81

Now Elisha had spoken' unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn for the LORD hath called for a famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven 2 years. And the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land 3 of the Philistines seven years.

And

it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to cry unto the king for her 4 house and for her land. Now the

king was talking with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great 5) things that Elisha hath done. And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life him that was dead, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land. And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha re6 stored to life. "And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king appointed unto her a certain 1officer, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the land, even until now.

7

And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man 8 of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this sick9 ness? So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this 10 sickness? And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou shalt surely recover; howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall surely 11 die. And he settled his countenance stedfastly upon him, until he was

1 Or, eunuch

2 Heb. in his hand.

3 Or, landl

4 According to another reading, say,

:

ashamed and the man of God wept. 12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash 'in pieces' their little ones, and rip up their women 13 with child. And Hazael said, But what is thy servant, which is but a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me that thou shalt 14 be king over Syria. Then he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely 15 recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet1, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.

16

And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, 'Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of 17 Judah began to reign. 06Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years 18 in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife and he did that which was evil in the sight 19) of the LORD. Howbeit! the LORD would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised him to give unto him a lamp for his 20 children alway. In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 Then Joram passed' over to Zair, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots and the people fled to their 22 tents. Sol Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, unto this day. Then 'did' Libnah 'revolt' at the same 23 time. And the rest of the acts of

Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chroni24 cles of the kings of Judah? And Joram slept with his fathers, and was

6 See 2 Chr. xxi. 5, &c. 7 See ver. 26.

8 Another reading is, and to his children.

-

buried with his fathers in the city of David and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah 26 begin to reign. Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign; and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Athaliah the daughter of Omri 27 king of Israel. And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in law of (2) the house of Ahab. And he went

with Joram the son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Syria 'at Ramoth-gilead: and the Syrians 29 wounded Joram. And king Joram Ireturned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.

91

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this Ivial of oil in thine hand, and go 2 to Ramoth-gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber. 3 Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and 4 flee, and tarry not. So the young man, even the young man the prophet, 5 went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? 6 And he said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, I have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, i even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master,

1 See 2 Chr. xxii. 1, &c.

Or, granddaughter See ver. 18. 'Or, on the bare steps]

that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at 8 the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab every man child', and him that is shut up and him that 9 is left at large in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son 10 of Ahijah. And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And 11 he opened the door, and fed. Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord and one said unto him, Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee? And he said unto them. Ye know the man and what his talk 12 was'. And they said, It is false; tell us now. And he said, Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee 13 king over Israel. Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet', (14 saying, Jehu is king. So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram kept Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of 15) Syria: but king 'Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, If this be your mind', then let none escape land1 go forth out of the city, to go to tell it 16 in Jezreel. So Jehu rode in a chariot,

and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah 17) was come down to see Joram. Now the watchman stood on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, I see a company. And Joram said, Take 'an' horseman, and send to meet them, and 18 let him say, "Is it peace? So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came to them, 19 but he cometh not again. Then he sent out a second on horseback, which

4 Heb. Jehoram, and in vv. 17, 21,

22, 23, 24.

5 Or, Is all well\?

IX. 1 children. . box; 3 box; 8 him that trumpets; 14 (had); 15 it.. minds.. nor;

came to them, and said, Thus saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu answered, What hast thou to do with 20 peace? turn thee behind me. °And

O

the watchman told, saying, He came even unto them, and cometh not again : and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth 21) furiously. And Joram said, 1Make ready. And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out Ito meet Jehu, and 'found him in the 22 portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? And he answered, What peace, so long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many? 23 And Joram turned his hands, and

fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is 24 treachery, O Ahaziah. And Jehu 2drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram' between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. 25 °Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite : for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, the LORD laid this burden 26 upon him; Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of the LORD. 27 05But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, Smite him also in the chariot and they 'smote him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Megiddo, and 28 died there. And his servants carried

Is it peace, 'thou' Zimri, 'thy mas32 ter's murderer!? And he lifted' up his face to the window, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked 33 out to him two or three eunuchs. And

о

he said, Throw her down. So they threw her down and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trode her under 34 foot. And when he was come in, he did eat and drink; and he said, See now to this cursed woman, and bury her for she is a king's daughter. 35 And they went to bury her: but they found no more of her than the skull, and the feet, and the palms of her 36 hands. Wherefore they came again, and told him. And he said, This is the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: 37 and the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.

101

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, even the elders, and 'unto them that brought up the sons of 2 Ahab', saying, And now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with you, and there are with you chariots and horses, a 3 fenced city also, and armour; look 'yel out the best and meetest of your master's sons, and set him on his father's throne, and fight for your master's 4 house. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, the two kings stood not before him: how then 5 shall we stand? And he that was over the household', and he that was over the city, the elders also, and they that brought up the children, sent to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will not make any man' king: do thou that which is good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the second time to them, saying, If ye be lon my side, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the heads of the men your master's sons, and come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this time. Now the king's sons, being seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, 7) which brought them up. And it came

to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's sons, and slew them, even seventy persons, and put their heads in baskets, and 8 sent them unto him to Jezreel. And there came a messenger, and told him, saying, They have brought the heads of the king's sons. And he said, Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering 9 in of the gate until the morning. And it came to pass in the morning, that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I conspired against my master, and slew him but who smotel all these? 10 Know now that there shall fall unto the earth nothing of the word of the LORD, which the LORD spake concerning the house of Ahab: for the LORD hath done that which he spake by his Il servant Elijah. So Jehu 'smote' all that remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his familiar friends', and his priests, 12 until he left him none remaining. And he arose and departed, and 'went to Samaria. And as he was at the 'shearing house of the shepherds in the 13 way, Jehu met with the brethren of Ahaziah king of Judah, and said, Who are ye? And they answered, We are the brethren of Ahaziah: and we go down to salute the children of the king and the children of the queen. 14 And he said, Take them alive. And

15

they took them alive, and slew them at the 2pit of the 'shearing house, even two and forty men; neither left he any of them.

