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King James Bible - Old Testament 2 Kings
Moab rebelled against Israel and Ahaziah fell sick. He sent messengers to inquire of the prophets of Baal but Elijah encountered them and sent them back. Jehosophat's son Jehoram reigned in Judah. Elijah met with Elisha and the other prophets. God smiled on Elisha and Moab rebelled against Israel again. The armies of Israel could find no water so they asked Elisha and he told them to dig ditches and rainwater filled them. Moab was defeated with the help of God. The Israelites repented from their evil ways for a short time.
Elisha helped a widow and was given hospitality by a woman who had no child. He blessed her and she had a son. The son died but Elisha came and breathed life back into him. Elisha healed a leper who was a captain in the army. Elisha's servant received the man's leprosy because he took money for his master's deeds.
Syria made war on Israel and Elisha prayed that Syrian armies would be struck with blindness. The armies were captured. The Syrians besieged Samaria and there was a famine. Some of the people resorted to cannibalism. Elisha promised that food would come. They found the Syrian camp abandoned. The women whose son Elisha revived came back to Israel and Elisha went to Damascus. He wept because he knew that the leader of the Syrians would bring about the end of Israel. He knew that this would leave Israel open to be ravished by the next king. Elisha sent a man to anoint Jehu king of Israel, telling him,
"And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel....And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there shall be none to bury her." 2 Kings, 9: 7, 10
Jehu conspired against Joram, the current ruler and member of the house of Ahab. The people overthrew all the sons of Ahab and sent their heads to Jehu. He gathered all the worshipers of Baal and slayed them. He failed to walk in the ways of God and Israel fell again into ruin. Syria overcame them.
Ahaziah's mother ruled for some time, but she was overthrown. Her supplanter ruled well but was overthrown by another. Elisha got sick but told the king to shoot arrows out the window and into the ground three times. The king overcame the Syrians in three battles. A series of evil rulers reigned in Judah. The control of the throne was up for grabs. Israel had more heathen kings and again the people began to worship idols. Hezekiah ruled in Judah and ruled well. The king of Syria moved his people against him and he went into the house of God and tore his clothing. He spoke to Isaiah who told him that God was with him. Isaiah assured Hezekiah that he would rule for fifteen years more despite his sickness, and that the king of Assyria would not enter Judah.
Hezekiah's son, who was evil, ruled for a long time. But Hezekiah's grandson, Josiah ruled well and had the people rebuild the house of God. He began ruling at age eight. He made a new covenant with God and he rid the country of the worshipers of Baal. God remained angry with Judah, however, and decided to turn them out of the land. Josiah died and his son ruled. The next two kings were evil. Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon besieged Judah. He captured it and took everything to Babylon. The king of Judah was taken too.
