Ben-hadad besieges Samaria. II. KINGS. Elisha prophesies of plenty. whom thou hast taken captive with thy in heaven, might this thing be? And he sword and with thy bow? set bread and said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine water before them, that they may eat and eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. drink, and go to their master. 3 T And there were four leprous men at 23 And he prepared great provision for the entering in of the gate: and they said them: and when they had eaten and drunk, one to another, Why sit we here until we he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. 24 And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. die? 4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die. 5 And they rose up in the twilight to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of 26 And as the king of Israel was passing the camp of Syria, behold, there was no by upon the wall, there cried a woman man there. unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. 6 For the LORD had made, the host of 27 And he said, If the LORD do not the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and help thee, whence shall I help thee? out a noise of horses, even the noise of a great of the barn-floor, or out of the wine-press? host: and they said one to another, Lo, 28 And the king said unto her, What the king of Israel hath hired against us the aileth thee? And she answered, This kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the woman said unto me, Give thy son, that Egyptians, to come upon us. we may eat him to-day, and we will eat 7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the my son to-morrow. twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. 8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into 30 T And it came to pass, when the one tent, and did eat and drink, and carking heard the words of the woman, that ried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon and went and hid it: and came again, and the wall, and the people looked, and be-entered into another tent, and carried hold, he had sackcloth within upon his thence also, and went and hid it. 9 Then they said one to another, We 31 Then he said, God do so and more do not well: this day is a day of good also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry Shaphat shall stand on him this day. till the morning-light, some mischief will flesh. 32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the come upon us: now therefore come, that elders sat with him; and the king sent a we may go and tell the king's household. / man from before him: but ere the messen- 10 So they came and called unto the ger came to him, he said to the elders, porter of the city and they told them, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent saying, We came to the camp of the Syrito take away mine head? look, when the ans, and behold, there was no man there, messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold neither voice of man, but horses tied, and him fast at the door: is not the sound of asses tied, and the tents as they were. his master's feet behind him? 11 And he called the porters; and they 33 And while he yet talked with them, told it to the king's house within. behold, the messenger came down unto 12 And the king arose in the night, him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of and said unto his servants, I will now shew the LORD; what should I wait for the you what the Syrians have done to us. LORD any longer? They know that we be hungry; therefore CHAP. VII. are they gone out of the camp, to hide THE THEN Elisha said, Hear ye the word themselves in the field, saying, When they of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, come out of the city, we shall catch them To-morrow about this time shall a mea- alive, and get into the city. sure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and 13 And one of his servants answered two measures of barley for a shekel, in and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five the gate of Samaria. of the horses that remain, which are left 2 Then a lord on whose hand the king in the city, (behold, they are as all the leaned answered the man of God, and said, multitude of Israel that are left in it: beBehold, if the LORD would make windows hold, I say, they are even as all the multi The unbeliever trode to death. CHAP. Hazael kills his master tude of the Israelites that are consumed:) | she told him. So the king appointed unand let us send and see. to her a certain officer, saying, Restore all 14 They took therefore two chariot that was hers, and all the fruits of the field horses; and the king sent after the host of since the day that she left the land, even the Syrians, saying, Go and see. until now. 15 And they went after them unto Jor- 7 And Elisha came to Damascus : dan: and lo, all the way was full of gar- and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was ments and vessels, which the Syrians had sick; and it was told him, saying, The cast away in their haste. And the mes- man of God is come hither. sengers returned, and told the king. 16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents 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 the LORD. 8 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 disease? 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good 17 ¶ And the king appointed the lord thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, on whose hand he leaned to have the charge and came and stood before him, and said, of the gate and the people trode upon Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath him in the gate, and he died, as the man sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of of God had said, who spake when the this disease? king came down to him. 10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say 18 And it came to pass as the man of God unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: had spoken to the king, saying, Two mea-howbeit, the LORD hath shewed me, that sures of barley for a shekel, and a measure he shall surely die. of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to-morrow 11 And he settled his countenance about this time in the gate of Samaria: steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and 19 And that lord answered the man of the man of God wept. God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD 12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my should make windows in heaven, might lord? And he answered, Because I know such a thing be? And he said, Behold, the evil that thou wilt do unto the children thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died. CHAP. VIII. of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their chil dren, and rip up their women with child. 