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JUNE 10
Then Elisha spoke to the woman whose
8 son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise
and go, you and your household, and stay
wherever you can; for the LORD has called for 8:10 recover…die. Ben-Hadad wanted to
a famine, and furthermore, it will come upon know whether or not he would recover from
2
the land for seven years.” So the woman arose his present illness. In response, Elisha affirmed
and did according to the saying of the man of two interrelated things: 1) Ben-Hadad would
God, and she went with her household and be restored to health; his present sickness
dwelt in the land of the Philistines seven years. would not be the means of his death. 2) Ben-
3 It came to pass, at the end of seven years, Hadad would surely die by some other means.
that the woman returned from the land of the
Philistines; and she went to make an appeal to 8:11 he was ashamed. With a fixed gaze,
4
the king for her house and for her land. Then Elisha stared at Hazael because it had been
the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the revealed to him what Hazael would do,includ-
ing the murder of Ben-Hadad (v. 15). Hazael
man of God, saying, “Tell me, please, all the was embarrassed,knowing that Elisha knew of
5
great things Elisha has done.” Now it hap- his plan to assassinate the Syrian king.
pened, as he was telling the king how he had
restored the dead to life, that there was the
woman whose son he had restored to life, 14 Then he departed from Elisha, and came to
appealing to the king for her house and for her his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha
land. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this say to you?” And he answered, “He told me
is the woman, and this is her son whom Elisha you would surely recover.” But it happened
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restored to life.” And when the king asked the on the next day that he took a thick cloth and
6
woman, she told him. dipped it in water, and spread it over his face
So the king appointed a certain officer for so that he died; and Hazael reigned in his
her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, and all place.
the proceeds of the field from the day that she 16 Now in the fifth year of Joram the son of
left the land until now.” Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat having been
7 Then Elisha went to Damascus, and Ben- king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehosh-
Hadad king of Syria was sick; and it was told aphat began to reign as king of Judah. He was
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him, saying, “The man of God has come here.” thirty-two years old when he became king,
8 And the king said to Hazael, “Take a present and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And
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in your hand, and go to meet the man of God, he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, just
and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, ‘Shall as the house of Ahab had done, for the daugh-
I recover from this disease?’ ” So Hazael went ter of Ahab was his wife; and he did evil in the
9
to meet him and took a present with him, of sight of the LORD. Yet the LORD would not
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every good thing of Damascus, forty camel- destroy Judah, for the sake of His servant Da-
loads; and he came and stood before him, and vid, as He promised him to give a lamp to him
said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Syria has and his sons forever.
sent me to you, saying, ‘Shall I recover from 20 In his days Edom revolted against Judah’s
this disease?’ ” authority, and made a king over themselves.
10 And Elisha said to him, “Go, say to him, 21 So Joram went to Zair, and all his chariots
‘You shall certainly recover.’ However the with him. Then he rose by night and attacked
LORD has shown me that he will really die.” the Edomites who had surrounded him and
11 Then he set his countenance in a stare until the captains of the chariots; and the troops
he was ashamed; and the man of God wept. fled to their tents. Thus Edom has been in
22
12 And Hazael said, “Why is my lord weeping?” revolt against Judah’s authority to this day.
He answered, “Because I know the evil that And Libnah revolted at that time.
you will do to the children of Israel: Their 23 Now the rest of the acts of Joram, and all
strongholds you will set on fire, and their that he did, are they not written in the book of
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young men you will kill with the sword; and the chronicles of the kings of Judah? So
you will dash their children, and rip open their Joram rested with his fathers, and was buried
women with child.” with his fathers in the City of David. Then
13 So Hazael said, “But what is your ser- Ahaziah his son reigned in his place.
vant—a dog, that he should do this gross 25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab,
thing?” king of Israel, Ahaziah the son of Jehoram, king
And Elisha answered, “The LORD has shown of Judah, began to reign. Ahaziah was twenty-
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me that you will become king over Syria.” two years old when he became king, and he

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