New International Reader s Version - NIrV - 1996
2 Kings 8
1
Elisha had brought a woman's son back to life. He had said to her, "Go away with your family. Stay for a while anywhere you can. The Lord has decided that there won't be enough food in the land. That will be true for seven years."
Reference
Parallel theme
Psalm 105:16
Ruth 1:1
Haggai 1:11
Genesis 12:10
2 Kings 4:18
Luke 4:25
1 Kings 18:2
Leviticus 26:26
References Lord
1 Kings 17:1
2
The woman did just as the man of God told her to. She and her family went away. They stayed in the land of the Philistines for seven years.
3
The seven years passed. Then she came back from the land of the Philistines. She went to the king of Israel. She wanted to beg him to get her house and land back.
4
The king was talking to Gehazi. Gehazi was the servant of the man of God. The king had said, "Tell me about all of the great things Elisha has done."
5
Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought a dead boy back to life. Just then the woman came to beg the king to get her house and land back. She was the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life. Gehazi said, "King Joram, this is the woman I've been telling you about. And this is her son. He's the one Elisha brought back to life."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Kings 4:35
6
The king asked the woman about her house and land. And she told him. Then he appointed an official to look into her case. The king told him, "Give her back everything that belonged to her. That includes all of the money that was earned from her land. It was earned from the day she left the country until now."
Reference
Kingdom
Proverbs 21:1
1 Chronicles 28:1
Judges 11:13
Parallel theme
Proverbs 16:7
2 Samuel 9:7
2 Kings 9:32
Genesis 37:36
Deuteronomy 22:2
7
Elisha went to Damascus. Ben-Hadad was sick. He was king of Aram. The king was told, "The man of God has come all the way up here."
Reference
8
Then the king said to Hazael, "Take a gift with you. Go and see the man of God. Ask him for the Lord's advice. Ask him whether I will get well again."
Reference
9
Hazael went to see Elisha. He took 40 camels with him as a gift. The camels were loaded with all of the finest goods of Damascus. Hazael went into Elisha's house and stood in front of him. He said, "Ben-Hadad has sent me. He is the king of Aram. He asks, 'Will I get well again?' "
10
Elisha answered, "Go and speak to him. Tell him, 'Yes. You will get well again.' But the Lord has shown me that he will in fact die."
11
Elisha stared at him without looking away. He did it until Hazael felt ashamed. Then the man of God began to sob.
Reference
12
"Why are you sobbing?" asked Hazael. "Because I know how much harm you will do to the people of Israel," he answered. "You will set fire to their cities that have high walls around them. You will kill their young men with your sword. You will smash their little children on the ground. You will rip open their pregnant women."
Reference
Parallel theme
Nahum 3:10
2 Kings 12:17
2 Kings 15:16
Isaiah 13:16
2 Kings 13:7
Isaiah 13:18
Hosea 10:14
References Lord
2 Kings 13:3
Amos 1:13
Word
Hosea 13:16
13
Hazael said, "How could I possibly do a thing like that? I'm nothing but a dog. I don't have that kind of power." "You will become king of Aram," Elisha answered. "That's what the Lord has shown me."
Reference
Kingdom
1 Kings 19:15
Parallel theme
1 Samuel 17:43
2 Samuel 9:8
Psalm 22:20
Psalm 22:16
Matthew 7:6
Micah 2:1
References Lord
2 Kings 8:10
14
Then Hazael left Elisha. He returned to his master. Ben-Hadad asked, "What did Elisha say to you?" Hazael replied, "He told me you would get well again."
Reference
Parallel theme
2 Kings 8:10
15
But the next day Hazael got a thick cloth. He soaked it in water. He spread it over the king's face. He held it there until the king died. Then Hazael became the next king after him.
Reference
Kingdom
2 Kings 8:13
16
Jehoram began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the fifth year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Jehoram was the son of Jehoshaphat.
Reference
17
Jehoram was 32 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for eight years.
18
He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, just as the royal family of Ahab had done. In fact, he got married to a daughter of Ahab. Jehoram did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
Reference
Kingdom
2 Kings 8:26
19
But the Lord didn't want to destroy Judah. That's because the Lord had made a covenant with his servant David. He had promised to keep the lamp of David's kingdom burning brightly for him and his children after him forever.
Reference
20
When Jehoram was king over Judah, Edom refused to remain under Judah's control. They set up their own king.
Reference
21
So Jehoram went to Zair. He took all of his chariots with him. The men of Edom surrounded him and his chariot commanders. He got up at night and fought his way out. But his army ran back home.
