Holman Christian Standard Bible (111 page)

31
 Now the king of Aram had ordered his 32 chariot commanders, “Do not fight with anyone at all except the king of Israel.” 

32
 When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they shouted, “He must be the king of Israel! ” So they turned to fight against him, but Jehoshaphat cried out.
33
 When the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they turned back from pursuing him.

34
 But a man drew his bow without taking special aim and struck the king of Israel through the joints of his armor. So he said to his charioteer, “Turn around and take me out of the battle, for I am badly wounded! ” 
35
 The battle raged throughout that day, and the king was propped up in his chariot facing the Arameans. He died that evening, and blood from his wound flowed into the bottom of the chariot.
36
 Then the cry rang out in the army as the sun set, declaring:

37
 So the king died and was brought to Samaria. They buried the king in Samaria. 
38
 Then someone washed the chariot at the pool of Samaria. The dogs licked up his blood, and the prostitutes bathed in it, according to the word of the
Lord
that He had spoken. 

39
 The rest of the events of Ahab's reign, along with all his accomplishments, including the ivory palace he built, and all the cities he built, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings. 
40
 Ahab rested with his fathers, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.

Judah's King Jehoshaphat

41
 Jehoshaphat son of Asa became king over Judah in the fourth year of Israel's King Ahab.
42
 Jehoshaphat was 35 years old when he became king; he reigned 25 years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Azubah daughter of Shilhi.
43
 He walked in all the ways of his father Asa; he did not turn away from them but did what was right in the
Lord
's sight. However, the
•high
places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. 
44
 Jehoshaphat also made peace with the king of Israel. 

45
 The rest of the events of Jehoshaphat's reign, along with the might he exercised and how he waged war, are written in the Historical Record of Judah's Kings. 
46
 He removed from the land the rest of the male cult prostitutes who were left from the days of his father Asa. 
47
 There was no king in Edom; a deputy served as king.
48
 Jehoshaphat made ships of Tarshish to go to Ophir for gold, but they did not go because the ships were wrecked at Ezion-geber. 
49
 At that time, Ahaziah son of Ahab said to Jehoshaphat, “Let my servants go with your servants in the ships,” but Jehoshaphat was not willing.
50
 Jehoshaphat rested with his fathers and was buried with them in the city of his ancestor David. His son Jehoram became king in his place.

Israel's King Ahaziah

51
 Ahaziah son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria in the seventeenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat and reigned over Israel two years.
52
 He did what was evil in the
Lord
's sight. He walked in the way of his father, in the way of his mother, and in the way of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had caused Israel to sin. 
53
 He served
•Baal
and worshiped him. He provoked the
Lord
God of Israel just as his father had done. 

2 Kings

2 Kings

Ahaziah's Sickness and Death

1
After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 
2
 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 

3
 But the angel of the
Lord
said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? '
4
 Therefore, this is what the
Lord
says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed — you will certainly die.' ” Then Elijah left.

5
 The messengers returned to the king, who asked them, “Why have you come back? ”

6
 They replied, “A man came to meet us and said, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and declare to him: This is what the
Lord
says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you're sending these men to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore, you will not get up from your sickbed — you will certainly die.' ”

7
 The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you? ”

8
 They replied, “A hairy man with a leather belt around his waist.” 

He said, “It's Elijah the Tishbite.” 

9
 So King Ahaziah sent a captain of 50 with his 50 men to Elijah. When the captain went up to him, he was sitting on top of the hill. He announced, “Man of God, the king declares, ‘Come down! ' ”

10
 Elijah responded to the captain of the 50, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men.” Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men. 

11
 So the king sent another captain of 50 with his 50 men to Elijah. He took in the situation and announced, “Man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down immediately! ' ”

12
 Elijah responded, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your 50 men.” So a divine fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his 50 men.

13
 Then the king sent a third captain of 50 with his 50 men. The third captain of 50 went up and fell on his knees in front of Elijah and begged him, “Man of God, please let my life and the lives of these 50 servants of yours be precious in your sight. 
14
 Already fire has come down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of 50 with their fifties, but this time let my life be precious in your sight.”

15
 The angel of the
Lord
 said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don't be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king.

