Bible in 90 Days
Elisha and the Poisoned Soup
38 Elisha went to Gilgal again. There was a famine in the land. The group of prophets was sitting in front of Elisha. Elisha said to his servant, “Put the large pot on the fire, and make some soup for the group of prophets.”
39 One man went out into the field to gather herbs. He found a wild vine and picked the fruit from it. He put that fruit in his robe and brought it back. He cut up the wild fruit and put it into the pot. But the group of prophets did not know what kind of fruit it was.
40 Then they poured some of the soup for the men to eat. But when they began to eat the soup, they shouted out, “Man of God! There’s poison in the pot!” The food tasted like poison, so they could not eat that food.
41 But Elisha said, “Bring some flour.” He threw the flour into the pot. Then he said, “Pour the soup for the people so that they can eat.”
And there was nothing wrong with the soup.
Elisha Feeds the Group of Prophets
42 A man from Baal Shalishah came and brought bread from the first harvest to the man of God. This man brought 20 loaves of barley bread and fresh grain in his sack. Then Elisha said, “Give this food to the people, so that they can eat.”
43 Elisha’s servant said, “What? There are 100 men here. How can I give this food to all those men?”
But Elisha said, “Give the food to the people to eat. The Lord says, ‘They will eat and there will still be food left over.’”
44 Then Elisha’s servant put the food in front of the group of prophets. The group of prophets had enough to eat, and they even had food left over. This happened just as the Lord had said.
Naaman’s Problem
5 Naaman was the captain of the army of the king of Aram. He was very important to his king[a] because the Lord used him to lead Aram to victory. Naaman was a great and powerful man, but he was also sick with leprosy.
2 The Aramean army sent many groups of soldiers to fight in Israel. One time they took a little girl from the land of Israel. This girl became a servant of Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to his wife, “I wish that my master would meet the prophet who lives in Samaria. He could heal Naaman of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to the king and told him what the Israelite girl said.
5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.”
So Naaman went to Israel. He took 750 pounds[b] of silver, 6000 pieces of gold and ten changes of clothes as gifts. 6 Naaman took the letter from the king of Aram to the king of Israel. The letter said: “Now this letter is to show that I am sending my servant Naaman to you. Cure his leprosy.”
7 When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes to show he was sad and upset. He said, “Am I God? I don’t have the power over life and death. So why did the king of Aram send a man sick with leprosy for me to heal? Think about it, and you will see that it is a trick. The king of Aram is trying to start a fight.”
8 Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes. So Elisha sent this message to the king: “Why did you tear your clothes? Let Naaman come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel.”
9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots to Elisha’s house and stood outside the door. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to Naaman who said, “Go and wash in the Jordan River seven times. Then your skin will be healed, and you will be pure and clean.”
11 Naaman became angry and left. He said, “I thought Elisha would at least come out and stand in front of me and call on the name of the Lord his God. I thought he would wave his hand over my body and heal the leprosy. 12 Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, are better than all the water in Israel. Why can’t I wash in those rivers in Damascus and become clean?” He was very angry and turned to leave.
13 But Naaman’s servants went to him and talked to him. They said, “Father,[c] if the prophet told you to do some great thing, you would do it, isn’t that right? But he said, ‘Wash, and you will be pure and clean.’”
14 So Naaman did what the man of God said. He went down and dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times, and he became pure and clean. His skin became soft like the skin of a baby.
15 Naaman and his whole group came back to the man of God. He stood before Elisha and said, “Look, I now know there is no God in all the earth except in Israel. Now please accept a gift from me.”
16 But Elisha said, “The Lord is the one I serve, and as surely as he lives, I will not accept any gift.”
Naaman tried hard to make Elisha take the gift, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If you will not accept this gift, at least do this for me. Let me have enough dirt from Israel to fill the baskets on two of my mules.[d] I ask this because I will never again offer any burnt offering or sacrifice to any other gods. I will offer sacrifices only to the Lord! 18 And I pray that the Lord will forgive me for this: When my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship that false god, he will want to lean on me for support. So I must bow down in the temple of Rimmon. I ask the Lord now to forgive me when that happens.”
19 Then Elisha said to Naaman, “Go in peace.”
So Naaman left Elisha and went a short way. 20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has let Naaman the Aramean go without accepting the gift that he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after Naaman and get something from him.” 21 So Gehazi ran to Naaman.
Naaman saw someone running after him. He stepped down from the chariot to meet Gehazi. Naaman said, “Is everything all right?”
22 Gehazi said, “Yes, everything is all right. My master has sent me. He said, ‘Look, two young men came to me from the group of prophets[e] in the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them 75 pounds[f] of silver and two changes of clothes.’”
23 Naaman said, “Please, take 150 pounds.[g]” He persuaded Gehazi to take the silver. Naaman put 150 pounds of silver in two bags and took two changes of clothes. Then he gave these things to two of his servants. The servants carried these things for Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took these things from the servants. He sent the servants away, and they left. Then he hid those things in the house.
25 Gehazi came in and stood before his master. Elisha said to Gehazi, “Where have you been Gehazi?”
Gehazi answered, “I didn’t go anywhere.”
26 Elisha said to him, “That is not true! My heart was with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you. This is not the time to take money, clothes, olives, grapes, sheep, cattle, or men and women servants. 27 Now you and your children will catch Naaman’s disease. You will have leprosy forever!”
When Gehazi left Elisha, his skin was as white as snow! He was sick with leprosy.
Elisha and the Ax Head
6 The group of prophets said to Elisha, “We are staying in that place over there, but it is too small for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan River and cut some wood. Each of us will get a log and we will build us a place to live there.”
