2 Kings 8-10 - LSB - Legacy Standard Bible

2 Kings 8-10

Jehoram Restores the Shunammite’s Land

Now ^aElisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go ¹with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for ^bYahweh has called for a famine, and ^cit will even come on the land for seven years.” 2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 Now it happened at the end of seven years, that the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went out to cry out to the king for her house and for her field. 4 Now the king was speaking with ^aGehazi, the young man of the man of God, saying, “Please recount to me all the great things that Elisha has done.” 5 Now it happened as he was recounting to the king ^ahow he had restored to life the one who was dead, that behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life was crying out to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 Then the king asked the woman, and she recounted it to him. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now.”

Elisha Weeps over Hazael’s Evil

7 Then Elisha came to ^aDamascus. Now ^bBen-hadad king of Aram was sick, and it was told to him, saying, “^cThe man of God has come here.” 8 And the king said to ^aHazael, “^bTake a present in your hand and go to meet the man of God, and ^cinquire of Yahweh by him, saying, ‘Will I be restored to life from this sickness?’” 9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a present in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “^aYour son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I be restored to life from this sickness?’” 10 Then Elisha said to him, “^aGo, say to him, ‘You will surely be restored to life,’ but ^bYahweh has shown me that he will certainly die.” 11 And he ¹fixed his gaze steadily on him ^auntil he was ashamed, and ^bthe man of God wept. 12 Then Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he said, “Because ^aI know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their fortifications you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their infants you ^bwill dash in pieces, and their pregnant women you will rip up.” 13 Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, ^awho is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” And Elisha ¹answered, “^bYahweh has shown me that you will be king over Aram.” 14 So he went from Elisha and came to his master. And he said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he said, “He said to me that ^ayou would surely be restored to life.” 15 Now it happened that on the following day, he took the cover and dipped it in water and spread it on his face; ^aso he died. And Hazael became king in his place.

Jehoram Reigns over Judah

16 Now in the fifth year of ^aJoram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then the king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king. 17 He was ^athirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. 18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had done, for ^athe daughter of Ahab became his wife; and he did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh. 19 However, Yahweh was not willing to make Judah a ruin, for the sake of David His servant, ^asince He had ¹promised him to give a ²lamp to him through his sons always.
20 In his days ^aEdom revolted from under the hand of Judah and made a king over themselves. 21 Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him. And he arose by night and struck the Edomites who were surrounding him and the commanders of the chariots; ^abut ¹his army fled to their tents. 22 ^aSo Edom revolted ¹against Judah to this day. Then ^bLibnah revolted at the same time. 23 Now the rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah?

Ahaziah Reigns over Judah

24 So Joram slept with his fathers and ^awas buried with his fathers in the city of David; and ^bAhaziah his son became king in his place.
25 ^aIn the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah became king. 26 ^aAhaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Athaliah the granddaughter of Omri king of Israel. 27 ^aHe also walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the sight of Yahweh, like the house of Ahab had done, because he was a son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
28 Then he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war with ^aHazael king of Aram at ^bRamoth-gilead, and the Arameans struck Joram. 29 So ^aKing Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had caused by striking him at ^bRamah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Then ^cAhaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.

Jehu Anointed King over Israel

Now Elisha the prophet called one of ^athe sons of the prophets and said to him, “^bGird up your loins, and ^ctake this flask of oil in your hand and go to ^dRamoth-gilead. 2 And you will come there and look there for ^aJehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi. And you will come in and ¹^bbid him arise from among his brothers. And you will cause him to come in to an inner room. 3 Then you will take the flask of oil and pour it on his head and say, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “^aI have anointed you king over Israel.”’ Then open the door and flee and do not wait.”
4 So ^athe young man—the young man of the prophet—went to Ramoth-gilead. 5 Then he came, and behold, the commanders of the military were sitting, and he said, “I have a word for you, O commander.” And Jehu said, “¹For which one of us?” And he said, “For you, O commander.” 6 And he arose and came into the house, and he poured the oil on his head and said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘^aI have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over Israel. 7 And you shall strike the house of Ahab your master, ^athat I may avenge ^bthe blood of My slaves the prophets, and the blood of all the slaves of Yahweh, ^cat the hand of Jezebel. 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish, and ^aI will cut off from Ahab ^bevery ¹male person ^cboth bond and free in Israel. 9 ^aAnd I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and ^blike the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. 10 ^aAnd the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the ¹property of Jezreel, and none shall bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.
11 Now Jehu came out to the servants of his master, and one said to him, “^aIs all well? Why did this ^bmad fellow come to you?” And he said to them, “You know the man and his talk.” 12 And they said, “It is a lie, declare it to us now.” And he said, “Thus and thus he said to me, ‘Thus says Yahweh, “I have anointed you king over Israel.”’” 13 Then ^athey hurried and each man took his garment and placed it under him on the bare steps, and ^bblew the trumpet, saying, “Jehu is king!”

