2 Kings 7-9

Complete Jewish Bible

7 Elisha answered, “Listen to the word of Adonai. Here is what Adonai says: ‘Tomorrow, by this time, six quarts of fine flour will sell for only a shekel, and half a bushel of barley for a shekel [in the market] at the gate to Shomron.” ² The servant on whose arm the king was leaning answered the man of God: “Why, this couldn’t happen even if Adonai made windows in heaven!” Elisha answered, “All right, you yourself will see it with your own eyes; but you won’t eat any of it!”

³ Now there were four men with tzara‘at at the entrance to the city gate, and they said to each other, “Why should we sit here till we die? ⁴ If we say, ‘We’ll enter the city, then the city has been struck by the famine, so we’ll die there. And if we sit still here, we’ll also die. So let’s go and surrender to the army of Aram; if they spare our lives, we will live; and if they kill us, we’ll only die.” ⁵ They got up during the twilight to go to the camp of Aram. But when they reached the outskirts of the camp of Aram, they saw no one! ⁶ For Adonai had caused the army of Aram to hear the sound of chariots and horses; it sounded like a huge army; and they said to each other, “The king of Isra’el must have hired the kings of the Hitti and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us.” ⁷ So they jumped up and fled in the twilight, leaving their tents, horses, donkeys and the whole camp just as it was, and ran for their lives. ⁸ When these men with tzara‘at reached the outskirts of the camp, they entered one of the tents, ate and drank; then took some silver, gold and clothing; and went and hid it. Next they returned and entered another tent, took stuff from there, and went and hid it. ⁹ But finally they said to each other, “What we are doing is wrong. At a time of good news like this, we shouldn’t keep it to ourselves. If we wait even till morning, we will earn only punishment; so come on, let’s go and tell the king’s household.” ¹⁰ So they came and shouted to the gatekeepers of the city and told them the news: “We went to the camp of Aram, and no one was there, no human voice — just the horses and donkeys tied up, and the tents left in place.” ¹¹ The gatekeepers called and told it to the king’s household inside. ¹² Then the king got up in the night; he said to his servants, “I’ll tell you what Aram has done to us. They know that we’re hungry, so they’ve gone outside the camp and hidden in the countryside, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we’ll take them alive and then get inside the city.’” ¹³ One of his servants answered, “I suggest letting some men take five of the remaining horses that are left in the city — they’re like everything else in Isra’el that remains, like everything else in Isra’el, practically finished — and we’ll send and see.” ¹⁴ So they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent after the army of Aram, saying, “Go, and see.” ¹⁵ They went after them all the way to the Yarden, and found the entire distance strewn with clothing and other articles Aram had thrown away in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king. ¹⁶ Then the people went out and ransacked the camp of Aram — with the result that six quarts of fine flour was sold for only a shekel and half a bushel of barley for a shekel, in keeping with what Adonai had said.

¹⁷ The king put the servant on whose arm he had leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him down in the gateway, so that he died, as the man of God had said he would, who spoke when the king came to him. ¹⁸ For the man of God had said to the king, “Tomorrow by this time six quarts of barley will sell for only a shekel and half a bushel of fine flour for a shekel [in the market] at the gate of Shomron”; ¹⁹ the servant had answered the man of God, “Why, this couldn’t happen even if Adonai made windows in heaven!” and Elisha had said, “All right, you yourself will see it with your own eyes; but you won’t eat any of it!” ²⁰ That is exactly what happened to him, because the people trampled him down in the gateway, so that he died.

8 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Move away, you and your household, and stay wherever you can; because Adonai has called for a famine; and it will be on the land for seven years.” ² The woman acted at once and did as the man of God had said — she went with her household and stayed in the land of the P’lishtim for seven years. ³ At the end of seven years the woman returned from the land of the P’lishtim and sought an audience with the king to claim her house and land. ⁴ The king was talking with Geichazi the servant of the man of God. “Tell me,” he said, “all the great things Elisha has done.” ⁵ Just as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead person to life, at that very moment the woman whose son he had restored to life came to the king with her claim for her house and land. Geichazi said, “My lord, king, this is the woman; and this is her son, the one Elisha restored to life.” ⁶ On being asked by the king, the woman verified it. At this, the king appointed a special officer and charged him, “Restore everything that belongs to her, including the income her fields have produced from the day she left them until now.”

