1In 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.
2He did what was evil in the LORD's sight by following the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit, and he did not turn away from them.
3So the LORD's anger burned against Israel, and for a long time he kept them under the power of Hazael king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad.
4Then Jehoahaz sought the LORD's favor, and the LORD listened to him, for he saw how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel.
5The LORD provided a deliverer for Israel, and they escaped from the power of Aram. So the Israelites lived in their own homes as they had before.
6But they did not turn away from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit; they continued in them. The Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria.
7Nothing had been left 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 at threshing time.
8The rest of the events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did, and his military achievements, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
9Jehoahaz died and was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash became king after him.
10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years.
11He did what was evil in the LORD's sight 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.
12The rest of the events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did, and his military achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel.
13Jehoash died and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14When Elisha was suffering from the illness from which he would die, King Jehoash of Israel went down to him and wept over him. 'My father! My father!' he cried. 'The chariots and horsemen of Israel!'
15Elisha said, 'Get a bow and some arrows.' And the king got a bow and arrows.
16Put your hand on the bow,' Elisha said. When he had done so, Elisha put his hands on the king's hands.
17Open the east window,' Elisha said, and the king opened it. 'Shoot!' Elisha ordered, 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.'
18Then Elisha said, 'Take the arrows,' and the king did so. 'Strike the ground,' Elisha said. He struck it three times and stopped.
19The 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.'
20Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring.
21Once 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 and stood up on his feet.
22Hazael king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz.
23But the LORD was gracious to them and had compassion and showed concern for them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To this day he has been unwilling to destroy them or banish them from his presence.
24Hazael king of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad succeeded him as king.
25Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the towns he had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated him three times and so recovered the Israelite towns.