Immerse: Kingdoms Full Volume - Flipbook - Page 257
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SAMUEL–KINGS
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About this time King Hazael of Aram went to war against Gath and captured it. Then he turned to attack Jerusalem. King Joash collected all the sa
cred objects that Jehoshaphat, Jehoram, and Ahaziah, the previous kings of
Judah, had dedicated, along with what he himself had dedicated. He sent
them all to Hazael, along with all the gold in the treasuries of the Lord’s
Temple and the royal palace. So Hazael called off his attack on Jerusalem.
The rest of the events in Joash’s reign and everything he did are recorded
in The Book of the History of the Kings of Judah.
Joash’s officers plotted against him and assassinated him at Beth-millo
on the road to Silla. The assassins were Jozacar son of Shimeath and Jehoz
abad son of Shomer—both trusted advisers. Joash was buried with his ancestors in the City of David. Then his son Amaziah became the next king.
Jehoah az son of Jehu began to rule over Israel in the t wenty-third year of
King Joash’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria seventeen years. But
he did what was evil in the Lord’s sight. He followed the example of Jer
oboam son of Nebat, continuing the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to
commit. So the Lord was very angry with Israel, and he allowed King
Hazael of Aram and his son Ben-hadad to defeat them repeatedly.
Then Jehoah az prayed for the Lord’s help, and the Lord heard his prayer,
for he could see how severely the king of Aram was oppressing Israel. So
the Lord provided someone to rescue the Israelites from the tyranny of
the Arameans. Then Israel lived in safety again as they had in former days.
But they continued to sin, following the evil example of Jeroboam. They
also allowed the Asherah pole in Samaria to remain standing. Finally, Je
hoahaz’s army was reduced to 50 chario teers, 10 chariots, and 10,000 foot
soldiers. The king of Aram had killed the others, trampling them like dust
under his feet.
The rest of the events in Jehoahaz’s reign—everything he did and the extent of his p ower—are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of
Israel. When Jehoahaz died, he was buried in Samaria. Then his son Jeho
ash became the next king.
Jehoash son of Jehoahaz began to rule over Israel in the thirty-seventh year
of King Joash’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria sixteen years. But he