 CHAPTER 17 THROUGH TWENTY-two of the First Book of Kings from the World English Bible. Elijah, the Tishbite, who was of the foreigners of Gilead, said to Ahab, As Yahweh, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be doom or rain these years, but according to my word. The word of Yahweh came to him, saying, Go away from here, turn eastward, and hide yourself by the brook carath, that is before the Jordan. It shall be that you shall drink of the brook. I have commanded the ravens to feed you there. So he went, and did according to the word of Yahweh, for he went and lived by the brook carath, that is before the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening, and he drank of the brook. It happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land. The word of Yahweh came to him, saying, Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and stay there. Behold, I have commanded a widow there to sustain you. So he arose and went to Zarephath, and when he came to the gate of the city, behold, a widow was there gathering sticks, and he called to her and said, Please get me a little water in a vessel that I may drink. As she was going to get it, he called to her and said, Please bring me a morsel of bread in your hand. She said, As Yahweh your God lives I don't have a cake, but a handful of meal in the jar, and a little oil in the jar. Behold, I am gathering two sticks that I may go in and bake it for me and my son, that we may eat it and die. Elijah said to her, Don't be afraid. Go and do as you have said, but make me of it a little cake first, and bring it out to me, and afterward make some for you and for your son. For thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, The jar of meal shall not empty, neither shall the jar of oil fail, until the day that Yahweh sends rain on the earth. She went and did according to the saying of Elijah, and she and he and her house ate many days. The jar of meal didn't empty, neither did the jar of oil fail, according to the word of Yahweh, which he spoke by Elijah. It happened after these things that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick, and his sickness was so severe that there was no breath left in him. She said to Elijah, What have I to do with you, you man of God? You have come to me to bring my sin to memory and to kill my son. He said to her, Give me your son. He took him out of her bosom and carried him up into the room where he stayed and laid him on his own bed. He cried to Yahweh and said, Yahweh, my God, have you also brought evil on the widow with whom I stay by killing her son? He stretched himself on the child three times and cried to Yahweh and said, Yahweh, my God, please let this child's soul come into him again. Yahweh listened to the voice of Elijah, and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. Elijah took the child and brought him down out of the room into the house and delivered him to his mother, and Elijah said, Behold, your son lives. The woman said to Elijah, Now I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of Yahweh in your mouth is truth. CHAPTER 18 It happened after many days that the word of Yahweh came to Elijah in the third year, saying, Go, show yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth. Elijah went to show himself to Ahab. The famine was severe in Samaria. Ahab called Obadiah, who was over the household. Now Obadiah feared Yahweh greatly, for it was so when Jezebel cut off the profits of Yahweh that Obadiah took one hundred profits and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. Ahab said to Obadiah, Go through the land to all the springs of water and to all the brooks. Perhaps we may find grass and save the horses and mules alive that we not lose all the animals. So they divided the land between them to pass throughout it. Ahab went one way by himself, and Obadiah went another way by himself. As Obadiah was in the way, Behold, Elijah met him, and he recognized him, and fell on his face and said, Is it you, my Lord Elijah? He answered him, It is I. Go tell your Lord, Behold, Elijah is here. He said, Wheren have I sinned that you would deliver your servant into the hand of Ahab to kill me? As Yahweh your God lives, there is no nation or kingdom where my Lord is not sent to seek you. When they said, He is not here, He took an oath of the kingdom and nation that they didn't find you. Now you say, Go tell your Lord, Behold, Elijah is here. It will happen, as soon as I am gone from you, that the spirit of Yahweh will carry you. I don't know where. And so when I come and tell Ahab, and he can't find you, he will kill me. But I, your servant, have feared Yahweh from my youth. Wasn't it told, my Lord, what I did when Jezebel killed the prophets of Yahweh, how I hid one hundred men of Yahweh's prophets with fifty to a cave, and fed them with bread and water? Now you say, Go tell your Lord, Behold, Elijah is here, and he will kill me. Elijah said, As Yahweh of armies lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today. So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. It happened when Ahab saw Elijah that Ahab said to him, Is that you, you troubler of Israel? He answered, I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father's house, in that you have forsaken the commandments of Yahweh, and you have followed the bails. Now therefore send and gather to me, all Israel, to Mount Carmel, and four hundred fifty of the prophets of Baal, and four hundred of the prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table. So Ahab sent to all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together to Mount Carmel. Elijah came near to all the people and said, How long will you waver between the two sides? If Yahweh is God, follow him. But if Baal, then follow him. The people answered him not a word. Then Elijah said to the people, I, even I only, am left a prophet of Yahweh. But Baal's prophets are four hundred fifty men. Let them therefore give us two bulls, and let them choose one bull for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it. And I will dress the other bull, and lay it on the wood, and put no fire under it. You call on the name of your God, and I will call on the name of Yahweh. The God who answers by fire, let him be God. All the people answered. It is well said. Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, Choose one bull for yourselves, and dress it first. For you are many, and call on the name of your God, but put no fire under it. They took the bull which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any who answered. They leaped about the altar which was made. It happened at noon that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud, for he is a God, either he is musing, or he has gone aside, or he is on a journey, or perhaps he sleeps and must be awakened. They cried aloud, and cut themselves in their way with knives and lances, until the blood gushed out on them. It was so, when midday was passed, that they prophesied until the time of the offering of the offering. But there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any who regarded. Elijah said to all the people. Come near me. And all the people came near to him. He repaired the altar of Yahweh that was thrown down. Elijah took twelve stones according to the number of tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Yahweh came, saying, Israel shall be your name. With the stones he built an altar in the name of Yahweh. He made a trench around the altar large enough to contain two measures of seed. He put the wood in order, and cut the bull in pieces, and laid it on the wood. He said, fill four jars with water, and pour it on the burnt offering, and on the wood. He said, do it a second time, and they did it the second time. He said, do it a third time, and they did it a third time. The water ran around the altar, and he also filled the trench with water. It happened at the time of the offering of the offering, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel, and that I am your servant, and that I have done all these things at your word. Hear me, Yahweh, hear me, that this people may know that you, Yahweh, are God, and that you have turned their heart back again. Then the fire of Yahweh fell, and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. When all the people saw it, they fell on their faces. They said, Yahweh, he is God, Yahweh, he is God. Elijah said to them, seize the prophets of Baal, don't let one of them escape. They seized them. Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon, and killed them there. Elijah said to Ahab, get up, eat and drink, for there is the sound of abundance of rain. So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. Elijah went up to the top of Carmel, and he bowed himself down on the earth, and put his face between his knees. He said to his servant, go up now, look toward the sea. He went up, and looked, and said, there is nothing. He said, go again, seven times. It happened at the seventh time that he said, behold, a small cloud, like a man's hand, is rising out of the sea. He said, go up, tell Ahab, get ready and go down, so that the rain doesn't stop you. It happened in a little while that the sky grew black with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain. Ahab rode, and went to Jezreel. The hand of Yahweh was on Elijah, and he tucked his cloak into his belt, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel. CHAPTER 19 Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I don't make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. When he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to bear Sheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree, and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, It is enough. Now O Yahweh, take away my life, for I am not better than my fathers. He lay down and slept under a juniper tree, and behold, an angel touched him, and said to him, Arise and eat. He looked, and behold, there was at his head a cake baked on the coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank, and lay down again. The angel of Yahweh came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you. He arose, and ate, and drank, and went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to harrow the mount of God. He came there to a cave, and lodged there, and behold, the word of Yahweh came to him, and he said to him, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of armies, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. He said, Go out and stand on the mountain before Yahweh. Behold, Yahweh passed by. A great and strong wind tore the mountains, and broken pieces the rocks before Yahweh. But Yahweh was not in the wind. Under the wind an earthquake, but Yahweh was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake a fire passed, but Yahweh was not in