2 Kings 13

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 In the twenty-third year of Joash son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz son of Jehu became king ofIsrael in Samaria. He reigned for seventeen years.	1 In the twenty-third year of Joash, son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz, son of Jehu, began his seventeen-year reign over Israel in Samaria.
2 He did what is displeasing to Yahweh and copied the sin into which Jeroboam son of Nebat had ledIsrael; he did not give it up.	2 He did evil in the LORD'S sight, conducting himself like Jeroboam, son of Nebat, and not renouncing the sin he had caused Israel to commit.
3 This aroused Yahweh's anger against the Israelites, and he delivered them without respite into thepower of Hazael king of Aram and of Ben-Hadad son of Hazael.	3 The LORD was angry with Israel and for a long time left them in the power of Hazael, king of Aram, and of Ben-hadad, son of Hazael.
4 Jehoahaz, however, tried to placate Yahweh, and Yahweh heard him, for he had seen the oppressionwhich the king of Aram was inflicting on Israel.	4 Then Jehoahaz entreated the LORD, who heard him, since he saw the oppression to which the king of Aram had subjected Israel.
5 Yahweh gave Israel a saviour who freed them from the grip of Aram, and the Israelites lived in theirtents as in the past.	5 So the LORD gave Israel a savior, and the Israelites, freed from the power of Aram, dwelt in their own homes as formerly.
6 But they did not give up the sin into which Jeroboam had led Israel; they persisted in it, and even thesacred pole stayed standing in Samaria.	6 Nevertheless, they did not desist from the sins which the house of Jeroboam had caused Israel to commit, but persisted in them. The sacred pole also remained standing in Samaria.
7 Of Jehoahaz's army Yahweh left only fifty horsemen, ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers. Theking of Aram had destroyed them, making them like dust trampled under foot.	7 No soldiers were left to Jehoahaz, except fifty horsemen with ten chariots and ten thousand foot soldiers, since the king of Aram had destroyed them and trampled them like dust.
8 The rest of the history of Jehoahaz, his entire career, his prowess, is this not recorded in the Book ofthe Annals of the Kings of Israel?	8 The rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, with all his valor and accomplishments, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
9 Then Jehoahaz fel asleep with his ancestors, and was buried in Samaria; his son Joash succeededhim.	9 Jehoahaz rested with his ancestors and was buried in Samaria. His son Joash succeeded him as king.
10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash king of Judah, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, became king of Israel inSamaria. He reigned for sixteen years.	10 In the thirty-seventh year of Joash, king of Judah, Jehoash, son of Jehoahaz, began his sixteen-year reign over Israel in Samaria.
11 He did what is displeasing to Yahweh, he did not give up the sin into which Jeroboam son of Nebathad led Israel; he persisted in it.	11 He did evil in the sight of the LORD; he did not desist from any of the sins which Jeroboam, son of Nebat, had caused Israel to commit, but persisted in them.
12 The rest of the history of Joash, his entire career, his prowess, how he waged war on Amaziah king ofJudah, is this not recorded in the Book of the Annals of the Kings of Israel?	12 (The rest of the acts of Joash, the valor with which he fought against Amaziah, king of Judah, and all his accomplishments, are recorded in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel.
13 Then Joash fel asleep with his ancestors, and Jeroboam ascended his throne. Joash was buried inSamaria with the kings of Israel.	13 Joash rested with his ancestors, and Jeroboam occupied the throne. Joash was buried with the kings of Israel in Samaria.)
14 When Elisha had fal en il of the il ness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to himand shedding tears over him said, 'Father! Father! Chariot of Israel and its chargers!'	14 When Elisha was suffering from the sickness of which he was to die, King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. "My father, my father!" he exclaimed, weeping over him. "Israel's chariots and horsemen!"
15 Elisha said to him, 'Bring bow and arrows,' and he sent for a bow and arrows.	15 "Take a bow and some arrows," Elisha said to him. When he had done so,
16 Then Elisha said to the king, 'Draw the bow,' and he drew it. Elisha put his hands over the hands ofthe king,	16 Elisha said to the king of Israel, "Put your hand on the bow." As the king held the bow, Elisha placed his hands over the king's hands
17 then he said, 'Open the window towards the east,' and he opened it. Then Elisha said, 'Shoot!' And heshot. Elisha said, 'Arrow of victory over Aram! You wil defeat Aram at Aphek-completely.'	17 and said, "Open the window toward the east." He opened it. Elisha said, "Shoot," and he shot. The prophet exclaimed, "The LORD'S arrow of victory! The arrow of victory over Aram! You will completely conquer Aram at Aphec."
18 Elisha said, 'Take the arrows,' and he took them. Then he said to the king, 'Strike the ground,' and hestruck it three times, then stopped.	18 Then he said to the king of Israel, "Take the arrows," which he did. Elisha said to him, "Strike the ground!" He struck the ground three times and stopped.
19 At this the man of God grew angry with him. 'You should have struck half a dozen times,' he said, 'andyou would have beaten Aram completely; now you wil beat Aram only three times.'	19 Angry with him, the man of God said: "You should have struck five or six times; you would have defeated Aram completely. Now, you will defeat Aram only three times."
20 Elisha died and was buried. Bands of Moabites were making incursions into the country every year.	20 Elisha died and was buried. At the time, bands of Moabites used to raid the land each year.
21 Some people happened to be carrying a man out for burial; at the sight of one of these bands, theyflung the man into the tomb of Elisha and made off. The man had no sooner touched the bones of Elisha than hecame to life and stood up on his feet.	21 Once some people were burying a man, when suddenly they spied such a raiding band. So they cast the dead man into the grave of Elisha, and everyone went off. But when the man came in contact with the bones of Elisha, he came back to life and rose to his feet.
22 Hazael king of Aram had oppressed the Israelites throughout the lifetime of Jehoahaz,	22 King Hazael of Aram oppressed Israel during the entire reign of Jehoahaz.
23 but Yahweh was kind and took pity on them. Because of the covenant which he had made withAbraham, Isaac and Jacob, he relented towards them; he had no wish to destroy them, he did not cast them outof his presence.	23 But the LORD was merciful with Israel and looked on them with compassion because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He was unwilling to destroy them or to cast them out from his presence.
24 Hazael king of Aram died, and his son Ben-Hadad succeeded him.	24 So when King Hazael of Aram died and his son Ben-hadad succeeded him as king,
25 From Ben-Hadad son of Hazael, Jehoash son of Jehoahaz recaptured the towns which Hazael hadseized from his father Jehoahaz by force of arms. Joash defeated him three times and recovered the Israelitetowns.	25 Joash, son of Jehoahaz, took back from Ben-hadad, son of Hazael, the cities which Hazael had taken in battle from his father Jehoahaz. Joash defeated Ben-hadad three times, and thus recovered the cities of Israel.