¶ In the three and twentieth year¹ of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz² the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed³ the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered⁴ them into the hand of Hazael⁵ king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad⁶ the son of Hazael, all their days⁷.

And Jehoahaz⁸ besought the LORD⁹, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw¹⁰ the oppression of Israel, because the king¹¹ of Syria oppressed them.

(And the LORD gave Israel a saviour¹², so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime¹³.

Nevertheless they departed¹⁴ not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked¹⁵ therein: and there remained¹⁶ the grove also in Samaria.)

Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen¹⁷, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king¹⁸ of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust¹⁹ by threshing.

Now the rest²⁰ of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him²² in Samaria: and Joash²³ his son reigned in his stead.

¶ In the thirty²⁵ and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began Jehoash²⁶ the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned sixteen years.

And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed²⁷ not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein.

And the rest²⁸ of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might²⁹ wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

And Joash slept³⁰ with his fathers; and Jeroboam³¹ sat upon his throne: and Joash was buried³² in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Now Elisha was fallen sick³³ of his sickness whereof he died³⁴. And Joash the king of Israel came down unto him, and wept over his face, and said, O my father³⁵, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof.

And Elisha said unto him, Take bow and arrows. And he took unto him bow and arrows.

And he said to the king of Israel, Put thine hand³⁶ upon the bow. And he put his hand upon it: and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands.

And he said, Open³⁷ the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow³⁸ of the LORD'S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria: for thou shalt smite the Syrians in Aphek³⁹, till thou have consumed them.

And he said, Take the arrows. And he took them. And he said unto the king of Israel, Smite⁴⁰ upon the ground. And he smote thrice⁴¹, and stayed.

And the man of God⁴² was wroth⁴³ with him, and said, Thou shouldest have smitten five or six times; then hadst thou smitten Syria till thou hadst consumed it: whereas now thou shalt⁴⁴ smite Syria but thrice.

¶ And Elisha died, and they buried him.⁴⁵ And the bands⁴⁶ of the Moabites⁴⁷ invaded the land at the coming in of the year.

And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha: and when the man was let down⁴⁸, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet.

But Hazael⁴⁹ king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.

And the LORD⁵⁰ was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect⁵¹ unto them, because of his covenant⁵² with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he⁵³ them from his presence⁵⁴ as yet.

So Hazael⁵⁵ king of Syria died; and Benhadad his son reigned in his stead.

And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again⁵⁶ out of the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael the cities, which he had taken out of the hand of Jehoahaz his father by war. Three times did Joash beat him, and recovered the cities of Israel.