Elisha answered, “Go and do it.”
3 One of them said, “Please go with us.”
Elisha said, “Yes, I will go with you.”
4 So Elisha went with the group of prophets. When they arrived at the Jordan River, they began to cut down some trees. 5 But when one man was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head slipped from the handle and fell into the water. He shouted, “Oh, master! I borrowed that ax!”
6 The man of God said, “Where did it fall?”
The man showed Elisha the place where the ax head fell. Then Elisha cut a stick and threw the stick into the water. The stick made the iron ax head float. 7 Elisha said, “So pick up the ax head.” Then the man reached out and took the ax head.
Aram Tries to Trap Israel
8 The king of Aram was making war against Israel. He had a council meeting with his army officers. He said, “Go to such and such a place and prepare to attack the Israelites when they come by.”
9 But the man of God sent a message to the king of Israel. Elisha said, “Be careful! Don’t go by that place, because the Aramean soldiers are hiding there!”
10 The king of Israel sent a message to his men at the place that the man of God warned him about. And the king of Israel saved quite a few men.[h]
11 The king of Aram was very upset about this. He called his army officers and said to them, “Tell me who is spying for the king of Israel.”
12 One of the officers of the king of Aram said, “My lord and king, not one of us is a spy. Elisha, the prophet from Israel, can tell the king of Israel many secret things—even the words that you speak in your bedroom!”
13 The king of Aram said, “Find Elisha, and I will send men to catch him.”
The servants told the king of Aram, “Elisha is in Dothan.”
14 Then the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a large army to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city. 15 Elisha’s servant got up early that morning. When he went outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city.
The servant said to Elisha, “Oh, my master, what can we do?”
16 Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the army that fights for Aram.”
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, I ask you, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.”
The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and the servant saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire. They were all around Elisha.
18 These horses and chariots of fire came down to Elisha. He prayed to the Lord and said, “I pray that you will cause these people to become blind.”
So God did what Elisha asked. He caused the Aramean army to become blind. 19 Elisha said to the Aramean army, “This is not the right way. This is not the right city. Follow me. I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” Then Elisha led them to Samaria.[i]
20 When they arrived at Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so that they can see.”
Then the Lord opened their eyes, and the Aramean army saw they were in the city of Samaria! 21 The king of Israel saw the Aramean army and said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”
22 Elisha answered, “No, don’t kill them. They are not soldiers you captured in battle. Give them some bread and water. Let them eat and drink. Then let them go home to their leader.”
23 So the king prepared a big meal for the Aramean army. After they ate and drank, he sent them back home to their leader. The Arameans did not send any more soldiers into the land of Israel to make raids.
A Time of Terrible Hunger Hits Samaria
24 After this happened, King Ben-Hadad of Aram gathered all his army and went to surround and attack the city of Samaria. 25 The soldiers would not let people bring food into the city, so there was a time of terrible hunger in Samaria. It was so bad in Samaria that a donkey’s head was sold for 80 pieces of silver and one pint[j] of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver.
26 The king of Israel was walking on the wall around the city. A woman shouted out to him. She said, “My lord and king, please help me!”
27 The king of Israel said, “If the Lord does not help you, how can I help you? I cannot give you grain from the threshing floor or wine from the winepress.” 28 Then he said to her, “What is your trouble?”
She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give me your son so that we can eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. Then the next day, I said to this woman, ‘Give me your son so that we can eat him.’ But she has hidden her son!”
30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes to show he was upset. As he passed by on the wall, the people saw the king was wearing the rough cloth under his clothes to show he was sad and upset.
31 The king said, “May God punish me if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat is still on his body at the end of this day!”
32 The king sent a messenger to Elisha. Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Look, that son of a murderer is sending men to cut off my head. When the messenger arrives, shut the door. Hold the door and don’t let him in. I hear the sound of his master’s feet coming behind him.”
33 While Elisha was still talking with the elders, the messenger[k] came to him. This was the message: “This trouble has come from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
7 Elisha said, “Listen to the message from the Lord! The Lord says, ‘About this time tomorrow, there will be plenty of food, and it will be cheap again. A person will be able to buy a basket[l] of fine flour or two baskets of barley for only one shekel[m] in the marketplace by the city gates of Samaria.’”
2 Then the officer who was close to the king[n] answered the man of God. The officer said, “Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, this could not happen.”
Elisha said, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of that food.”
Lepers Find the Aramean Camp Empty
3 There were four men sick with leprosy near the city gate. They said to each other, “Why are we sitting here waiting to die? 4 There is no food in Samaria. If we go into the city, we will die there. If we stay here, we will also die. So let’s go to the Aramean camp. If they let us live, we will live. If they kill us, we will just die.”
5 So that evening the four lepers went to the Aramean camp. When they came to the edge of the camp, no one was there! 6 The Lord had caused the Aramean army to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army. So the soldiers said to each other, “The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to come against us.”
7 The Arameans ran away early that evening. They left everything behind. They left their tents, horses, and donkeys and ran for their lives.
The Lepers in the Enemy Camp
8 When these lepers came to where the camp began, they went into one tent. They ate and drank. Then they carried silver, gold, and clothes out of the camp and hid them. Then they came back and entered another tent. They carried things out from this tent and went out and hid them. 9 Then they said to each other, “We are doing wrong! Today we have good news, but we are silent. If we wait until the sun comes up, we will be punished. Now let’s go and tell the people who live in the king’s palace.”
The Lepers Tell the Good News
10 So the lepers came and called to the gatekeepers of the city. They told the gatekeepers, “We went to the Aramean camp, but we did not hear anyone. No one was there, but the horses and donkeys were still tied up, and the tents were still standing.”
