In Samaria, Ahab was succeeded by his son Ahaziah, but when he died childless soon after, he was succeeded by his brother Joram. During Joram’s reign, Moab attacked Israel. In those days the remnant of the Edomites who had fled to Egypt in the time of David had grown greatly in strength and returned to their home country. So Joram requested that they ally themselves against Moab. Joram also sought to form an alliance with Jehoshaphat who was still king in Judah. Though the prophet Jehu had admonished Jehoshaphat for allying himself with Ahab, he once again agreed to an alliance. Their armies gathered together and marched for seven days through the desert, but quickly ran out of water. Joram lamented to Jehoshaphat, “Has your God brought the three of us together just to be handed over to the Moabites?”
Jehoshaphat replied, “Aren’t there any prophets nearby who can speak to Yahweh for us?”
One of the soldiers said, “Elisha lives nearby. He was a servant of Elijah.” So they sent some men to get him.
When he returned he said to Joram, “Why do you want to involve me? Go ask the supposed gods of your mother and father.”
“No, it was Yahweh who brought us together and now, it seems, is handing us over to Moab.”
“Know this Joram, If it wasn’t for Jehoshaphat, I would not be meeting with you. Listen to what God says. Though you will see no wind or rain, Yahweh will fill this valley with water for you all to drink. This is easy for God who will also hand Moab over to you. You will destroy them.” The next morning it was as Elisha had spoken, the valley flowed with water to drink. And when Moab launched an attack on them that morning they were decimated by the combined armies of Samaria, Judah, and Edom.
During Elisha’s life he performed many miracles to bless those who still believed and lead those who did not to Yahweh. There was a woman whose husband was a dedicated follower of Yahweh. When he died she was unable to pay their debts and her children were in danger of being taken away and sold as slaves. Elisha had her collect empty pots from her neighbors and then pour what little olive oil she had into one of them. However, as she poured she never ran out of oil and had soon filled every pot. She was able to sell all the excess and pay off her debts.
During a famine, someone had made a pot of stew and accidentally put a large amount of poisonous vegetables in it. Elisha threw some flour into the pot and by God’s power it became safe for the starving people to eat.
Elsewhere, there was a wealthy woman who always invited Elisha to stay and eat with her and her husband whenever he was in the area. They even built him a guest room so he would always have a place to stay. Elisha asked around for how he might bless this generous couple and he learned that they had no children. So Elisha said to the woman, “By this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.”
“Please, prophet, don’t play this trick on me.” But it happened exactly as Elisha said it would. Years passed and one day the child came to his father crying, “my head, my head.” He was carried to his mother and died in her arms that same day. She laid him down in the bed of Elisha, shut the door and left to find the prophet.
When she found him she laid down and grabbed his feet. Elisha’s servant Gehazi tried to pull her away, but Elisha said, “Leave her alone. She is crushed with sadness, but Yahweh has hidden it from me and I don’t know why.”
“Did I ask you for a son? Why did you raise my hopes like this?”
Elisha said to Gehazi, “Run, don’t stop to speak to anyone, and place my staff on the boy's face.” He did as he was instructed while Elisha and the woman followed behind at a slower pace. But the boy was not healed, so when Elisha arrived he went into his room and prayed. Then he stretched himself over the boy, eye to eye and hand to hand. The boy’s body began to grow warm. Then the boy sneezed seven times and woke up. Elisha called his mother in and said, “Take your son,” and she bowed down and worshipped Yahweh.
Elisha was surprisingly next approached by an Aramean. One of their commanders, a well-respected man and skilled soldier named Naaman had the disease of leprosy. Some time ago his soldiers had captured an Israelite girl who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only your husband could see the prophet Elisha in the land of Samaria he would be cured of his leprosy.”
With king Ben-Hadad II’s permission and a letter of introduction Naaman left for Samaria with valuable gifts to see king Joram. But when the king saw the letter he was frustrated, saying, “Am I a god. Can I control life itself? Why did the king of Aram send me someone to be cured of leprosy. Is he trying to start trouble with me?”
When Elisha heard word of Joram’s behavior he sent him a message. “Why are you so upset? Send this man to me.” So Naaman travelled to Elisha’s house where they were greeted by Gehazi who had a message from Elisha which said, “Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan river and you will be healed.”