⁷ Elisha went to Dammesek. Ben-Hadad the king of Aram was ill; and he was told, “The man of God has come here.” ⁸ The king said to Haza’el, “Take with you a gift, go meet the man of God and consult Adonai through him; ask if I will recover from this illness.” ⁹ Haza’el went to meet him, taking with him a gift that included everything good Dammesek had, forty camel-loads. He came, stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to you; he asks, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’” ¹⁰ Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will surely recover’ — even though Adonai has shown me that he will surely die.” ¹¹ Then the man of God fixed his gaze on him for so long that Haza’el became embarrassed; finally Elisha began to cry. ¹² Haza’el asked, “Why is my lord crying?” He answered, “Because I know the disasters you will bring on the people of Isra’el — you will set their fortresses on fire, you will kill their young men with the sword, you will dash their little ones to pieces and rip their pregnant women apart.” ¹³ Haza’el said, “But what is your servant? Nothing but a dog! How could he do anything of such magnitude?” Elisha answered, “Adonai has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”

¹⁴ Then he left Elisha and returned to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?” “He told me you would surely recover.” ¹⁵ The next day he took a blanket, dipped it in water and spread it on his face, so that he died; and Haza’el took his place as king.

¹⁶ It was when Yoram the son of Ach’av king of Isra’el was in the fifth year of his reign that Y’horam the son of Y’hoshafat began his rule over Y’hudah. ¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled eight years in Yerushalayim. ¹⁸ He lived after the example of the kings of Isra’el, as did the house of Ach’av; because he had married Ach’av’s daughter; he did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective. ¹⁹ However, Adonai was unwilling to destroy Y’hudah, because of his servant David; inasmuch as he had promised to give him and his children a lamp that would burn forever.

²⁰ During his time Edom revolted against Y’hudah and set up its own king. ²¹ In response, Yoram crossed to Tza‘ir with all his chariots. At night he and his chariot commanders set out and attacked Edom who had surrounded him; then the people fled to their tents. ²² Nevertheless, since that day Edom has remained free of Y’hudah’s domination. Livnah revolted at the same time. ²³ Other activities of Yoram and all his accomplishments are recorded in the Annals of the Kings of Y’hudah. ²⁴ Yoram slept with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David, and Achazyah his son took his place as king.

²⁵ It was in the twelfth year of Yoram the son of Ach’av king of Isra’el that Achazyah the son of Y’horam king of Y’hudah began his reign. ²⁶ Achazyah was twenty-two years old when he began to rule, and he ruled for one year in Yerushalayim. His mother’s name was ‘Atalyahu the daughter of ‘Omri king of Isra’el. ²⁷ He lived after the example of the house of Ach’av; he did what was evil from Adonai’s perspective, as had the house of Ach’av; for he was a son-in-law in the house of Ach’av.

²⁸ With Yoram the son of Ach’av he went to war against Haza’el king of Aram at Ramot-Gil‘ad, and the Aramim wounded Yoram. ²⁹ King Yoram returned to Yizre‘el to be healed of the wounds which the Aramim had inflicted on him at Ramah while fighting Haza’el king of Aram. Achazyah the son of Y’horam, king of Y’hudah, went down to visit Yoram the son of Ach’av in Yizre‘el, because he was not feeling well.

9 Elisha the prophet summoned one of the guild prophets and said to him, “Prepare for traveling, take this flask of oil in your hand and go to Ramot-Gil‘ad. ² When you get there, look for Yehu the son of Y’hoshafat, the son of Nimshi. Enter, have him step away from his companions, and take him to an inside room. ³ Then take the flask of oil, pour it on his head, and say, ‘This is what Adonai says: “I have anointed you king over Isra’el.”’ After that, open the door; and get away from there as fast as you can.”

⁴ So the young prophet left for Ramot-Gil‘ad. ⁵ When he arrived, he found the senior army officers sitting there. He said, “I have a message for you, commander.” Yehu asked, “For which one of us?” “For you, commander,” he said. ⁶ Yehu got up and went into the house. Then the prophet poured the oil on his head and said to him, “This is what Adonai the God of Isra’el says: ‘I have anointed you king over the people of Adonai, over Isra’el. ⁷ You will attack the house of Ach’av your master, so that I can avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and of all the servants of Adonai, blood shed by Izevel. ⁸ The entire house of Ach’av will perish; I will cut off from Ach’av every male, whether a slave or free in Isra’el. ⁹ I will make the house of Ach’av like the house of Yarov‘am the son of N’vat and like the house of Ba‘sha the son of Achiyah. ¹⁰ Moreover, the dogs will eat Izevel in the dumping-ground of Yizre‘el, and there will be no one to bury her.’” Then he opened the door and fled.

