2 KINGS 8

ELISHA WEPT OVER ISRAEL'S WICKED LEADERS

Previously, Elisha stays in the home of a wealthy woman from Shunam and warns her of the famine (2 Kings 4). Once the famine is over, the woman and her family return home. While Gehazi is reporting Elisha’s great deeds to the king, the woman arrives to ask for the restoration of her land. Upon hearing that Elisha brought her son back to life, the king is amazed and restores the woman’s land and provides her with the profits it produced while she was away during the famine.

Elisha travels to Damascus, where Ben-Hadad, the king of Aram was living. Ben-Hadad is very ill at the time and orders Hazael to meet with Elisha. Elisha says that although Ben-Hadad would recover from his current illness, he would soon face death.

Elisha weeps when delivering this news to Hazael, knowing that Hazael would become the next king of Aram and cause great destruction to Israel. Hazael, using a wet blanket, suffocates and killed Ben-Hadad, taking the throne of Aram.

Back in Judah, Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, becomes king. Jehoram marries into the family of Ahab and follows his wicked actions. Because he is from the line of David, God does not remove him from the throne despite his rebellion. During his reign, the Edomites revolt and establish their own kingdom. After Jehoram’s death, his son Ahaziah becomes king over Judah. Ahaziah continues the streak of unfaithful and sinful kings.