1 Jehoahaz, the son of Jehu, became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for seventeen years. It was the twenty-third year of Joash, son of Ahaziah, king of Judah.
2 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, copying the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which he did and made Israel do. He did not keep himself from them.
3 The wrath of Jehovah burned against Israel! He gave them up into the power of Hazael, king of Aram, and into the power of Benhadad, the son of Hazael, again and again.
4 Then Jehoahaz prayed to Jehovah. Jehovah listened to him. He saw how cruelly the king of Aram crushed Israel.
5 Jehovah gave Israel a savior, so that they became free from the hands of the Aramaeans. The children of Israel were living in their tents as in the past.
6 Still they did not give up the sin of Jeroboam. This he made Israel do and they continued. There was an image of Asherah in Samaria.
7 Out of all his army, Jehoahaz had only fifty horsemen and ten carriages and ten thousand footmen. The king of Aram had given them up to destruction, crushing them like dust.
8 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all he did, and his great power are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
9 Jehoahaz went to rest with his fathers. He was buried at Samaria. Joash his son became king.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of the rule of Jehoash king of Judah, Joash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria. He ruled for sixteen years.
11 He did evil in the eyes of Jehovah, not turning away from the sin of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which he did and made Israel do. He continued sinning.
12 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash, and all he did, and the force with which he went to war against Amaziah, king of Judah, are recorded in the Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.
13 Joash went to rest with his fathers. They buried Jehoash in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Jeroboam took his place as king.
14 Elisha became ill with the disease that caused his death. Jehoash, king of Israel, came down to him, and weeping over him said: »My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!«
15 Elisha said to him: »Take bow and arrows« So he took bow and arrows.
16 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 Then he said: »Let the window be open to the east.« So he got it open. Then Elisha said: »Let the arrow go!« So he let it go. He said: »Jehovahs arrow of salvation, of salvation over Aram for you will overcome the Aramaeans in Aphek and put an end to them.«
18 He said: »Take the arrows!« So he took them. He said to the king of Israel: »Send them down into the earth.« He did so three times and no more.
19 Then the man of God was angry with him and said: »If you had done it five or six times, then you would have overcome Aram completely. Now you will only overcome them three times.
20 Elisha died and they buried him. Now in the spring of the year, armed bands of Moabites frequently came, overrunning the land.
21 While they were burying a dead man they saw a band coming. They put the man quickly into the place where Elisha's body was. The dead mans body touched Elisha's bones. The man came to life again and got up on his feet.
22 Israel was crushed under the power of Hazael, king of Aram, all the days of Jehoahaz.
23 But Jehovah was kind to them and had pity on them, caring for them, because of his agreement with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He would not put them to destruction or send them away from his presence until now.
24 Then Hazael king of Aram died. Benhadad his son became king in his place.
25 Jehoash son of Jehoahaz captured again from Benhadad, the son of Hazael, the towns he had taken from Jehoahaz, his father, in war. Three times Jehoash defeated him and recovered the towns of Israel.