¹¹ Yehu returned to the servants of his lord, and one of them said to him, “Is everything all right? Why did this meshugga come to you?” He answered them, “You know the kind and how they babble.” ¹² They said, “You’re being evasive. Come on, tell us the truth.” Then he said, “This is exactly what he said to me and how he said it: ‘Here is what Adonai says: “I have anointed you king over Isra’el.”’” ¹³ At this, they hurried each one to take his cloak and put it under Yehu at the top of the stairs. Then they blew the shofar and proclaimed, “Yehu is king!”

¹⁴ Yehu the son of Y’hoshafat, the son of Nimshi, formed a conspiracy against Yoram. (At the time, Yoram was guarding Ramot-Gil‘ad, he and all Isra’el, because of Haza’el king of Aram; ¹⁵ but Yoram himself had returned to Yizre‘el to recover from the wounds Aram had inflicted on him when fighting Haza’el king of Aram.) “If you agree,” said Yehu, “then don’t allow anyone to leave town and take the news to Yizre‘el.” ¹⁶ So Yehu, riding in a chariot, went to Yizre‘el, for Yoram was laid up there. Achazyah king of Y’hudah had come down to visit Yoram.

¹⁷ The lookout standing on the watchtower in Yizre‘el saw Yehu’s troops approaching and said, “I see some troops coming.” Yoram said, “Have a horseman go to meet him and ask, “Are you coming in peace?” ¹⁸ So a man on horseback went to meet him and said, “The king asks if you are coming in peace.” Yehu answered, “Peace? What business is that of yours? Turn around, and get behind me!” The watchman reported, “The messenger reached them, but he isn’t coming back.” ¹⁹ So he sent out a second man on horseback, who, on coming to him, said, “The king asks if you are coming in peace.” Yehu answered, “Peace? What business is that of yours? Turn around, and get behind me!” ²⁰ The watchman reported, “He reached them, but he isn’t coming back. Also, it looks like the driving of Yehu Nimshi’s [grand]son — he’s driving like a maniac!” ²¹ “Harness my chariot!” ordered Yoram. They got it ready. Then Yoram king of Isra’el and Achazyah king of Y’hudah, each in his chariot, went out to meet Yehu. They met him in the field of Navot the Yizre‘eli.

²² When Yoram saw Yehu he said, “Are you coming in peace, Yehu?” He answered, “Peace? With your mother Izevel continuing all her cult prostitution and witchcraft? What a question!” ²³ Yoram wheeled around and fled, shouting, “Treachery, Achazyah!” ²⁴ Yehu drew his bow with all his strength and struck Yoram between the shoulder-blades; the arrow went through his heart, and he collapsed in his chariot. ²⁵ “Pick him up,” said Yehu to Bidkar his servant, “and throw him into the field of Navot the Yizre‘eli; for remember how, when you and I were riding together after Ach’av his father, Adonai pronounced this sentence against him: ²⁶ ‘Adonai says: “Yesterday I saw the blood of Navot and the blood of his sons.” Adonai also says: “I will pay you back in this field.”’ Therefore, pick him up; and throw him into the field, in keeping with what Adonai said.”

²⁷ But when Achazyah the king of Y’hudah saw this, he fled on the road past Beit-HaGan. Yehu pursued him and ordered, “Strike him too in his chariot!” [So they struck him] at the Gur ascent, near Yivle‘am. He fled to Megiddo, but there he died. ²⁸ His servants carried him in a chariot to Yerushalayim and buried him in his tomb with his ancestors in the City of David.

²⁹ It was in the eleventh year of Yoram the son of Ach’av that Achazyah had begun his rule over Y’hudah.

³⁰ When Yehu reached Yizre‘el, and Izevel heard of it, she put on eye make-up, fixed her hair and looked out the window. ³¹ As Yehu came through the city gate, she asked, “Are you here in peace, you Zimri, you murderer of your master?” ³² Looking up at the window he said, “Who is on my side? Who?” Two or three officers looked out toward him. ³³ He said, “Throw her down!” So they threw her down. Some of her blood splashed onto the wall and the horses, and she was trampled underfoot. ³⁴ He went in, ate and drank, and then said, “Deal with this accursed woman — bury her, because she’s a king’s daughter.” ³⁵ They went to bury her but found no more of her than her skull, feet and hands. ³⁶ So they came back and told him. He said, “This is what Adonai said through his servant Eliyahu from Tishbe: ‘In the field of Yizre‘el the dogs will eat the flesh of Izevel; ³⁷ Izevel’s corpse in the field of Yizre‘el will be like dung on the ground, unrecognizable as Izevel.’”