11 Then the gatekeepers of the city shouted out and told the people in the king’s palace. 12 It was night, but the king got up from bed and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Aramean soldiers are doing to us. They know we are hungry. They left the camp to hide in the field. They are thinking, ‘When the Israelites come out of the city, we will capture them alive. And then we will enter the city.’”
13 One of the king’s officers said, “Let some men take five of the horses that are still left in the city. The horses will soon die anyway, just as all the Israelites who are still left in the city.[o] Let’s send these men to see what happened.”
14 So the men took two chariots with horses. The king sent these men after the Aramean army. He told them, “Go and see what happened.”
15 The men went after the Aramean army as far as the Jordan River. All along the road there were clothes and weapons. The Arameans had thrown these things down when they hurried away. The messengers went back to Samaria and told the king.
16 Then the people ran out to the Aramean camp and took valuable things from there. So it happened just as the Lord had said. A person could buy a basket of fine flour or two baskets of barley for only one shekel.
17 There was one officer who always stayed close by the king to help him. The king sent this officer to guard the gate, but the people knocked him down and trampled him, and he died. So everything happened just as the man of God had said when the king came to Elisha’s house. 18 Elisha had said, “A person will be able to buy a basket of fine flour or two baskets of barley for only one shekel in the marketplace by the city gates of Samaria.” 19 But that officer had answered the man of God, “Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, this could not happen!” And Elisha had told the officer, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of that food.” 20 It happened to the officer just that way. The people knocked him down at the gate and trampled him, and he died.
The King and the Shunammite Woman
8 Elisha talked to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. He said, “You and your family should move to another country, because the Lord has decided that there will be a famine here. It will last for seven years.”
2 So the woman did what the man of God said. She went with her family to stay in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3 After seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines.
She went to speak with the king to ask him to help her get back her house and land.
4 The king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king said to Gehazi, “Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done.”
5 Gehazi was telling the king about Elisha bringing a dead person back to life. At that same time the woman whose son Elisha brought back to life went to the king. She wanted to ask him to help her get back her house and land. Gehazi said, “My lord and king, this is the woman, and this is the son who Elisha brought back to life.”
6 The king asked the woman what she wanted, and she told him.
Then the king chose an officer to help her. The king said, “Give to the woman all that belongs to her. And give her all the harvest of her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Ben-Hadad Sends Hazael to Elisha
7 Elisha went to Damascus. King Ben-Hadad of Aram was sick. Someone told Ben-Hadad, “The man of God has come here.”
8 Then the King Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go meet the man of God. Ask him to ask the Lord if I will get well from my sickness.”
9 So Hazael went to meet Elisha. Hazael brought a gift with him. He brought all kinds of good things from Damascus. It took 40 camels to carry everything. Hazael came to Elisha and said, “Your follower,[p] King Ben-Hadad 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 live.’ But really the Lord told me, ‘He will die.’”
Elisha Makes a Prophecy About Hazael
11 Elisha began to stare. He stared for an embarrassingly long time. Then the man of God began to cry. 12 Hazael said, “Sir, why are you crying?”
Elisha answered, “I am crying because I know the bad things you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong cities and kill their young men with swords. You will kill their babies and split open their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “I am not a powerful man![q] How can I do these great things?”
Elisha answered, “The Lord showed me that you will be king over Aram.”
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his king.[r] Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “What did Elisha say to you?”
He answered, “Elisha told me that you will live.”
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
15 But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth and dipped it in water. Then he held it on Ben-Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael became the new king.
Jehoram Begins His Rule
16 Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah. He began to rule in the fifth year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.[s] 17 Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to rule. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. 18 But Jehoram lived as the kings of Israel and did what the Lord saw as evil. He lived as the people from Ahab’s family, because his wife was Ahab’s daughter. 19 But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of the promise to his servant David. He had promised David that someone from his family would always be king.
20 In Jehoram’s time Edom broke away from Judah’s rule. The people of Edom chose a king for themselves.
21 Then Jehoram and all his chariots went to Zair. The Edomite army surrounded them, but Jehoram and his officers attacked them and escaped. Jehoram’s soldiers all ran away and went home. 22 So the Edomites broke away from the rule of Judah. And they have been free from the rule of Judah until today.
At the same time Libnah also broke away from Judah’s rule.
23 All the things Jehoram did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.
24 Jehoram died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the new king.
Ahaziah Begins His Rule
25 Ahaziah son of Jehoram became the king of Judah in the 12th year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel. 26 Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to rule. He ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah. She was the daughter of King Omri of Israel. 27 Ahaziah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did many bad things, just as the people from Ahab’s family had done. He lived like this because his wife was from Ahab’s family.
Joram Is Hurt in the War Against Hazael
28 Joram was from Ahab’s family. Ahaziah went with Joram to fight against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram. 29 King Joram went back to Israel so that he could get well from those wounds. He went to the area of Jezreel. Ahaziah son of Jehoram was the king of Judah. Ahaziah went to Jezreel to see Joram.
Elisha Tells a Prophet to Anoint Jehu
9 Elisha the prophet called one of the men from the group of prophets[t] and said to him, “Get ready and take this small bottle of oil in your hand. Go to Ramoth Gilead. 2 When you arrive, find Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimshi. Then go in and make him get up from among his brothers. Take him to an inner room. 3 Take the small bottle of oil and pour the oil on Jehu’s head. Say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have anointed you to be the new king over Israel.’ Then open the door and run away. Don’t wait!”
4 So this young man, the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. 5 When the young man arrived, he saw the captains of the army sitting. He said, “Captain, I have a message for you.”
Jehu asked, “Which one of us is the message for?”
