leaders, and to those who took care of Ahab’s children. He said, ² “Now your owner’s sons are with you. And you have war-wagons, and horses, and a strong city, and things to fight with. When this letter comes to you, ³ choose the best of your owner’s sons. Put him on his father’s throne. And fight for your owner’s house.” ⁴ But they were filled with fear, and said, “See, the two kings could not stand in front of him. How can we stand?” ⁵ So the head man of the house, the head man of the city, the leaders, and those who took care of the children, sent word to Jehu. They said, “We are your servants. We will do all that you say. We will not make any man king. Do what is good in your eyes.” ⁶ Then Jehu wrote a letter to them a second time. He said, “If you are on my side and will obey me, bring the heads of your owner’s sons to me. Meet me in Jezreel about this time tomorrow.” Now the king’s seventy sons were with the important men of the city who were taking care of them. ⁷ When the letter came to them, they took the king’s seventy sons and killed them. They put their heads in baskets, and sent them to Jehu at Jezreel. ⁸ The men who had been sent returned and told Jehu, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Put them one upon the other in two places at the gate until morning.” ⁹ In the morning Jehu went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are without guilt. See, I made plans against my owner and killed him. But who killed all these? ¹⁰ Know now that everything the Lord spoke about the family of Ahab will come true. For the Lord has done what He said through his servant Elijah.” ¹¹ So Jehu killed all who were left of the family of Ahab in Jezreel. He killed all of Ahab’s important men, his friends, and his religious leaders. Not one person of Ahab was left alive.

Ahaziah’s Forty-Two Brothers Are Killed

¹² Then Jehu left and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at Beth-eked of the shepherds, ¹³ Jehu met the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah. He asked them, “Who are you?” And they answered, “We are the brothers of Ahaziah. We have come down to visit the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” ¹⁴ Jehu said, “Take them alive.” So his men took them alive, and killed them at the hole of Beth-eked, forty-two men. He left none of them alive.

The Rest of Ahab’s Family Are Killed

¹⁵ When Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him. Jehu said to him, “Is your heart right with my heart as mine is with yours?” And Jehonadab answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, give me your hand.” So Jehonadab gave him his hand, and Jehu took him up into the war-wagon with him. ¹⁶ Then Jehu said, “Come with me and see how glad I am to work for the Lord.” And he had him go in his war-wagon. ¹⁷ When he came to Samaria, he killed all of Ahab’s people who were left in Samaria. He destroyed them, as the word of the Lord was spoken to Elijah.

The Worshipers of Baal Are Killed

¹⁸ Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “Ahab worshiped Baal a little. Jehu will worship him much. ¹⁹ Now call all the men who speak for Baal, all his worshipers and all his religious leaders. Let no one be missing. For I have a big gift for Baal. Whoever is missing will not live.” But Jehu did this to fool them, so that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal. ²⁰ He said, “Set apart a special meeting for Baal.” And they made the news known. ²¹ Then Jehu sent for all the worshipers of Baal in Israel. Every one of them came. When they went into the house of Baal, the house was filled from one end to the other. ²² Jehu said to the one who took care of the clothes, “Bring out clothing for all the worshipers of Baal.” So he brought out clothing for them. ²³ Jehu went into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab. And he said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look and see that there are no servants of the Lord here with you, but only the worshipers of Baal.” ²⁴ Then they went in to kill animals on the altar and give burnt gifts. Now Jehu had left eighty of his men outside. He had told them, “The one who lets anyone get away, will pay for it with his life.”

²⁵ As soon as he had finished giving the burnt gift, Jehu said to the soldiers and the leaders, “Go in and kill them. Let no one come out.” And they killed them with the sword. Then the soldiers and leaders threw the bodies out, and went into the inside room of the house of Baal. ²⁶ They brought out the objects of the house of Baal, and burned them. ²⁷ They destroyed the objects of Baal and destroyed the house of Baal. They made it a place for body waste to this day. ²⁸ So Jehu got rid of Baal from Israel.

²⁹ But Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin. He kept the gold calves at Bethel and Dan. ³⁰ The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well what is right in My eyes. You have done to the family of Ahab all that was in My heart. So your sons, even your great great grandson, will sit on the throne of Israel.” ³¹ But Jehu was not careful to walk in the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.

The Death of Jehu

³² In those days the Lord began to cut off parts of Israel. Hazael won over them in battle through the land of Israel. ³³ He took the land east of the Jordan, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, the Reubenites and the Manassites, from Aroer, by the valley of the Arnon. He took Gilead and Bashan. ³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, all he did and all his strength, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? ³⁵ Then Jehu died and they buried him in Samaria. And his son Jehoahaz became king in his place. ³⁶ Jehu ruled over Israel in Samaria for twenty-eight years.

