7. Elisha went to Damascus. Now Ben-Hadad king of Aram was sick. Someone told him, “The man of God has come here.”
8. Then the king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand and go meet him. Ask the Lord through him if I will get well from my sickness.”
9. So Hazael went to meet Elisha. He took with him a gift. It was 40 camels loaded with every good thing in Damascus. He came and stood before Elisha. Hazael said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram sent me to you. He asks if he will get well from his sickness.”
10. Then Elisha said to Hazael, “Go and tell Ben-Hadad, ‘You will surely get well.’ But the Lord has told me he will really die.”
11. Elisha stared at Hazael until Hazael felt ashamed. Then Elisha cried.
12. Hazael asked, “Why are you crying, master?”Elisha answered, “Because I know what evil you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong, walled cities with fire. You will kill their young men with swords. You will throw their babies to the ground. You will split open their pregnant women.”
13. Hazael said, “I, your servant, am only a dog. How could I do such things?”Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”
14. Then Hazael left Elisha and came to his master. Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “What did Elisha say to you?”Hazael answered, “He told me that you will surely get well.”
15. But the next day Hazael took a blanket and dipped it in water. Then he put it over Ben-Hadad’s face, and he died. So Hazael became king in Ben-Hadad’s place.
16. Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah. This was during Joram’s fifth year as king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab.
17. Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to rule. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem.
18. But Jehoram followed the ways of the kings of Israel. This was just as the family of Ahab had done. It was because Ahab’s daughter was Jehoram’s wife. Jehoram did what the Lord said was wrong.
19. But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of his servant David. The Lord had promised that David and his children would always have a kingdom.
20. In Jehoram’s time Edom broke away from Judah’s rule. The people of Edom chose their own king.
21. So Jehoram and all his chariots went to Zair. At night the Edomites came around him and his chariot commanders. Jehoram got up and attacked the Edomites. But his army ran away to their tents.
22. So the Edomites broke away from the rule of Judah. And they are still separate today. At the same time Libnah also broke away from Judah’s rule.
23. The other acts of Jehoram and all the things he did are written down. They are in the book of the history of the kings of Judah.
24. Jehoram died and was buried with his ancestors in Jerusalem. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah ruled in his place.