But Naaman was irritated by this treatment and said, “I thought Elisha would come and out and call on the name of Yahweh and then wave his hand and heal me on the spot. We have rivers in Damascus better than any here. Why can’t I just go bathe in them.” And then he left angrily.
But his servant entreated him, “Master, if a prophet told you to do some great act to be healed, wouldn’t you do it? How much more, then, when he has his servant tell you to just go wash yourself.” So Naaman begrudgingly stopped at the Jordan River and did what he was told and was healed.
He then immediately returned to Elisha and said, “Now I know there is no God in the world except Yahweh. Please accept this gift from me,” but Elisha refused. “If you will not accept my gift, then grant me this. I will never again worship anyone but Yahweh, but when Ben-Hadad worships our gods he holds my arm for support. When he bows down I am forced to bow down too. Please ask God to forgive me of this.”
Elisha assured him and said, “Go in peace.”
Ben-Hadad II continued to war with Israel. Every time his army would lie in wait to ambush the armies of Israel, Elisha would receive word from God of their location and warn King Joram where to avoid.
Ben-Hadad II quickly grew frustrated and suspicious that Israel was able to avoid his traps and yelled at his men, “Which one of you is working for the Israelites?”
“None of us. It is the prophet Elisha. He tells Joram the very words you speak in private.”
“Find out where he is so I can send some troops to capture him.” When they found out where he was they surrounded him in the night.
When Gehazi woke up and saw the soldiers he cried out to Elisha, “Oh no! What are we going to do?”
“Don’t be afraid. Our forces are greater than theirs.” Then he prayed, “Open his eyes, God, so that he can see.” The servant saw that the hills were full of angelic warriors clad in fire. As the enemy began their attack Elisha prayed, “Strike them with blindness,” and God made it so. Then Elisha came out to the blind soldiers and said, “This is not the place you were looking for. Come with me and I will lead you to the man you want.” Then he led them all to Samaria and then prayed for their sight to be restored.
Joram asked Elisha, “Should I kill them.”
Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Instead prepare a feast for them and then send them back to Ben-Hadad.” After that Aram stopped attacking Israel for a time.
But the peace didn’t last forever and soon Aram laid siege to a town in Israel. The lengthy siege coupled with a famine in the land quickly caused the people to starve. When Joram heard about this, he was furious and blamed Yahweh and Elisha and swore to kill the prophet.
When he found Elisha he said, “This disaster is from God, so why should I expect Yahweh to save my people?”
Elisha replied, “By this time tomorrow the people will have an abundance of food.”
One of the king’s advisors said, “Even if God opened heaven itself, is this possible?”
“You will see it with your own eyes.”
The next day four lepers who lived just outside the city said to each other, “If we stay here, we’ll die. Let’s go to the Aramean camp. If they kill us, so be it, but we might get some food there. But when they arrived at the camp they found it deserted. As the lepers were approaching God had made the Arameans hear the sound of a mighty army and they fled in terror, leaving all of their supplies behind. The lepers ate their fill and even took some valuables and hid them. But they soon felt guilty for their selfishness, knowing the people of the city were starving. So they returned to the city and told everyone what they had seen. The people rushed to the camp to get food. Everyone then realized that everything Elisha had said had come true.
Some time later, Ben-Hadad II became sick. Even though he had sought Elisha’s death in the past, he sent his advisor Hazael with a gift for the prophet to determine if the king would get over his illness. When he found Elisha he said, “The king has sent me to ask if he will recover from his illness.”
“He will certainly recover, but God has shown me that he will die a different way.” Then Elisha stared at Hazael and began to cry.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because I know the horrible things you are going to do to Israel. I see fire and death for my people be they man or woman, young or old.”
“How could a servant like me ever do anything like that?”
“I have seen that you will be the next king of Aram.” When Hazael returned he told his king that he would not die from his illness, but the next day he smothered him in his bed.
In Judea, Jehoshaphat had died and was succeeded by his son Jehoram. So that none could challenge his rule, he had all of his brothers and some of his advisors killed. He married one of Ahab’s daughters and was as evil as the kings in Samaria, leading the Jews in the worship of Baal. But God did not end his line because of the promise he had made to David.
One day he received a letter from Elisha, saying, “This is what the God of your ancestor David says, ‘You have not followed in the ways of Jehoshaphat and Asa, instead being like the kings in Samaria. You have led your people to sin in terrible ways and you have even killed your own family and friends. Now Yahweh is going to strike your entire family with a heavy blow and you will die of a terrible disease.”