Jehu Deceives Joram

14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. ^aNow Joram ¹with all Israel was ²guarding Ramoth-gilead against Hazael king of Aram, 15 but ^aKing ¹Joram had returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Arameans had struck him with when he fought with Hazael king of Aram. So Jehu said, “If this is your mind, then let no one escape or ²leave the city to go declare it in Jezreel.” 16 Then Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel, for Joram was lying there. ^aAhaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram.
17 Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he saw the ¹company of Jehu as he came, and said, “I see a ¹company.” And Joram said, “Take a horseman and send him to meet them and let him say, ‘Is it peace?’” 18 So a horseman went to meet him and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu said, “^aWhat have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” And the watchman declared saying, “The messenger came to them, but he did not return.” 19 Then he sent out a second horseman. And he came to them and said, “Thus says the king, ‘Is it peace?’” And Jehu ¹answered, “What have you to do with peace? Turn behind me.” 20 And the watchman declared saying, “He came up to them, but he did not return; and ^athe driving is like the driving of ^bJehu the son of Nimshi, for he drives in madness.”
21 Then ¹Joram said, “²Get ready.” And they made his chariot ready. ¹^aJoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the ³^bproperty of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 Now it happened that when ¹Joram saw Jehu, he said, “Is it peace, Jehu?” And he ²answered, “What peace, ^aso long as the harlotries of your mother Jezebel and her sorceries are so many?” 23 So ¹Joram ²turned about and fled and said to Ahaziah, “^aThere is deception, O Ahaziah!” 24 And ^aJehu ¹drew his bow with his full strength and struck ²Joram between his arms; and the arrow went ³through his heart and he crouched down in his chariot. 25 Then Jehu said to Bidkar his officer, “Lift him up and ^acast him into the ¹property of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite, for I remember when ²you and I were riding together after Ahab his father, that ^bYahweh lifted up this ^coracle against him: 26 ‘Surely ^aI have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says Yahweh, ‘and ^bI will repay you in this ¹property,’ says Yahweh. So now, lift him up and cast him into the ¹property, according to the word of Yahweh.”

Jehu Strikes Down Ahaziah

27 ^aAnd Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this and fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu pursued him and said, “Strike him down too, in the chariot.” So they struck him down at the ascent of Gur, which is at ^bIbleam. But he fled to Megiddo and died there. 28 ^aThen his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his grave with his fathers in the city of David.
29 Now in ^athe eleventh year of Joram, the son of Ahab, Ahaziah became king over Judah.

Jezebel Is Eaten by Dogs

30 Then Jehu came to Jezreel, and Jezebel heard of it and ^ashe painted her eyes and adorned her head and looked out the window. 31 As Jehu entered the gate, she said, “^aIs it ¹peace, Zimri, ²your master’s killer?” 32 Then he lifted up his face to the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him. 33 And he said, “Throw her down.” So they threw her down, and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses, and he trampled her under foot. 34 Then he came in and ate and drank. And he said, “Take care now of ^athis cursed woman and bury her, for ^bshe is a king’s daughter.” 35 They went to bury her, but they found nothing more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands. 36 Therefore they returned and declared it to him. And he said, “This is the word of Yahweh, which He spoke by His servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, ‘^aIn the ¹property of Jezreel the dogs shall eat the flesh of Jezebel; 37 and ^athe corpse of Jezebel will be as dung on the face of the field in the ¹property of Jezreel, so they cannot say, “This is Jezebel.”’”

