The Second Book of Kings, starting at chapter 7
{7:1} Elisha said, Hear you the word of Yahweh: thus says Yahweh,
Tomorrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be [sold] for a
shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of
Samaria. {7:2} Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered
the man of God, and said, Behold, if Yahweh should make windows in
heaven, might this thing be? He said, Behold, you shall see it with
your eyes, but shall not eat of it. {7:3} Now there were four leprous
men at the entrance of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit
we here until we die? {7:4} If we say, We will enter into the city,
then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we sit
still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall to the
army of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they
kill us, we shall but die. {7:5} They rose up in the twilight, to go
to the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the outermost
part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there. {7:6}
For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of
chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army: and
they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against
us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come
on us. {7:7} Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left
their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it
was, and fled for their life. {7:8} When these lepers came to the
outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and
drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and
hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried
there also, and went and hid it. {7:9} Then they said one to another,
We aren't doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we hold our
peace: if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake
us; now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household.
{7:10} So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they
told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold,
there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and
the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were. {7:11} He called the
porters; and they told it to the king's household within. {7:12} The
king arose in the night, and said to his servants, I will now show you
what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry;
therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the
field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall take them
alive, and get into the city. {7:13} One of his servants answered,
Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in
the city (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are left
in it; behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are
consumed); and let us send and see. {7:14} They took therefore two
chariots with horses; and the king sent after the army of the Syrians,
saying, Go and see. {7:15} They went after them to the Jordan: and
behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the
Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and
told the king. {7:16} The people went out, and plundered the camp of
the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and
two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
{7:17} The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have
the charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he
died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to
him. {7:18} It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king,
saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine
flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of
Samaria; {7:19} and that captain answered the man of God, and said,
Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a
thing be? and he said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but
shall not eat of it: {7:20} it happened even so to him; for the people
trod on him in the gate, and he died.
{8:1} Now Elisha had spoken to the woman, whose son he had restored
to life, saying, Arise, and go you and your household, and sojourn
wherever you can sojourn: for Yahweh has called for a famine; and it
shall also come on the land seven years. {8:2} 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.
{8:3} It happened at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out
of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry to the king
for her house and for her land. {8:4} Now the king was talking with
Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Please tell me all the
great things that Elisha has done. {8:5} It happened, as he was
telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, that
behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the
king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, My lord, O king,
this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.
{8:6} When the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king
appointed to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was hers,
and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land,
even until now. {8:7} Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king
of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come
here. {8:8} The king said to Hazael, Take a present in your hand, and
go, meet the man of God, and inquire of Yahweh by him, saying, Shall I
recover of this sickness? {8:9} So Hazael went to meet him, and took a
present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels'
burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Your son Benhadad
king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, Shall I recover of this
sickness? {8:10} Elisha said to him, Go, tell him, You shall surely
recover; however Yahweh has shown me that he shall surely die. {8:11}
He settled his gaze steadfastly [on him], until he was ashamed: and
the man of God wept. {8:12} Hazael said, Why weeps my lord? He
answered, Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of
Israel: their strongholds will you set on fire, and their young men
will you kill with the sword, and will dash in pieces their little
ones, and rip up their women with child. {8:13} Hazael said, But what
is your servant, who is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?
Elisha answered, Yahweh has shown me that you shall be king over
Syria. {8:14} Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master;
who said to him, What said Elisha to you? He answered, He told me that
you would surely recover. {8:15} It happened on the next day, that he
took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face,
so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his place. {8:16} In the fifth
year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then
king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to
reign. {8:17} Thirty-two years old was he when he began to reign; and
he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. {8:18} He walked in the way of
the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter
of Ahab as wife; and he did that which was evil in the sight of
Yahweh. {8:19} However Yahweh would not destroy Judah, for David his
servant's sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his
children always. {8:20} In his days Edom revolted from under the hand
of Judah, and made a king over themselves. {8:21} Then Joram passed
over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night,
and struck the Edomites who surrounded him, and the captains of the
chariots; and the people fled to their tents. {8:22} So Edom revolted
from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then did Libnah revolt at
the same time. {8:23} The rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he
did, aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of
Judah? {8:24} Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his
fathers in the city of David; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his
place. {8:25} In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of
Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.
