After seven years’ famine foretold by Eliseus, the Sunamitess returning home, recovers her lands, and revenues. Eliseus foretells the death of Benadad, king of Syria, and the reign of Hazael. Joram’s wicked reign in Juda. He dies, and his son Ochozias succeeds.

¹ Now Elisha spoke to the woman, whose son he had caused to live, saying: “Rise up. Go, you and your household, and sojourn in whatever place you can find. For the Lord has called forth a famine, and it shall overwhelm the land for seven years.”

² And she rose up, and she acted in accord with the word of the man of God. And going with her household, she sojourned in the land of the Philistines for many days.

³ And when the seven years had ended, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines. And she departed, so that she might petition the king on behalf of her house and on behalf of her fields.

⁴ Now the king was speaking with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Describe for me all the great deeds that Elisha has done.”

⁵ And as he was describing for the king the manner in which he had raised the dead, the woman appeared, whose son he had restored to life, crying out to the king on behalf of her house and on behalf of her fields. And Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisha raised up.”

⁶ And the king questioned the woman. And she explained it to him. And the king appointed a eunuch to her, saying, “Restore to her all that is hers, with all the proceeds of the fields, from the day that she left the land until the present.”

⁷ Also, Elisha arrived in Damascus, and Benhadad, the king of Syria, was ill. And they reported to him, saying, “The man of God has arrived here.”

⁸ And the king said to Hazael: “Take with you gifts. And go to meet the man of God. And consult the Lord through him, saying: ‘Will I be able to escape from this, my infirmity?’ ”

⁹ And so, Hazael went to meet him, having with him gifts, and all the goods of Damascus, the burdens of forty camels. And when he had stood before him, he said: “Your son, Benhadad, the king of Syria, sent me to you, saying: ‘Will I be able to be healed from this, my infirmity?’ ”

¹⁰ And Elisha said to him: “Go, tell him: ‘You will be healed.’ But the Lord has revealed to me that, dying he shall die.”¹

1. 8:10Tell him: you will be healed: By these words the prophet signified that the king’s disease was not mortal: and that he would recover if no violence were used. Or he might only express himself in this manner, by way of giving Hazael to understand that he knew both what he would say and do; that he would indeed tell the king he should recover; but would be himself the instrument of his death.(Challoner)

¹¹ And he stood beside him, and he was so troubled that his face became flushed. And the man of God wept.

¹² And Hazael said to him, “Why is my lord weeping?” And he said: “Because I know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel. Their fortified cities you will burn with fire. And their young men you will kill with the sword. And you will destroy their little ones, and tear open the pregnant women.”

¹³ And Hazael said, “But what am I, your servant, a dog, that I would do this great thing?” And Elisha said, “The Lord has revealed to me that you will be the king of Syria.”

¹⁴ And when he had departed from Elisha, he went to his lord, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he responded: “He said to me, ‘You shall receive health.’ ”

¹⁵ And when the next day had arrived, he took a small covering, and poured water on it, and he spread it over his face. And when he died, Hazael reigned in his place.

¹⁶ In the fifth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, the king of Israel, and of Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah: Jehoram, the son of Jehoshaphat, reigned as the king of Judah.¹

1. 8:16And of Josaphat, etc: That is, Josaphat being yet alive, who sometime before his death made his son Joram king, as David had done before by his own son Solomon.(Challoner)

¹⁷ He was thirty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for eight years in Jerusalem.

¹⁸ And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the house of Ahab had walked. For the daughter of Ahab was his wife. And he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

¹⁹ But the Lord was not willing to destroy Judah, because of David, his servant, just as he had promised him, so that he might grant a light to him and to his sons, for all days.

²⁰ In his days, Idumea drew apart, so as not to be under Judah, and they appointed a king for themselves.

²¹ And so, Jehoram went to Zair, and all the chariots with him. And he rose up in the night, and he struck down the Idumeans who had surrounded him, and the leaders of the chariots. But the people fled to their tents.

²² And Idumea drew apart, so as not to be under Judah, even to this day. Then Libnah also drew apart, at the same time.

²³ Now the rest of the words of Jehoram, and all that he did, have these not been written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Judah?

²⁴ And Jehoram slept with his fathers, and he was buried with them in the city of David. And Ahaziah, his son, reigned in his place.

²⁵ In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Ahab, the king of Israel: Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, the king of Judah, reigned.

²⁶ Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he had begun to reign, and he reigned for one year in Jerusalem. The name of his mother was Athaliah, the daughter of Omri, the king of Israel.¹

1. 8:26Daughter: That is, grand-daughter; for she was daughter of Achab son of Amri, ver. 18.(Challoner)

²⁷ And he walked in the ways of the house of Ahab. And he did what is evil before the Lord, just as the house of Ahab did. For he was the son-in-law of the house of Ahab.

²⁸ Also, he went with Joram, the son of Ahab, in order to fight against Hazael, the king of Syria, at Ramoth Gilead. And the Syrians had wounded Joram.

²⁹ And he turned back, so that he might be cured at Jezreel. For the Syrians had wounded him at Ramoth, fighting against Hazael, the king of Syria. Then Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, the king of Judah, descended to visit Joram, the son of Ahab, at Jezreel, because he was sick there.