Melachim II - Chapter 13

1. In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah the king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria seventeen years.

2. And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord; and he followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat which he caused Israel to sin; he did not turn away from it.

3. And the Lord became angry with Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael the king of Aram and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael all the days.

4. And Jehoahaz prayed before the Lord; and the Lord hearkened to his prayer, for He saw Israel's oppression, for the king of Aram oppressed them.

5. And the Lord gave Israel a savior and they went free from under Aram's hands, and the children of Israel dwelt in their dwelling places as yesterday and the day before.

6. However, they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam which he made Israel sin; they persisted in them; and also the Asherah stood in Samaria.

7. For he had not left to Jehoahaz but fifty riders and ten chariots, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like dust to trample.

8. And the rest of the events of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might, are written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.

9. And Jehoahaz slept with his forefathers, and they buried him in Samaria; and his son Joash reigned in his stead.

10. In the thirty-seventh year of Joash the king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz reigned over Israel in Samaria sixteen years.

11. And he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord; he did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he had made Israel sin; he persisted in it.

12. And the rest of the events of Joash and all that he did and his mighty deeds, how he fought with Amaziah the king of Judah, are written in the book of chronicles of the kings of Israel.

13. And Joash slept with his forefathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne, and Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14. Now Elisha became ill with the illness he was to die of; and Joash the king of Israel went down to him and wept on his face, and said, "My master, my master, Israel's chariots and riders!"

15. And Elisha said to him, "Fetch a bow and arrows." And he fetched him a bow and arrows.

16. And he said to the king of Israel, "Place your hand on the bow," and he placed his hand; and Elisha placed his hands on the king's hands.

17. And he said, "Open the window to the east," and he opened it; and Elisha said, "Shoot!" And he shot. And he said, "[This is] an arrow of salvation from the Lord, and an arrow of victory over Aram, and you shall strike the Arameans in Aphek until they are completely annihilated."

18. And he said, "Take the arrows." And he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, "Strike at the ground," and he struck three times and stopped.

19. And the man of God was incensed against him, and he said, "You should have struck five or six times, then you would strike the Arameans until you would annihilate them completely, but now, you shall strike the Arameans but three times."

20. And Elisha died and they buried him, and Moabite bands would invade the land at the beginning of the year.

21. And it came to pass that they were burying a man, and behold, they saw the band, and they threw the man into Elisha's grave, and he went and touched Elisha's bones, and he came to life and stood up on his feet.

22. Now Hazael the king of Aram oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

23. And the Lord was gracious and merciful to them, and he turned to them for the sake of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and He did not want to destroy them, and He did not cast them off from His presence until now.

24. And Hazael died, and his son Ben-Hadad reigned in his stead.

25. And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz returned and took the cities from the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, which he had taken from the hand of His father Jehoahaz in battle; Joash beat him three times and recovered the cities of Israel.