Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel
In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria — seventeen years.
And he did the evil in the eyes of the LORD, and went after the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, by which he caused Israel to sin; he did not turn aside from them.
And the anger of the LORD burned against Israel; and he gave them into the hand of Hazael, king of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all the days.
And Jehoahaz sought the favor of the LORD, and the LORD listened to him — for he saw the oppression of Israel, that the king of Aram oppressed them.
And the LORD gave Israel a savior, and they went out from under the hand of Aram; and the sons of Israel lived in their tents as before.
Yet they did not turn aside from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, by which he caused Israel to sin; in them they walked. And even the Asherah pole was still standing in Samaria.
For he had left to Jehoahaz no people except fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers — for the king of Aram had destroyed them, and made them like dust for threshing.
And the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might — are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Jehoahaz lay down with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash his son became king in his place.
Jehoash Reigns in Israel
In the thirty-seventh year of Joash, king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria — sixteen years.
And he did the evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not turn aside from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, by which he caused Israel to sin; in them he walked.
And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah, king of Judah — are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Joash lay down with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne; and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Elisha’s Final Prophecy
Now Elisha had fallen sick with the sickness of which he would die. And Joash, king of Israel, came down to him and wept over his face, and said, “My father! My father! The chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”
And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” And he took himself a bow and arrows.
And he said to the king of Israel, “Set your hand on the bow.” And he set his hand; and Elisha put his hands on the hands of the king.
And he said, “Open the window eastward.” And he opened it. And Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said: “An arrow of salvation for the LORD, an arrow of salvation against Aram! You shall strike Aram at Aphek until finishing them.”
And he said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck three times, and stopped.
And the man of God was angry with him, and said: “To strike five or six times — then you would have struck Aram until finishing them. But now, three times you shall strike Aram.”
And Elisha died, and they buried him. Now raiding bands of Moab would come into the land at the turn of the year.
And it was, as some were burying a man — look, they saw the raiding band; and they threw the man into the tomb of Elisha. And the man went and touched the bones of Elisha — and he came to life, and rose on his feet.
And Hazael, king of Aram, had oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and turned toward them, for the sake of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; and he was not willing to destroy them, and he has not thrown them away from his face until now.
And Hazael, king of Aram, died; and Ben-hadad his son became king in his place.
And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took back the cities from the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, which he had taken from the hand of Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash struck him, and he recovered the cities of Israel.