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2 Kings 11:1-14:20
New King James Version

Athaliah Reigns in Judah(A)

11 When (B)Athaliah (C)the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was (D)dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. 2 But [a]Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of (E)Ahaziah, took [b]Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. 3 So he was hidden with her in the house of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.

Joash Crowned King of Judah(F)

4 In (G)the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the [c]escorts—and brought them into the house of the Lord to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the house of the Lord, and showed them the king’s son. 5 Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who [d]come on duty (H)on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, 6 one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down. 7 The two [e]contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord for the king. 8 But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”

9 (I)So the captains of the hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each of them took his men who were to be on duty on the Sabbath, with those who were going off duty on the Sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 And the priest gave the captains of hundreds the spears and shields which had belonged to King David, (J)that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 Then the escorts stood, every man with his weapons in his hand, all around the king, from the right [f]side of the temple to the left side of the temple, by the altar and the house. 12 And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the (K)Testimony;[g] they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, (L)“Long live the king!”

Death of Athaliah(M)

13 (N)Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. 14 When she looked, there was the king standing by (O)a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”

15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of the hundreds, the officers of the army, and said to them, “Take her outside [h]under guard, and slay with the sword whoever follows her.” For the priest had said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her; and she went by way of the horses’ entrance into the king’s house, and there she was killed.

17 (P)Then Jehoiada (Q)made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also (R)between the king and the people. 18 And all the people of the land went to the (S)temple of Baal, and tore it down. They thoroughly (T)broke in pieces its altars and [i]images, and (U)killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And (V)the priest appointed [j]officers over the house of the Lord. 19 Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord, and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings. 20 So all the people of the land rejoiced; and the city was quiet, for they had slain Athaliah with the sword in the king’s house. 21 Jehoash was (W)seven years old when he became king.

Jehoash Repairs the Temple(X)

12 In the seventh year of Jehu, (Y)Jehoash[k] became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which (Z)Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 But (AA)the [l]high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

4 And Jehoash said to the priests, (AB)“All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the Lord—each man’s (AC)census[m] money, each man’s (AD)assessment money—and all the money that [n]a man (AE)purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the Lord, 5 let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the [o]damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found.”

6 Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, (AF)that the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple. 7 (AG)So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, “Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple.” 8 And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple.

9 Then Jehoiada the priest took (AH)a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord; and the priests who [p]kept the door put (AI)there all the money brought into the house of the Lord. 10 So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king’s (AJ)scribe[q] and the high priest came up and [r]put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the Lord. 11 Then they gave the money, which had been apportioned, into the hands of those who did the work, who had the oversight of the house of the Lord; and they [s]paid it out to the carpenters and builders who worked on the house of the Lord, 12 and to masons and stonecutters, and for buying timber and hewn stone, to (AK)repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and for all that was paid out to repair the temple. 13 However (AL)there were not made for the house of the Lord basins of silver, trimmers, sprinkling-bowls, trumpets, any articles of gold or articles of silver, from the money brought into the house of the Lord. 14 But they gave that to the workmen, and they repaired the house of the Lord with it. 15 Moreover (AM)they did not require an account from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to be paid to workmen, for they dealt faithfully. 16 (AN)The money from the trespass offerings and the money from the sin offerings was not brought into the house of the Lord. (AO)It belonged to the priests.

Hazael Threatens Jerusalem

17 (AP)Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it; then (AQ)Hazael set his face to [t]go up to Jerusalem. 18 And Jehoash king of Judah (AR)took all the sacred things that his fathers, Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own sacred things, and all the gold found in the treasuries of the house of the Lord and in the king’s house, and sent them to Hazael king of Syria. Then he went away from Jerusalem.

Death of Joash(AS)

19 Now the rest of the acts of [u]Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

20 And (AT)his servants arose and formed a conspiracy, and killed Joash in the house of [v]the Millo, which goes down to Silla. 21 For [w]Jozachar the son of Shimeath and Jehozabad the son of [x]Shomer, his servants, struck him. So he died, and they buried him with his fathers in the City of David. Then (AU)Amaziah his son reigned in his place.

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of (AV)Joash[y] the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, (AW)Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. 2 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord, and followed the (AX)sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not [z]depart from them.

3 Then (AY)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of (AZ)Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of (BA)Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days. 4 So Jehoahaz (BB)pleaded with the Lord, and the Lord listened to him; for (BC)He saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. 5 (BD)Then the Lord gave Israel a deliverer, so that they escaped from under the hand of the Syrians; and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as before. 6 Nevertheless they did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who had made Israel sin, but walked in them; (BE)and the [aa]wooden image also remained in Samaria. 7 For He left of the army of Jehoahaz only fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers; for the king of Syria had destroyed them (BF)and made them (BG)like the dust at threshing.

