2 Kings 8-10

Elisha requested a double portion of the spirit of God that Elijah had. I think it is hard to see how that manifests except that there does not seem to be a record of Elisha's doubt of faith. Elijah's weakness was clearly Jezebel and could seem manic depressive and paranoid at that time. We don't see that with Elisha and aside from that, which may be the fruit of a double portion of God's spirit.

Another difference - i don't remember Elisha meeting directly with current kings. Elijah seemed to meet regularly with Ahab. When Elisha contacts kings, it seems to be through intermediaries.

The anecdotes continue...

The woman and her boy

Elisha told the woman whose son had been brought back to life to leave Israel because a famine will hit it for 7 years. So, she stays in the land of the Philistines. She returns after 7 years and heads to the king in Samaria to ask for her land back.

At the same time, the king is hearing about great things that Elisha has done from Gehazi. So, the greedy assistant who was struck by leprosy is still around. Given that he is telling the king about Elisha, he might even still be Elisha's assistant.

Gehazi is talking about the boy who was brought back to life when the same boy and his mother walk in. The king is so impressed by this that he gives her land back and restitution from the crops that were harvested on her land in her absence.

So, if crops were harvested on her land, then the famine could not have been that bad, at least in terms of crop production. Or, the famine may have also been caused by warfare and we can tell from other contexts that the northern kingdom was locked in intermittent war with the Arameans/Syrians.

The king of Aram

Elisha goes to Damascus just as the king of Aram, Ben-Heddad, is on his deathbed. He hears that Elsha is in town and sends Hazeal to meet with him. Ben-Heddad probably remembers that this man healed his general of leprosy and struck his men with blindness. Hopefully, Elisha can heal him.

Previously, God had told Elijah to anoint Hazeal as the next king of Aram. We can assume that Elijah did this before he was taken up into heaven.

Hazeal asks Elisha if the king will recover, to which he responds "tell the king he will recover, but I know he will die.". Elisha begins to cry and explains to Hazeal that he will be the next king of Aram and he will cause great damage to Israel, including massacres of the civilian population and brutally treat pregnant. Again, similar to cannibalism, these things were prophesied in the curses of Deuteronomy should Israel fall away from God. Now, Elisha sees it in the near future and knows who will do it, the same man that Elijah anointed king of Aram.

Hazeal goes back, tells the king (ben-heddad) that he will recover, but the next day kills him. Hazeal then usurps the throne.

Political level stuff

Meanwhile, Jehoram of Judah dies and his son Ahaziah becomes king. Ahaziah is related to Ahab by marriage and follows the family example. So, now the family of Ahab is spreading in power to the Southern Kingdom, even though Elijah prophesied it would be wiped out.

Ahaziah made an alliance with Joram of Israel The two of them go to war with the Arameans over Ramoth-Gilead. This is hotly contested ground. During this battle, Joram of the northern of the northern kingdom is wounded. Joram is taken to Jezreel and Ahaziah is visiting him.

Something else very important happens here during these fights over Ramoth-Gilead.

God tells Elisha to instruct his prophets to anoint Jehu the next king of Israel, the northern kingdom. Jehu is a soldier on the front lines when the prophet comes and anoints him. Jehu is also to wipe out the family of Ahab.

Jehu immediately heads off to Jezreel to kill Joram, who is wounded from the battle. There, he finds Joram and shoots him with an arrow. He directs his men to put the corpse in the plot of land that had been Naboth's vineyard, which Jezebel had Naboth murdered. Jehu has his men kill Ahaziah too.

Jehu went up to the palace and Jezebel leaned out the window wearing make-up. Jehu has several eunuchs throw her down and her body is then eaten by dogs.

In 2 Kings 10, Jehu goes on a rampage killing all the entire family of Ahab and his allies and priests. This was in fulfillment of Elijah's prophecy after Ahab/Jezebel had Naboth killed for the vineyard.

After this, Jehu devises a plan to kill of the priests and worshipers of Baal. He tells the city that there will be a big feast at the temple of Baal and all the worshipers of Baal had to be there. They all come, but it is a ruse as he plans to kill them. He makes sure he soldiers take care that only the worshipers of Baal are present. He then has his soldiers go in and kill anyone identified as a Baal worshiper. They then destroy the temple and turn it to a public toilet.

The text says this eradicated worship of Baal from the northern kingdom, but Jehu did not remove the golden calves set up by Jeroboam. Nevertheless, God was happy and gave Jehu a dynasty of 4 generations because of this. However, Jehu did not follow God and God allowed the northern kingdom to shrink. They lost the portions east of the Jordan, including the contested land of Ramoth-Gilead, plus portions west of the Jordan.

Thus far, Jehu was the best king for the northern kingdom since the original split after Solomon's death.