The young man said, “For you, sir.”
6 Jehu got up and went into the house. Then the young prophet poured the oil on Jehu’s head and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I am anointing you to be the new king over the Lord’s people, Israel. 7 You must destroy the family of Ahab your king. In this way I will punish Jezebel for the deaths of my servants, the prophets, and the deaths of all the Lord’s servants who were murdered. 8 So all Ahab’s family will die. I will not let any male child in Ahab’s family live. It doesn’t matter if that male child is a slave or a free person in Israel. 9 I will make Ahab’s family like the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like the family of Baasha son of Ahijah. 10 The dogs will eat Jezebel in the area of Jezreel, and she will not be buried.’”
Then the young prophet opened the door and ran away.
The Servants Announce Jehu as King
11 Jehu went back to his king’s officers. One of the officers said to Jehu, “Is everything all right? Why did this crazy man come to you?”
Jehu answered the servants, “You know the man and the crazy things he says.”
12 The officers said, “No, tell us the truth. What did he say?” Jehu told the officers what the young prophet said. Jehu said, “He said a few things and then he said, ‘This is what the Lord says: I have anointed you to be the new king over Israel.’”
13 Then each officer quickly took his robe off and put it on the steps in front of Jehu. Then they blew the trumpet and made the announcement, “Jehu is king!”
Jehu Goes to Jezreel
14 So Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, made plans against Joram.
At that time Joram and the Israelites had been trying to defend Ramoth Gilead from King Hazael of Aram. 15 King Joram had fought against King Hazael of Aram. But the Arameans wounded King Joram, and he went to Jezreel to get well from those injuries.
So Jehu told the officers, “If you agree that I am the new king, don’t let anyone escape from the city to tell the news in Jezreel.”
16 Joram was resting in Jezreel, so Jehu got in his chariot and drove to Jezreel. King Ahaziah of Judah had also come to Jezreel to see Joram.
17 A guard was standing on the tower in Jezreel. He saw Jehu’s large group coming. He said, “I see a large group of people!”
Joram said, “Send someone on a horse to meet them. Tell this messenger to ask if they come in peace.”
18 So the messenger rode on a horse to meet Jehu. The messenger said, “King Joram says, ‘Do you come in peace?’”
Jehu said, “You have nothing to do with peace. Come and follow me.”
The guard told Joram, “The messenger went to the group, but he has not come back yet.”
19 Then Joram sent out a second messenger on a horse. This man came to Jehu’s group and said, “King Joram says, ‘Peace.’[u]”
Jehu answered, “You have nothing to do with peace. Come and follow me.”
20 The guard told Joram, “The second messenger went to the group, but he has not come back yet. There is a man driving his chariot like a mad man. He is driving like Jehu son of Nimshi.”
21 Joram said, “Get me my chariot!”
So the servant got Joram’s chariot. Both King Joram of Israel and King Ahaziah of Judah got their chariots and drove out to meet Jehu. They met him at the property of Naboth from Jezreel.
22 Joram saw Jehu and asked, “Do you come in peace, Jehu?”
Jehu answered, “There is no peace as long as your mother Jezebel does many acts of prostitution and witchcraft.”
23 Joram turned the horses to run away. He said to Ahaziah, “It is a trick, Ahaziah!”
24 But Jehu grabbed his bow and shot Joram in the middle of his back, through the heart. Joram fell dead in his chariot.
25 Jehu said to his chariot driver Bidkar, “Take Joram’s body up and throw it into the field of Naboth from Jezreel. Remember when you and I rode together with Joram’s father Ahab, the Lord said this would happen to him. 26 The Lord said, ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and his sons. And I, the Lord, am telling you that I will punish Ahab in this field.’ So take Joram’s body and throw it into the field, just as the Lord said.”
27 King Ahaziah of Judah saw this and ran away. He tried to escape through the garden house, but Jehu followed him. Jehu had said, “Shoot Ahaziah too!”
Ahaziah was wounded when he was in his chariot on the road to Gur near Ibleam. He got as far as Megiddo, but he died there. 28 Ahaziah’s servants carried his body in the chariot to Jerusalem. They buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David.
29 Ahaziah had become king over Judah during Joram’s[v] eleventh year as king of Israel.
The Terrible Death of Jezebel
30 When Jehu came to Jezreel, Jezebel heard the news. She put her makeup on and fixed her hair. Then she stood by the window and looked out. 31 Jehu entered the city. Jezebel said, “Hello, you Zimri.[w] You killed your master just as he did.”
32 Jehu looked up at the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?”
Two or three eunuchs looked out at Jehu. 33 Jehu said, “Throw Jezebel down!”
Then the eunuchs threw her down. Some of her blood splashed on the wall and on the horses that trampled her body. 34 Jehu went into the house and ate and drank. Then he said, “Now see about this cursed woman. Bury her, because she is a king’s daughter.”
35 The men went to bury Jezebel, but they could not find her body. They could only find her skull, her feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 When the men came back and told Jehu, he said, “The Lord told his servant Elijah the Tishbite to give this message: ‘Dogs will eat the body of Jezebel in the area of Jezreel. 37 Her body will be like dung on the field in the area of Jezreel. No one will be able to recognize her body!’”
Jehu Writes the Leaders of Samaria
10 Ahab had 70 sons in Samaria. Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria to the rulers and leaders of Jezreel.[x] He also sent the letters to the people who raised Ahab’s sons saying, 2-3 “As soon as you get this letter, choose the one who is the best and most worthy among your master’s sons. You have chariots and horses. And you are living in a strong city. You also have weapons. Put the son you choose on his father’s throne. Then fight for your master’s family.”
