II Kings 13:1-9
“In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.” (II Kings 13:1-3)
Athaliah usurped the throne of Judah shortly after Jehu seized the throne of Israel, reigning for almost six years. Jehu reigned over Israel just over twenty eight years, apparently dying early in Joash’s twenty third year as king of Judah. Since most ancient dates are recorded relative to a well known individual’s life rather than a number of years before or after some cataclysmic event, and most are only an approximation of the time involved few of them can be narrowed to an exact date.
That in no discredits the historical accuracy of scripture. It is no different than saying a person is twenty, whether he just turned twenty yesterday, or if he will be twenty one tomorrow. It does make the belief that the King James Version is perfect untenable, however.
Jehu’s son, Jehoahaz took Jehu’s place, following his father’s example, and reverting back to the corrupted form of Judaism Jeroboam had started with roots in Egypt and ancient Babylon. He did not adopt Baal or the gods of the people around them.
It was the same thing they had done in Exodus 32, eight hundred years before, and it produced the same result, making God angry. Israel would be constantly oppressed by Syria under both Hazael, and his son Benhadad, as long as they lived.
“And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.) Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.” (II Kings 13:4-7)
Elisha and other prophets were still alive, and Jehoahaz sought the Lord as a result of the Syrian oppression. When they did so, God sent a leader that delivered them from the oppression so that they were free to their old lifestyle. Unfortunately they did not turn away from the corrupted form of Judaism, nor did they turn completely away from their worship of nature. Though they were no longer serfs to Syriua, their army had been decimated so they could only field a token force of ten chariots and fifty cavalrymen and a standing army of ten thousand. For a country that a few years before had been able to field fifty times that many, it was quite humbling.
“Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 13:8-9)
After about seventeen years as king, Jehoahaz died and was buried in Samaria as a respected king, and his son Jehoash or Joash became king of Israel, At the time Ahaziah’s son Joash was still king of Judah,
“In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Benhadad the son of Hazael, all their days.” (II Kings 13:1-3)
Athaliah usurped the throne of Judah shortly after Jehu seized the throne of Israel, reigning for almost six years. Jehu reigned over Israel just over twenty eight years, apparently dying early in Joash’s twenty third year as king of Judah. Since most ancient dates are recorded relative to a well known individual’s life rather than a number of years before or after some cataclysmic event, and most are only an approximation of the time involved few of them can be narrowed to an exact date.
That in no discredits the historical accuracy of scripture. It is no different than saying a person is twenty, whether he just turned twenty yesterday, or if he will be twenty one tomorrow. It does make the belief that the King James Version is perfect untenable, however.
Jehu’s son, Jehoahaz took Jehu’s place, following his father’s example, and reverting back to the corrupted form of Judaism Jeroboam had started with roots in Egypt and ancient Babylon. He did not adopt Baal or the gods of the people around them.
It was the same thing they had done in Exodus 32, eight hundred years before, and it produced the same result, making God angry. Israel would be constantly oppressed by Syria under both Hazael, and his son Benhadad, as long as they lived.
“And Jehoahaz besought the LORD, and the LORD hearkened unto him: for he saw the oppression of Israel, because the king of Syria oppressed them. (And the LORD gave Israel a saviour, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians: and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents, as beforetime.
Nevertheless they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam, who made Israel sin, but walked therein: and there remained the grove also in Samaria.) Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing.” (II Kings 13:4-7)
Elisha and other prophets were still alive, and Jehoahaz sought the Lord as a result of the Syrian oppression. When they did so, God sent a leader that delivered them from the oppression so that they were free to their old lifestyle. Unfortunately they did not turn away from the corrupted form of Judaism, nor did they turn completely away from their worship of nature. Though they were no longer serfs to Syriua, their army had been decimated so they could only field a token force of ten chariots and fifty cavalrymen and a standing army of ten thousand. For a country that a few years before had been able to field fifty times that many, it was quite humbling.
“Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers; and they buried him in Samaria: and Joash his son reigned in his stead.” (II Kings 13:8-9)
After about seventeen years as king, Jehoahaz died and was buried in Samaria as a respected king, and his son Jehoash or Joash became king of Israel, At the time Ahaziah’s son Joash was still king of Judah,
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