Soon after, the Philistines attacked Judah and carried off many treasures including the king’s sons and wives, all except his youngest son Ahaziah. Then, as God said, Jehoram became diseased and after two years died. No one regretted his death and though he was buried in Jerusalem, he was not given the honor of resting in the tomb of the kings.
Ahaziah ruled for one year. He joined Joram in war against Hazael. In the heat of battle Joram was wounded and was taken from the battlefield. Once the battle had concluded Ahaziah visited Joram to see how he was recovering.
It was around this time that Elisha anointed Jehu, one of the commanders of the army, to be the next king of Israel and commanded him to destroy the house of Ahab. When his fellow soldiers found out what the prophet had told him they blew their trumpets and declared him their king.
Jehu then left with some of his troops to find Joram. When Joram saw he was coming with soldiers he came out to him and asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”
“How can there be peace, Joram, while the idolatry of your mother Jezebel continues in Samaria?” Then Joram ran from Jehu calling out, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” Jehu then pulled out his bow and killed Joram as he ran away.
When Ahaziah saw this, he ran as well. Jehu and his men gave chase, saying, “Kill him too.” Though Ahaziah escaped he was badly wounded and soon died. Jehu then hunted down, Jezebel, who yet lived, along with all seventy of Ahab’s sons and killed them all for their idolatry.
But Jehu’s cleansing of Israel had not yet ended. He approached the priests of Baal and said to them, “Ahab was hardly devoted to Baal. I will serve with even more devotion. Let’s gather all the priests of Baal and offer a great sacrifice. Make sure everyone comes.” Soon the temple of Baal was completely packed. Jehu then ordered 80 of his men go in and kill the priests and destroy the temple. So during Jehu’s reign the worship of Baal ended. But Jehu did not return the people to Yahweh, who continued to worship the golden calves that Jeroboam had made. But because of his zeal against Baal and the wicked house of Ahab, Yahweh promised Jehu that his family would rule for four generations.
When Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she seized the throne of Judah for herself and killed any of her relatives that she thought might try to overthrow her. But Ahaziah’s son Joash escaped with the help of his aunt and was raised by the priest Jehoiada. For six years they remained hidden while Athaliah ruled. In the seventh year Jehoiada gathered a large number of guards still loyal to Ahaziah and charged them with protecting Joash as he was crowned king. When Athaliah saw this she yelled out, “Treason! Treason!” Jehoiada had the men guarding Joash grab her and put her to death. Then Jehoiada declared that Judah would again dedicate itself to Yahweh. The people destroyed the temple to Baal that had been made in the time of Ahaziah. Joash was only seven years old when he became king.
Joash reigned for 40 years and in accordance with his upbringing by Jehoiada the priest, he followed Yahweh as his great-grandfather Jehoshaphat had before him. But the people still offered sacrifices at sites that were tainted by the worship of idols in previous generations. So with Jehoiada the priest overseeing the labor and Joash collecting money from the people, repairs began on the temple in Jerusalem.
But after the death of Jehoiada, Joash was led astray by some of his advisors and began to worship false gods. And though Yahweh sent prophets to warn Joash, he would not listen to them. But Jehoiada’s son Zechariah remained bold, and delivered this message to the king, “Why do you disobey the commands of Yahweh? Because you have abandoned God, in your time of need you will find no help.”
The king would not suffer the insolence of this doomsaying prophet and secretly ordered him killed as he left the city. But rather than frighten his detractors into submission, they instead harbored resentment towards him because of the priest’s murder. When the Arameans plundered Judah, Joash was wounded in battle and some of his own advisors killed him in his weakened state as revenge for Zechariah. He was succeeded by his son Amaziah.
During the reign of Joash, Jehu died after having ruled for 28 years and was succeeded by his wicked son Jehoahaz. For much of his reign, Israel was controlled by Hazael the Aramean. And yet, in his weakness, Jehoahaz turned to Yahweh for help, and they were sent a rescuer because of how severely Hazael was treating them. Though the people were once again free, Israel’s army was almost completely destroyed by the Arameans.
