1. Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during Joash’s twenty-third year as king of Judah. Joash was the son of Ahaziah. And Jehoahaz ruled 17 years.
2. He did what the Lord said was wrong. Jehoahaz did the same sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin. And Jehoahaz did not stop doing these same sins.
3. So the Lord was angry with Israel. And he gave them into the power of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-Hadad.
4. Then Jehoahaz begged the Lord, and the Lord listened to him. The Lord had seen the troubles of Israel. He saw how terribly the king of Aram was treating the Israelites.
5. So he gave Israel a man to save them. And they escaped from the Arameans. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.
6. But the Israelites still did not stop doing the same sins that the family of Jeroboam had done. He had caused Israel to sin. They continued doing those sins. The Asherah idol also was left standing in Samaria.
7. Nothing was left of Jehoahaz’s army except 50 horsemen, 10 chariots and 10,000 foot soldiers. The king of Aram had destroyed them. He had made them like dust at the time of threshing.
8. Everything else Jehoahaz did and all his victories are written down. They are in the book of history of the kings of Israel.
9. Jehoahaz died and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash became king in his place.
10. Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria. This was during Joash’s thirty-seventh year as king of Judah. Jehoash ruled 16 years.
11. He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop doing the same sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had done. Jeroboam had caused Israel to sin. And Jehoash continued to do the same thing.
12. Everything else he did and all his victories are written down. This includes his war against Amaziah king of Judah. All this is written in the book of the history of the kings of Israel.
13. Jehoash died, and Jeroboam took his place on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14. At this time Elisha became sick. (Later, he died from this illness.) Jehoash king of Israel went to Elisha and cried for him. Jehoash said, “My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”
15. Elisha said to Jehoash, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows.
16. Then Elisha said to him, “Put your hand on the bow.” So Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17. Elisha said, “Open the east window.” So Jehoash opened the window. Then Elisha said, “Shoot,” and Jehoash shot. Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory over Aram! You will defeat the Arameans at Aphek until you destroy them.”
18. Elisha said, “Take the arrows.” So Jehoash took them. Then Elisha said to him, “Hit the ground.” So Jehoash hit the ground three times. Then he stopped.
19. The man of God was angry with him. Elisha said, “You should have hit five or six times! Then you would have defeated Aram until you had completely destroyed it! But now you will defeat it only three times.”
20. So Elisha died and was buried.At that time groups of Moabites would rob the land in the springtime.
21. Once the Israelites were burying a man. Suddenly they saw a group of Moabites coming. The Israelites threw the dead man into Elisha’s grave. When the man touched Elisha’s bones, the man came back to life. And he stood up on his feet.
22. During all the days Jehoahaz was king, Hazael king of Aram troubled Israel.
23. But the Lord was kind to the Israelites. He had mercy on them. And he helped them because of his agreement with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He did not destroy them or reject them.
24. Hazael king of Aram died. And his son Ben-Hadad became king in his place.
25. During a war Hazael had taken some cities from Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. But now Jehoash took back those cities from Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad. He defeated Ben-Hadad three times and took back the cities of Israel.