1
In the twenty-third*year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of JehubecamekingoverIsrael at Samaria, and he reigned seventeen*years.
3
So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He gave them continually* into the hand of Hazaelking of Aram, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael.
6
Nevertheless they did not turnaway from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, with which he made Israelsin, but walked in them; and the Asherahalso remained standing in Samaria.
7
For he left to Jehoahaz of the army not more*than*fiftyhorsemen and tenchariots and 10,000*footmen, for the king of Aram had destroyed them and made them like the dust at threshing.
11
He didevil in the sight of the LORD; he did not turnaway from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israelsin, but he walked in them.
12
Now the rest of the acts of Joash and all that he did and his might with which he foughtagainstAmaziahking of Judah, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles* of the Kings of Israel?
14
When Elishabecamesick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israelcamedown to him and weptover him and said, "My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
17
He said, "Open the window toward the east," and he opened it. Then Elishasaid, "Shoot!" And he shot. And he said, "The LORD'Sarrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will defeat the Arameans at Aphekuntil you have destroyed them."
19
So the man of God was angry with him and said, "You should have struckfiveorsixtimes, then you would have struckAramuntil you would have destroyed it. But now you shall strikeAram only threetimes."
21
As they were burying a man, behold, they saw a maraudingband; and they cast the man into the grave of Elisha. And when the mantouched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet.
23
But the LORD was gracious to them and hadcompassion on them and turned to them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them or cast them from His presenceuntilnow.
25
Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaztookagain from the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the citieswhich he hadtaken in war from the hand of Jehoahaz his father. ThreetimesJoashdefeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.