13 And Hazael said, But what! is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great HEN spake Elisha unto the woman, thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD had restored shewed me saying, Arise, and go thou and thine house-over Syria.. hold, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst 14 So he departed from Elisha, and sojourn for the LORD hath called for a came to his master; who said to him, famine; and it shall also come upon the What said Elisha to thee? And he anland seven years. swered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. ⚫2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she 15 And it came to pass on the morrow, went with her household, and sojourned that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in in the land of the Philistines seven years. water, and spread it on his face, so that he 3 And it came to pass at the seven years' died: and Hazael reigned in his stead. end, that the woman returned out of the 16 And in the fifth year of Joram the land of the Philistines: and she went son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat forth to cry unto the king for her house, being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son and for her land. of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign. 4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell pray thee, all the great things that 17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. Elisha hath done. 5 And it came to pass, as he was telling 18 And he walked in the way of the the king how he had restored a dead body kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab: to life, that behold, the woman, whose son for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: he had restored to life, cried to the king and he did evil in the sight of the LORD. for her house and for her land. And Ge- 19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Juhazi said, My lord, O king, this is the wo- dah, for David his servant's sake, as he man, and this is her son, whom Elisha re- promised him to give him always a light, stored to life. and to his children. 6 And when the king asked the woman, 20 T In his days Edom revolted from 312 Ahaziah succeeds Jehoram. II. KINGS. Jehu is anointed. under the hand of Judah, and made a king 6 And he arose, and went into the over themselves. house; and he poured the oil on his head, 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD the chariots with him and he rose by God of Israel, I have anointed thee king night, and smote the Edomites which com- over the people of the LORD, even over passed him about, and the captains of the Israel. chariots and the people fled into their tents. : : 7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the blood of my servants the prophets, and the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Lib-blood of all the servants of the LORD, at nah revolted at the same time. the hand of Jezebel. 23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, 8 For the whole house of Ahab shall peand all that he did, are they not written rish: and I will cut off from Ahab him in the book of the chronicles of the kings that pisseth against the wall, and him that of Judah? is shut up and left in Israel: 24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was 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 begin to reign. 9 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 of Ahijah: 10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled. 26 Two and twenty years old was Aha- 11 Then Jehu came forth to the serziah when he began to reign; and he vants of his lord: and one said unto him. reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his Is all well? wherefore came this mad felmother's name was Athaliah, the daughter low to thee? And he said unto them, Ye of Omri king of Israel. know the man, and his communication. 27 And he walked in the way of the 12 And they said, It is false; tell us house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of now. And he said, Thus and thus spake the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he to me, saying, Thus saith the LORD, I he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab. have anointed thee king over Israel. 28 And he went with Joram the son 13 Then they hasted, and took every of Ahab to war against Hazael king of man his garment, and put it under him on Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians the top of the stairs, and blew with trumwounded Joram. pets, saying, Jehu is king. 29 And king Joram went back to be 14 So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the son of Ninshi, conspired against Joram. Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he (Now Joram had kept Ramoth-gilead, he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah Syria. went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick. CHAP. IX. 15 But king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought AND Elisha the prophet called one of with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu the children of the prophets, and said said, If it be your minds, then let none go unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this forth nor escape out of the city to go to box of oil in thine hand, and go to Ramoth-tell it in Jezreel. gilead: 16 So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went 2 And when thou comest thither, look to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat, the Ahaziah king of Judah was come down son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him to see Joram. arise up from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber; 17 And there stood a watchman on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the com3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it pany of Jehu as he came, and said, I see on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, a company. And Joram said, Take a I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then horseman and send to meet them, and let open the door, and flee, and tarry not. him say, Is it peace? 4 So the young man, even the young 18 So there went one on horseback to man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. meet him, and said, Thus saith the king, 5 And when he came, behold, the cap- Is it peace? And Jehu said, What hast thou tains of the host were sitting; and he said, to do with peace? turn thee behind me. I have an errand to thee, O captain. And And the watchman told, saying, The mesJehu said, Unto which of all us? And he senger came to them, but he cometh not said, To thee, O captain. Jagain. Jehu slays Joram. CHAP. X. Jezebel is eaten by dogs. 33 And he said, Throw her down. So 19 Then he sent out a second on horse-1 back, which came to them, and said, Thus they threw her down: and some of her saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu an-blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on swered, What hast thou to do with peace? the horses: and he trode her under foot. 34 And when he was come in, he did turn thee behind me. 20 And the watchman told, saying, He eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this came even unto them, and cometh not cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a again and the driving is like the driving king's daughter. 