约哈斯做以色列王
1亚哈谢的儿子犹大王约阿施执政第二十三年，耶户的儿子约哈斯在撒玛利亚登基做以色列王，执政十七年。 2约哈斯做耶和华视为恶的事，重蹈尼八的儿子耶罗波安的覆辙，使以色列人陷入罪中。他始终没有离开那些罪。 3因此，耶和华向以色列人发怒，屡次使他们败在亚兰王哈薛和他儿子便·哈达手中。 4约哈斯求耶和华开恩，耶和华看见亚兰王非常残暴地欺压以色列人，便垂听他的祷告， 5赐给以色列人一位拯救者，从亚兰人手中救了他们。他们便像从前一样安居乐业。 6但他们一如既往地犯罪，没有离开耶罗波安家使以色列人犯的那些罪，在撒玛利亚仍然保留着亚舍拉神像。 7亚兰王摧毁了约哈斯的军队，把他们像麦场的尘土一样践踏。约哈斯只剩下五十名骑兵、十辆战车和一万步兵。 8约哈斯其他的事及一切所为和功业都记在《以色列列王史》上。 9约哈斯与祖先同眠后，葬在撒玛利亚。他儿子约阿施继位。
约阿施做以色列王
10犹大王约阿施执政第三十七年，约哈斯的儿子约阿施在撒玛利亚登基做以色列王，执政十六年。 11他做耶和华视为恶的事，一如既往地犯罪，没有离开尼八的儿子耶罗波安使以色列人犯的那些罪。 12约阿施其他的事及一切所为和功业，包括他英勇对抗犹大王亚玛谢的事迹都记在《以色列列王史》上。 13约阿施与祖先同眠后，葬在撒玛利亚的以色列王陵。耶罗波安二世继位。
以利沙病逝
14以利沙患了不治之症，以色列王约阿施前去探望，伏在他身上哭喊道：“我父啊！我父啊！以色列的战车和骑兵啊！” 15以利沙对王说：“取弓箭来。”王便取来弓箭。 16以利沙要以色列王拉开弓，王照做了。以利沙双手按着王的手， 17说：“打开朝东的窗户。”王便打开窗户。以利沙说：“射箭！”王便射箭。以利沙说：“这是耶和华的得胜之箭，是战胜亚兰人的箭。你会在亚弗彻底消灭亚兰人。” 18以利沙说：“拿几枝箭来。”王便取来箭。以利沙说：“用箭击打地！”王击打了三下就停下来。 19上帝的仆人很生气，说：“你应该击打五六下，那样你就可以彻底消灭亚兰人。现在，你只能击败他们三次。” 20以利沙去世后，人们埋葬了他。
每年春天摩押人都来犯境。 21一天，一些以色列人正安葬死人，忽然看见一群摩押入侵者，便连忙把尸体抛进以利沙的坟墓里。那死人碰到以利沙的骸骨，就复活了，并站了起来。
以色列与亚兰交战
22约哈斯执政期间，亚兰王哈薛一直压迫以色列人。 23耶和华因为与亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各所立的约，就恩待以色列人，怜悯、眷顾他们，至今仍不愿灭绝他们，没有把他们从自己面前赶走。 24亚兰王哈薛死后，他儿子便·哈达继位。 25约阿施三次击败便·哈达，收回了他父亲约哈斯和哈薛交战时失去的以色列城邑。
Jehoahaz King of Israel
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 evil in the eyes of the Lord 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 Ben-Hadad his son.
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. Also, the Asherah pole13:6 That is, a wooden symbol of the goddess Asherah; here and elsewhere in 2 Kings 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.
8As for the other events of the reign of Jehoahaz, all he did and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 9Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. And Jehoash13:9 Hebrew Joash, a variant of Jehoash; also in verses 12-14 and 25 his son succeeded him as king.
Jehoash King of Israel
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 evil in the eyes of the Lord 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.
12As for the other events of the reign of Jehoash, all he did and his achievements, including his war against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel? 13Jehoash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam succeeded him on the throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.
14Now Elisha had been suffering from the illness from which he died. Jehoash king of Israel went down to see 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 he did so. 16“Take the bow in your hands,” he said to the king of Israel. When he had taken it, Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.
17“Open the east window,” he said, and he opened it. “Shoot!” Elisha said, 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 he said, “Take the arrows,” and the king took them. Elisha told him, “Strike the ground.” 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 Ben-Hadad his son 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. Three times Jehoash defeated him, and so he recovered the Israelite towns.
