2 Kings 13
1IN the twenty-third year of Joas son of Ochozias king of Juda, Joachaz son of Jehu reigned in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.
2And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, and walked after the sins of Jeroboam son of Nabat who had caused Israel to sin, and did not depart from them.
3Therefore the Lord was angry with Israel, and delivered them into the hand of Azael king of Syria, and into the hands of Son Ader son of Azael all those days.
4But Joachaz intreated the favour of the Lord, and the Lord hearkened to him; for he saw the affliction of Israel because the king of Syria oppressed them,
5And the Lord gave deliverance to Israel, so that they got from under the hand of Syria, and the Israelites dwelt in their habitations as in former times.
6Notwithstanding this they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam who had caused Israel to sin; but walked therein. And the grove also at Samaria still remained,
7though there had not been left to Joachaz any army, but only fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand infantry. For the king of Syria, had destroyed them and made them like dust to be trampled on.
8Now the rest of the acts of Joachaz, and all that he did and his exploits, are they not written in the journal of the kings of Israel?
9And Joachaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joas his son reigned in his stead.
10In the thirty-seventh year of Joaz, king of Juda, Joas son of Joachaz king of Israel reigned over Israel in Samaria. His reign was sixteen years,
11and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nabat, who had caused Israel to sin, but walked therein.
12Now the rest of the acts of Joas and all that he did and his exploits with Amessias king of Juda, are they not written in the journal of the kings of Israel?
13When Joas slept with his fathers, and Jeroboam sat on his throne, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14Now when Elisha was sick, with the sickness of which he died; Joas king of Israel went down to him, and wept over him and said, My father! my father! The chariot of Israel and the horseman thereof!
15And Elisha said to him, Take a bow and arrows. And when he had gotten himself a bow and arrows,
16Elisha said to the king, Lay thy hand firm on the bow. And when Joas had laid his hand firm on the bow, Elisha put his hand on the king’s hand and said, Open that window to the east.
17And when he had opened it, Elisha said, Shoot. And when he had shot Elisha said, The Lord hath an arrow of deliverance—yes, an arrow of deliverance from Syria, and thou shalt smite Syria at Aphek to destruction.
18Then Elisha said to him, Take the quiver full of arrows. And when he had taken it, he said to the king of Israel, Smite against the ground. And when the king had smitten thrice, he stopped.
19At which the man of God was grieved and said, Hadst thou smitten five or six times, then wouldst thou have smitten Syria to utter destruction, but now thou shalt smite Syria only thrice.
20Now Elisha died, and they buried him. And the year following the predatory bands of Moab invaded the land.
21And it happened that while they were burying a man, behold they saw the band; upon which they threw the man into Elisha’s tomb, and when he sunk down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.
22Now Azael had oppressed Israel all the days of Joachaz,
23but the Lord pitied them and compassionated them, and looked upon them, because of his covenant with Abraham and Isaak and Jacob: and the Lord would not utterly destroy them nor did he cast them out of his sight.
24So when Azael king of Syria was dead, and Son Ader his son reigned in his stead,
25Joas son of Joachaz returned and took out of the hand of Son Ader son of Azael, the cities which he had taken in war out of the hands of Joachaz, his father. Thrice Joas smote him and recovered the cities of Israel.