Fluent Translation · Read & Reflect
2 Kings 8
The Shunammite Woman’s Land Is Restored
Elisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Rise and go, you and your household, and live as a resident alien wherever you can, for the LORD has called for a famine, and it will also come upon the land seven years.” The woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God. She went, she and her household, and lived as a resident alien in the land of the Philistines seven years. At the end of seven years the woman returned from the land of the Philistines and went out to cry to the king concerning her house and concerning her field. Now the king was speaking with Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, “Please recount to me all the great things that Elisha has done.” And it happened while he was recounting to the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, look, the woman whose son he had restored to life cried out to the king concerning her house and field. Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” The king asked the woman, and she recounted it to him. Then the king appointed for her one court official, saying, “Restore all that belongs to her and all the produce of the field from the day she left the land until now.”
Elisha Goes to Damascus
Elisha came to Damascus. Ben-Hadad king of Aram was sick, and it was told to him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” The king said to Hazael, “Take a gift in your hand and go to meet the man of God. Inquire of the LORD through him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, every good thing of Damascus, a load of forty camels. He came and stood before him and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, ‘You will surely recover.’ But the LORD has shown me that he will surely die.”
Elisha Weeps over What Hazael Will Do
He fixed his face and stared until Hazael was ashamed. Then the man of God wept. Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” He said, “Because I know the evil that you will do to the children of Israel: you will set their fortresses on fire, kill their young men with the sword, dash their little children to pieces, and rip open their pregnant women.” Hazael said, “But what is your servant, this dog, that he should do this great thing?” Elisha said, “The LORD has shown me you as king over Aram.” Then he went from Elisha and came to his lord. He said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” He said, “He told me that you would surely recover.” But the next day he took the bed cover, dipped it in water, spread it over his face, and he died. Then Hazael became king in his place.
Jehoram Reigns in Judah
In the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, while Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah became king. He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for the daughter of Ahab became his wife. He did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD. Yet the LORD was not willing to destroy Judah for the sake of David his servant, as he had spoken to him to give him a lamp for his sons all the days.
Edom and Libnah Rebel
In his days Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah and set a king over themselves. Then Joram crossed over to Zair, and all the chariots with him. He arose by night and struck Edom, who had surrounded him, and the commanders of the chariots, but the people fled to their tents. So Edom rebelled from under the hand of Judah to this day. Then Libnah rebelled at that time.
Ahaziah Reigns in Judah
Now the rest of the acts of Joram and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? Joram lay down with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. Ahaziah his son became king in his place. In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah became king. Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah daughter of Omri king of Israel. He walked in the way of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the eyes of the LORD, like the house of Ahab, for he was related by marriage to the house of Ahab. He went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth-Gilead, and the Arameans struck Joram. King Joram returned to Jezreel to be healed from the wounds that the Arameans had struck him at Ramah when he fought against Hazael king of Aram. Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel because he was sick.