The Heads of Ahab’s Sons Sent to Jehu

Now Ahab had seventy sons in ^aSamaria. And Jehu wrote letters and sent them to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, the elders, and to the guardians of the children of Ahab, saying, 2 “So now, ^awhen this letter comes to you, ¹since your master’s sons are with you, ²as well as the chariots and horses and a fortified city and the weapons, 3 look for the best and ¹fittest of your master’s sons, and set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house.” 4 But they feared exceedingly greatly and said, “Behold, ^athe two kings did not stand before him; how then can we stand?” 5 And the one who was over the household, and he who was over the city, the elders, and the guardians of the children, sent word to Jehu, saying, “^aWe are your servants, all that you say to us we will do, we will not make any man king; do what is good in your sight.” 6 Then he wrote a letter to them a second time saying, “If you are on my side, and you will listen to my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me about this time tomorrow at Jezreel.” Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. 7 Now it happened that when the letter came to them, they took the king’s sons and ^aslaughtered them, seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and sent them to him at Jezreel. 8 Then the messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” So he said, “Put them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” 9 Now it happened in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people, “You are righteous; behold, ^aI conspired against my master and killed him, but ^bwho struck down all these? 10 Know then that ^anothing from the word of Yahweh, which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab, shall fall to the earth. Indeed, Yahweh has done ^bwhat He spoke by the hand of His servant Elijah.” 11 So Jehu struck down all who remained of the house of Ahab in ^aJezreel, and all his great men and his acquaintances and his priests, until ¹there was no survivor remaining for him.
12 Then he arose and came out and went to Samaria. On the way, while he was at ¹Beth-eked of the shepherds, 13 ^aJehu found the ¹relatives of Ahaziah king of Judah and said, “Who are you?” And they said, “We are the ¹relatives of Ahaziah; and we have come down ²to greet the sons of the king and the sons of the queen mother.” 14 Then he said, “Take them alive.” So they took them alive and slaughtered them at the pit of Beth-eked, forty-two men; and he left none of them.
15 Then he went from there and found ^aJehonadab the son of ^bRechab coming to meet him; and he ¹blessed him and said to him, “Is your heart right, as my heart is with your heart?” And Jehonadab ²answered, “It is.” Jehu said, “If it is, ^cgive me your hand.” And he gave him his hand, and he took him up to him into the chariot. 16 Then he said, “Come with me and ^asee my zeal for Yahweh.” So ¹he made him ride in his chariot. 17 And he came to Samaria ^aand struck down all who were left to Ahab in Samaria, until he had destroyed him, ^baccording to the word of Yahweh which He spoke to Elijah.

Jehu Destroys the Slaves of Baal

18 Then Jehu gathered all the people and said to them, “^aAhab served Baal a little; Jehu will serve him much. 19 So now, ^asummon to me all the prophets of Baal, all his slaves and all his priests; let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal; whoever is missing shall not live.” But Jehu did it in ¹cunning, so that he might cause the slaves of Baal to perish. 20 And Jehu said, “^aSanctify a solemn assembly for Baal.” And ^bthey summoned them. 21 Then Jehu sent ¹throughout Israel, and all the slaves of Baal came, so that there was not a man left who did not come. So they came into ^athe house of Baal, and the house of Baal was filled from one end to the other. 22 Then he said to the one who was ¹in charge of the wardrobe, “Bring out garments for all the slaves of Baal.” So he brought out garments for them. 23 And Jehu came into the house of Baal with Jehonadab the son of Rechab; and he said to the slaves of Baal, “Search and see lest there be here with you any of the slaves of Yahweh, but only the slaves of Baal.” 24 Then they came in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings.
Now Jehu had placed for himself eighty men outside, and he had said, “^aThe one who permits any of the men whom I cause to come into your hands to escape, ¹shall give up his life in exchange.”
25 Now it happened that as soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, Jehu said to the ¹^aguard and to the royal officers, “^bCome in, strike them down; let none come out.” And they struck them down with the edge of the sword; and the ¹guard and the royal officers threw them out and went to the ²inner room of the house of Baal. 26 And they brought out the sacred ^apillars of the house of Baal and burned them. 27 They also broke down the sacred pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal and ^amade it a latrine to this day.
28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel. 29 However, ^aas for the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which he made Israel sin, from these Jehu did not depart, even the ^bgolden calves that were at Bethel and that were at Dan. 30 And Yahweh said to Jehu, “Because you have done well in doing what is right in My eyes, and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in My heart, ^ayour sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel.” 31 But Jehu ¹^awas not careful to walk in the law of Yahweh, the God of Israel, with all his heart; ^bhe did not depart from the sins of Jeroboam, which he made Israel sin.
32 In those days ^aYahweh began to cut off portions ¹from Israel; and ^bHazael struck them throughout the territory of Israel: 33 from the Jordan to the east toward the sunrise, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites and the Reubenites and the Manassites, from ^aAroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even ^bGilead and Bashan.

Jehoahaz Reigns over Israel

34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did and all his might, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? 35 And Jehu slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son became king in his place. 36 Now the ¹time which Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty-eight years.