4 But the rulers and leaders of Jezreel were very afraid. They said, “The two kings could not stop Jehu. So we cannot stop him either!”
5 The palace manager, the official in charge of the city, the elders, and the people who raised the king’s children sent a message to Jehu. “We are your servants and we will do whatever you tell us. We will not make anyone king; you may do whatever you think is best.”
Leaders of Samaria Kill Ahab’s Children
6 Then Jehu wrote a second letter to these leaders. He said, “If you support me and obey me, cut off the heads of Ahab’s sons. Bring them to me at Jezreel about this time tomorrow.”
Ahab had 70 sons. They were with the leaders of the city who raised them. 7 When the leaders of the city received the letter, they took the king’s sons and killed all 70 of them. Then the leaders put the heads of the king’s sons in baskets and sent the baskets to Jehu at Jezreel. 8 The messenger came to Jehu and told him, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.”
Then Jehu said, “Lay the heads in two piles at the city gate until morning.”
9 In the morning Jehu went out and stood before the people. He said to them, “You are innocent. Look, I made plans against my master. I killed him. But who killed all these sons of Ahab? You killed them. 10 You should know that everything the Lord says will happen. The Lord used Elijah to say these things about Ahab’s family. Now the Lord has done what he said he would do.”
11 So Jehu killed all the people in Ahab’s family living in Jezreel. He killed all the important men, close friends, and priests. None of Ahab’s people were left alive.
Jehu Kills Ahaziah’s Relatives
12 Jehu left Jezreel and went to Samaria. On the way, he stopped at a place called Shepherd’s Camp. 13 There he met with the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. Jehu asked, “Who are you?”
They answered, “We are the relatives of King Ahaziah of Judah. We have come down to visit the king’s children and the queen mother’s[y] children.”
14 Then Jehu said, “Take them alive!”
Jehu’s men captured Ahaziah’s relatives alive. There were 42 of them. Jehu killed them at the well near Beth Eked. He did not leave anyone alive.
Jehu Meets Jehonadab
15 After Jehu left there, he met Jehonadab son of Recab. Jehonadab was on his way to meet Jehu. Jehu greeted Jehonadab and said to him, “Are you a faithful friend to me, as I am to you?”[z]
Jehonadab answered, “Yes, I am a faithful friend to you.”
Jehu said, “If you are, give me your hand.”
Then Jehu reached out and pulled Jehonadab up into the chariot.
16 Jehu said, “Come with me. You can see how strong my feelings are for the Lord.”
So Jehonadab rode in Jehu’s chariot. 17 Jehu came to Samaria and killed all Ahab’s family who were still alive in Samaria. He killed them all. He did what the Lord had told Elijah.
Jehu Calls the Worshipers of Baal
18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them, “Ahab served Baal a little, but Jehu will serve Baal much. 19 Now call together all the priests and prophets of Baal. And call together everyone who worships Baal. Don’t let anyone miss this meeting. I have a great sacrifice to give to Baal. I will kill anyone who does not come to this meeting.”
But Jehu was tricking them. He wanted to destroy the worshipers of Baal. 20 Jehu said, “Prepare a holy meeting for Baal.” So the priests announced the meeting. 21 Then Jehu sent a message through all the land of Israel. All the worshipers of Baal came. Not one stayed home. The Baal worshipers came into the temple of Baal. The temple was filled with people.
22 Jehu said to the man who kept the robes, “Bring out the robes for all the worshipers of Baal.” So that man brought out the robes for the Baal worshipers.
23 Then Jehu and Jehonadab son of Recab went into the temple of Baal. Jehu said to the worshipers of Baal, “Look around and be sure that there are no servants of the Lord with you. Be sure there are only people who worship Baal.” 24 The worshipers of Baal went into the temple of Baal to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
But outside, Jehu had 80 men waiting. He told them, “Don’t let anyone escape. If any man lets one person escape, that man must pay with his own life.”
25 Quickly after Jehu had finished offering the burnt offering, he said to the guards and to the captains, “Go in and kill the worshipers of Baal! Don’t let anyone come out of the temple alive!”
So the captains used thin swords and killed the worshipers of Baal. They threw the bodies of the worshipers of Baal out. Then the guards and the captains went to the inner room[aa] of the temple of Baal. 26 They brought out the memorial stones that were in the temple of Baal and burned that temple. 27 Then they smashed the memorial stones of Baal. They also smashed the temple of Baal. They made the temple of Baal into a public toilet, which is still used today.
28 So Jehu destroyed Baal worship in Israel, 29 but he did not completely turn away from the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin. Jehu did not destroy the golden calves in Bethel and in Dan.
Jehu’s Rule Over Israel
30 The Lord said to Jehu, “You have done well. You have done what I say is good. You destroyed Ahab’s family the way I wanted you to, so your descendants will rule Israel for four generations.”
31 But Jehu was not careful to follow the law of the Lord with all his heart. Jehu did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin.
Hazael Defeats Israel
32 At that time the Lord began to cut away sections of Israel and give them to other nations. King Hazael of Aram defeated the Israelites on every border of Israel. 33 He won the land east of the Jordan River—all the land of Gilead, including the land that belonged to the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and Manasseh. He won all the land from Aroer by the Arnon Valley to Gilead and Bashan.
The Death of Jehu
34 All the other great things that Jehu did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 35 Jehu died and was buried with his ancestors. The people buried him in Samaria. His son Jehoahaz became the new king of Israel after him. 36 Jehu ruled over Israel in Samaria for 28 years.