the fire. And after the fire a still small voice. It was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Behold, a voice came to him, and said, What are you doing here, Elijah? He said, I have been very jealous for Yahweh, the God of armies, for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and slain your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it away. Yahweh said to him, Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus. When you arrive, you shall anoint Haziel to be king over Syria. You shall anoint Jihyu, the son of Nimshai, to be king over Israel. And you shall anoint Lysha, the son of Shefat of Abel Mehola, to be prophet in your place. It shall happen, that he who escapes from the sword of Haziel, Jihyu will kill, and he who escapes from the sword of Jihyu, Elijah will kill. Yet will I leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth which has not kissed him. So he departed there, and found Lysha, the son of Shefat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with twelve. And Elijah passed over to him, and cast his mantle on him. He left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me please kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow you. He said to him, Go back again, for what have I done to you? He returned from following him, and took the yoke of oxen, and killed them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and served him. CHAPTER XXI Ben Haddad, the king of Syria, gathered all his army together, and there were thirty-two kings with him, and horses and chariots, and he went up, and besieged Samaria, and fought against it. He sent messengers to Ahab, king of Israel, into the city, and said to him, Thus says Ben Haddad, your silver and your gold is mine, your wives also, and your children, even the best are mine. The king of Israel answered, It is according to your saying, my lord, O king, I am yours, and all that I have. The messengers came again, and said, Ben Haddad says, I sent indeed to you, saying, You shall deliver me your silver and your gold, and your wives, and your children, but I will send my servants to you to-morrow about this time, and they shall search your house, and the houses of your servants, and it shall be that whatever is pleasant in your eyes, they shall put in their hand, and take it away. Then the king of Israel called all the elders of the land, and said, Please notice how this man seeks mischief, for he sent to me for my wives, and for my children, and for my silver, and for my gold, and I didn't deny him. All the elders and all the people said to him, Don't listen, neither consent. Therefore he said to the messengers of Ben Haddad, Tell my lord the king, All that you sent forth to your servant at the first I will do, but this thing I cannot do. The messengers departed, and brought him back the message Ben Haddad sent to him, and said, The gods do so to me, and more also, if the dust of Samaria shall suffice for handfuls for all the people who follow me. The king of Israel answered, Tell him, don't let him who puts on his armor brag like he who takes it off. It happened when Ben Haddad heard this message as he was drinking, he and the kings and the pavilions that he said to his servants, Prepare to attack. They prepared to attack the city. Behold, a prophet came near to Ahab, king of Israel, and said, Thus says Yahweh, Have you seen all this great multitude? Behold, I will deliver it into your hand this day, and you shall know that I am Yahweh. Ahab said, By whom? He said, Thus says Yahweh, By the young men of the princes of the provinces. Then he said, Who shall begin the battle? He answered, You. Then he mustered the young men of the princes of the provinces, and they were 232. After them he mustered all the people, even all the children of Israel, being 7000. They went out at noon, but Ben Haddad was drinking himself drunk in the pavilions, he and the kings, the 32 kings who helped him. The young men of the princes of the provinces went out first, and Ben Haddad sent out and told them saying, Men are coming out from Samaria. He said, If they have come out for peace take them alive, or if they have come out for war take them alive. So these went out of the city, the young men of the princes of the provinces, and the army which followed them. They each killed his men, the Syrians fled, and Israel pursued them. Ben Haddad, the king of Israel, escaped on a horse with horsemen. The king of Israel went out, and struck the horses and chariots, and killed the Syrians with a great slaughter. The prophet came near to the king of Israel and said to him, Go, strengthen yourself, and mark, and see what you do, for at the return of the year the king of Syria will come up against you. The servants of the king of Syria said to him, Their god is the god of the hills. Therefore they were stronger than we. But let us fight against them in the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they. Do this thing, take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put captains in their place. Mustry an army, like the army that you have lost, horse for horse, and chariot for chariot. We will fight against them in the plain, and surely we will be stronger than them. He listened to their voice and did so. It happened at the return of the year that Ben Haddad mustered the Syrians, and went up to Apec to fight against Israel. The children of Israel were mustered, and were provisioned, and went against them. The children of Israel encamped before them like two little flocks of young goats. But the Syrians filled the country. A man of God came near and spoke to the king of Israel and said, Thus says Yahweh. As the Syrians have said, Yahweh is a God of the hills, but he is not a God of the valleys. Therefore I will deliver all this great multitude into your hand, and you shall know that I am Yahweh. They encamped one over against the other seven days. So it was that in the seventh day the battle was joined, and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day. But the rest fled to Apec, into the city, and the wall fell on twenty-seven thousand men who were left. Ben Haddad fled, and came into the city, into an inner room. His servant said to him, See now! We have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are merciful kings. Please let us put sackcloth on our bodies, and ropes on our heads, and go out to the king of Israel. Maybe he will save your life. So they put sackcloth on their bodies, and ropes on their heads, and came to the king of Israel, and said, Your servant Ben Haddad says, Please let me live. He said, Is he still alive? He is my brother. Now the men observed diligently, and hurried to take this phrase. And they said, Your brother Ben Haddad. Then he said, Go, bring him. Then Ben Haddad came out to him, and he caused him to come up into the chariot. Ben Haddad said to him, The cities which my father took from your father I will restore. You shall make streets for yourself in Damascus, as my father made in Samaria. I, said Ahab, will let you go with this covenant. So he made a covenant with him, and let him go. A certain man of the sons of the prophets said to his fellow by the word of Yahweh, Please strike me. The man refused to strike him. Then he said to him, Because you have not obeyed the voice of Yahweh, Behold, as soon as you are departed from me, a lion shall kill you. As soon as he was departed from him, a lion found him and killed him. Then he found another man, and said, Please strike me. The man struck him, smiting and wounding him. So the prophet departed, and waited for the king by the way, and disguised himself with his headband over his eyes. As the king passed by, he cried to the king, and he said, Your servant went out into the midst of the battle, and, behold, a man turned aside, and brought a man to me, and said, Guard this man. If by any means he be missing, then your life shall be for his life, or else you shall pay a talent of silver. As your servant was busy here and there, he was gone. The king of Israel said to him, So your judgment shall be. You yourself have decided it. He hurried, and took the headband away from his eyes, and the king of Israel recognized that he was of the prophets. He said to him, Thus says Yahweh, Because you have let go out of your hand the man whom I had devoted to destruction, therefore your life shall go for his life, and your people for his people. The king of Israel went to his house, sullen and angry, and came to Samaria. Chapter 21 It happened after these things that Nabot, the Jezreelite, had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab, king of Samaria. Ahab spoke to Nabot, saying, Give me your vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near to my house, and I will give you for it a better vineyard than it, or, if it seems good to you, I will give you its worth in money. Nabot said to Ahab, Nay, Yahweh forbid me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you. Ahab came into his house sullen and angry, because of the word which Nabot, the Jezreelite, had spoken to him, for he had said, I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers. He laid himself down on his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread. But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said to him, Why is your spirit so sad that you eat no bread? He said to her, Because I spoke to Nabot, the Jezreelite, and said to him, Give me your vineyard for money, or else, if it pleases you, I will give you another vineyard for it. He answered, I will not give you my vineyard. Jezebel his wife said to him, Do you now govern the kingdom of Israel? Arise and eat bread, and let your heart be merry. I will give you the vineyard of Nabot, the Jezreelite. So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters to the elders, and to the nobles who were in his city, who lived with Nabot. She wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Nabot on high among the people. Set two men, base fellows, before him, and let them testify against him, saying, You cursed God and the king, then carry him out and stone him to death. The men of this city, even the elders and the nobles who lived in this city, did as Jezebel had sent to them, according as it was written in the letters which she had sent to them. They proclaimed a fast, and set Nabot on high among the people. The two men, the base fellows, came in and sat before him. The base fellows testified against him, even against Nabot in the presence of the people saying, Nabot cursed God and the king, then they carried him out of the city and stoned him to death with stones. Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Nabot has been stoned and is dead. It happened when Jezebel heard that Nabot was stoned and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Nabot the Jezreolite, which he refused to give you for money, for Nabot is not a life but dead. It happened when Ahab heard that Nabot was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Nabot, the Jezreolite, to take possession of it. The word of Yahweh came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab, king of Israel, who dwells in Samaria. Behold, he is in the vineyard of Nabot, where he has gone down to take possession of it. You shall speak to him saying, thus says Yahweh. Have you killed and also taken possession? You shall speak to him saying, thus says Yahweh. In the place where dogs lick the blood of Nabot, dogs will lick your blood, even yours. Ahab said to Elijah, have you found me, my enemy? He answered, I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do that which is evil in the sight of Yahweh. Behold, I will bring evil on you, and will utterly sweep you away, and will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall, and him who is shut up, and him who is left at large in Israel. I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Bashah, the son of Elijah, for the provocation with which you have provoked me to anger, and have made Israel to sin. Yahweh also spoke of Jezebel saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the rampart of Jezebel. The dogs will eat he who dies of Ahab in the city, and the birds of the sky will eat he who dies in the field. But there was none like Ahab, who sold himself to do that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, whom Jezebel, his wife, stirred up. He did very abominably in following idols, according to all that the Amorites did, whom Yahweh cast out before the children of Israel. It happened, when Ahab heard those words, that he tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly. The word of Yahweh came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying, See how Ahab humbles himself before me? Because he humbles himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days. But in his son's days will I bring the evil on his house. CHAPTER XXII They continued three years without war between Syria and Israel. It happened in the third year that Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, came down to the king of Israel. The king of Israel said to his servants, You know that Ramoth Gilead is ours. And we are still, and don't take it out of the hand of the king of Syria? He said to Jehoshaphat, Will you go with me to battle to Ramoth Gilead? Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, Please inquire first for the word of Yahweh. Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, Shall I go against Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall I forbear? They said, Go up, for the Lord will deliver it into the hand of the king. But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh that we may inquire of him? The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of Yahweh, My Kaia, the son of Imlah. But I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me but evil. Jehoshaphat said, Don't let the king say so. Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, Quickly, get my Kaia, the son of Imlah. Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, in an open place at the entrance of the gate of Samaria, and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Zedekhaya, the son of Kenanah, made him horns of iron and said, Thus says Yahweh, with these you shall push the Syrians until they are consumed. All the prophets prophesied so, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead and prosper, for Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. The messengers who went to call Micaiah spoke to him, saying, See now, the prophets declare good to the king with one mouth. Please let your word be like the word of one of them and speak good. Micaiah said, As Yahweh lives, what Yahweh says to me, that I will speak. When he had come to the king, the king said to him, Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth Gilead to battle, or shall we forbear? He answered him, Go up and prosper, and Yahweh will deliver it into the hand of the king. The king said to him, How many times do I have to adjure you that you speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of Yahweh? He said, I saw all Israel scattered on the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd. Yahweh said, These have no master, let them each return to his house in peace. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, Didn't I tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me but evil? Micaiah said, Therefore hear the word of Yahweh. I saw Yahweh sitting on his throne, and all the army of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. Yahweh said, Who shall entice Ahab that he may go up and fall at Ramoth Gilead? One said one thing, another said another. A spirit came out and stood before Yahweh and said, I will entice him. Yahweh said to him, How? He said, I will go out and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. He said, You will entice him and will also prevail. Go out and do so. Now therefore behold, Yahweh has put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets, and Yahweh has spoken evil concerning you. Then Zedekiah the son of Cananna came near and struck Micaiah on the cheek and said, Which way did the spirit of Yahweh go from me to speak to you? Micaiah said, Behold, you will see on that day when you go into an inner room to hide yourself. The king of Israel said, Take Micaiah and carry him back to Amon, the governor of the city, and to Joash, the king's son. Say, Thus says the king, Put this fellow in the prison and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction until I come in peace. Micaiah said, If you return at all in peace, Yahweh has not spoken by me. He said, Listen, all you people! So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, went up to Raymoth Gilead. The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself and go into battle, but you put on your robes. The king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty-two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither was small nor great, except only with the king of Israel. It happened when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat that they said, Surely, that is the king of Israel, and they turned aside to fight against him. Jehoshaphat cried out, It happened when these captains of the chariots saw that it was not the king of Israel that they turned back from pursuing him. A certain man drew his bow at random and struck the king of Israel between the joints of the armor. Therefore he said to the driver of his chariot, Turn your hand and carry me out of the battle, for I am severely wounded. The battle increased that day. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians and died at evening. The blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. A cry went throughout the army about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city and every man to his country. So the king died and was brought to Samaria, and they buried the king in Samaria. They washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria, and the dogs licked up his blood where the prostitutes washed themselves, according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab and all that he did, and the ivory house which he built, and all the cities that he built, aren't they written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? So Ahab slept with his fathers, and Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his place. Jehoshaphat, the son of Asa, began to reign over Judah in the fourth year of Ahab, king of Israel. Jehoshaphat was thirty-five years old when he began to reign, and he reigned twenty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah, the daughter of Shilhai. He walked in all the way of Asa, his father. He didn't turn aside from it, doing that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh. However, the high places were not taken away, the people still sacrificed, and burnt incense on the high places. Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he showed, and how he wore it, aren't they written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? The remnants of the sodomites that remained in the days of his father, Asa, he put away out of the land. There was no king in Edom. A deputy was king. Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Opier for gold, but they didn't go. For the ships were broken at Izan Geber. Then Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, said to Jehoshaphat, let my servants go with your servants in the ships. But Jehoshaphat would not. Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David, his father. Joram, his son, reigned in his place. Ahaziah, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and he reigned two years over Israel. He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and walked in the way of his father, and in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, in which he made Israel to sin. He served Baal, and worshipped him, and provoked to anger Yahweh, the God of Israel, according to all that his father had done. End of chapter 17 through 22 of the First Book of Kings. CHAPTER 1 to 8 of Second Kings from the World English Bible. This is the LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. This reading by Anna Roberts. Second Kings from the World English Bible. Chapters 1 through 8. CHAPTER 1. Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper room that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers and said to them, Go, inquire of Baal Zabab, the God of Ekron, whether I will recover of this sickness. But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the King of Samaria, and tell them, is it because there is no God in Israel that you go to inquire of Baal Zabab, the God of Ekron? Now therefore thus says Yahweh, you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die. Elijah departed. The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, Why is it that you have returned? They said to him, a man came up to meet us, and said to us, Go, return to the King who sent you, and tell him, Thus says Yahweh, is it because there is no God in Israel that you send to inquire of Baal Zabab, the God of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die. He said to them, what kind of man was he who came up to meet you and told you these words? They answered him, he was a hairy man, and wearing a leather belt around his waist. He said, it is Elijah the Tishbite. Then the King sent a captain of fifty with his fifty to him. He went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, man of God, the King has said, come down. Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky and consume you in your fifty. Fire came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty. Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, man of God, the King has said, come down quickly. Elijah answered them, if I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky and consume you and your fifty. The fire of God came down from the sky and consumed him and his fifty. Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah and begged him and said to him, Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty, your servants, be precious in your sight. Behold, fire came down from the sky and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties, but now let my life be precious in your sight. The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, go down with him, don't be afraid of him. He arose and went down with him to the King. He said to him, thus says Yahweh, Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zibab, the God of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die. So he died according to the word of Yahweh, which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place, in the second year of Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, King of Judah, because he had no son. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, which he did, aren't they written in the book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel? CHAPTER II It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elijah from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elijah, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel. Elijah said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they went down to Bethel. The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elijah and said to him, Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today? He said, Yes, I know it, hold your peace. Elijah said to him, Elijah, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. So they came to Jericho. The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elijah and said to him, Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today? He answered, Yes, I know it, hold your peace. Elijah said to him, Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan. He said, As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. They both went on. Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, and they both stood by the Jordan. Elijah took his mantle and wrapped it together and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they too went over on dry ground. It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elijah, Ask what I shall do for you before I am taken from you. Elijah said, Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me. He said, You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you, but if not, it shall not be so. It happened, as they still went on and talked, that, behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. Elijah saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen. He saw him no more, and he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah? When he also had struck the waters they were divided here and there, and Elijah went over. When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah rests on Elijah. They came to meet him and bowed themselves to the ground before him. They said to him, See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Please let them go and seek your master. Perhaps the spirit of Yahweh has taken him up and put him on some mountain or into some valley. He said, You shall not send them. When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, Send them. They sent therefore fifty men, and they searched for three days, but didn't find him. They came back to him while he stayed at Jericho, and he said to them, Didn't I tell you don't go? The men of the city said to Elijah, Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my Lord sees, but the water is bad and the land miscarries. He said, Bring me a new jar and put salt in it. They brought it to him. He went out to the spring of the waters and threw salt into it, and said, Thus says Yahweh, I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying. So the waters were healed to this day according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up, you bald-head! He looked behind him and saw them and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of those youths. He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria. CHAPTER III. Now Jehorim, the son of Ahab, began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father and like his mother, for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he held to the sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin, and he didn't depart from it. Now Misha, king of Moab, was a sheep-breeder, and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs and of one hundred thousand rams. But it happened when Ahab was dead that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. King Jehorim went out of Samaria at that time and mustered all Israel. He went and sent to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle? He said, I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses. He said, Which way shall we go up? He answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom. So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days journey. There was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. The king of Israel said, Alas, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. But Jehoshaphat said, Isn't there here a prophet of Yahweh that we may inquire of Yahweh by him? One of the king of Israel's servants answered, Elisha, the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah. Jehoshaphat said, The word of Yahweh is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, went down to him. Elisha said to the king of Israel, What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father and to the prophets of your mother. The king of Israel said to him, No, for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. Elisha said, As Yahweh of armies lives, before whom I stand, surely were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah, I would not look toward you nor see you. But now bring me a minstrel. It happened when the minstrel played that the hand of Yahweh came on him. He said, Thus says Yahweh, Make this valley full of trenches. For thus says Yahweh, You will not see wind, neither will you see rain, yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your animals. This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. You shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones. It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that, behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border. They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them, as red as blood. They said, This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them, and they went forward into the land, smiting the Moabites. They beat down the cities, and on every piece of good land they cast every man his stone, and filled it, and they stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kier Haresheth, only they left its stones. However, the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it. When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not. Then he took his eldest son, who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel, and they departed from him, and returned to their own land. CHAPTER IV Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, Your servant, my husband, is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves. Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow containers from of all your neighbors, even empty containers. Don't borrow just a few. You shall go in and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour out into all those containers, and you shall set aside that which is full. So she went from him and shut the door on her and on her sons, and they brought the containers to her, and she poured out. It happened when the containers were full that she said to her son, Bring me another container. He said to her, There isn't another container. The oil stopped flowing. Then she came and told the man of God. He said, Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons live on the rest. It fell on a day that Elisha passed to Shunam, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was that as often as he passed by he turned in there to eat bread. She said to her husband, See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God that passes us by continually. Please let us make a little room on the wall. Let us set for him there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lampstand. It shall be when he comes to us that he shall turn in there. One day he came there, and he turned into the room and lay there. He said to Ghezai his servant, Call this Shunamite. When he had called her she stood before him. He said to him, Now say to her, Behold, you have cared for us with all this care. What is to be done for you? What would you like to be spoken for to the King, to the captain of the army? She answered, I dwell among my own people. He said, Then what is to be done for her? Ghezai answered, Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old. He said, Call her. When he had called her she stood in the door. He said, At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son. She said, No, my lord, you man of God, do not lie to your handmaid. The woman conceived and bore a son at that season when the time came around as Elisha had said to her. When the child was grown it happened one day that he went out to his father to the reapers. He said to his father, My head, my head. He said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. When he had taken him and brought him to his mother he sat on her knees until noon and then died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God and shut the door on him and went out. She called to her husband and said, Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys that I may run to the man of God and come again. He said, Why would you want to go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath. She said, It's all right. Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, Drive and go forward. Don't slow down for me unless I ask you to. So she went and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened when the man of God saw her afar off that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, there is the Shunemite. Please run now to meet her and ask her, Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with a child? She answered, It is well. When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away, but the man of God said, Leave her alone for her soul is troubled within her and Yahweh has hidden it from me and has not told me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my Lord? Didn't I say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to Gehazi, Tuck your cloak into your belt, Take my staff in your hand and go your way. If you meet any man, don't greet him. And if anyone greets you, don't answer him again. Then lay my staff on the face of the child. The mother of the child said, As Yahweh lives and as your soul lives, I will not leave you. He arose and followed her. Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the face of the child, but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him and told him, saying, The child has not awakened. When Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead and lay on his bed, he went in therefore and shut the door on them both and prayed to Yahweh. He went up and lay on the child and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him and the flesh of the child grew warm. Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth and went up and stretched himself on him. Then the child sneezed seven times and the child opened his eyes. He called Gehazi and said, Call the Shunemite. So he called her. When she had come into him he said, Take up your son. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground and she took up her son and went out. Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets. One went out into the field to gather herbs and found a wild vine and gathered of it wild gourds, his lapful, and came and shred them into the pot of stew for they didn't recognize them. So they poured out for the men to eat. It happened as they were eating of the stew that they cried out and said, Man of God, there is a death in the pot. They could not eat of it. But he said, Then bring meal. He cast it into the pot and he said, Pour out for the people that they may eat. There was no harm in the pot. A man from Baal Shalasha came and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, 20 loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, Give to the people that they may eat. His servant said, What? Should I set this before a hundred men? But he said, Give the people that they may eat. For thus says Yahweh, they will eat and have some left over. So he said it before them and they ate and left some of it according to the word of Yahweh. Chapter five. Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria was a great man with his master and honorable because by him Yahweh had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. The Syrians had gone out in bands and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel, a little maiden, and she waited on Naaman's wife. She said to her mistress, I wish that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria, then he would heal him of his leprosy. Someone went in and told his lord saying, the maiden who is from the land of Israel said this. The king of Syria said, Go now and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. He departed and took with him 10 talents of silver and 6,000 pieces of gold and 10 changes of clothing. He brought the letter to the king of Israel saying, now when this leper has come to you, behold, I have sent name and my servant to you that you may heal him of his leprosy. It happened when the king of Israel had read the letter that he tore his clothes and said, am I God to kill and to make alive that this man sends to me to heal a man of his leprosy? But please consider and see how he seeks a quarrel against me. It was so when Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes that he sent to the king saying, why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariots and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. Elisha sent a messenger to him saying, go and wash in the Jordan seven times and your flesh shall come again to you and you shall be clean. But Naaman was angry and went away and said, behold, I thought he will surely come out to meet me and stand and call on the name of Yahweh his God and wave his hand over the place and heal the leper. Aren't Abana and Pharpar the rivers of Damascus better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. His servants came near and spoke to him and said, my father, if the prophet had asked you to do some great thing when you have done it, how much rather than when he says to you, wash and be clean? Then he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan according to the saying of the man of God and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean. He returned to the man of God, he and all his company and came and stood before him and he said, see now, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel. Now therefore please take a gift from your servant. But he said, as Yahweh lives before whom I stand I will receive none. He urged him to take it but he refused. Naaman said, if not then please let two mules burden of earth be given to your servant for your servant will from now on offer neither burnt offerings nor sacrifice to other gods but to Yahweh. In this thing may Yahweh pardon your servant when my master goes into the house of Riman to worship there and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Riman. When I bow myself in the house of Riman may Yahweh pardon your servant in this thing. He said to him, go in peace. So he departed from him a little way. But Gehazad, the servant of Elisha, the man of God said, behold my master has spared this name in the Syrian in not receiving at his hands that which he brought. As Yahweh lives I will run after him and take something from him. So Gehazad followed after Naaman. When Naaman saw one running after him he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, is all well? He said, all is well. My master has sent me saying, behold even now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing. Naaman said, be pleased to take two talents. He urged him and bound two talents of silver and two bags with two changes of clothing and laid them on two of his servants and they carried them before him. When he came to the hill he took them from their hand and stored them in the house. Then he let them in go and they departed. But he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, where did you come from Gehazad? He said, your servant went nowhere. He said to him, didn't my heart go with you when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to receive money and to receive garments and olive groves and vineyards and sheep and cattle and male servants and female servants? Therefore the leprosy of Naaman will cling to you and to your seed for ever. He went out from his presence a leper as white as snow. Chapter six, the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, see now the place where we dwell before you is too small for us. Please let us go to the Jordan and every man take a beam from there and let us make a place there where we may dwell. He answered, go. One said, please be pleased to go with your servants. He answered, I will go. So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water. Then he cried and said, alas, my master, for it was borrowed. The man of God asked, where did it fall? He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there and made the iron float. He said, take it. So he put out his hand and took it. Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel and he took counsel with his servants saying, my camp will be in such and such a place. The man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, beware that you not pass such a place for the Syrians are coming down there. The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God had told him and warned him of and he saved himself there, not once nor twice. The heart of the king of Syria was very troubled about this. He called his servants and said to them, won't you show me which of us is for the king of Israel? One of his servants said, no, my lord, oh king, but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom. He said, go and see where he is that I may send and get him. It was told him saying, behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore he sent horses, chariots and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city. When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, alas, my master, what shall we do? He answered, don't be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them. Elisha prayed and said, Yahweh, please open his eyes that he may see. Yahweh opened the eyes of the young man and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha. When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said, please strike this people with blindness. He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Elisha said to them, this is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria. It happened when they had come into Samaria that Elisha said, Yahweh, open the eyes of these men that they may see. Yahweh opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. The king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, my father, shall I strike them? He answered, you shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow, set bread and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their master? He prepared great feasts for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away and they went to their master. The bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel. It happened after this that Ben-Hadad, the king of Syria gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. There was a great famine in Samaria behold, they besieged it until a donkey's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of Dove's Dung for five pieces of silver. As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, help, my loyal king. He said, if Yahweh doesn't help you, from where could I help you? From of the threshing floor or from the wine press? The king said to her, what ails you? She answered, this woman said to me, give your son that we may eat him today. and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son and ate him and I said to her on the next day, give your son that we may eat him and she has hidden her son. It happened when the king heard the words of the woman that he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall and the people looked and behold he had sat cloth underneath on his flesh. Then he said, God do so to me and more if the head of Elisha, the son of Shepat shall stay on him this day. But Elisha was sitting in his house and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him. But before the messenger came to him he said to the elders, do you see how the son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes shut the door and hold the door shut against him. Isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him? While he was still talking with them behold the messenger came down to him. Then he said, behold, this evil is from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer? Chapter 7 Elisha said, hear the word of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh, tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria. Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, behold, if Yahweh make windows in heaven could this thing be? He said, behold, you shall see it with your eyes but shall not eat of it. Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, why do we sit here until we die? If we say we will enter into the city then the famine is in the city and we shall die there. If we sit still here we also die. Now therefore come and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive we will live and if they kill us we will only die. They rose up in the twilight to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they had come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians behold there was no man there. The Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses even the noise of a great army and they said one to another, behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to come on us. Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys even the camp as it was and fled for their life. When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp they went into one tent and ate and drank and carried their silver and gold and clothing and went and hid it. Then they came back and entered into another tent and carried there also and went and hid it. Then they said one to another, we aren't doing right this day is a day of good news and we keep silent if we wait until the morning light punishment will overtake us. Now therefore let us go and tell the king's household. So they came and called to the porter of the city and they told them saying we came to the camp of the Syrians and behold there was no man there neither voice of man but the horses tied and the donkeys tied and the tents as they were. He called the porters and they told it to the king's household within. The king arose in the night and said to his servants I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us they know that we are hungry therefore they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field saying when they come out of the city we shall take them alive and get into the city. One of his servants answered please let some take five of the horses in the city. Behold they are like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it. Behold they are like all the multitude of Israel who are consumed. Let us send and see. They took therefore two chariots with horses and the king sent them after the army of the Syrians saying go and see. They went after them to the Jordan and behold all the way was full of garments and vessels which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king. The people went out and entered 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 Yahweh. The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate and the people trod on him in the gate and he died as the man of God had said who spoke when the king came down to him. It happened 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 tomorrow about this time and that captain answered the man of God and said now behold if Yahweh should make windows in heaven might such a thing be and he said behold you shall see it with your eyes but shall not eat of it. It happened like that to him for the people trod on him in the gate and he died. Chapter 8 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 Yahweh has called for a famine and also come on the land seven years. The woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went with her household and lived in the land of the Philistines seven years. It happened at the seven years end that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines. Then she went forth to cry to 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. It happened as he was telling the king to restore to life him who is dead that behold the woman whose son he had restored to life cried to the king for her house and for her land. Gehazi said, my lord oh 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 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. Elisha came to Damascus and told him saying 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 Yahweh 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 burdened and came and stood before him and said your son Ben Haydad king of Syria has sent me to you saying will I recover from this sickness? Hazael told him you shall surely recover however Yahweh has shown me that he shall 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 a sword and will dash in pieces their little ones and rip up their women with child. Hazael said to your servant who has but a dog that he should do this great thing. Elisha answered Yahweh 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. It happened on the next day that he took a thick cloth dipped it in water and spread it on his face so that he died then Hazael reigned in his place. In the house of Ahab king of Israel Jehoshaphat being king of Judah then Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign he was 32 years old when he began to reign he reigned 8 years in Jerusalem he walked in the way of the kings of Israel as did the house of Ahab for he had the daughter of Ahab as a wife he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh however Yahweh would not destroy Judah for David his servant's sake as he promised him to give him a lamp in his days Edim revolted from under the hand of Judah and made a king over themselves then Jehoram passed over to Zair and all his chariots with him and he rose up by night and struck the Edimites who surrounded him and the captains of the chariots and the people fled to their tents so Edim revolted from under the hand of Judah to this day then Libna revolted at the same time the rest of the acts of Jehoram and all that he did aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of Judah? Jehoram slept with his fathers and was buried with his fathers in the city of David and Ahaziah his son reigned in his place in the twelfth year of Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign 22 years old was Ahaziah 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 the house of Ahab and did that which was evil as did the house of Ahab for he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab he went with Jehoram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria at Reimoth Gilead and the Syrians wounded Jehoram king Jehoram returned to be healed in Jezreel of 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 Jehoram the son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick End of chapters 1-8 of Second Kings chapters 9-14 of Second Kings from the World English Bible this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this recording by Anna Roberts Second Kings from the World English Bible chapters 9-14 chapter 9 the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets and said to him put your belt on your waist take this vial of oil in your hand and go to Reimoth Gilead when you come there find Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi and go in and make him arise up from among his brothers and carry him to an inner room then take the vial of oil and pour it on his head and say thus says Yahweh I have anointed you king over Israel then open the door flee and don't wait young man even the young man the prophet went to Reimoth Gilead when he came behold the captains of the army were sitting then he said I have a message for you captain Jehu said to which of us all he said to you oh captain he arose and went into the house then he poured the oil on his head and said to him thus says Yahweh the god of Israel I have anointed you king over the people of Yahweh even over Israel I will make the house of Ahab your master that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets and the blood of all the servants of Yahweh at the hand of Jezebel for the whole house of Ahab shall perish I will cut off from Ahab everyone who urinates against a wall both him who is shut up and him who is left at large in Israel I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat and like the house of Beishah the son of Ahijah the dogs will eat Jezebel on the plot of ground of Jezreel there will be none to bury her he opened the door and fled then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord and one said to him is all well why did this mad fellow come to you he said to them you know the man and what his talk was they said that is a lie tell us now he said he said to me thus says Yahweh I have anointed you king over Israel then they hurried and every man took his garment and put it under him on the top of the stairs and blew the trumpet and the king Jehu is king so Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimchi conspired against Joram now Joram was keeping Reymouth Gilead he and all Israel because of Hasael king of Syria but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him when he fought with Hasael king of Syria Jehu said if this is your thinking then let no one escape and go out of the city to go to tell it in Jezreel so Jehu rode in a chariot and went to Jezreel for Joram lay there Ahaziah king of Judah had come down to see Joram now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel and he spied the company of Jehu as he came and said I see a company Joram said take a horseman and send to meet them and let him say is it peace so there went one on horseback to meet him and said thus says the king is it peace Jehu said what do you have to do with peace fall in behind me the watchman said the messenger came to them but he isn't coming back then he sent out a second on horseback who came to them and said thus says the king is it peace Jehu answered what do you have to do with peace fall in behind me the watchman said he came to them and isn't coming back the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi for he drives furiously Joram said get ready they got his chariot ready Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out each in his chariot and they went out to meet Jehu and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite it happened when Joram saw Jehu that he said is it peace Jehu he answered what peace so long as the prostitution of your mother Jezebel and her witchcraft abound Joram turned his hands and fled and said to Ahaziah Jehu drew his bow with his full strength and struck Joram between his arms and the arrow went out at his heart and he sunk down in his chariot then Jehu said to Bidkar his captain pick him up and throw him in the plot of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite for remember how when you and I rode together after Ahab his father Yahweh laid this burden on him surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons says Yahweh and I will repay you in this plot of ground and I