8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9 So Jehoahaz [ab]rested with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. Then [ac]Joash his son reigned in his place.

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, [ad]Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years. 11 And he did evil in the sight of the Lord. He did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin, but walked in them.

12 (BH)Now the rest of the acts of Joash, (BI)all that he did, and (BJ)his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13 So Joash (BK)rested[ae] with his fathers. Then Jeroboam sat on his throne. And Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Death of Elisha

14 Elisha had become sick with the illness of which he would die. Then Joash the king of Israel came down to him, and wept over his face, and said, “O my father, my father, (BL)the chariots of Israel and their horsemen!”

15 And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows. 16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at (BM)Aphek till you have destroyed them.” 18 Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped. 19 And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed it! (BN)But now you will strike Syria only three times.”

20 Then Elisha [af]died, and they buried him. And the (BO)raiding bands from Moab invaded the land in the spring of the year. 21 So it was, as they were burying a man, that suddenly they spied a band of raiders; and they put the man in the tomb of Elisha; and when the man was let down and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

Israel Recaptures Cities from Syria

22 And (BP)Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. 23 But the Lord was (BQ)gracious to them, had compassion on them, and (BR)regarded them, (BS)because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not yet destroy them or cast them from His presence.

24 Now Hazael king of Syria died. Then Ben-Hadad his son reigned in his place. 25 And [ag]Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz recaptured from the hand of Ben-Hadad, the son of Hazael, the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. (BT)Three times Joash defeated him and recaptured the cities of Israel.

Amaziah Reigns in Judah(BU)

14 In (BV)the second year of Joash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel, (BW)Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, became king. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem. 3 And he did what was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like his father David; he did everything (BX)as his father Joash had done. 4 (BY)However the [ah]high places were not taken away, and the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places.

5 Now it happened, as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand, that he executed his servants (BZ)who had murdered his father the king. 6 But the children of the murderers he did not execute, according to what is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, in which the Lord commanded, saying, (CA)“Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; but a person shall be put to death for his own sin.”

7 (CB)He killed ten thousand Edomites in (CC)the Valley of Salt, and took [ai]Sela by war, (CD)and called its name Joktheel to this day.

8 (CE)Then Amaziah sent messengers to [aj]Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, “Come, let us face one another in battle.” 9 And Jehoash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, (CF)“The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the (CG)cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as wife’; and a wild beast that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom, and (CH)your heart has [ak]lifted you up. Glory in that, and stay at home; for why should you meddle with trouble so that you fall—you and Judah with you?”

11 But Amaziah would not heed. Therefore Jehoash king of Israel went out; so he and Amaziah king of Judah faced one another at (CI)Beth Shemesh, which belongs to Judah. 12 And Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his tent. 13 Then Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Jehoash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh; and he went to Jerusalem, and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from (CJ)the Gate of Ephraim to (CK)the Corner Gate—[al]four hundred cubits. 14 And he took all (CL)the gold and silver, all the articles that were found in the house of the Lord and in the treasuries of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria.

15 (CM)Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did—his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah—are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 16 So Jehoash [am]rested with his fathers, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

17 (CN)Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah, lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Amaziah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 19 And (CO)they formed a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to (CP)Lachish; but they sent after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20 Then they brought him on horses, and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the City of David.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:2 Jehoshabeath, 2 Chr. 22:11
  2. 2 Kings 11:2 Or Jehoash
  3. 2 Kings 11:4 guards
  4. 2 Kings 11:5 Lit. enter in
  5. 2 Kings 11:7 companies
  6. 2 Kings 11:11 Lit. shoulder
  7. 2 Kings 11:12 Law, Ex. 25:16, 21; Deut. 31:9
  8. 2 Kings 11:15 Lit. between ranks
  9. 2 Kings 11:18 Idols
  10. 2 Kings 11:18 Lit. offices
  11. 2 Kings 12:1 Joash, 2 Kin. 11:2ff.
  12. 2 Kings 12:3 Places for pagan worship
  13. 2 Kings 12:4 Lit. the money coming over
  14. 2 Kings 12:4 any man’s heart prompts him to bring
  15. 2 Kings 12:5 Lit. breaches
  16. 2 Kings 12:9 guarded at the door
  17. 2 Kings 12:10 secretary
  18. 2 Kings 12:10 tied it up
  19. 2 Kings 12:11 Lit. weighed
  20. 2 Kings 12:17 Advance upon
  21. 2 Kings 12:19 Jehoash, vv. 1–18
  22. 2 Kings 12:20 Lit. The Landfill
  23. 2 Kings 12:21 Zabad, 2 Chr. 24:26
  24. 2 Kings 12:21 Shimrith, 2 Chr. 24:26
  25. 2 Kings 13:1 Jehoash, 2 Kin. 12:1–18
  26. 2 Kings 13:2 Lit. turn
  27. 2 Kings 13:6 Heb. Asherah, a Canaanite goddess
  28. 2 Kings 13:9 Died and joined his ancestors
  29. 2 Kings 13:9 Or Jehoash
  30. 2 Kings 13:10 Joash, v. 9
  31. 2 Kings 13:13 Died and joined his ancestors
  32. 2 Kings 13:20 Having prophesied at least 55 years
  33. 2 Kings 13:25 Joash, vv. 12–14, 25
  34. 2 Kings 14:4 Places for pagan worship
  35. 2 Kings 14:7 Lit. The Rock; the city of Petra
  36. 2 Kings 14:8 Joash, 2 Kin. 13:9, 12–14, 25; 2 Chr. 25:17ff.
  37. 2 Kings 14:10 Made you proud
  38. 2 Kings 14:13 About 600 feet
  39. 2 Kings 14:16 Died and joined his ancestors
Listen to 2 Kings 11:1-14:20
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2 Kings 11:1-14:20
New International Version

