Chapter 8

The Shunnamite woman had been warned by Elisha that a seven year famine was coming.  She had moved away to Philistia.  She comes home, appeals to the King, whom Gehazi had told the story of Elisha's restoring life to her son, and the King gives back all her goods. 

Ben-Hadad is sick when Elisha comes to Damascus.  One has to wonder what Elisha is doing in Damascus, since the King of Syria had sent a whole army to fetch him back.  And that army came home safely, but never raided Israel again.  Now Elisha goes right into the place where they are.  BH sends Hazael to ask Elisha if BH will recover from this sickness.  The exact answer is unclear, but seems to be that he will not.  It could also be that Elisha says "The sickness won't kill you, but something else will.".  The man sent to inquire stares at Elisha.  Elisha begins  to cry, and when asked about it, says it is because of all the evil Hazael will do to Israel.  There is a LOT of evil that Hazael is to perpetrate on Israel.  Next day, Hazael murders Ben-Hadad in his bed. 

So this is how Hazael, who has been mentioned several times previously, becomes King in Syria.  Hazael kills Ben-Hadad and becomes King in his place.  Not a proper change of Kings at all.  

During Joram, son of Ahab's reign in Israel, Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat, begins to reign in Judah.  He reigns 8 years.  He is an evil king, doing the things that Ahab was doing in the north.  He is married to Ahab's daughter.  So here, the narrative in 2Ki meets back up with the narrative in 2Ch.  We get a repeat of the version in Chronicles.  2Ki says that Jehoram kills the rebelling King of the Edomites, but the Edomite army escapes, and stays in rebellion for a long time (until this day).  Libnah also rebels.  Then Jehoram (also spelled Joram) dies and Ahaziah his son reigns in his place in Judah.  This King only reigns for one year.  His mother is Athaliah, granddaughter of Omri, King of Israel.

Ahaziah goes with Joram, King of Israel, to fight Hazael, King of Syria after Ben-Hadad, in Ramoth-Gilead.  The same place that Ahab - Joram's father, was killed by the forces of Syria, I think under Ben-Hadad.  So both Joram and Ahaziah are doing the very same things that got their fathers killed!

First notes, 8/29/18

Elisha's  servant takes payment for Elisha healing Naaman's leprosy, though  Elisha had already refused payment.  Then he lies about it.  So Elisha  gives Naaman's leprosy to Gehazi, the servant.

Don't take credit for what God Himself has done.  

A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back.

Proverbs 29:11 NKJV

 I  always used to say that getting things out in the open, so I didn't  have to deal with them, was less stressful.  I justified a lot of  outbursts with that line.  I was wrong every time.