Joash Rules Judah

12 In the seventh year of Jehu, Joash became king. He ruled for forty years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Zibiah of Beersheba. ² Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord all his days, because Jehoiada the religious leader taught him. ³ But the high places were not taken away. The people still gave gifts and burned special perfume on the high places.

⁴ Then Joash said to the religious leaders, “All the money of the holy things brought into the house of the Lord, money for which each man is taxed, and money that is brought in because a man wants in his heart to bring it into the house of the Lord, ⁵ the religious leaders may take this money. Each leader should take it from those whom he knows. And they should use it to build the house again in the places where it has been broken and destroyed.

⁶ But by the twenty-third year of King Joash, the religious leaders had not put together the broken places of the house. ⁷ So King Joash called for Jehoiada the religious leader and the other religious leaders. He said to them, “Why do you not put together the broken places of the house? Do not take any more money from those you know, but give it for the work that is needed on the house.” ⁸ So the religious leaders agreed that they should take no more money from the people. And they agreed that they should not do the work that was needed on the house.

⁹ Then Jehoiada the religious leader took a box and cut a hole in its cover. He put it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the Lord. And the religious leaders who watched the door put all the money into it that was brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁰ When they saw that there was much money in the box, the king’s writer and the head religious leader came up to the house of the Lord. They found out how much money was there, and tied it up in bags. ¹¹ After weighing it, they gave the money to those who watched over the work that was being done on the house of the Lord. Then these men paid the wood-workers and the builders who worked on the house of the Lord. ¹² They paid the stonecutters and those who laid the stones in place. And they bought the cut wood and stone and all that was needed for the work on the house of the Lord. ¹³ But there were no silver cups, objects to put out the lights, pots, horns, or dishes of gold or silver made for the house of the Lord. None of these were made from the money brought into the house of the Lord. ¹⁴ For they gave that to those who did the work. It was used to put together the broken places of the house of the Lord. ¹⁵ And they did not ask the men who paid those who did the work how the money was spent. For they were men of honor. ¹⁶ The money from the guilt gifts and sin gifts was not brought into the house of the Lord. It was for the religious leaders.

¹⁷ At that time King Hazael of Syria went up and fought against Gath, and took it. Then he turned to go up to Jerusalem. ¹⁸ But Joash king of Judah took all the holy things that had been set apart by his fathers, Jehoshaphat, Jehoram and Ahaziah, kings of Judah. He took his own holy things, and all the gold that was found in the storehouses of the house of the Lord and the king’s house. And he sent it to Hazael king of Syria. Then Hazael went away from Jerusalem.

¹⁹ The rest of the acts of Joash and all he did are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah. ²⁰ His servants made plans against Joash, and killed him at the house of Millo on the way down to Silla. ²¹ He was killed by Jozacar the son of Shimeath, and Jehozabad the son of Shomer, his servants. They buried him in the city of David. His son Amaziah became king in his place.

Jehoahaz Rules Israel

13 In the twenty-third year of Ahaziah’s son Joash the king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became the king of Israel at Samaria. He ruled for seventeen years. ² Jehoahaz did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin. He did not turn from them. ³ So the anger of the Lord burned against Israel. He put them always under the power of King Hazael of Syria, and Ben-hadad the son of Hazael. ⁴ Then Jehoahaz begged for the Lord’s favor, and the Lord listened to him. For He saw the bad power held over Israel. He saw how the king of Syria made it hard for them. ⁵ So the Lord gave Israel someone to save them. And they were saved from the power of the Syrians. The people of Israel lived in their tents as before. ⁶ But they did not turn away from the sins of the family of Jeroboam, which made Israel sin. They walked in those sins. And the object of the false goddess Asherah was left standing in Samaria. ⁷ The king of Syria did not leave to Jehoahaz an army of more than fifty horsemen, ten war-wagons and 10,000 foot-soldiers. For the king of Syria had destroyed them and made them like the dust of beaten grain. ⁸ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, all he did and his strength, are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ⁹ When Jehoahaz died, they buried him in Samaria. And his son Joash became king in his place.

Jehoash Rules Israel

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz became king of Israel in Samaria. He ruled for sixteen years. ¹¹ And he did what was sinful in the eyes of the Lord. He did not turn away from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, in which he made Israel sin. But he walked in those sins. ¹² Jehoash did many things. With his strength he fought against Amaziah king of Judah. The rest of his acts are written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel. ¹³ Jehoash died, and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

The Death of Elisha

¹⁴ Elisha became sick with the sickness of which he was to die. And Joash the king of Israel came down to him and cried over him, saying, “My father, my father, the war-wagons of Israel and its horsemen!” ¹⁵ Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he took a bow and arrows. ¹⁶ Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it. Then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands. ¹⁷ And he said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. Elisha said, “The Lord’s arrow of winning the battle! The arrow of winning the battle against Syria! For you will fight the Syrians at Aphek until you have destroyed them. ¹⁸ Then Elisha said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. He said to the king of Israel, “Hit the ground,” and he hit it three times, and stopped. ¹⁹ So the man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have hit it five or six times. Then you would have fought Syria until you had destroyed it. But now you will win the fight against Syria only three times.”

²⁰ Elisha died, and they buried him. Now groups of Moabite soldiers would come and fight in the land in the spring of the year. ²¹ As a man was being buried, some Moabite soldiers were seen, so the man was thrown into Elisha’s grave. When the man touched the bones of Elisha, he came alive and stood up on his feet.

The War between Israel and Syria

²² Now King Hazael of Syria had made it hard for Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. ²³ But the Lord showed them kindness and loving-pity and turned to them because of His agreement with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. He would not destroy them or put them away from Him until now. ²⁴ When King Hazael of Syria died, his son Ben-hadad became king in his place. ²⁵ Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took back from Hazael’s son Ben-hadad the cities he had taken in war from his father Jehoahaz. Three times Joash won in battle against him and took back the cities of Israel.