35 And they went to bury her: but they of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth found no more of her than the skull, and furiously. 21 And Joram said, Make ready. And the feet, and the palms of her hands. 36 Wherefore they came again, and his chariot was made ready. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah told him. And he said, this is the word of went out, each in his chariot, and they the LORD, which he spake by his servant went out against Jehu, and met him in the Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel shall dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel: portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 37 And the carcass of Jezebel shall be 22 And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, Is it peace, Jehu? as dung upon the face of the field in the And he answered, What peace, so long as portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel and say, This is Jezebel. her witchcrafts are so many? 23 And Joram turned his hands, and Aria. And Jehu wrote letters, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, There is treachery, O Ahaziah. 24 And Jehu drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. CHAP. X. ND Ahab had seventy sons in Sama sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to them that brought up Ahab's children, saying, 2 Now as soon as this letter cometh to you, seeing your master's sons are with 25 Then said Jehu to Bidkar his cap-you, and there are with you chariots and tain, Take up, and cast him in the portion horses, a fenced city also, and armour; 3 Look even out the best and meetest of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite: for remember how that, when I and thou rode of your master's sons, and set him on his together after Ahab his father, the LORD father's throne, and fight for your master's. laid this burden upon him; house. 4 But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, Behold, two kings stood not before him: how then shall we stand? 26 Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons, saith the LORD; and I will requite thee in 5 And he that was over the house, and this plat, saith the LORD. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, he that was over the city, the elders also, and the bringers up of the children, sent according to the word of the LORD. 27 T But when Ahaziah the king of Ju- to Jehu, saying, We are thy servants, and dah saw this, he fled by the way of the will do all that thou shalt bid us; we will garden-house. And Jehu followed after not make any king: do thou that which is him, and said, Smite him also in the cha- good in thine eyes. 6 Then he wrote a letter the second time riot. And they did so at the going up to Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to to them, saying, If ye be mine, and if ye will hearken unto my voice, take ye the Megiddo, and died there. 28 And his servants carried him in a heads of the men your master's sons, and chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in come to me to Jezreel by to-morrow this his sepulchre with his fathers in the city of time. (Now the king's sons being seventy David. persons, were with the great men of the 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram city, which brought them up.) the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah. 7 And it came to pass, when the letter came to them, that they took the king's 30 And when Jehu was come to Jez- sons, and slew seventy persons, and put reel, Jezebel heard of it; and she paint- their heads in baskets, and sent him them ed her face, and tired her head, and look-to Jezreel. 8 ¶ And there came a messenger, and ed out at a window. 31 And as Jehu entered in at the gate, told him, saying, They have brought the And he said, she said, Had Zimri peace, who slew his heads of the king's sons. Lay ye them in two heaps at the entering master? 32 And he lifted up his face to the win-in of the gate until the morning. 9 And it came to pass in the morning, dow, and said, Who is on my side? who? And there looked out to him two or three that he went out, and stood, and said to all the people, Ye be righteous: behold, I eunuchs. 315 conspired against my master, and slew and said unto the worshippers of Baal, 13 Jehu met with the brethren of Aha-none come forth. And they smote them 14 And he said, Take them alive. And they took them alive, and slew them at the pit of the shearing-house, even two and Torty men; neither left he any of them. 26 And they brought forth the images out of the house of Baal, and burned them. 27 And they brake down the image of Baal, and brake down the house of Baal, and made it a draught-house unto this day. 28 Thus Jehu destroyed Baal out of 15 T And when he was departed thence, Israel. he lighted on Jehonadab the son of Rechab 29 Howbeit, from the sins of Jerocoming to meet him: and he saluted him, boam the son of Nebat, who made Israel and said to him, Is thine heart right, as to sin, Jehu departed not from after them, my heart is with thy heart? And Jehona- to wit, the golden calves that were in dab answered, It is. If it be, give me Beth-el, and that were in Dan. thine hand. And he gave him his hand; 30 And the LORD said unto Jehu, Beand he took him up to him into the chariot. cause thou hast done well in executing that 16 And he said, Come with me, and see which is right in mine eyes, and hast done my zeal for the LORD. So they made him unto the house of Ahab according to all ride in his chariot. that was in mine heart, thy children of the fourth generation shall sit on the throne of 17 And when he came to Samaria, he slew all that remained unto Ahab in Sa-Israel. maria, till he had destroyed him, accord- 31 But Jehu took no heed to walk in ing to the saying of the LORD, which he the law of the LORD God of Israel with all spake to Elijah. his heart: for he departed not from the 18 ¶ And Jehu gathered all the people sins of Jeroboam, which made Israel to sin. that he might destroy the worshippers of 34 Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and 21 And Jehu sent through all Israel: 35 And Jehu slept with his fathers: and 22 And he said unto him that was over years. CHAP. XI. ND when Athaliah the mother of Aha the vestry, Bring forth vestments for all AND saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the seed royal. |