1In the twenty-third year of Joash, king of Judah (and son of Ahaziah), Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, began his seventeen-year reign over Israel in Samaria. 2And Jehoahaz did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, following the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who caused Israel to sin; nor did he depart from them. 3And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and He delivered Israel into the hands of Hazael, king of Syria, and his son, Ben-hadad, all their days. 4Then Jehoahaz prayed to the LORD, and the LORD heard him; because He saw the oppression of the king of Syria upon Israel. 5(And the LORD gave Israel a deliverer, to rescue them from the Syrians; and to give them peace. 6But they still did not depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who caused Israel sin. They persisted in those sins; and the Asherah pole (set up by Ahab) was left standing in Samaria (the capital of Israel). 7Nothing was left to Jehoahaz of the army except just fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten-thousand foot-soldiers; because the king of Syria had destroyed them, trampling them like dust under his feet.

8Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his achievements, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 9And Jehoahaz died; and they buried him in Samaria; and Joash, his son, reigned in his stead.

10In the thirty-seventh year of Joash, king of Judah, Jehoash (aka Joash), son of Jehoahaz, began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and he reigned sixteen years. 11And he did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD; he did not depart from all the sins of Jeroboam, son of Nebat, who caused Israel sin, but committed the same sins.

12And the rest of the acts of Jehoash (aka Joash), and what he did, and his might with which he fought against Amaziah, king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? 13And Jehoash (aka Joash) died, and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel; and Jeroboam sat upon Israel’s throne.

14Now Elisha was suffering from an illness from which he eventually died. And Jehoash (Joash), king of Israel, came to visit him, and wept over him, and said, “O my father, my father, the chariot and horsemen of Israel.” 15And Elisha told him, “Take a bow and arrows.” And he took a bow and arrows. 16And Elisha told Jehoash, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands upon the king's hands. 17And he said, “Open the east window.” And he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot.” And he shot. And Elisha said, “The arrow of the LORD's deliverance, and the arrow of victory over Syria (Aram); for you shall strike the Syrians in Aphek, till you have destroyed them.” 18And then Elisha said, “Take the arrows.” And he took them. And Elisha told Jehoash, the king of Israel, “Strike the ground.” And he struck thrice, and stopped. 19And Elisha was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have smitten Syria until you had destroyed it, but now you shall strike Syria only three times.”

20And Elisha died, and they buried him. And the marauding bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the beginning of the year. 21And, as the Israelites were burying a man, they spotted a band of marauders coming; so they threw the man’s body into the grave of Elisha; and when his body touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood upon his feet.

22Hazael, king of Syria, had oppressed Israel throughout the entire reign of Jehoahaz. 23But the LORD was gracious and had compassion and concern for Israel, because of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor did He banish them from His presence. 24Then Hazael, king of Syria, died; and his son, Ben-hadad, reigned in his stead. 25And Jehoash (Joash), son of Jehoahaz, recaptured from Ben-hadad the cities that Hazael had taken in battle from Jehoahaz, his father. Three times (vv.18,19) Jehoash defeated him, and recovered cities of Israel.