Athaliah Rules Judah

11 When Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son was dead, she got up and killed all the king’s children. ² But King Joram’s daughter Jehosheba, Ahaziah’s sister, took Joash the son of Ahaziah. She stole him away from the king’s sons who were being killed, and put him and his nurse in the bedroom. They hid him from Athaliah, and he was not killed. ³ Joash was hid with his nurse in the house of the Lord six years, while Athaliah was ruling over the land.

⁴ In the seventh year, Jehoiada sent for the captains of hundreds, men who watch over the king and the soldiers. He brought them into the house of the Lord, and made an agreement with them. He had them make a promise in the house of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. ⁵ He told them, “This is what you must do. One third of you who come in on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the king’s house. ⁶ One third are to be at the gate Sur and one third at the gate behind the soldiers. So you will keep watch over the king’s house. ⁷ And two parts of all of you who go out on the Day of Rest must keep watch over the house of the Lord for the king. ⁸ You will stand around the king, with spears in your hands. Whoever comes near must be killed. Be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in.”

⁹ The captains of hundreds did all that Jehoiada the religious leader told them to do. Each one of them brought his men to Jehoiada the religious leader. Each one brought those who were to come in on the Day of Rest, and those who were to go out on the Day of Rest. ¹⁰ The religious leader gave the captains the spears and coverings that had been King David’s, which were in the house of the Lord. ¹¹ And the soldiers stood from the right side of the house to the left side of the house. Each one held his spear. They stood by the altar and by the house, around the king. ¹² Then Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him, and gave him the Law. They made him king and poured oil on him. Then they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”

¹³ When Athaliah heard the noise of the soldiers and the people, she came to the people in the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ She looked and saw the king standing by the pillar, as was done in those days. The captains and those who blew horns were standing beside the king. And all the people of the land were filled with joy and blew horns. Athaliah tore her clothes and cried, “They are turning against the queen!” ¹⁵ Then Jehoiada the religious leader told the captains of the army, “Bring her out among the soldiers, and kill with the sword whoever follows her.” For the religious leader said, “Do not let her be put to death in the house of the Lord.” ¹⁶ So they took hold of her, and she was put to death at the horses’ gate of the king’s house.

¹⁷ Then Jehoiada made an agreement between the Lord and the king and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people. And he made an agreement between the king and the people. ¹⁸ Then all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and tore it down. They broke to pieces all his altars and objects. And they killed Mattan the religious leader of Baal in front of the altars. Then the religious leaders chose men to watch over the house of the Lord. ¹⁹ Jehoiada took the captains and the men who watch over the king, and the soldiers and all the people of the land. They brought the king down from the house of the Lord, by the way of the soldiers’ gate, to the king’s house. And he sat on the throne of the kings. ²⁰ So all the people of the land were filled with joy, and the city was quiet. For they had put Athaliah to death with the sword at the king’s house.

²¹ Joash was seven years old when he became king.

Joash Rules Judah

12 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king. He ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the religious leader taught him. ³ But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places.

⁴ Then Joash said to the religious leaders, “All the money of the holy things brought into the house of the Lord, money for which each man is taxed, and money that is brought in because a man wants in his heart to bring it into the house of the Lord, ⁵ the religious leaders may take this money. Each leader should take it from those whom he knows. And they should use it to build the house again in the places where it has been broken and destroyed.

⁶ But by the twenty-third year of King Joash, the religious leaders had not put together the broken places of the house. ⁷ So King Joash called for Jehoiada the religious leader and the other religious leaders. He said to them, “Why do you not put together the broken places of the house? Do not take any more money from those you know, but give it for the work that is needed on the house.” ⁸ So the religious leaders agreed that they should take no more money from the people. And they agreed that they should not do the work that was needed on the house.

⁹ Then Jehoiada the religious leader took a box and cut a hole in its cover. He put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord. And the religious leaders who watched the door put all the money into it that was brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁰ When they saw that there was much money in the box, the king’s writer and the head religious leader came up to the house of the Lord. They found out how much money was there, and tied it up in bags. ¹¹ After weighing it, they gave the money to those who watched over the work that was being done on the house of the Lord. Then these men paid the wood-workers and the builders who worked on the house of the Lord. ¹² They paid the stonecutters and those who laid the stones in place. And they bought the cut wood and stone and all that was needed for the work on the house of the Lord. ¹³ But there were no silver cups, objects to put out the lights, pots, horns, or dishes of gold or silver made for the house of the Lord. None of these were made from the money brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ For they gave that to those who did the work. It was used to put together the broken places of the house of the Lord. ¹⁵ And they did not ask the men who paid those who did the work how the money was spent. For they were men of honor. ¹⁶ The money from the guilt gifts and sin gifts was not brought into the house of the Lord. It was for the religious leaders.

