New Living Translation

2 Kings 13:10-19 New Living Translation (NLT)

10. 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.

11. But he did what was evil in the lord’s sight. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had led Israel to commit.

12. The rest of the events in Jehoash’s reign and everything he did, including the extent of his power and his war with King Amaziah of Judah, are recorded in The Book of the History of the Kings of Israel.

13. When Jehoash died, he was buried in Samaria with the kings of Israel. Then his son Jeroboam II became the next king.

14. When Elisha was in his last illness, King Jehoash of Israel visited him and wept over him. “My father! My father! I see the chariots and charioteers of Israel!” he cried.

15. Elisha told him, “Get a bow and some arrows.” And the king did as he was told.

16. Elisha told him, “Put your hand on the bow,” and Elisha laid his own hands on the king’s hands.

17. Then he commanded, “Open that eastern window,” and he opened it. Then he said, “Shoot!” So he shot an arrow. Elisha proclaimed, “This is the lord’s arrow, an arrow of victory over Aram, for you will completely conquer the Arameans at Aphek.”

18. Then he said, “Now pick up the other arrows and strike them against the ground.” So the king picked them up and struck the ground three times.

19. But the man of God was angry with him. “You should have struck the ground five or six times!” he exclaimed. “Then you would have beaten Aram until it was entirely destroyed. Now you will be victorious only three times.”