What followed was a great time of transition in the region. Jehoahaz and Hazael both died at around the same time that Amaziah became king over Judah. They were succeeded by their sons Jehoash in Israel and Ben-Hadad III in Aram. Elisha had witnessed great things in his lifetime, kings come and gone, prophecies come to pass, and miracles change lives, but as this new generation came to power the time had finally come for him to join his teacher Elijah and rest in heaven.
One of the soldiers said, “Elisha lives nearby. He was a servant of Elijah.” So they sent some men to get him.
When he returned he said to Joram, “Why do you want to involve me? Go ask the supposed gods of your mother and father.”
“No, it was Yahweh who brought us together and now, it seems, is handing us over to Moab.”
“Know this Joram, If it wasn’t for Jehoshaphat, I would not be meeting with you. Listen to what God says. Though you will see no wind or rain, Yahweh will fill this valley with water for you all to drink. This is easy for God who will also hand Moab over to you. You will destroy them.” The next morning it was as Elisha had spoken, the valley flowed with water to drink. And when Moab launched an attack on them that morning they were decimated by the combined armies of Samaria, Judah, and Edom.
During Elisha’s life he performed many miracles to bless those who still believed and lead those who did not to Yahweh. There was a woman whose husband was a dedicated follower of Yahweh. When he died she was unable to pay their debts and her children were in danger of being taken away and sold as slaves. Elisha had her collect empty pots from her neighbors and then pour what little olive oil she had into one of them. However, as she poured she never ran out of oil and had soon filled every pot. She was able to sell all the excess and pay off her debts.
During a famine, someone had made a pot of stew and accidentally put a large amount of poisonous vegetables in it. Elisha threw some flour into the pot and by God’s power it became safe for the starving people to eat.
Elsewhere, there was a wealthy woman who always invited Elisha to stay and eat with her and her husband whenever he was in the area. They even built him a guest room so he would always have a place to stay. Elisha asked around for how he might bless this generous couple and he learned that they had no children. So Elisha said to the woman, “By this time next year you will hold a son in your arms.”
“Please, prophet, don’t play this trick on me.” But it happened exactly as Elisha said it would. Years passed and one day the child came to his father crying, “my head, my head.” He was carried to his mother and died in her arms that same day. She laid him down in the bed of Elisha, shut the door and left to find the prophet.
When she found him she laid down and grabbed his feet. Elisha’s servant Gehazi tried to pull her away, but Elisha said, “Leave her alone. She is crushed with sadness, but Yahweh has hidden it from me and I don’t know why.”
“Did I ask you for a son? Why did you raise my hopes like this?”
Elisha said to Gehazi, “Run, don’t stop to speak to anyone, and place my staff on the boy's face.” He did as he was instructed while Elisha and the woman followed behind at a slower pace. But the boy was not healed, so when Elisha arrived he went into his room and prayed. Then he stretched himself over the boy, eye to eye and hand to hand. The boy’s body began to grow warm. Then the boy sneezed seven times and woke up. Elisha called his mother in and said, “Take your son,” and she bowed down and worshipped Yahweh.
Elisha was surprisingly next approached by an Aramean. One of their commanders, a well-respected man and skilled soldier named Naaman had the disease of leprosy. Some time ago his soldiers had captured an Israelite girl who became a servant to Naaman’s wife. She said to her mistress, “If only your husband could see the prophet Elisha in the land of Samaria he would be cured of his leprosy.”
With king Ben-Hadad II’s permission and a letter of introduction Naaman left for Samaria with valuable gifts to see king Joram. But when the king saw the letter he was frustrated, saying, “Am I a god. Can I control life itself? Why did the king of Aram send me someone to be cured of leprosy. Is he trying to start trouble with me?”
When Elisha heard word of Joram’s behavior he sent him a message. “Why are you so upset? Send this man to me.” So Naaman travelled to Elisha’s house where they were greeted by Gehazi who had a message from Elisha which said, “Go wash yourself seven times in the Jordan river and you will be healed.”
But Naaman was irritated by this treatment and said, “I thought Elisha would come and out and call on the name of Yahweh and then wave his hand and heal me on the spot. We have rivers in Damascus better than any here. Why can’t I just go bathe in them.” And then he left angrily.
But his servant entreated him, “Master, if a prophet told you to do some great act to be healed, wouldn’t you do it? How much more, then, when he has his servant tell you to just go wash yourself.” So Naaman begrudgingly stopped at the Jordan River and did what he was told and was healed.