:

And when he was departed thence, he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab coming to meet him and he saluted him, and said to him, Is thine heart right, as my heart is with thy heart? And Jehonadab answered, It is. If it be, give me thine hand. And he gave him his hand; and he took 16 him up to him into the chariot. And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made 17 him ride in his chariot. And when he came to Samaria, he 'smote all that remained unto Ahab in Samaria, till he had destroyed him, according to the word of the LORD, which he 18 spake to Elijah. And Jehu gathered

all the people together, and said unto them, Ahab served Baal a little; but 19 Jehu shall serve him much. "Now therefore call unto me all the prophets

1 Or, house of gathering * Or, Icisterni

of Baal, all his worshippers', and all his priests; let none be wanting: for I have a great sacrifice to do to Baal; whosoever shall be wanting, he shall not live. But Jehu did it in subtilty, to the intent that he might destroy 20 the worshippers of Baal. And Jehu

said, 'Sanctify a solemn assembly for 21 Baal. And they proclaimed it. And Jehu sent through all Israel: and all the worshippers of Baal came, so that there was not a man left that came not. And they came into the house of Baal; and the house of Baal was 22 filled from one end to another. And he said unto him that was over the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all the worshippers of Baal. And he 23 brought them forth vestments. And Jehu went, and Jehonadab the son of Rechab, into the house of Baal; and he said unto the worshippers of Baal, Search, and look that there be here with you none of the servants of the LORD, but the worshippers of Baal 24 only. And they went in to offer sacrifices and burnt offerings. Now Jehu had appointed him fourscore men without, and said, If any of the men whom I bring into your hands escape, he that letteth him go, his life 25 shall be for the life of him. And it

came to pass, as soon as he had made an end of offering the burnt offering, that Jehu said to the guard and to the captains, Go in, and slay them; let none come forth. And they smote them with the edge of the sword; and the guard and the captains cast them out, and went to the city of the house 26 of Baal. And they brought forth the

pillars that were in the house of 27 Baal, and burned them. And they brake down the pillar of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught house, unto this 28 day. Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out 29 of Israel. Howbeit from the sins of

Jeroboam the son of Nebat, "wherewith he made Israel to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, to wit, the golden calves that were in Beth-el, 30 and that were in Dan. And the LORD said unto Jehu, Because thou hast "done well in executing that which is right in mine eyes, and hast done unto the house of Ahab according to all that was in mine heart, thy sons of the fourth generation shall sit on the (31 throne of Israel. But Jehu took no

heed to walk in the law of the LORD, the God of Israel, with all his heart: he departed not from the sins of Jeroboam, wherewith he made Israel to sin.

32 In those days the LORD began to cut Israel short: and Hazael smote 33 them in all the coasts of Israel; °from Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of Arnon, even Gil34 ead and Bashan. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings 35 of Israel? And Jehu slept with his fathers and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in 36 his stead. And the time that Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria was twenty and eight years.

11 1

Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed 2) royal. But Jehosheba, the daughter of king Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and 'stole' him away from among the king's sons that were slain, even him and his nurse, and put them in the 3bedchamber; and they hid him from Athaliah, so that he was not slain. 3 And he was with her hid in the house of the LORD six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land. 4 *And in the seventh year Jehoiada sent and fetched the captains! over hundreds, of the Carites and of the guard, and brought them to him into the house of the LORD; and he' made a covenant with them, and took an oath of them in the house of the LORD, and shewed them the king's (5 son. And he commanded them, saying, This is the thing that ye shall do: a third part of you, that come in on the sabbath, shall be keepers of the (6 watch of the king's house; and a third part shall be at the gate Sur; and a third part at the gate behind the guard: so shall ye keep the watch 7) of the house, 'and' be la barrier. And the two companies' of you, even all that go forth on the sabbath, shall keep the watch of the house of the

8 LORD about the king. And ye shall compass the king round about, every man with his weapons in his hand; and he that cometh within the ranks', let him be slain: and be ye with the king when he goeth out, and 'when' (9 he cometh in. And the captains over hundreds did according to all that Jehoiada the priest commanded and they took every man his men, 'those that were to come in on the sabbath, with 'those that were to go out on the sabbath, and came to Jehoiada the 10) priest. And the priest delivered' to the captains over hundreds 'the spears and shields that had been king David's, which were in the 11) house of the LORD. And 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, by 12 the king round about. Then he brought out the king's son, and put the crown upon him, and gave him the testimony; and they made him king, and anointed him; and they clapped their hands, and said, 'God 13 save the king. And when Athaliah

heard the noise of the guard and of the people, she came to the people 14 into the house of the LORD: and she looked, 'and', behold, the king stood 10by the pillar, as the manner was, and the captains and the 'trumpets by the king; and all the people of the land rejoiced, and blew with trumpets. Then Athaliah rent her clothes, and cried, Treason, treason. (15 And Jehoiada the priest commanded the captains of hundreds that were set over the host, and said unto them, Have her forth between the ranks ; and him that followeth her 'slay with the sword for the priest said, Let her not be slain in the house of the 16 LORD. So they made way for her; and she went by the way of the horses' entry to the king's house: and there was she slain.

8 Or, put upon him the crown and the testimony

Heb. Let the king live.

10 Or, lonl the platform