2 Kings - Chapters 8-10

The Amazing Bible. Book Club

These three chapters begin with a story of the Shunamite woman, whose son was brought back to life through Elisha. The Lord brought a famine to the land, and Elisha told to woman to leave for seven years until the famine was over. When she came back, it seems that her elderly husband had died, and so she went to the king to ask for her home and her land back. When she entered into the king's presence, it just so happened that Elisha's servant, Gehazi, was talking with the king about the great things Elisha had done, including bringing this boy back to life. The king graciously gave her not only her home and land, but also all the income from her land since the day she left the country.
The rest of these chapters cover the political scene of Israel, Judah, and Aram which is also called Syria. Elisha went to Damascus, and announced that Hazael would be the next king of Aram. The Scriptures tell us that "the man of God began to weep," and when Hazael asked why, he announced it was because Elisha saw the harm that he will bring to the Israelites. That next morning Hazael killed Ben-Hadad and became king.
Due to intermarriage between Israel and Judah, they fought battles together, and they were beginning to lose on all sides. Edom from the south rebelled. Libnah from the west rebelled, and then Aram from the north attacked. The heat of the battle was at Ramoth Gilead, and the king of Israel was wounded and ran back to Jezreel in Israel. The king of Judah went to Jezreel to check on him. Queen Jezebel also still lived there. Elisha then sent a prophet to Jehu, one of the commanders, who was stationed at Ramoth Gilead, and there the prophet anointed Jehu as king of Israel, and then ran away. When he told his men what happened, they respected him as king, and announced it with trumpets. Jehu then went to Jezreel and killed the king of Israel. The king of Judah was killed at Megiddo, since he also followed in the idolatrous footsteps of Ahab. Jehu then went to Jezebel, and her servants pushed her out the window, and she died. He then killed all descendants of Ahab, and all the prophets of Baal, plus tore down their temple and their sacred stone. The Lord told him for all the great things he did, he would have a descendant on the throne for four generations. Jehu's reign was for twenty-eight years, and Jehoahaz his son became king. Verse 32 says, "In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael overpowered the Israelites throughout their territory.