¹⁷ At that time King Hazael of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it. Then he turned to go up to Jerusalem. ¹⁸ But Joash king of Judah took all the holy things that had been set apart by his fathers, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah. He took his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the storehouses of the house of the Lord and the king’s house. And he sent it to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.

¹⁹ The rest of the acts of Joash and all he did are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ²⁰ His servants made plans against Joash, and killed him at the house of Millo on the way down to Silla. ²¹ He was killed by Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants. They buried him in the city of David. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Jehoahaz Rules Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Ahaziah’s son Joash the king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became the king of Israel at Samaria. He ruled for seventeen years. ² Jehoahaz did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. He did not turn from them. ³ So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel. He put them always under the power of King Hazael of Syria, and Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. ⁴ Then Jehoahaz begged for the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him. For He saw the bad power held over Israel. He saw how the king of Syria made it hard for them. ⁵ So the Lord gave Israel someone to save them. And they were saved from the power of the Syrians. The people of Israel lived in their tents as before. ⁶ But they did not turn away from the sins of the family of Jeroboam, which made Israel sin. They walked in those sins. And the object of the false goddess Asherah was left standing in Samaria. ⁷ The king of Syria did not leave to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen, ten war-wagons and 10,000 foot-soldiers. For the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust of beaten grain. ⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all he did and his strength, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ⁹ When Jehoahaz died, they buried him in Samaria. And his son Joash became king in his place.

Jehoash Rules Israel

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for sixteen years. ¹¹ And he did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in which he made Israel sin. But he walked in those sins. ¹² Jehoash did many things. With his strength he fought against Amaziah king of Judah. The rest of his acts are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹³ Jehoash died, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

The Death of Elisha

¹⁴ Elisha became sick with the sickness of which he was to die. And Joash the king of Israel came down to him and cried over him, saying, “My father, my father, the war-wagons of Israel and its horsemen!” ¹⁵ Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. ¹⁶ Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷ And he said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of winning the battle! The arrow of winning the battle against Syria! For you will fight the Syrians at Aphek until you have destroyed them. ¹⁸ Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Hit the ground,” and he hit it three times, and stopped. ¹⁹ So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have hit it five or six times. Then you would have fought Syria until you had destroyed it. But now you will win the fight against Syria only three times.”

²⁰ Elisha died, and they buried him. Now groups of Moabite soldiers would come and fight in the land in the spring of the year. ²¹ As a man was being buried, some Moabite soldiers were seen, so the man was thrown into Elisha’s grave. When the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came alive and stood up on his feet.

The War between Israel and Syria

²² Now King Hazael of Syria had made it hard for Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³ But the Lord showed them kindness and loving-pity and turned to them because of His agreement with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He would not destroy them or put them away from Him until now. ²⁴ When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben-hadad became king in his place. ²⁵ Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took back from Hazael’s son Ben-hadad the cities he had taken in war from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Joash won in battle against him and took back the cities of Israel.

Amaziah Rules Judah

14 In the second year of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, Joash’s son Amaziah began to rule as king of Judah. ² He was twenty-five years old when he became king. And he ruled twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddin of Jerusalem. ³ Amaziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not like David his father. He did all that his father Joash had done. ⁴ But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places. ⁵ As soon as the nation was under Amaziah’s power, he killed the servants who had killed his father when he was king. ⁶ But he did not kill the sons of the killers. Because it is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, as the Lord said, “The fathers must not be put to death for the sons. And the sons must not be put to death for the fathers. Each must be put to death for his own sin.” ⁷ Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt, and took Sela by war. He gave it the name Joktheel, which is its name to this day. ⁸ Then Amaziah sent men with news to Jehoash, the son of Jehoahaz son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us look at each other in the face.” ⁹ Jehoash king of Israel answered Amaziah king of Judah, saying, “The thorn bush in Lebanon sent word to the cedar tree in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ But a wild animal passed by in Lebanon, and crushed the thorn bush under its feet. ¹⁰ Yes, you have won the battle against Edom. Your heart has become proud. Be happy with your greatness and stay at home. For why should you make trouble so that you fall, and Judah with you?”

