And Jehoshaphat king of Judah joined himself with Ahaziah king of Israel to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber. Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah…prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying, "Because you have joined yourself with Ahaziah, the LORD has broken your works." And the ships were broken, that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

-Israel-

And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, "Go, inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease."

But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, "Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, is it…because there is not a God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore this says the LORD, you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die." And Elijah departed.

And when the messengers turned back unto Ahaziah, he said unto them, "Why are you now turned back?"

And they said unto him, "There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, ‘Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, "This says the LORD, is it… because there is not a God in Israel, that you sent to inquire of Baalzebub the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from that bed on which you are gone up, but shall surely die." So Ahaziah died according to the word of the LORD, which Elijah had spoken. And Joram reigned in his place…because he had no son.

Now Joram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he did evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not from them.

-Elijah is taken to heaven-

And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. And Elijah said unto Elisha, "Wait, I pray you, here; for the LORD has sent me to Jordan."

And Elisha said, "As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you." And they…went on. And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view afar off: and Elijah and Elisha stood by Jordan.

And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided above and below, so that they…went over on dry ground.

And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken away from you."

And Elisha said, "I pray you, let a double portion of your spirit be upon me."

And Elijah said, "You have asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so unto you; but if not, it shall not be so."

And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, look, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both…and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen of it." And Elisha saw Elijah no more: Then Elisha took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces. And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" And when he also had struck the waters, they parted…and Elisha went over.

And when the sons of the prophets who were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, "The spirit of Elijah does rest on Elisha." And Elisha went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

-Judah and Israel-

But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And king Joram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, "The king of Moab has rebelled against me: will you go with me against Moab to battle?" And Jehoshaphat said, "I will go up: I am as you are, my people as your people, and my horses as your horses…."

So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they made a circuitous march of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the army, and for the cattle that followed them.

And the king of Israel said, "Alas! …The LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!"

But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him?"

And one of the Joram’s servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah."

And Jehoshaphat said, "The word of the LORD is with him." So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, "What have I to do with you? Get you to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother."

And the Joram said unto him, "No: for the LORD has called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab."

And Elisha said, "As the LORD of hosts lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you. This says the LORD, 'make this valley full of ditches …you shall not see wind, neither shall you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that you may drink, both you, and your cattle, and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.' "

And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood in the border. And…in the morning, when the meat offering was offered…look, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. And the Moabites rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood: And they said, "This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have destroyed one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil." And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward striking the Moabites, even in their country.

And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a famine in the land…. And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk of it. And Elisha said, "Give unto the people, that they may eat."

And his servant said, "What, should I set this before a hundred men?"

Elisha said again, "Give the people, that they may eat: for this says the LORD, ‘They shall eat, and shall have leftovers of it.’" So the servant set it before them, and they did eat, and had leftovers…according to the word of the LORD.

Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master…he was also a mighty man in valor, but he was a leper. And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, "Would God Naaman were with the prophet that is in Samaria! For the prophet would recover him of his leprosy." And one went in and told his lord….

And the king of Syria said, "Go."

So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door or the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean."

Then went Naaman down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

And Naaman returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before Elisha: and Naaman said, "Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel." And Naaman said, "Shall there not then, I pray you, be given to you servant two mules’ burden of earth? For your servant will from here on offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord."

And Elijah said unto him, "Go in peace." So Naaman departed from him….

Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp." And the man of God sent unto Joram the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that you pass not such a place; for there the Syrians are come down."

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was very troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, "Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?"

And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."

And he said, "Go and spy where Elisha is, that I may send and fetch him."

And it was told him, saying, "Look, he is in Dothan." Therefore sent him there horses, and chariots, and a great army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city…. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, "Strike these people, I pray you, with blindness." And God struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. And Elisha said unto them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." But he led them to Samaria.

And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, look, they were in the middle of Samaria.

And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, "My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?"

And Elisha answered, "You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."

And Joram prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

REFERENCES

2 Chronicles 20:36-37; 2 Kings 1:2-6, 17; 2 Kings 3:1-3; 2 Kings 2:1, 6-12, 14-15a, 25: 2 Kings 3:5-14, 16-18, 21-24; 2 Kings 4:38a, 42-44; 2 Kings 5:1-4a, 5, 9-10, 14-15, 17, 19; 2 Kings 6:8-9, 11-14, 18-23.

CHAPTER 36