Athaliah Kills the King’s Sons in Judah
11 Athaliah was Ahaziah’s mother. She saw that her son was dead, so she got up and killed all the king’s family.
2 Jehosheba was King Joram’s daughter and Ahaziah’s sister. Joash was one of the king’s sons. While the other children were being killed, Jehosheba took Joash and hid him. She put him and his nurse in her bedroom, so Jehosheba and the nurse hid Joash from Athaliah. That way Joash was not killed.
3 Then Joash and Jehosheba hid in the Lord’s Temple. Joash hid there for six years. During that time Athaliah ruled over the land of Judah.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada the high priest sent for the captains of the Carites[ab] and guards.[ac] He brought them together in the Lord’s Temple and made an agreement with them. There in the Temple of the Lord he forced them to make a promise. Then he showed the king’s son to them.
5 Then Jehoiada gave them a command. He said, “This is what you must do. One-third of you, from those who go on duty on the Sabbath day, must stand guard at the royal palace. 6 Another third will be at the Sur Gate, and the other third will be at the gate behind the guard. This way you will stand guard over the palace on all sides. 7 Your two divisions who go off duty on the Sabbath day will stand guard at the Lord’s Temple and protect King Joash. 8 You must stay with him wherever he goes. The whole group must surround the king. Each guard must have his weapon in his hand, and you must kill anyone who comes too close to you.”
9 The captains obeyed everything that Jehoiada the priest commanded. Each captain took his men, both those who were going on duty on the Sabbath day and those who were going off duty. All these men went to Jehoiada the priest, 10 and he gave spears and shields to the captains. These were the spears and shields David put in the Lord’s Temple. 11 These guards stood with their weapons in their hands from the right corner of the Temple to the left corner. They stood around the altar and the Temple and around the king when he went to the Temple. 12 These men brought out Joash. They put the crown on him and gave him a copy of the agreement.[ad] Then they anointed him and made him the new king. They clapped their hands and shouted, “Long live the king!”
13 Queen Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, so she went to them at the Lord’s Temple. 14 Athaliah saw the king by the column where new kings usually stood. She also saw the leaders and men playing the trumpets for him. She saw that all the people were very happy. She heard the trumpets, and she tore her clothes to show she was upset. Then Athaliah shouted, “Treason! Treason!”
15 Jehoiada the priest gave a command to the captains who were in charge of the soldiers. Jehoiada told them, “Take Athaliah outside of the Temple area. Kill any of her followers, but don’t kill them in the Lord’s Temple.”
16 So the soldiers grabbed Athaliah and killed her as soon as she went through the horse’s entrance to the palace.
17 Then Jehoiada made the agreement between the Lord and the king and the people. This agreement showed that the king and the people belonged to the Lord. Jehoiada also made the agreement between the king and the people.
18 Then all the people went to the temple of Baal. They destroyed the statue of Baal and his altars. They broke them into many pieces. They also killed Baal’s priest, Mattan, in front of the altars.
So Jehoiada the priest put men in charge of maintaining the Lord’s Temple. 19 The priest led all the people. They went from the Lord’s Temple to the king’s palace. The king’s special guards and the captains went with the king, and all the other people followed them. They went to the entrance to the king’s palace. Then King Joash sat on the throne. 20 All the people were happy, and the city was peaceful. And Queen Athaliah was killed with a sword near the king’s palace.
21 Joash was seven years old when he became king.
Joash Begins His Rule
12 Joash began to rule during Jehu’s seventh year as king of Israel. Joash ruled 40 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Zibiah of Beersheba. 2 For as long as he lived, Joash did what the Lord considered right. He did what Jehoiada the priest taught him. 3 But he did not destroy the high places. The people still made sacrifices and burned incense at those places of worship.
Joash Orders the Temple Repaired
4-5 Joash said to the priests, “There is much money in the Lord’s Temple. People have given things to the Temple and have paid the Temple tax when they were counted. And they have given money simply because they wanted to. You priests should take that money and repair the Lord’s Temple. Each priest should use the money he gets from the people he serves. He should use that money to repair the damage to the Temple.”
6 In the 23rd year that Joash was king, the priests still had not repaired the Temple, 7 so King Joash called for Jehoiada the priest and the other priests. Joash said to them, “Why haven’t you repaired the Temple? Stop taking money from the people you serve. That money must be used to repair the Temple.”
8 The priests agreed to stop taking money from the people, but they also decided not to repair the Temple. 9 So Jehoiada the priest took a box and made a hole in the top of it. Then he put the box on the south side of the altar. This box was by the door where people came into the Lord’s Temple. Some of the priests were there to guard this doorway.[ae] They took the money that people brought for the Lord’s temple and put it into this box.
10 Whenever the king’s secretary and the high priest saw that the box was full, they counted all the money that had been given for the Lord’s Temple and put it in bags. 11 Then they paid the men who were in charge of the work on the Lord’s Temple. They paid the carpenters and other builders who worked on the Lord’s Temple. 12 They used that money to pay the stoneworkers and stonecutters, and they used it to buy timber, cut stone, and everything else to repair the Lord’s Temple.
13-14 People gave money for the Lord’s Temple, but the priests could not use this money to make silver cups, snuffers, basins, trumpets, or any of the gold and silver dishes that were to be used inside the Lord’s temple. This money was used only to pay the workers who repaired the Lord’s Temple. 15 Those who were in charge of paying the workers did not have to give a report of how they spent the money, because they could be trusted.
16 People gave money when they offered guilt offerings and sin offerings, but that money was not used for the Lord’s temple. It belonged to the priests.
Joash Saves Jerusalem From Hazael
17 Hazael was the king of Aram. He went to fight against the city of Gath and defeated it. Then he made plans to go fight against Jerusalem.