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen. So King Jehoash of Israel went up. He and Amaziah king of Judah fought each other at Beth-shemesh, which belongs to Judah. ¹² Israel won the battle against Judah, and every man of Judah ran away to his tent. ¹³ King Jehoash of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah, son of Jehoash the son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then he came to Jerusalem and tore down the city wall, from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate. He tore down the wall as far as 200 long steps. ¹⁴ He took all the gold and silver and all the objects found in the house of the Lord and in the store-rooms of the king’s house. He took people against their will also, and he returned to Samaria.

¹⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash, his strength and how he fought with King Amaziah of Judah are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁶ Jehoash died and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.

The Death of Amaziah

¹⁷ Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. ¹⁸ The rest of the acts of Amaziah are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ¹⁹ They made plans against Amaziah in Jerusalem, and he ran away to Lachish. But they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. ²⁰ Then they brought him on horses and buried him with his fathers at Jerusalem the city of David. ²¹ The people of Judah took Azariah and made him king in the place of his father Amaziah. He was sixteen years old. ²² Azariah built Elath and returned it to Judah, after the king died.

Jeroboam II Rules Israel

²³ In the fifteenth year of Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to rule in Samaria and ruled forty-one years. ²⁴ Jeroboam did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. ²⁵ He took back the land of Israel from Hamath as far as the Sea of the Arabah, as was told by the word of the Lord, the God of Israel. The Lord spoke about this through His servant Jonah the son of Amittai. Jonah was the man from Gath-hepher who spoke for the Lord. ²⁶ For the Lord saw that the trouble of Israel was very bitter. There was no one left of the servants or of those who were free. There was no one to help Israel. ²⁷ The Lord did not say that He would destroy the name of Israel from under heaven. So He saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

²⁸ Jeroboam fought Judah and took back Damascus and Hamath for Israel. The rest of the acts of Jeroboam, all he did and his strength are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ²⁹ Jeroboam was buried with his fathers, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.

Azariah Rules Judah

15 In the twenty-seventh year of King Jeroboam of Israel, Azariah the son of Amaziah, king of Judah, began to rule. ² Azariah was sixteen years old when he became king. And he ruled for fifty-two years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jecoliah of Jerusalem. ³ Azariah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done. ⁴ But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places. ⁵ So the Lord sent trouble upon the king. Azariah had a bad skin disease to the day of his death, and he lived in a house alone. Jotham the king’s son ruled over the house, and judged the people of the land. ⁶ Now the rest of the acts of Azariah are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ⁷ Azariah died and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David. His son Jotham became king in his place.

Zechariah Rules Israel

⁸ In the thirty-eighth year of Azariah king of Judah, Zechariah the son of Jeroboam became the king of Israel in Samaria for six months. ⁹ Zechariah did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord, as his fathers had done. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. ¹⁰ Then Shallum the son of Jabesh made plans against him and killed him in front of the people. And Shallum ruled in his place. ¹¹ The rest of the acts of Zechariah are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹² This is the word of the Lord which He spoke to Jehu. He said, “Your sons, even your great great-grandson, will sit on the throne of Israel.” And so it was.

Shallum Rules Israel

¹³ Shallum the son of Jabesh became king in the thirty-ninth year of Uzziah king of Judah. He ruled for one month in Samaria. ¹⁴ Then Menahem the son of Gadi went up from Tirzah to Samaria, and killed Shallum the son of Jabesh in Samaria, and became king in his place. ¹⁵ Now the rest of the acts of Shallum and the plans he made are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹⁶ Then Menahem destroyed Tiphsah and all who were in it, and its land from Tirzah, because they did not open their gates to him. So he destroyed it, and tore open all its women who were going to have babies.

Menahem Rules Israel

¹⁷ In the thirty-ninth year of Azariah king of Judah, Menahem the son of Gadi became the king of Israel. He ruled for ten years in Samaria. ¹⁸ Menahem did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. All his life he did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin.

¹⁹ King Pul of Assyria came to fight against the land. And Menahem gave Pul silver weighing as much as 1,000 men, that he might help him to be a powerful king. ²⁰ Menahem took the money from all the rich men of Israel. He took fifty pieces of silver from each man to pay the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria returned and did not stay there in the land. ²¹ Now the rest of the acts of Menahem are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ²² Menahem died, and his son Pekahiah became king in his place.

Pekahiah Rules Israel

²³ In the fiftieth year of Azariah king of Judah, Pekahiah the son of Menahem became the king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for two years. ²⁴ Pekahiah did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. ²⁵ Then his captain Pekah the son of Remaliah made plans against him. He killed Pekahiah in Samaria, in the house of the king with Argob and Arieh. Fifty men of the Gileadites were with Pekah. He became king in his place. ²⁶ Now the rest of the acts of Pekahiah are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel.