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13 In the three and twentieth shanah (year) of Yoash Ben Achazyahu Melech Yehudah, Yehoachaz Ben Yehu began to reign as melech over Yisroel in Shomron, and reigned seventeen shanah.

And he did that which was rah before the eyes of Hashem, and followed after the chattot of Yarov‘am Ben Nevat, which he caused Yisroel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

And the af Hashem (anger of Hashem) was kindled against Yisroel, and He delivered them into the yad Chazael Melech Aram (Syria), and into the yad Ben-Hadad Ben Chazael, all their yamim.

And Yehoachaz besought Hashem, and Hashem paid heed unto him; for He saw the lakhatz (oppression) of Yisroel, because Melech Aram (Syria) oppressed them—

And Hashem gave Yisroel a moshia (savior), so that they went out from under the yad Aram; and the Bnei Yisroel dwelt in their ohalim, as formerly.

Nevertheless they departed not from the chattot of the Bais Yarov‘am, who made Yisroel sin, but walked therein; and also there remained standing the Asherah in Shomron—

For he [Melech Aram] did leave of the army to Yehoachaz but 50 parashim, and 10 merkavot, and 10,000 foot soldiers; for Melech Aram had destroyed them, and had made them like the aphar for trampling.

Now the rest of the acts of Yehoachaz, and all that he did, and his gevurah, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

And Yehoachaz slept with his avot; and they buried him in Shomron; and Yoash bno reigned as Melech in his place.

10 In the 37th shanah of Yoash Melech Yehudah began Yehoash Ben Yehoachaz to reign as Melech over Yisroel in Shomron, and reigned as Melech 16 shanah.

11 And he did that which was rah before the eyes of Hashem; he departed not from all the chattot Yarov‘am Ben Nevat, who caused Yisroel to commit sin; but he walked therein.

12 And the rest of the acts of Yoash, and all that he did, and his gevurah wherewith he warred against Amatzyah (Amaziah) Melech Yehudah, are they not written in the Sefer Divrei HaYamim L’Malkhei Yisroel?

13 And Yoash slept with his avot; and Yarov‘am sat upon his kisse: and Yoash was buried in Shomron with the Malkhei Yisroel.

14 Now Elishah was fallen ill of his illness whereof he would die. And Yoash Melech Yisroel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O Avi, Avi, the merkavah of Yisroel, and the parashim thereof.

15 And Elishah said unto him, Take keshet and khitzim. And he took unto him keshet and khitzim.

16 And he said to Melech Yisroel, Place thine yad upon the keshet. And he put his yad upon it; and Elishah put his hands upon the hands of HaMelech.

17 And he said, Open the east chalon. And he opened it. Then Elishah said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The khetz (arrow) of the teshuah (salvation) unto Hashem, and the khetz of teshuah against Aram; for thou shalt strike down Aram at Aphek, unto complete destruction.

18 And he said, Take the khitzim (arrows). And he took them. And he said unto Melech Yisroel, Strike the ground. And he struck shalosh pe’amim (three times) and stopped.

19 And the Ish HaElohim was in wrath with him, and said, Thou shouldest have struck chamesh or shesh pe’amim; then hadst thou struck down Aram till thou hadst completely destroyed it; whereas now thou shalt defeat Aram but 3 pe’amim.

20 And Elishah died, and they buried him. And the raiding parties of Mo’av would invade the land at the beginning of the shanah.

21 And it came to pass, as they were burying an ish, that, hinei, they spotted a raiding party; and they cast the ish into the kever of Elishah; and when the ish was let down, and touched the atzmot of Elishah, he revived, and stood up alive on his raglayim.

22 But Chazael Melech Aram oppressed Yisroel all days of Yehoachaz.

23 And Hashem was gracious unto them, and had rachamim on them, and showed regard unto them, because of His brit (covenant) with Avraham, Yitzchak, and Ya’akov, and would not destroy them, neither cast He them from His presence up to now.

24 So Chazael Melech Aram died; and Ben-Hadad bno reigned as melech in his place.

25 And Yehoash Ben Yehoachaz returned and recaptured out of the yad of Ben-Hadad Ben Chazael the towns, which he [Ben-Hadad] had taken out of the yad of Yehoachaz aviv by milchamah (war). Shalosh times did Yoash defeat him, and recovered the towns of Yisroel.

Jehoahaz King of Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned seventeen years. He did evil(A) in the eyes of the Lord by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them. So the Lord’s anger(B) burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power(C) of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad(D) his son.

Then Jehoahaz sought(E) the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw(F) how severely the king of Aram was oppressing(G) Israel. The Lord provided a deliverer(H) for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. But they did not turn away from the sins(I) of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole[a](J) remained standing in Samaria.

Nothing had been left(K) of the army of Jehoahaz except fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, for the king of Aram had destroyed the rest and made them like the dust(L) at threshing time.

As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash[b] his son succeeded him as king.

Jehoash King of Israel

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11 He did evil in the eyes of the Lord and did not turn away from any of the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he continued in them.

12 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah(M) king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals(N) of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam(O) succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

14 Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see him and wept over him. “My father! My father!” he cried. “The chariots(P) and horsemen of Israel!”

15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,”(Q) and he did so. 16 “Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.

17 “Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!”(R) Elisha said, and he shot. “The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram!” Elisha declared. “You will completely destroy the Arameans at Aphek.”(S)

18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” He struck it three times and stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck the ground five or six times; then you would have defeated Aram and completely destroyed it. But now you will defeat it only three times.”(T)

20 Elisha died and was buried.

Now Moabite raiders(U) used to enter the country every spring. 21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life(V) and stood up on his feet.

22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed(W) Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant(X) with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy(Y) them or banish them from his presence.(Z)

24 Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad(AA) his son succeeded him as king. 25 Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-Hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Three times(AB) Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered(AC) the Israelite towns.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 13:6 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Kings
  2. 2 Kings 13:9 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 12-14 and 25