The Second Book of the Kings

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 8 -

Now Elisha spoke to the woman, whose son he had caused to live, saying: “Rise up. Go, you and your household, and sojourn in whatever place you can find. For the Lord has called forth a famine, and it shall overwhelm the land for seven years.”

And she rose up, and she acted in accord with the word of the man of God. And going with her household, she sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.

And when the seven years had ended, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. And she departed, so that she might petition the king on behalf of her house and on behalf of her fields.

Now the king was speaking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Describe for me all the great deeds that Elisha has done.”

And as he was describing for the king the manner in which he had raised the dead, the woman appeared, whose son he had restored to life, crying out to the king on behalf of her house and on behalf of her fields. And Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha raised up.”

And the king questioned the woman. And she explained it to him. And the king appointed a eunuch to her, saying, “Restore to her all that is hers, with all the proceeds of the fields, from the day that she left the land until the present.”

Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

Also, Elisha arrived in Damascus, and Benhadad, the king of Syria, was ill. And they reported to him, saying, “The man of God has arrived here.”

And the king said to Hazael: “Take with you gifts. And go to meet the man of God. And consult the Lord through him, saying: ‘Will I be able to escape from this, my infirmity?’ ”

And so, Hazael went to meet him, having with him gifts, and all the goods of Damascus, the burdens of forty camels. And when he had stood before him, he said: “Your son, Benhadad, the king of Syria, sent me to you, saying: ‘Will I be able to be healed from this, my infirmity?’ ”

And Elisha said to him: “Go, tell him: ‘You will be healed.’ But the Lord has revealed to me that, dying he shall die.”(a)

And he stood beside him, and he was so troubled that his face became flushed. And the man of God wept.

And Hazael said to him, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he said: “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel. Their fortified cities you will burn with fire. And their young men you will kill with the sword. And you will destroy their little ones, and tear open the pregnant women.”

And Hazael said, “But what am I, your servant, a dog, that I would do this great thing?” And Elisha said, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”

And when he had departed from Elisha, he went to his lord, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he responded: “He said to me, ‘You shall receive health.’ ”

And when the next day had arrived, he took a small covering, and poured water on it, and he spread it over his face. And when he died, Hazael reigned in his place.

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 21:1–7)

In the fifth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, the king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah: Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, reigned as the king of Judah.(b)

He was thirty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had walked. For the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

But the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because of David, his servant, just as he had promised him, so that he might grant a light to him and to his sons, for all days.

Edom and Libnah Rebel

(2 Chronicles 21:8–11)

In his days, Idumea drew apart, so as not to be under Judah, and they appointed a king for themselves.

And so, Jehoram went to Zair, and all the chariots with him. And he rose up in the night, and he struck down the Idumeans who had surrounded him, and the leaders of the chariots. But the people fled to their tents.

And Idumea drew apart, so as not to be under Judah, even to this day. Then Libnah also drew apart, at the same time.

Now the rest of the words of Jehoram, and all that he did, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?

And Jehoram slept with his fathers, and he was buried with them in the city of David. And Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 22:1–7)

In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, the king of Israel: Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, the king of Judah, reigned.

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri, the king of Israel.(c)

And he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab. And he did what is evil before the Lord, just as the house of Ahab did. For he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

Also, he went with Joram, the son of Ahab, in order to fight against Hazael, the king of Syria, at Ramoth Gilead. And the Syrians had wounded Joram.

And he turned back, so that he might be cured at Jezreel. For the Syrians had wounded him at Ramoth, fighting against Hazael, the king of Syria. Then Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, the king of Judah, descended to visit Joram, the son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was sick there.

Footnotes

(a)8:10 Tell him: you will be healed:By these words the prophet signified that the king’s disease was not mortal: and that he would recover if no violence were used. Or he might only express himself in this manner, by way of giving Hazael to understand that he knew both what he would say and do; that he would indeed tell the king he should recover; but would be himself the instrument of his death.(Challoner)

(b)8:16 And of Josaphat, etc:That is, Josaphat being yet alive, who sometime before his death made his son Joram king, as David had done before by his own son Solomon.(Challoner)

Now Elisha had spoken to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise, and go, you and your household, and stay for a while wherever you can; for the LORD has called for a famine. It will also come on the land for seven years.”

The woman arose, and did according to the man of God’s word. She went with her household, and lived in the land of the Philistines for seven years.

At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. Then she went out to beg the king for her house and for her land.

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.”

As he was telling the king how he had restored to life him who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life begged 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.”

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.”

Hazael Murders Ben-hadad

Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was sick. He was told, “The man of God has come here.”

The king said to Hazael, “Take a present in your hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from 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, “Your son Benhadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

Elisha said to him, “Go, tell him, ‘You will surely recover;’ however the LORD has shown me that he will surely die.”

He settled his gaze steadfastly on him, until he was ashamed. Then the man of God wept.

Hazael said, “Why do you weep, my lord?” He answered, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel. You will set their strongholds on fire, and you will kill their young men with the sword, and will dash their little ones in pieces, and rip up their pregnant women.”

Hazael said, “But what is your servant, who is but a dog, that he could do this great thing?” Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown me that you will be king over Syria.”

Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He answered, “He told me that you would surely recover.”

On the next day, he took a thick cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it on the king’s face, so that he died. Then Hazael reigned in his place.

Jehoram Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 21:1–7)

In the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being king of Judah then, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.

He was thirty-two years old when he began to reign. He reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did Ahab’s house, for he married Ahab’s daughter. He did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight.

However, the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his servant’s sake, as he promised him to give to him a lamp for his children always.

Edom and Libnah Rebel

(2 Chronicles 21:8–11)

In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves.

Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all his chariots with him; and he rose up by night and struck the Edomites who surrounded him with the captains of the chariots; and the people fled to their tents.

So Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

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?

Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in David’s city; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.

Ahaziah Reigns in Judah

(2 Chronicles 22:1–7)

In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.

Ahaziah was twenty-two years old 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.

He walked in the way of Ahab’s house and did that which was evil in the LORD’s sight, as did Ahab’s house, for he was the son-in-law of Ahab’s house.

He went with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramoth Gilead, and the Syrians wounded Joram.

King Joram returned to be healed in Jezreel from 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.