He then immediately returned to Elisha and said, “Now I know there is no God in the world except Yahweh. Please accept this gift from me,” but Elisha refused. “If you will not accept my gift, then grant me this. I will never again worship anyone but Yahweh, but when Ben-Hadad worships our gods he holds my arm for support. When he bows down I am forced to bow down too. Please ask God to forgive me of this.”
Elisha assured him and said, “Go in peace.”
Ben-Hadad II continued to war with Israel. Every time his army would lie in wait to ambush the armies of Israel, Elisha would receive word from God of their location and warn King Joram where to avoid.
Ben-Hadad II quickly grew frustrated and suspicious that Israel was able to avoid his traps and yelled at his men, “Which one of you is working for the Israelites?”
“None of us. It is the prophet Elisha. He tells Joram the very words you speak in private.”
“Find out where he is so I can send some troops to capture him.” When they found out where he was they surrounded him in the night.
When Gehazi woke up and saw the soldiers he cried out to Elisha, “Oh no! What are we going to do?”
“Don’t be afraid. Our forces are greater than theirs.” Then he prayed, “Open his eyes, God, so that he can see.” The servant saw that the hills were full of angelic warriors clad in fire. As the enemy began their attack Elisha prayed, “Strike them with blindness,” and God made it so. Then Elisha came out to the blind soldiers and said, “This is not the place you were looking for. Come with me and I will lead you to the man you want.” Then he led them all to Samaria and then prayed for their sight to be restored.
Joram asked Elisha, “Should I kill them.”
Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Instead prepare a feast for them and then send them back to Ben-Hadad.” After that Aram stopped attacking Israel for a time.
But the peace didn’t last forever and soon Aram laid siege to a town in Israel. The lengthy siege coupled with a famine in the land quickly caused the people to starve. When Joram heard about this, he was furious and blamed Yahweh and Elisha and swore to kill the prophet.
When he found Elisha he said, “This disaster is from God, so why should I expect Yahweh to save my people?”
Elisha replied, “By this time tomorrow the people will have an abundance of food.”
One of the king’s advisors said, “Even if God opened heaven itself, is this possible?”
“You will see it with your own eyes.”
The next day four lepers who lived just outside the city said to each other, “If we stay here, we’ll die. Let’s go to the Aramean camp. If they kill us, so be it, but we might get some food there. But when they arrived at the camp they found it deserted. As the lepers were approaching God had made the Arameans hear the sound of a mighty army and they fled in terror, leaving all of their supplies behind. The lepers ate their fill and even took some valuables and hid them. But they soon felt guilty for their selfishness, knowing the people of the city were starving. So they returned to the city and told everyone what they had seen. The people rushed to the camp to get food. Everyone then realized that everything Elisha had said had come true.
Some time later, Ben-Hadad II became sick. Even though he had sought Elisha’s death in the past, he sent his advisor Hazael with a gift for the prophet to determine if the king would get over his illness. When he found Elisha he said, “The king has sent me to ask if he will recover from his illness.”
“He will certainly recover, but God has shown me that he will die a different way.” Then Elisha stared at Hazael and began to cry.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because I know the horrible things you are going to do to Israel. I see fire and death for my people be they man or woman, young or old.”
“How could a servant like me ever do anything like that?”
“I have seen that you will be the next king of Aram.” When Hazael returned he told his king that he would not die from his illness, but the next day he smothered him in his bed.
In Judea, Jehoshaphat had died and was succeeded by his son Jehoram. So that none could challenge his rule, he had all of his brothers and some of his advisors killed. He married one of Ahab’s daughters and was as evil as the kings in Samaria, leading the Jews in the worship of Baal. But God did not end his line because of the promise he had made to David.
One day he received a letter from Elisha, saying, “This is what the God of your ancestor David says, ‘You have not followed in the ways of Jehoshaphat and Asa, instead being like the kings in Samaria. You have led your people to sin in terrible ways and you have even killed your own family and friends. Now Yahweh is going to strike your entire family with a heavy blow and you will die of a terrible disease.”
Soon after, the Philistines attacked Judah and carried off many treasures including the king’s sons and wives, all except his youngest son Ahaziah. Then, as God said, Jehoram became diseased and after two years died. No one regretted his death and though he was buried in Jerusalem, he was not given the honor of resting in the tomb of the kings.