{8:26} Twenty-two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he
reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Athaliah the
daughter of Omri king of Israel. {8:27} He walked in the way of the
house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, as
did the house of Ahab; for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.
{8:28} He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king
of Syria at Ramoth Gilead: and the Syrians wounded Joram. {8:29} King
Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians
had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria.
Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the
son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.
{9:1} Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets,
and said to him, Gird up your waist, and take this vial of oil in your
hand, and go to Ramoth Gilead. {9:2} When you come there, look out
there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and
make him arise up from among his brothers, and carry him to an inner
chamber. {9:3} Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and
say, Thus says Yahweh, I have anointed you king over Israel. Then open
the door, and flee, and don't wait. {9:4} So the young man, even the
young man the prophet, went to Ramoth Gilead. {9:5} When he came,
behold, the captains of the army were sitting; and he said, I have an
errand to you, captain. Jehu said, To which of us all? He said, To
you, O captain. {9:6} He arose, and went into the house; and he poured
the oil on his head, and said to him, Thus says Yahweh, the God of
Israel, I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh, even over
Israel. {9:7} You shall strike the house of Ahab your master, that I
may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all
the servants of Yahweh, at the hand of Jezebel. {9:8} For the whole
house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every boy,
and him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel. {9:9} I
will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of
Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. {9:10} The dogs
shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none
to bury her. He opened the door, and fled. {9:11} Then Jehu came forth
to the servants of his lord: and one said to him, Is all well? why
came this mad fellow to you? He said to them, You know the man and
what his talk was. {9:12} They said, It is false; tell us now. He
said, Thus and thus spoke he to me, saying, Thus says Yahweh, I have
anointed you king over Israel. {9:13} Then they hurried, and took
every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs,
and blew the trumpet, saying, Jehu is king. {9:14} So Jehu the son of
Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was
keeping Ramoth Gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of
Syria; {9:15} but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of
the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael
king of Syria.) Jehu said, If this be your mind, then let none escape
and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel. {9:16} So
Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there.
Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram. {9:17} Now the
watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the
company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. Joram said,
Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, Is it peace?
{9:18} So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus says
the king, Is it peace? Jehu said, What have you to do with peace? turn
you behind me. The watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them,
but he isn't coming back. {9:19} Then he sent out a second on
horseback, who came to them, and said, Thus says the king, Is it
peace? Jehu answered, What have you to do with peace? turn you behind
me. {9:20} The watchman told, saying, He came even to them, and isn't
coming back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of
Nimshi; for he drives furiously. {9:21} Joram said, Make ready. They
made ready his chariot. Joram 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 portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. {9:22} It happened,
when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? He answered,
What peace, so long as the prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her
witchcraft abound? {9:23} Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said
to Ahaziah, There is treachery, Ahaziah. {9:24} Jehu drew his bow with
his full strength, and struck Joram between his arms; and the arrow
went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. {9:25} Then
said [Jehu] to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the
portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how that,
when I and you rode together after Ahab his father, Yahweh laid this
burden on him: {9:26} Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of
Naboth, and the blood of his sons, says Yahweh; and I will requite you
in this plat, says Yahweh. Now therefore take and cast him into the
plat [of ground], according to the word of Yahweh. {9:27} But when
Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden
house. Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the
chariot: [and they struck him] at the ascent of Gur, which is by
Ibleam. He fled to Megiddo, and died there. {9:28} His servants
carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his tomb with
his fathers in the city of David. {9:29} In the eleventh year of Joram
the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. {9:30} When Jehu
was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes,
and attired her head, and looked out at the window. {9:31} As Jehu
entered in at the gate, she said, Is it peace, you Zimri, your
master's murderer? {9:32} He lifted up his face to the window, and
said, Who is on my side? who? There looked out to him two or three
eunuchs. {9:33} 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
trod her under foot. {9:34} When he was come in, he ate and drink; and
he said, See now to this cursed woman, and bury her; for she is a
king's daughter. {9:35} They went to bury her; but they found no more
of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her hands.
{9:36} Therefore they came back, and told him. He said, This is the
word of Yahweh, which he spoke by his servant Elijah the Tishbite,
saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of
Jezebel; {9:37} and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face
of the field in the portion of Jezreel, so that they shall not say,
This is Jezebel.
___
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