had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told 16 the king. And the people went out, and spoiled 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 the LORD. 17 And the king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came 18 down to him. And it came to pass, 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 to-morrow about this time in the gate of 19 Samaria; and that captain answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but 20 shalt not eat thereof: it came to pass even so unto him; for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died. 8 3 The Return of the Shunammite. Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn for the LORD hath called for a famine; and 2 it shall also come upon the land seven years. And 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. And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the 4 king for her house and for her land. Now the king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all 5 the great things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life. 6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto 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. 7 Elisha executes Elijah's Commission to Hazael of Syria. And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. 8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I 9 recover of this sickness? 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, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover 1 Or, eunuch S. 10 of this sickness? And Elisha said unto him, Go, 'say unto him, Thou shalt surely recover; howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall II surely die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly upon him, until 12 he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt 13 dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what is thy servant, which is but a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me 14 that thou shalt be king over Syria. Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? 15 And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, 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 stead. 16 17 The Revolt of Edom and Libnah. 2 Kings 8. 16. And 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. Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jeru18 salem. And he walked in the 1 According to another reading, say, Thou shalt not recover: for the LORD &c. 2 Some ancient authorities omit the words Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah. 21 2 Chronicles 21. I. And Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David : and Jehoram his son reigned in 2 his stead. And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. 3 And their father gave them great gifts, of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram, because he 4 was the firstborn. Now when Jehoram was risen up over the kingdom of his father, and had strengthened himself, he slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of 5 Israel. Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years 6 in Jerusalem. And he walked in way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had 'the daughter of Ahab to wife and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 19 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp 20 2for his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a 21 king over themselves. Then Joram passed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots and the people fled to 22 their tents. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day. Then did Libnah 23 revolt at the same time. And : the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles 24 of the kings of Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead. II the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD. 7 Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a lamp to him 8 and to his children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 9 Then Jehoram passed over with his captains, and all his chariots with him and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and 10 the captains of the chariots. So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day: then did Libnah revolt at the same time from under his hand : because he had forsaken the LORD, the God of his fathers. 2 Chronicles 21. II. The evil ways of Jehoram. Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and made the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, and 'led Judah astray. 12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa 13 king of Judah; but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like as the house of Ahab 'did; and also hast slain thy brethren of thy 14 father's house, which were better than thyself: behold, the LORD will smite with a great plague thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, 15 and all thy substance: and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of 1 See ver. 26. 2 Another reading is, and to his children. 3 According to some ancient authorities, cities. 4 Or, compelled Judah thereto 5 Heb. made to go a whoring. 51 4--2 thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness, 'day by ✓ 16 day. And the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians which are beside the Ethiopians: 17 and they came up against Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save 18 Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. And after all this the LORD 19 smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. And it came to pass, in process of time, at the end of two years, that his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness, and he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. 20 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years: and he departed without being desired; and they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings. 25 Ahaziah's Alliance with Foram against Syria. 2 Kings 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. 26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the 'daughter 27 of Omri king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as I did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of the house 28 of Ahab. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians 29 wounded Joram. And king Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the 1 Or, year after year 3 In ch. xxii. 1, Ahaziah. L 22 2 Chronicles 22. 1. And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made 5 Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned. 2 Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of 3 Omri. He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to 4 do wickedly. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab : for they were his counsellors after the death of his father, to his 5 destruction. He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth 9 Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. gilead and the Syrians wounded 6 Joram. And he returned to be healed in Jezreel 'of the wounds which they had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And 2 Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. 2 Kings 9. 1. Elisha executes Elijah's Commission to Fehu the son of Nimshi. And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thine hand, 2 and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner 3 chamber. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then 4 open the door, and flee, and tarry not. So the young man, even the 5 young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And 6 he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people 7 of the LORD, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of 8 Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab every man child, and him that is shut up and him that is 9 left at large in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the 10 son of Ahijah. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and II fled. Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And 12 he said unto them, Ye know the man and what his talk was. And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over 13 Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, 1 So in 2 Kings viii. 29, and in the Sept. and Syriac versions. The text has, because the wounds which &c. 2 In ver. 1, Ahaziah. |