will repay you in this plot of ground says Yahweh now therefore take and cast him on to the plot of ground according to the word of Yahweh but when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this he fled by the way of the garden house Jehu followed after him and said strike him also in the chariot they struck him at the ascent of Gur which is by Iblam he fled to Megiddo and died there his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem and buried him in his tomb with his fathers in the city of David in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah when Jehu had come to Jezreel Jezebel heard of it and she painted her eyes and attired her head and looked out at the window as Jehu entered in at the gate she said do you come in peace Zimri you murderer of your master he lifted up his face to the window and said who is on my side who two or three eunuchs looked out at him he said throw her down so they threw her down and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall and on the horses then he trampled her underfoot when he had come in he ate and drank and he said see now to this cursed woman and bury her for she is a king's daughter they went to bury her but they found no more of her than the skull and the feet and the palms of her hands therefore they came back and told him he said this is the word of Yahweh which he spoke by his servant Elijah the tishbite saying dogs will eat the flesh of Jezebel on the plot of Jezebel and the body of Jezebel shall be as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezebel so that they shall not say this is Jezebel Chapter 10 Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria Jehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria to the rulers of Jezebel even the elders and to those who brought up the sons of Ahab saying now as soon as this letter comes to you since your master's sons are with you and there are with you chariots and horses and fortified city also and armor select the best and fittest of your master's sons set him on his father's throne and fight for your master's house but they were exceedingly afraid and said behold the two kings didn't stand before him how then shall we stand he who was over the household and he who was over the city the elders also and those who raised the children sent to Jehu saying we are your servants and will do all that you ask us we will not make any man king you do that which is good in your eyes then he wrote a letter the second time to them saying if you are on my side and if you will listen to my voice take the heads of the men your master's sons and come to me to Jezebel by tomorrow this time now the king's sons being seventy persons were with the great men of the city who brought them up it happened when the letter came to them that they took the king's sons and killed them even seventy persons and put their heads in baskets to kill a messenger came and told him they have brought the heads of the king's sons he said lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until the morning it happened in the morning that he went out and stood and said to all the people you are righteous behold I conspired against my master and killed him but who struck all these know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of Yahweh which Yahweh spoke concerning the house of Ahab for Yahweh has done that so Jehu struck all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel with all his great men his familiar friends and his priests until he left none remaining he arose and departed and went to Samaria as he was at the shearing house of the shepherds on the way Jehu met with the brothers of Ahaziah king of Judah and said who are you they answered we are the brothers of Ahaziah we are going down to greet the children of the king and the children of the queen he said take them alive they took them alive and killed them at the pit of the shearing house even forty-two men he didn't leave any of them when he had departed from there he met Jehonadab the son of Rekab coming to meet him he greeted him and said to him is your heart right as my heart is with your heart Jehonadab answered it is if it is give me your hand he gave him his hand and he took him up to him into the chariot he said come with me and see my zeal for Yahweh so they made him ride in his chariot when he came to Samaria he struck all who remained to Ahab in Samaria until he had destroyed him according to the word of Yahweh which he spoke to Elijah Jehu gathered all the people together and said to them Ahab served Baal a little but Jehu will serve him much now therefore called to me all the prophets of Baal all of his worshipers and all of his priests let none be absent for I have a great sacrifice to Baal whoever is absent he shall not live but Jehu did it in subtlety intending that he might destroy the worshipers of Baal Jehu said sanctify a solemn assembly for Baal they proclaimed it Jehu sent through all Israel and all the worshipers of Baal came so that there was not a man left that didn't come they went into the house of Baal and the house of Baal was filled from one end to another he said to him who was over the vestry bring out robes for all the worshipers of Baal he brought robes out to them Jehu went with Jehonadab the son of Rekab into the house of Baal then he said to the worshipers of Baal search and look that there are here with you none of the servants of Yahweh but the worshipers of Baal only they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings now Jehu had appointed him 80 men outside and said if any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape he who lets him go his life shall be for the life of him it happened as soon as he had made an end to offering the burnt offering the Jehu said to the guard and to the captains go in and kill them let none escape they struck them with the edge of the sword and the guard and captains cast them out and went to the city of the house of Baal they brought out the pillars that were in the house of Baal and burned them they broke down the pillar of Baal and broke down the house of Baal and made it a latrine to this day thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of Israel however from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat with which he made Israel to sin Jehu didn't depart from after them the golden calves that were in Bethel and that were in Dan Yahweh said to Jehu because you have done well in executing that which is right in my eyes and have done to the house of Ahab according to all that was in my heart your sons to the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of Israel but Jehu took no heed to walk in the law of Yahweh the God of Israel with all his heart he didn't depart from the sins of Jeroboam with which he made Israel to sin in those days Yahweh began to cut off from Israel and Hazael struck them in all the borders of Israel from the Jordan eastward all the land of Gilead the Gadites and the Rubinites and the Minasites from Aror which is by the valley of Arnon even Gilead and Baishon now the rest of the acts of Jehu and all that he did and all his might aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel Jehu slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria Jehoa has his son reigned in his place and the Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was 28 years Chapter 11 Now in Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead she arose and destroyed all the seed royal but Jehoshiba the daughter of King Joram sister of Ahaziah took Joash the son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the king's sons who were slain even him and his nurse and put them in the bedroom and they hid him from Athaliah so that he was not slain but hidden in the house of Yahweh six years Athaliah reigned over the land in the seventh year Jehoa descent and fetched the captains over hundreds of the carites and of the guard and brought them to him in the house of Yahweh and he made a covenant with them and took an oath of them in the house of Yahweh and showed them the king's son he commanded them saying this is the thing that you shall do a third part of you who come in on the Sabbath shall be keepers of the watch of the king's house a third part shall be at the gate and a third part at the gate behind the guard so you shall keep the watch of the house and be a barrier the two companies of you even all who go out on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of Yahweh around the king you shall surround the king every man with his weapons in his hand and he who comes within the ranks let him be slain be with the king when he goes out and when he comes in the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoa to the priests commanded and they took every man his men those who were to come in on the Sabbath and those who were to go out on the Sabbath and came to Jehoa to the priest the priest delivered to the captains over hundreds the spears and shields that had been King David's which were in the house of Yahweh the guard stood every man with his weapons in his hand from the right side of the house to the left side of the house along by the altar and the house around the king then he brought out the king's son and put the crown on him and gave him the testimony and they clapped their hands and said long live the king when Athaliah heard the noise of the garden of the people she came into the people into the house of Yahweh and she looked and behold the king stood by the pillar as the tradition was and the captains and the trumpets by the king and all the people of the land rejoiced and blew trumpets then Athaliah tore her clothes and cried treason treason Jehoa to the priest commanded the captains of hundreds who were set over the army and said to them let her out between the ranks kill him who follows her with a sword for the priest said don't let her be slain in the house of Yahweh so they made way for her and she went out by the way of the horse's entry to the king's house she was slain there Jehoeda made a covenant between Yahweh and the king and the people that they should be Yahweh's people between the king also and the people all the people of the land went to the house of Baal and broke it down his alters and his images broke they killed Matan the priest of Baal before the alters the priest appointed officers over the house of Yahweh he took the captains over hundreds and the carites and the guard and all the people of the land and they brought down the king from the house of Yahweh and came by the way of the gate of the guard to the king's house he sat on the throne of the king's so all the people of the land rejoiced and the city was quiet Athaliah they had slain with the sword at the king's house to reign Chapter 12 in the 7th year of Jehu began Jehoash to reign and he reigned 40 years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Zabiyah of Beersheba Jehoash did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh all his days in which Jehoeda the priest instructed him however the high places were not taken away the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places Jehoash said to the priests all the money of the holy things that is brought into the house of Yahweh the money of the persons for whom each man is raided and all the money that it comes into any man's heart to bring into the house of Yahweh let the priest take it to them every man from his acquaintance and they shall repair the breeches of the house wherever any breech shall be found but it was so that in the 3 and 20th year of King Jehoash the priest had not repaired the breeches of the house then King Jehoash called for Jehoeda the priest and for the other priests and said to them the priest consented that they should take no more money from the people neither repair the breeches of the house but Jehoeda the priest took a chest and bore a hole in its lid and set it beside the altar on the right side as one comes into the house of Yahweh and the priest who kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh it was so when they saw that there was much money in the chest that the king scribe in the high priest and the priest who kept the threshold put therein all the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh it was so that the king scribe in the high priest came up and they put up in bags and counted the money that was found in the house of Yahweh they gave the money that was weighed out into the hands of those who did the work who had the oversight of the house of Yahweh and they paid it out to the carpenters and the builders who worked on the house of Yahweh and to the masons and the stone cutters for buying timber and cut stone to repair the breeches of the house of Yahweh and for all that was laid out for the house to repair it that was not made for the house of Yahweh cups of silver, snuffers, basins trumpets, any vessels of gold or vessels of silver of the money that was brought into the house of Yahweh for they gave that to those who did the work and repaired therewith the house of Yahweh moreover they didn't demand an accounting from the men into whose hand they delivered the money to give it to those who did the work for they dealt faithfully the money for the trespass offerings and the money for the sin offerings was not brought into the house of Yahweh as the priests then Hazael king of Syria went up and fought against Gath and took it and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem Jehoesh king of Judah took all the holy things that Jehoshaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his fathers, kings of Judah had dedicated and his own holy things and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of Yahweh and of the king's house and sent it to Hazael king of Syria and he went away from Jerusalem and all that he did aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah his servants arose and made a conspiracy and struck Jehoesh at the house of Milo on the way that goes down to Silla for Josecar the son of Shimea and Jehozabad the son of Shomer his servants struck him and he died and they buried him with his fathers in the city of David and Amaziah his son reigned in his place Chapter 13 in the 3 and 20th year of Jehoesh the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehah began to reign over Israel and Samaria for 17 years he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat with which he made Israel to sin he didn't depart from it the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria and into the hand of Ben Hedad the son of Hazael continually Jehoahaz begged Yahweh for he saw the oppression of Israel how that the king of Syria oppressed them Yahweh gave Israel a saviour so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians and the children of Israel lived in their tents as before nevertheless they didn't depart from the sins of the house of Jeroboam with which he made Israel to sin but walked therein and there remained the Ashura also in Samaria for he didn't leave to Jehoahaz of the people any more than 50 horsemen and 10 chariots for the king of Syria destroyed them and made them like the dust in threshing now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel Jehoahaz slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria and Jehoahaz's son reigned in his place in the 37th year of Jehoahaz king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria for 16 years he did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh he didn't depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nibbat with which he made Israel to sin but he walked therein now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz and all that he did and his might with which he fought against Amaziah king of Judah aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel Jehoahaz slept with his fathers and Jeroboam sat on his throne and Jehoahaz was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness of which he died and wept over him and said my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen Elisha said to him take bow and arrows and he took to him bow and arrows he said to the king of Israel put your hand on the bow and he put his hand on it Elisha laid his hands on the king's hands he said open the window eastward and he opened it then Elisha said shoot and he shot he said Yahweh's arrow of victory for you shall strike the Syrians and Aphik until you have consumed them he said take the arrows and he took them he said to the king of Israel strike the ground and he struck three times and stopped the man of God was angry with him and said you should have struck five or six times then you would have struck Syria until you had consumed it whereas now you shall strike Syria just three times Elisha died and they buried him now the bands of the Moabites invaded the land at the coming in of the year it happened as they were burying a man that behold they spied a band and they cast the man into the tomb of Elisha and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha he revived and stood up on his feet Haseel king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehovah has but Yahweh was gracious to them and had compassion on them and had respect to them because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and would not destroy them neither cast he them from his presence as yet Syria died and Ben Hadad his son reigned in his place Jehovah the son of Jehovah has took again out of the hand of Ben Hadad the son of Haseel the cities which he had taken out of the hand of Jehovah has his father by war Jehovah struck him three times and recovered the cities of Israel Chapter 14 In the second year of Jehovah son of Jehovah has king of Israel began Amaziah the son of Jehovah king of Judah to reign and began to reign and he reigned 29 years in Jerusalem and his mother's name was Jehovah of Jerusalem he did that which was right in the eyes of Yahweh yet not like David his father he did according to all the Joash his father had done however the high places were not taken away the people still sacrificed and burnt incense in the high places it happened as soon as the kingdom was established in his hand that he killed his servants who had slain the king his father but the children of the murders he didn't put to death was written in the book of the law of Moses as Yahweh commanded saying the father shall not be put to death for the children nor the children be put to death for the fathers but every man shall die for his own sin he killed of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand and took Silah by war and called its name Jockthiel to this day then Amaziah sent messengers to Jehovah the son of Jehovah has the son of Jehu king of Israel saying come let us look one another in the face Jehovah the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah saying the thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon saying give your daughter to my son's wife then a wild animal that was in Lebanon passed by and trampled down the thistle you have indeed struck Edom and your heart has lifted you up enjoy the glory of it and stay at home for why should you meddle to your harm that you should fall even you and Judah with you but Amaziah would not listen Judah went up and he and Amaziah king of Judah looked one another in the face at Beth Shemesh which belongs to Judah Judah was defeated by Israel and they fled every man to his tent Jehovah king of Israel took Amaziah king of Judah the son of Jehovah the son of Ahaziah at Beth Shemesh and came to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem from the gate of Ephraim to the corner gate 400 cubits he took all the gold and silver to the king's house the hostages also and returned to Samaria now the rest of the acts of Jehovah which he did in his might and now he fought with Amaziah king of Judah aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel Jehovah slept with his father and was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place Amaziah the son of Jehovah king of Judah lived after the death of Jehovah son of Jehovah has king of Israel 15 years the rest of the acts of Amaziah aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah they made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem and he fled to Lekesh but they sent after him to Lekesh and killed him there they brought him on horses and he was buried at Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David all the people of Judah took Azariah who was 16 years old and made him king in the palace of his father Amaziah and his father's in the 15th year of Amaziah the son of Joash king of Judah Jeroboam the son of Joash king of Israel began to reign in Samaria for 41 years he did that which was evil in the site of Yahweh he didn't depart from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat with which he made Israel to sin he restored the border of Israel from the entrance of Hamath to the sea of the Ereba according to the word of Yahweh the god of Israel which he spoke by his servant Jonah the prophet who was of Gath Heffer for Yahweh saw the affliction of Israel that it was very bitter for there was none shut up nor left at large neither was there any helper for Israel Yahweh didn't say that he would blot out the name of Israel from under the sky but he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash now the rest of the acts of Jeroboam and all that he did and his might how he warred and how he recovered Damascus and Hamath which had belonged to Judah for Israel aren't they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel Jeroboam slept with his fathers even with the kings of Israel and Zechariah his son reigned in his place End of chapters 9 to 14 of Second Kings