Dual Panel1In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and he reigned for seventeen years.
2He did what was wrong in the eyes of the LORD and continued the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin, and did not give them up.
3This roused the anger of the LORD against Israel, and he made them subject for some years to King Hazael of Aram and Ben-hadad his son.
4When Jehoahaz sought to placate the LORD, the LORD heard his prayer, for he saw how the king of Aram oppressed Israel.
5The LORD appointed a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram and settled down again in their own homes.
6But they did not give up the sinful practices of the house of Jeroboam who led Israel into sin, but continued in them; the goddess Asherah remained in Samaria.
7Hazael had left Jehoahaz no armed force except fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry; all the rest the king of Aram had destroyed and made like dust under foot.
8The other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, and all his achievements and exploits, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel.
9He rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash succeeded him.
10In the thirty-ninth year of King Joash of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned for sixteen years.
11He did what was wrong in the eyes of the LORD; he did not give up any of the sinful practices of Jeroboam son of Nebat who led Israel into sin, but continued in them.
12The other events of the reign of Jehoash, all his achievements, his exploits, and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in the annals of the kings of Israel.
13Jehoash rested with his forefathers and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jeroboam ascended the throne.
14When Elisha fell ill and lay on his deathbed, King Jehoash of Israel went down to him and, weeping over him, said, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!”
15Elisha said, “Take a bow and arrows,” and he did so.
16“Put your hand to the bow,” said the prophet. He did so, and Elisha laid his hands on those of the king.
17Then he said, “Open the window towards the east”; he opened it and Elisha told him to shoot, and he did so. Then the prophet said, “An arrow for the LORD's victory, an arrow for victory over Aram! You will utterly defeat Aram at Aphek.”
18He went on, “Now take up your arrows.” When he did so, Elisha said, “Strike the ground with them.” He struck three times and stopped.
19The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram utterly; as it is, you will strike Aram three times and no more.”
20Elisha died and was buried. Year after year Moabite raiders used to invade the land.
21Once some men were burying a dead man when they caught sight of the raiders, and they threw the body into the grave of Elisha and made off. When the body touched the prophet's bones, the man came to life and rose to his feet.
22All through the reign of Jehoahaz, King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel.
23But the LORD was gracious and took pity on them; because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, he looked on them with favour and was unwilling to destroy them; nor has he even yet banished them from his sight.
24When King Hazael of Aram died and was succeeded by his son Ben-hadad,
25Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured the towns which Ben-hadad had taken in war from Jehoahaz his father; three times Jehoash defeated him and so recovered the towns of Israel.