Athaliah and Joash(A)

11 When Athaliah(B) the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram[a] and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash(C) son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.(D) 3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the Lord for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites(E) and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the Lord. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the Lord. Then he showed them the king’s son. 5 He commanded them, saying, “This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath(F)—a third of you guarding the royal palace,(G) 6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple— 7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8 Station yourselves around the king, each of you with weapon in hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks[b] is to be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes.”

9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields(H) that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the Lord. 11 The guards, each with weapon in hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.

12 Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant(I) and proclaimed him king. They anointed(J) him, and the people clapped their hands(K) and shouted, “Long live the king!”(L)

13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the Lord. 14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar,(M) as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets.(N) Then Athaliah tore(O) her robes and called out, “Treason! Treason!”(P)

15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: “Bring her out between the ranks[c] and put to the sword anyone who follows her.” For the priest had said, “She must not be put to death in the temple(Q) of the Lord.” 16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter(R) the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.(S)

17 Jehoiada then made a covenant(T) between the Lord and the king and people that they would be the Lord’s people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people.(U) 18 All the people of the land went to the temple(V) of Baal and tore it down. They smashed(W) the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest(X) of Baal in front of the altars.

Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the Lord. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites,(Y) the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the Lord and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne. 20 All the people of the land rejoiced,(Z) and the city was calm, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.

21 Joash[d] was seven years old when he began to reign.[e]

Joash Repairs the Temple(AA)

12 [f]In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash[g](AB) became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem forty years. His mother’s name was Zibiah; she was from Beersheba. 2 Joash did what was right(AC) in the eyes of the Lord all the years Jehoiada the priest instructed him. 3 The high places,(AD) however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

4 Joash said to the priests, “Collect(AE) all the money that is brought as sacred offerings(AF) to the temple of the Lord—the money collected in the census,(AG) the money received from personal vows and the money brought voluntarily(AH) to the temple. 5 Let every priest receive the money from one of the treasurers, then use it to repair(AI) whatever damage is found in the temple.”

6 But by the twenty-third year of King Joash the priests still had not repaired the temple. 7 Therefore King Joash summoned Jehoiada the priest and the other priests and asked them, “Why aren’t you repairing the damage done to the temple? Take no more money from your treasurers, but hand it over for repairing the temple.” 8 The priests agreed that they would not collect any more money from the people and that they would not repair the temple themselves.

9 Jehoiada the priest took a chest and bored a hole in its lid. He placed it beside the altar, on the right side as one enters the temple of the Lord. The priests who guarded the entrance(AJ) put into the chest all the money(AK) that was brought to the temple of the Lord. 10 Whenever they saw that there was a large amount of money in the chest, the royal secretary(AL) and the high priest came, counted the money that had been brought into the temple of the Lord and put it into bags. 11 When the amount had been determined, they gave the money to the men appointed to supervise the work on the temple. With it they paid those who worked on the temple of the Lord—the carpenters and builders, 12 the masons and stonecutters.(AM) They purchased timber and blocks of dressed stone for the repair of the temple of the Lord, and met all the other expenses of restoring the temple.

13 The money brought into the temple was not spent for making silver basins, wick trimmers, sprinkling bowls, trumpets or any other articles of gold(AN) or silver for the temple of the Lord; 14 it was paid to the workers, who used it to repair the temple. 15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.(AO) 16 The money from the guilt offerings(AP) and sin offerings[h](AQ) was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged(AR) to the priests.

17 About this time Hazael(AS) king of Aram went up and attacked Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. 18 But Joash king of Judah took all the sacred objects dedicated by his predecessors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, the kings of Judah—and the gifts he himself had dedicated and all the gold found in the treasuries of the temple of the Lord and of the royal palace, and he sent(AT) them to Hazael king of Aram, who then withdrew(AU) from Jerusalem.