📍 Zair
22
To this very day Edom has refused to remain under Judah's control. At that same time, Libnah also refused to remain under the control of Judah.
Reference
23
The other events of Jehoram's rule are written down. Everything he did is written down. All of those things are written in the official records of the kings of Judah.
24
Jehoram joined the members of his family who had already died. His body was buried in the family tomb in the City of David. His son Ahaziah became the next king after him.
Reference
25
Ahaziah began to rule as king over Judah. It was in the 12th year that Joram was king of Israel. Joram was the son of Ahab. Ahaziah was the son of Jehoram.
Reference
Kingdom
2 Kings 9:29
26
Ahaziah was 22 years old when he became king. He ruled in Jerusalem for one year. His mother's name was Athaliah. She was a granddaughter of Omri. Omri had been the king of Israel.
Reference
People
Kingdom
2 Chronicles 22:2
27
Ahaziah followed the ways of the royal family of Ahab. Ahaziah did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, just as the family of Ahab had done. That's because he had married into Ahab's family.
28
Ahaziah joined forces with Joram. They went to war against Hazael at Ramoth Gilead. Joram was the son of Ahab. Hazael was king of Aram. The soldiers of Aram wounded King Joram.
Reference
Kingdom
2 Chronicles 22:5
29
So he returned to Jezreel to give his wounds time to heal. The soldiers of Aram had wounded him at Ramoth in his battle against Hazael, the king of Aram. Ahaziah, the son of Jehoram, went down to Jezreel. He went there to see Joram. That's because Joram had been wounded. Ahaziah was king of Judah. Joram was the son of Ahab.
📍 Ramah 5
Chapter Summary
This chapter combines personal restoration, prophetic revelation, and political change to show God's control over both individual lives and the affairs of nations. The chapter begins with the return of the Shunammite woman, whose story connects back to Elisha's earlier miracles.
Elisha warns the woman of a coming seven-year famine, allowing her to leave Israel and protect her family. After the famine ends, she returns and appeals to the king for the restoration of her property. At the exact moment she arrives, Gehazi is telling the king about Elisha's miracle of raising her son. The king recognizes the truth of her story and orders that everything she lost be restored. This event shows God's providence and His ability to arrange circumstances beyond human planning.
The chapter then shifts to the international scene involving Aram. King Ben-hadad of Aram becomes sick and sends Hazael to ask Elisha whether he will recover. Elisha reveals that Ben-hadad will die and that Hazael will become king. The prophet also reveals that Hazael will bring suffering upon Israel. Hazael later murders Ben-hadad and takes the throne, fulfilling Elisha's prophecy.
The chapter then returns to Judah, where Jehoram becomes king. Influenced by Ahab's family through marriage, Jehoram follows the sinful practices of Israel rather than the faithfulness of his father. Although Judah suffers because of his leadership, God preserves the kingdom because of His covenant with David.
Jehoram's reign is followed by Ahaziah, who continues the alliance with Ahab's family and joins Israel's king Joram in battle against Aram. His close relationship with Israel's corrupt royal family leads him into the same spiritual failures.
Overall, the chapter reveals that God's plans continue despite human weakness, political ambition, and national rebellion. God protects His promises, fulfills His prophetic word, and remains sovereign over kings and kingdoms.
Elisha warns the woman of a coming seven-year famine, allowing her to leave Israel and protect her family. After the famine ends, she returns and appeals to the king for the restoration of her property. At the exact moment she arrives, Gehazi is telling the king about Elisha's miracle of raising her son. The king recognizes the truth of her story and orders that everything she lost be restored. This event shows God's providence and His ability to arrange circumstances beyond human planning.
The chapter then shifts to the international scene involving Aram. King Ben-hadad of Aram becomes sick and sends Hazael to ask Elisha whether he will recover. Elisha reveals that Ben-hadad will die and that Hazael will become king. The prophet also reveals that Hazael will bring suffering upon Israel. Hazael later murders Ben-hadad and takes the throne, fulfilling Elisha's prophecy.
The chapter then returns to Judah, where Jehoram becomes king. Influenced by Ahab's family through marriage, Jehoram follows the sinful practices of Israel rather than the faithfulness of his father. Although Judah suffers because of his leadership, God preserves the kingdom because of His covenant with David.
Jehoram's reign is followed by Ahaziah, who continues the alliance with Ahab's family and joins Israel's king Joram in battle against Aram. His close relationship with Israel's corrupt royal family leads him into the same spiritual failures.
Overall, the chapter reveals that God's plans continue despite human weakness, political ambition, and national rebellion. God protects His promises, fulfills His prophetic word, and remains sovereign over kings and kingdoms.