18 Joash[af] and his ancestors—Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah—had all been kings of Judah. They had given many things to the Lord that were kept in his Temple. Joash gathered all these things and all the gold that was stored in the Temple and in his palace. He sent all this treasure to King Hazael of Aram, who then commanded his army to leave Jerusalem.
The Death of Joash
19 All the great things that Joash did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.
20 Joash’s officers made plans against him. They killed Joash at the house of Millo on the road that goes down to Silla. 21 Jozabad son of Shimeath and Jehozabad son of Shomer were Joash’s officers. These men killed Joash.
The people buried Joash with his ancestors in the City of David. His son Amaziah became the new king after him.
Jehoahaz Begins His Rule
13 Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during the 23rd year that Joash son of Ahaziah was king in Judah. Jehoahaz ruled 17 years.
2 Jehoahaz did what the Lord considered wrong. Like Jeroboam son of Nebat, he committed sins that also caused the people of Israel to sin. And he never stopped doing those things. 3 Then the Lord was angry with Israel. He let King Hazael of Aram and Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad gain control of Israel.
The Lord Has Mercy on Israel
4 Then Jehoahaz begged the Lord to help them. The Lord listened to him because he had seen the terrible troubles that the king of Aram had caused the Israelites.
5 So the Lord sent a man to save Israel. The Israelites were free from the Arameans. So the Israelites went to their own homes, as they did before.
6 But the Israelites still did not stop committing the sins of the family of Jeroboam that caused Israel to sin. The Israelites continued committing the sins of Jeroboam. They also kept the Asherah poles in Samaria.
7 The king of Aram defeated Jehoahaz’s army and destroyed most of the men in the army. He left only 50 horse soldiers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers. Jehoahaz’s soldiers were like chaff blown away by the wind at the time of threshing.
8 All the great things that Jehoahaz did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 9 Jehoahaz died and was buried with his ancestors. The people buried Jehoahaz in Samaria. His son Jehoash became the new king after him.
Jehoash’s Rule Over Israel
10 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria. This was during the 37th year that Joash was king of Judah. Jehoash ruled Israel for 16 years. 11 He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin. Jehoash continued to commit those sins. 12 All the great things that Jehoash did and his wars against King Amaziah of Judah are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 13 Jehoash died and was buried with his ancestors. Jeroboam became the new king and sat on Jehoash’s throne. Jehoash was buried at Samaria with the kings of Israel.
Jehoash Visits Elisha
14 Elisha became sick, and later he died from this sickness. King Jehoash of Israel went to visit Elisha. Jehoash cried for him and said, “My father, my father! Is it time for the chariot of Israel and its horses?[ag]”
15 Elisha said to Jehoash, “Take a bow and some arrows.”
Jehoash took a bow and some arrows. 16 Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” Jehoash put his hand on the bow. Then Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands. 17 Elisha said, “Open the east window.” Jehoash opened the window. Then Elisha said, “Shoot.”
Jehoash shot. Then Elisha said, “This is 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.” Jehoash took the arrows. Then Elisha said to him, “Hit on the ground.”
Jehoash hit the ground three times. Then he stopped. 19 The man of God was angry with Jehoash. Elisha said, “You should have hit five or six times! Then you would have defeated Aram until you destroyed it! But now, you will defeat Aram only three times.”
An Amazing Thing at Elisha’s Grave
20 Elisha died, and the people buried him.
One time in the spring a group of Moabite soldiers came to fight against Israel. 21 Some Israelites were burying a dead man when they saw that group of soldiers. The Israelites quickly threw the dead man into Elisha’s grave. As soon as the dead man touched the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and stood up on his feet.
Jehoash Wins Back Cities of Israel
22 During all the days that Jehoahaz ruled, King Hazael of Aram caused trouble to Israel. 23 But the Lord was kind to the Israelites. He had mercy and showed his care for them because of his agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He did not want them to be destroyed. He has never completely left them.
24 King Hazael of Aram died, and Ben-Hadad became the new king after him. 25 Before he died, Hazael had taken some cities in war from Jehoahaz, Jehoash’s father. But now Jehoash took back these cities from Hazael’s son Ben-Hadad. Jehoash defeated Ben-Hadad three times and took back the cities of Israel.
Amaziah Begins His Rule in Judah
14 Amaziah son of King Joash of Judah became king in the second year that Jehoash son of Jehoahaz was king of Israel. 2 Amaziah was 25 years old when he began to rule. He ruled 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother was Jehoaddin from Jerusalem. 3 Amaziah did what the Lord said was right, but he did not follow God completely like David his ancestor. Amaziah did everything that Joash his father had done. 4 He did not destroy the high places. The people still sacrificed and burned incense at those places of worship.
5 At the time that Amaziah had strong control of the kingdom, he killed the officers who had killed his father. 6 But he did not kill the children of the murderers because of the rules written in the book, The Law of Moses. The Lord gave this command in there: “Parents must not be put to death for something their children did. And children must not be put to death for something their parents did. People should be put to death only for what that they themselves did.”[ah]
7 Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. In war, Amaziah took Sela and called it “Joktheel.” It is still called “Joktheel” today.
Amaziah Wants War Against Jehoash
8 Amaziah sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of King Jehu of Israel. Amaziah’s message said, “Come on, let’s meet together face to face and fight.”
9 King Jehoash of Israel sent an answer to King Amaziah of Judah. Jehoash said, “The thornbush in Lebanon sent a message to the cedar tree in Lebanon. It said, ‘Give your daughter for my son to marry.’ But a wild animal from Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thornbush. 10 True, you have defeated Edom. But you have become proud because of your victory over Edom. But stay at home and brag! Don’t make trouble for yourself. If you do this, you will fall, and Judah will fall with you!”
