2 Kings 8
8
The King and the Shunammite Woman
1Elisha talked to the woman whose son he had brought back to life. He said, “You and your family should move to another country, because the Lord has decided that there will be a famine here. It will last for seven years.”
2So the woman did what the man of God said. She went with her family to stay in the land of the Philistines for seven years. 3After seven years she returned from the land of the Philistines.
She went to speak with the king to ask him to help her get back her house and land.
4The king was talking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God. The king said to Gehazi, “Please tell me all the great things Elisha has done.”
5Gehazi was telling the king about Elisha bringing a dead person back to life. At that same time the woman whose son Elisha brought back to life went to the king. She wanted to ask him to help her get back her house and land. Gehazi said, “My lord and king, this is the woman, and this is the son who Elisha brought back to life.”
6The king asked the woman what she wanted, and she told him.
Then the king chose an officer to help her. The king said, “Give to the woman all that belongs to her. And give her all the harvest of her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Ben-Hadad Sends Hazael to Elisha
7Elisha went to Damascus. King Ben-Hadad of Aram was sick. Someone told Ben-Hadad, “The man of God has come here.”
8Then the King Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “Take a gift and go meet the man of God. Ask him to ask the Lord if I will get well from my sickness.”
9So Hazael went to meet Elisha. Hazael brought a gift with him. He brought all kinds of good things from Damascus. It took 40 camels to carry everything. Hazael came to Elisha and said, “Your follower,#8:9 follower Literally, “son.” King Ben-Hadad of Aram, sent me to you. He asks if he will get well from his sickness.”
10Then Elisha said to Hazael, “Go and tell Ben-Hadad, ‘You will live.’ But really the Lord told me, ‘He will die.’”
Elisha Makes a Prophecy About Hazael
11Elisha began to stare. He stared for an embarrassingly long time. Then the man of God began to cry. 12Hazael said, “Sir, why are you crying?”
Elisha answered, “I am crying because I know the bad things you will do to the Israelites. You will burn their strong cities and kill their young men with swords. You will kill their babies and split open their pregnant women.”
13Hazael said, “I am not a powerful man!#8:13 I … powerful man Literally, “Your servant is only a dog!” How can I do these great things?”
Elisha answered, “The Lord showed me that you will be king over Aram.”
14Then Hazael left Elisha and went to his king.#8:14 king Literally, “master.” Ben-Hadad said to Hazael, “What did Elisha say to you?”
He answered, “Elisha told me that you will live.”
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
15But the next day Hazael took a thick cloth and dipped it in water. Then he held it on Ben-Hadad’s face until he died. Then Hazael became the new king.
Jehoram Begins His Rule
16Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat was the king of Judah. He began to rule in the fifth year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel.#8:16 The standard Hebrew text adds “while Jehoshaphat was still king of Judah.” That is, according to the Hebrew, father and son ruled Judah together for a time. 17Jehoram was 32 years old when he began to rule. He ruled eight years in Jerusalem. 18But Jehoram lived as the kings of Israel and did what the Lord saw as evil. He lived as the people from Ahab’s family, because his wife was Ahab’s daughter. 19But the Lord would not destroy Judah because of the promise to his servant David. He had promised David that someone from his family would always be king.
20In Jehoram’s time Edom broke away from Judah’s rule. The people of Edom chose a king for themselves.
21Then Jehoram and all his chariots went to Zair. The Edomite army surrounded them, but Jehoram and his officers attacked them and escaped. Jehoram’s soldiers all ran away and went home. 22So the Edomites broke away from the rule of Judah. And they have been free from the rule of Judah until today.
At the same time Libnah also broke away from Judah’s rule.
23All the things Jehoram did are written in the book, The History of the Kings of Judah.
24Jehoram died and was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Jehoram’s son Ahaziah became the new king.
Ahaziah Begins His Rule
25Ahaziah son of Jehoram became the king of Judah in the 12th year that Joram son of Ahab was king of Israel. 26Ahaziah was 22 years old when he began to rule. He ruled one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah. She was the daughter of King Omri of Israel. 27Ahaziah did what the Lord said was wrong. He did many bad things, just as the people from Ahab’s family had done. He lived like this because his wife was from Ahab’s family.
Joram Is Hurt in the War Against Hazael
28Joram was from Ahab’s family. Ahaziah went with Joram to fight against King Hazael of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram. 29King Joram went back to Israel so that he could get well from those wounds. He went to the area of Jezreel. Ahaziah son of Jehoram was the king of Judah. Ahaziah went to Jezreel to see Joram.
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