Ahaziah ruled for one year. He joined Joram in war against Hazael. In the heat of battle Joram was wounded and was taken from the battlefield. Once the battle had concluded Ahaziah visited Joram to see how he was recovering.
It was around this time that Elisha anointed Jehu, one of the commanders of the army, to be the next king of Israel and commanded him to destroy the house of Ahab. When his fellow soldiers found out what the prophet had told him they blew their trumpets and declared him their king.
Jehu then left with some of his troops to find Joram. When Joram saw he was coming with soldiers he came out to him and asked, “Have you come in peace, Jehu?”
“How can there be peace, Joram, while the idolatry of your mother Jezebel continues in Samaria?” Then Joram ran from Jehu calling out, “Treachery, Ahaziah!” Jehu then pulled out his bow and killed Joram as he ran away.
When Ahaziah saw this, he ran as well. Jehu and his men gave chase, saying, “Kill him too.” Though Ahaziah escaped he was badly wounded and soon died. Jehu then hunted down, Jezebel, who yet lived, along with all seventy of Ahab’s sons and killed them all for their idolatry.
But Jehu’s cleansing of Israel had not yet ended. He approached the priests of Baal and said to them, “Ahab was hardly devoted to Baal. I will serve with even more devotion. Let’s gather all the priests of Baal and offer a great sacrifice. Make sure everyone comes.” Soon the temple of Baal was completely packed. Jehu then ordered 80 of his men go in and kill the priests and destroy the temple. So during Jehu’s reign the worship of Baal ended. But Jehu did not return the people to Yahweh, who continued to worship the golden calves that Jeroboam had made. But because of his zeal against Baal and the wicked house of Ahab, Yahweh promised Jehu that his family would rule for four generations.
When Ahaziah’s mother Athaliah saw that her son had been killed, she seized the throne of Judah for herself and killed any of her relatives that she thought might try to overthrow her. But Ahaziah’s son Joash escaped with the help of his aunt and was raised by the priest Jehoiada. For six years they remained hidden while Athaliah ruled. In the seventh year Jehoiada gathered a large number of guards still loyal to Ahaziah and charged them with protecting Joash as he was crowned king. When Athaliah saw this she yelled out, “Treason! Treason!” Jehoiada had the men guarding Joash grab her and put her to death. Then Jehoiada declared that Judah would again dedicate itself to Yahweh. The people destroyed the temple to Baal that had been made in the time of Ahaziah. Joash was only seven years old when he became king.
Joash reigned for 40 years and in accordance with his upbringing by Jehoiada the priest, he followed Yahweh as his great-grandfather Jehoshaphat had before him. But the people still offered sacrifices at sites that were tainted by the worship of idols in previous generations. So with Jehoiada the priest overseeing the labor and Joash collecting money from the people, repairs began on the temple in Jerusalem.
But after the death of Jehoiada, Joash was led astray by some of his advisors and began to worship false gods. And though Yahweh sent prophets to warn Joash, he would not listen to them. But Jehoiada’s son Zechariah remained bold, and delivered this message to the king, “Why do you disobey the commands of Yahweh? Because you have abandoned God, in your time of need you will find no help.”
The king would not suffer the insolence of this doomsaying prophet and secretly ordered him killed as he left the city. But rather than frighten his detractors into submission, they instead harbored resentment towards him because of the priest’s murder. When the Arameans plundered Judah, Joash was wounded in battle and some of his own advisors killed him in his weakened state as revenge for Zechariah. He was succeeded by his son Amaziah.
During the reign of Joash, Jehu died after having ruled for 28 years and was succeeded by his wicked son Jehoahaz. For much of his reign, Israel was controlled by Hazael the Aramean. And yet, in his weakness, Jehoahaz turned to Yahweh for help, and they were sent a rescuer because of how severely Hazael was treating them. Though the people were once again free, Israel’s army was almost completely destroyed by the Arameans.
What followed was a great time of transition in the region. Jehoahaz and Hazael both died at around the same time that Amaziah became king over Judah. They were succeeded by their sons Jehoash in Israel and Ben-Hadad III in Aram. Elisha had witnessed great things in his lifetime, kings come and gone, prophecies come to pass, and miracles change lives, but as this new generation came to power the time had finally come for him to join his teacher Elijah and rest in heaven.
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