16
 Then Elijah said to King Ahaziah, “This is what the
Lord
says: ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron — is it because there is no God in Israel for you to inquire of His will? You will not get up from your sickbed — you will certainly die.' ”

17
 Ahaziah died according to the word of the
Lord
that Elijah had spoken. Since he had no son, Joram became king in his place. This happened in the second year of Judah's King Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat. 
18
 The rest of the events of Ahaziah's reign, along with his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Israel's Kings.

2 Kings

Elijah in the Whirlwind

2
The time had come for the
Lord
to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elijah and Elisha were traveling from Gilgal, 
2
 and Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the
Lord
is sending me on to Bethel.” 

But Elisha replied, “As the
Lord
lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel.

3
 Then the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the
Lord
will take your master away from you today? ” 

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

4
 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, stay here; the
Lord
is sending me to Jericho.” 

But Elisha said, “As the
Lord
lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5
 Then the sons of the prophets who were in Jericho came up to Elisha and said, “Do you know that the
Lord
will take your master away from you today? ”

He said, “Yes, I know. Be quiet.”

6
 Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the
Lord
is sending me to the Jordan.” 

But Elisha said, “As the
Lord
lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7
 Fifty men from the sons of the prophets came and stood facing them from a distance while the two of them stood by the Jordan.
8
 Elijah took his mantle, rolled it up, and struck the waters, which parted to the right and left. Then the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 
9
 After they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me what I can do for you before I am taken from you.”

So Elisha answered, “Please, let me inherit two shares of your spirit.” 

10
 Elijah replied, “You have asked for something difficult. If you see me being taken from you, you will have it. If not, you won't.”

11
 As they continued walking and talking, a chariot of fire with horses of fire suddenly appeared and separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up into heaven in the whirlwind. 
12
 As Elisha watched, he kept crying out, “My father, my father, the chariots and horsemen of Israel! ” Then he never saw Elijah again. He took hold of his own clothes and tore them into two pieces. 

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

13
 Elisha picked up the mantle that had fallen off Elijah and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan.
14
 Then he took the mantle Elijah had dropped and struck the waters. “Where is the
Lord
God of Elijah? ” he asked. He struck the waters himself, and they parted to the right and the left, and Elisha crossed over.

15
 When the sons of the prophets from Jericho who were facing him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him and bowed down to the ground in front of him.

16
 Then the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Since there are 50 strong men here with your servants, please let them go and search for your master. Maybe the Spirit of the
Lord
has carried him away and put him on one of the mountains or into one of the valleys.” 

He answered, “Don't send them.”

17
 However, they urged him to the point of embarrassment, so he said, “Send them.” They sent 50 men, who looked for three days but did not find him.
18
 When they returned to him in Jericho where he was staying, he said to them, “Didn't I tell you not to go? ”

19
 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Even though our lord can see that the city's location is good, the water is bad and the land unfruitful.” 

20
 He replied, “Bring me a new bowl and put salt in it.” 

After they had brought him one,
21
 Elisha went out to the spring of water, threw salt in it, and said, “This is what the
Lord
says: ‘I have healed this water. No longer will death or unfruitfulness result from it.' ”
22
 Therefore, the water remains healthy to this very day according to the word that Elisha spoke.

23
 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking up the path, some small boys came out of the city and harassed him, chanting, “Go up, baldy! Go up, baldy! ”
24
 He turned around, looked at them, and cursed them in the name of the
Lord
. Then two female bears came out of the woods and mauled 42 of the children.
25
 From there Elisha went to Mount Carmel, and then he returned to Samaria. 

2 Kings

Israel's King Joram

3
Joram son of Ahab became king over Israel in Samaria during the eighteenth year of Judah's King Jehoshaphat and reigned 12 years. 
2
 He did what was evil in the
Lord
's sight, but not like his father and mother, for he removed the sacred pillar of
•Baal
his father had made.
3
 Nevertheless, Joram clung to the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit. He did not turn away from them.

Moab's Rebellion against Israel

4
 King Mesha of Moab was a sheep breeder. He used to pay the king of Israel 100,000 lambs and the wool of 100,000 rams, 
5
 but when Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 
6
 So King Joram marched out from Samaria at that time and mobilized all Israel.
7
 Then he sent a message to King Jehoshaphat of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab? ”