Bible Reading Plan

Chapter 13

Israel's King Jehoahaz

¹ In the twenty-third year of Judah's King Joash^(a) son of Ahaziah, Jehoahaz^(b) son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned 17 years. ² He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight and followed the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.^{(c) 3} So the Lord 's anger burned against Israel,^(d) and He surrendered them to the power of Hazael^(e) king of Aram and his son Ben-hadad^(f) during their reigns.

⁴ Then Jehoahaz sought the Lord 's favor, and the Lord heard him, for He saw the oppression the king of Aram inflicted on Israel.^{(g) 5} Therefore, the Lord gave Israel a deliverer,^(h) and they escaped from the power of the Arameans. Then the people of Israel dwelt in their tents as before, ⁶ but they didn't turn away from the sins that the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit. Jehoahaz walked in them,⁽ⁱ⁾ and the Asherah pole also remained standing in Samaria. ⁷ Jehoahaz did not have an army left, except for 50 horsemen, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot soldiers, because the king of Aram had destroyed them,^(j) making them like dust at threshing.^(k)

⁸ The rest of the events of Jehoahaz's reign, along with all his accomplishments and his might, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.^{(l) 9} Jehoahaz rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria. His son Jehoash^[a] became king in his place.

Israel's King Jehoash

¹⁰ In the thirty-seventh year of Judah's King Joash, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz became king over Israel in Samaria and reigned 16 years. ¹¹ He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight. He did not turn away from all the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit, but he walked in them.^(m)

¹² The rest of the events of Jehoash's reign, along with all his accomplishments and the power he had to wage war against Judah's King Amaziah,⁽ⁿ⁾ are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. ¹³ Jehoash rested with his fathers, and Jeroboam^(o) sat on his throne. Jehoash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

Elisha's Death

¹⁴ When Elisha became sick with the illness that he died from, Jehoash king of Israel went down and wept over him and said, "My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel!"^(p)

¹⁵ Elisha responded, "Take a bow and arrows." So he got a bow and arrows.^{(q) 16} Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." So the king put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king's hands. ¹⁷ Elisha said, "Open the east window." So he opened it. Elisha said, "Shoot!" So he shot.^(r) Then Elisha said, "The Lord 's arrow of victory, yes, the arrow of victory over Aram. You are to strike down the Arameans in Aphek^(s) until you have put an end to them."

¹⁸ Then Elisha said, "Take the arrows!" So he took them. Then Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Strike the ground!" So he struck the ground three times and stopped. ¹⁹ The man of God^(t) was angry with him and said, "You should have struck the ground five or six times. Then you would have struck down Aram until you had put an end to them, but now you will only strike down Aram three times." ²⁰ Then Elisha died and was buried.^(u)

Now Moabite raiders^(v) used to come into the land in the spring of the year. ²¹ Once, as the Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a raiding party, so they threw the man into Elisha's tomb. When he touched Elisha's bones, the man revived and stood up!^(w)

God's Mercy on Israel

²² Hazael^(x) king of Aram oppressed Israel throughout the reign of Jehoahaz, ²³ but the Lord was gracious to them, had compassion on them,^(y) and turned toward them because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.^(z) He was not willing to destroy them. Even now He has not banished them from His presence.^(aa)

²⁴ King Hazael of Aram died, and his son Ben-hadad^(ab) became king in his place. ²⁵ Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in war from Jehoash's father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the cities of Israel.^(ac)

Chapter 14

Judah's King Amaziah

¹ In^(a) the second year of Israel's King Jehoash^[a](b) son of Jehoahaz,^[b] Amaziah^(c) son of Joash became king of Judah. ² He was 25 years old when he became king and reigned 29 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Jehoaddan^[c] and was from Jerusalem. ³ He did what was right in the Lord 's sight, but not like his ancestor David. He did everything his father Joash had done.^{(d) 4} Yet the high places were not taken away, and the people continued sacrificing and burning incense on the high places.^(e)

⁵ As soon as the kingdom was firmly in his grasp, Amaziah killed his servants who had murdered his father the king.^{(f) 6} However, he did not put the children of the murderers to death, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses where the Lord commanded, "Fathers must not be put to death because of children, and children must not be put to death because of fathers; instead, each one will be put to death for his own sin."^(g)

⁷ Amaziah killed 10,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt.^(h) He took Sela⁽ⁱ⁾ in battle and called it Joktheel,^(j) which is its name to this very day. ⁸ Amaziah then sent messengers to Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, king of Israel, saying, "Come, let us meet face to face."^(k)

⁹ King Jehoash of Israel sent word to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, "The thistle that was in Lebanon once sent a message to the cedar^(l) that was in Lebanon,^(m) saying, ‘Give your daughter to my son as a wife.' Then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled the thistle. ¹⁰ You have indeed defeated Edom, and you have become overconfident.⁽ⁿ⁾ Enjoy your glory and stay at home. Why should you stir up such trouble that you fall—you and Judah with you?"

¹¹ But Amaziah would not listen, so King Jehoash of Israel advanced. He and King Amaziah of Judah faced off at Beth-shemesh^(o) that belongs to Judah. ¹² Judah was routed before Israel, and everyone fled to his own tent.^{(p) 13} King Jehoash of Israel captured Judah's King Amaziah son of Joash,^[d] son of Ahaziah, at Beth-shemesh. Then Jehoash went to Jerusalem and broke down 200 yards^[e] of Jerusalem's wall from the Ephraim Gate^(q) to the Corner Gate.^{(r) 14} He took all the gold and silver, all the articles found in the Lord 's temple and in the treasuries of the king's palace, and some hostages.^(s) Then he returned to Samaria.

Jehoash's Death

¹⁵ The rest of the events of Jehoash's reign, along with his accomplishments, his might, and how he waged war against Amaziah king of Judah, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.^{(t) 16} Jehoash rested with his fathers, and he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. His son Jeroboam became king in his place.

Amaziah's Death

¹⁷ Judah's King Amaziah son of Joash lived 15 years after the death of Israel's King Jehoash son of Jehoahaz.^{(u) 18} The rest of the events of Amaziah's reign are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings.^{(v) 19} A conspiracy was formed against him in Jerusalem,^(w) and he fled to Lachish.^(x) However, men were sent after him to Lachish, and they put him to death there. ²⁰ They carried him back^(y) on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David.^(z)

²¹ Then all the people of Judah took Azariah,^[f](aa) who was 16 years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah. ²² He rebuilt Elath^[g](ab) and restored it to Judah after Amaziah the king rested with his fathers.

Israel's King Jeroboam

²³ In the fifteenth year of Judah's King Amaziah son of Joash, Jeroboam^(ac) son of Jehoash^[h] became king of Israel in Samaria and reigned 41 years. ²⁴ He did what was evil in the Lord 's sight. He did not turn away from all the sins Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit.^(ad)

²⁵ He restored Israel's border^(ae) from Lebo-hamath^(af) as far as the Sea of the Arabah,^(ag) according to the word the Lord , the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant, the prophet Jonah^(ah) son of Amittai from Gath-hepher.^{(ai) 26} For the Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter.^(aj) There was no one to help Israel, neither bond nor free. ²⁷ However, the Lord had not said He would blot out the name of Israel under heaven,^(ak) so He delivered^(al) them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.^[i]

²⁸ The rest of the events of Jeroboam's reign—along with all his accomplishments, the power he had to wage war, and how he recovered for Israel Damascus^(am) and Hamath,^(an) which had belonged to Judah^[j] —are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.^{(ao) 29} Jeroboam rested with his fathers, the kings of Israel. His son Zechariah became king in his place.^(ap)