11 But Amaziah would not listen to Jehoash’s warning. So King Jehoash of Israel went to fight against King Amaziah of Judah at Beth Shemesh in Judah.[ai] 12 Israel defeated Judah. Every man of Judah ran home. 13 At Beth Shemesh, King Jehoash of Israel captured King Amaziah of Judah, the son of Joash, the son of Ahaziah. Jehoash took Amaziah to Jerusalem. Jehoash broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the Gate of Ephraim to the Corner Gate, about 600 feet.[aj] 14 Then Jehoash took all the gold and silver and all the dishes in the Lord’s Temple and in the treasuries of the king’s palace. Jehoash also took people to be his prisoners. Then he went back to Samaria.
15 All the great things that Jehoash did, including how he fought against King Amaziah of Judah, are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 16 Jehoash died and was buried with his ancestors. He was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jehoash’s son Jeroboam became the new king after him.
The Death of Amaziah
17 King Amaziah son of Joash of Judah lived 15 years after the death of King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz of Israel. 18 All the great things that Amaziah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah. 19 The people made a plan against Amaziah in Jerusalem, so he ran away to Lachish. But the people sent men after Amaziah to Lachish, and they killed him there. 20 The people brought Amaziah’s body back on horses. He was buried at Jerusalem with his ancestors in the City of David.
Azariah Begins His Rule Over Judah
21 Then all the people of Judah made Azariah the new king. Azariah was 16 years old. 22 So King Amaziah died and was buried with his ancestors. Then Azariah rebuilt Elath and got it back for Judah.
Jeroboam II Begins His Rule Over Israel
23 King Jeroboam son of Jehoash of Israel began to rule in Samaria during the 15th year that Amaziah son of Joash was king of Judah. Jeroboam ruled 41 years. 24 Jeroboam did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin. 25 Jeroboam took back Israel’s land, which ran from the Lebo Hamath to the Arabah Sea.[ak] This happened as the Lord of Israel had told his servant Jonah son of Amittai, the prophet from Gath Hepher. 26 The Lord saw that all the Israelites, both slaves and free men, had many troubles. No one was left who could help Israel. 27 The Lord did not say that he would take away the name of Israel from the world. So he used Jeroboam son of Jehoash to save the Israelites.
28 All the great things that Jeroboam did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. This includes the story about Jeroboam winning back Damascus and Hamath for Israel. (These cities had belonged to Judah.) 29 Jeroboam died and was buried with his ancestors, the kings of Israel. Jeroboam’s son Zechariah became the new king after him.
Azariah’s Rule Over Judah
15 King Azariah son of Amaziah of Judah became king in the 27th year that Jeroboam was king of Israel. 2 Azariah was 16 years old when he began to rule. He ruled 52 years in Jerusalem. His mother was named Jecoliah of Jerusalem. 3 Azariah did what the Lord said was right, just as his father Amaziah had done. 4 But he did not destroy the high places. People still made sacrifices and burned incense in these places of worship.
5 The Lord caused King Azariah to become sick with leprosy. He was a leper until the day he died. Azariah lived in a separate house. His son Jotham was in charge of the king’s palace, and he judged the people.
6 All the great things that Azariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah. 7 Azariah died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Azariah’s son Jotham became the new king after him.
Zechariah’s Short Rule Over Israel
8 Zechariah son of Jeroboam ruled over Samaria in Israel for six months. This was during the 38th year that Azariah was king of Judah. 9 Zechariah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did the same things his ancestors did. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.
10 Shallum son of Jabesh made plans against Zechariah. Shallum killed Zechariah in Ibleam.[al] Shallum became the new king. 11 All the other things that Zechariah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 12 In this way the Lord’s word came true. He had told Jehu that four generations of his descendants would be kings of Israel.
Shallum’s Short Rule Over Israel
13 Shallum son of Jabesh became king of Israel during the 39th year that Uzziah was king of Judah. Shallum ruled for one month in Samaria.
14 Menahem son of Gadi came up from Tirzah to Samaria and killed Shallum son of Jabesh. Then Menahem became the new king after him.
15 All the things Shallum did, including his plans against Zechariah, are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.
Menahem’s Rule Over Israel
16 Menahem defeated Tiphsah and the area around it. The people refused to open the city gate for him. So Menahem defeated them and ripped open all the pregnant women in that city.
17 Menahem son of Gadi became king over Israel during the 39th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Menahem ruled ten years in Samaria. 18 Menahem did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat who caused Israel to sin.
19 King Pul of Assyria came to fight against Israel. Menahem gave Pul 75,000 pounds[am] of silver so that Pul would support him and help him gain complete control of the kingdom. 20 Menahem raised the money by making all the rich and powerful men pay taxes. He taxed each man 20 ounces[an] of silver and gave the money to the king of Assyria. So the king of Assyria left and did not stay there in Israel.
21 All the great things that Menahem did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel. 22 Menahem died and was buried with his ancestors. His son Pekahiah became the new king after him.
Pekahiah’s Rule Over Israel
23 Pekahiah son of Menahem became king over Israel in Samaria during the 50th year that Azariah was king of Judah. Pekahiah ruled two years. 24 He did what the Lord said was wrong. He did not stop committing the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat that caused Israel to sin.
25 The commander of Pekahiah’s army was Pekah son of Remaliah. Pekah killed Pekahiah in Samaria at the king’s palace. Pekah had 50 men from Gilead with him when he killed Pekahiah. Then Pekah became the new king after him.
26 All the great things Pekahiah did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Israel.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International