19 As for the other events of the reign of Joash, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 20 His officials(AV) conspired against him and assassinated(AW) him at Beth Millo,(AX) on the road down to Silla. 21 The officials who murdered him were Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer. He died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. And Amaziah his son succeeded him as king.

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. 2 He did evil(AY) 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. 3 So the Lord’s anger(AZ) burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power(BA) of Hazael king of Aram and Ben-Hadad(BB) his son.

4 Then Jehoahaz sought(BC) the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw(BD) how severely the king of Aram was oppressing(BE) Israel. 5 The Lord provided a deliverer(BF) for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before. 6 But they did not turn away from the sins(BG) of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. Also, the Asherah pole[i](BH) remained standing in Samaria.

7 Nothing had been left(BI) 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(BJ) at threshing time.

8 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? 9 Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash[j] 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(BK) king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals(BL) of the kings of Israel? 13 Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam(BM) 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(BN) and horsemen of Israel!”

15 Elisha said, “Get a bow and some arrows,”(BO) 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!”(BP) 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.”(BQ)

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.”(BR)

20 Elisha died and was buried.

Now Moabite raiders(BS) 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(BT) and stood up on his feet.

22 Hazael king of Aram oppressed(BU) 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(BV) with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy(BW) them or banish them from his presence.(BX)

24 Hazael king of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad(BY) 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(BZ) Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered(CA) the Israelite towns.

Amaziah King of Judah(CB)(CC)

14 In the second year of Jehoash[k] son of Jehoahaz king of Israel, Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah began to reign. 2 He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem twenty-nine years. His mother’s name was Jehoaddan; she was from Jerusalem. 3 He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father David had done. In everything he followed the example of his father Joash. 4 The high places,(CD) however, were not removed; the people continued to offer sacrifices and burn incense there.

5 After the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, he executed(CE) the officials(CF) who had murdered his father the king. 6 Yet he did not put the children of the assassins to death, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Law(CG) of Moses where the Lord commanded: “Parents are not to be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their parents; each will die for their own sin.”[l](CH)

7 He was the one who defeated ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt(CI) and captured Sela(CJ) in battle, calling it Joktheel, the name it has to this day.

8 Then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, king of Israel, with the challenge: “Come, let us face each other in battle.”

9 But Jehoash king of Israel replied to Amaziah king of Judah: “A thistle(CK) in Lebanon sent a message to a cedar in Lebanon, ‘Give your daughter to my son in marriage.’ Then a wild beast in Lebanon came along and trampled the thistle underfoot. 10 You have indeed defeated Edom and now you are arrogant.(CL) Glory in your victory, but stay at home! Why ask for trouble and cause your own downfall and that of Judah also?”

11 Amaziah, however, would not listen, so Jehoash king of Israel attacked. He and Amaziah king of Judah faced each other at Beth Shemesh(CM) in Judah. 12 Judah was routed by Israel, and every man fled to his home.(CN) 13 Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah, at Beth Shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall(CO) of Jerusalem from the Ephraim Gate(CP) to the Corner Gate(CQ)—a section about four hundred cubits long.[m] 14 He took all the gold and silver and all the articles found in the temple of the Lord and in the treasuries of the royal palace. He also took hostages and returned to Samaria.

15 As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, what he did and his achievements, including his war(CR) against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 16 Jehoash rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. And Jeroboam his son succeeded him as king.

17 Amaziah son of Joash king of Judah lived for fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz king of Israel. 18 As for the other events of Amaziah’s reign, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah?

19 They conspired(CS) against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish,(CT) but they sent men after him to Lachish and killed him there. 20 He was brought back by horse(CU) and was buried in Jerusalem with his ancestors, in the City of David.

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 11:2 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram
  2. 2 Kings 11:8 Or approaches the precincts
  3. 2 Kings 11:15 Or out from the precincts
  4. 2 Kings 11:21 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash
  5. 2 Kings 11:21 In Hebrew texts this verse (11:21) is numbered 12:1.
  6. 2 Kings 12:1 In Hebrew texts 12:1-21 is numbered 12:2-22.
  7. 2 Kings 12:1 Hebrew Jehoash, a variant of Joash; also in verses 2, 4, 6, 7 and 18
  8. 2 Kings 12:16 Or purification offerings
  9. 2 Kings 13:6 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Kings
  10. 2 Kings 13:9 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 12-14 and 25
  11. 2 Kings 14:1 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 13, 23 and 27
  12. 2 Kings 14:6 Deut. 24:16
  13. 2 Kings 14:13 That is, about 600 feet or about 180 meters
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2 Kings 10
2 Kings 15
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