Day 119, 2 Kings 13-14

After I finished today’s assignment I had to sit back and reflect. Ultimately, I have no idea what is going on anymore, and feel that everything is just getting repeated and all jumbled up. Why doesn’t is seem like anything is in order? Like, people who I thought were dead and gone are brought back up and talked about? What is going on?

I think I’m following alright, and then read what feels like the exact thing I have already read multiple times. Is it me, or are things just repeating and jumbled in this book? Ugh!

It’s all I can do right now to damn near copy down the information and make an attempted summary…

Jehoahaz Reigns in Israel

Jehoahaz the son of Jehu reigned over Israel in Samaria for seventeen years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel sin.

The anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he gave them continually into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of his son Ben-hadad.

Then Jehoahaz sought the favor of the Lord, and the Lord listened to him, for he saw the oppression of Israel, from the king of Syria. Therefore the Lord gave Israel a savior, so they could escape from the hand of the Syrians, and the people of Israel lived in their homes formerly.

There was not an army any more than fifty horsemen, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen left to Jehoahaz; for the king of Syria had destroyed them.

Jehoahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in Samaria, and Joash his son reigned in his place.

Jehoash Reigns in Israel

Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz began to reign over Israel in Samaria and reigned for sixteen years. He also did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Joash died and Jeroboam sat on his throne. Joash was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel.

The Death of Elisha

When Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept. Elisha told him to take a bow and arrow and shoot an arrow out the window to the east. The arrow was to be the Lord’s arrow of victory over Syria.

They were to fight the Syrians in Aphek until they had made an end of them. Elisha told him to take the arrows and strike the ground with them. He struck three times and he stopped.

The man of God was angry with him, for he should have struck the ground five or six times, then he would have struck down Syria until they made an end to the Syrians. But now, they would only be struck down three times.

So Elisha died, and they buried him.

The Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

Now Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz. But the Lord was gracious to them and had compassion on them, and he turned toward them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, nor would he cast them from his presence.

When Hazael king of Syria died, Ben-hadad his son became king in his place. Then Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again from Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities that he had taken from Jehoahaz his father in war. Three times Joash defeated him and recovered the cities of Israel.

Amaziah Reigns in Judah

Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah began to reign and reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, yet not like David his father. He did in all things as Joash his father had done. But the high places were not removed; the people still sacrificed and made offerings on the high places.

And as soon as the royal power was firmly in his hand, he struck down his servants who had struck down the king his father. But he did not put to death the children of the murderers, according to what was written in the Book of the Law of Moses, where the Lord commanded, “Fathers shall not be put to death because of their children, nor shall children be put to death because of their fathers. But each one shall die for his own sin.”

He struck down ten thousand Edomites in the Valley of Salt and took Sela by storm. Then Amaziah sent messengers to him asking to meet in person. They faced each other in battle, and Judah was defeated by Israel, and every man fled to his home.

Jehoash king of Israel captured Amaziah king of Judah and went to Jerusalem and broke down the wall of Jerusalem. He seized all the gold and silver and vessels that were found in the house of the Lord, and returned to Samaria.

Jehoash died and was buried in Samaria with the king of Israel, and Jeroboam his son reigned in his place.

Amaziah the son of Joash, king of Judah lived fifteen years after the death of Jehoash son of Jehoahaz, king of Israel. They made a conspiracy against him in Jerusalem, and he fled to Lachish. But they sent after him to Lachish to put him to death there.

They brought him on horses, and he was buried in Jerusalem with his fathers in the city of David. And all the people of Judah took Azariah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king instead of his father Amaziah. He built Elath and restored it to Judah, after the king slept with his fathers.

Jeroboam II Reigns in Israel

Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel, began to reign in Samaria, and he reigned forty-one years. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. He restored the border of Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke by his servant Jonah the son of Amittai, the prophet.

The Lord saw that the affliction of Israel was very bitter, for there was none left, and none to help Israel. But the Lord had not said that he would blot out the name of Israel from under heaven, so he saved them by the hand of Jeroboam the son of Joash.

Jeroboam slept with his fathers, the kings of Israel, and Zechariah his son reigned in his place.