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== The Anointing of Hazael of Syria ==

== The Anointing of Hazael of Syria ==

Toward the end of Jehoram of the Northern Kingdom (either 885 BC or 841 BC), Elisha traveled to [[Damascus]], capital of [[Syria]]. There Benhadad II lay ill, and sent his adviser [[Hazael]] to inquire of Elisha whether he would recover from his illness. Hazael did come to Elisha, and Elisha told Hazael that he should ''tell'' Benhadad that he would recover, but in ''fact'' Benhadad was going to die. Then Elisha tearfully confessed to Hazael that the word of [[God]] called for Hazael to lead the Syrians in war against the Northern Kingdom and to afflict it grievously. Hazael asked Elisha what sort of man he thought Hazael was, and Elisha then told him straight-out that Hazael would be Syria's next king.

Toward the end of Jehoram of the Northern Kingdom (either 885 BC or 841 BC), Elisha traveled to [[Damascus]], capital of [[Syria]]. There Benhadad II lay ill, and sent his adviser [[Hazael]] to inquire of Elisha whether he would recover from his illness. Hazael did come to Elisha, and Elisha told Hazael that he should ''tell'' Benhadad that he would recover, but in ''fact'' Benhadad was going to die. Then Elisha tearfully confessed to Hazael that the word of God called for Hazael to lead the Syrians in war against the Northern Kingdom and to afflict it grievously. Hazael asked Elisha what sort of man he thought Hazael was, and Elisha then told him straight-out that Hazael would be Syria's next king.

Hazael returned to Benhadad's bedside to deliver Elisha's message. The next morning he smothered Benhadad with a water-soaked cloth, and took over the kingdom.<ref name=Keyway/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=8|verses=7-15|version=NASB}}</ref>

Hazael returned to Benhadad's bedside to deliver Elisha's message. The next morning he smothered Benhadad with a water-soaked cloth, and took over the kingdom.<ref name=Keyway/><ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=8|verses=7-15|version=NASB}}</ref>

== Death and a Miracle ==

== Death and a Miracle ==

Elisha died in the first year of the reign of [[Joash of Israel]] (841 BC or 798 BC). The new King Joash came to see Elisha and said, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen!"—the exact same words that Elisha had uttered to the departing Elijah on the day of his investiture. Elisha had one more prophecy to deliver, and he did now. He asked Joash to pick up a bow and arrows, notch an arrow into the bow, and shoot, and told Joash that he would win in war against the Syrians. Then Elisha asked Joash to strike the floor with the arrows—and Joash struck the floor only three times. Elisha told him that because he had stopped striking the floor, he would have only three victories against Syria in war.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=13|verses=14-19|version=NASB}}</ref>

Elisha died in the first year of the reign of [[Joash of Israel]] (841 BC or 798 BC). The new King Joash came to see Elisha and said, "My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and its horsemen!"—exactly the same words that Elisha had uttered to the departing Elijah on the day of his investiture. Elisha had one more prophecy to deliver, and he did now. He asked Joash to pick up a bow and arrows, notch an arrow into the bow, and shoot, and told Joash that he would win in war against the Syrians. Then Elisha asked Joash to strike the floor with the arrows—and Joash struck the floor only three times. Elisha told him that because he had stopped striking the floor, he would have only three victories against Syria in war.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=13|verses=14-19|version=NASB}}</ref>

Then Elisha died, and was placed into a [[sepulchre]].<ref name=Keyway/> But he worked one more miracle, even in death: a retreating Northern Kingdom army hastily laid a killed-in-action soldier in Elisha's sepulchre, and when the body touched the bones of Elisha, the soldier revived.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=13|verses=20-21|version=NASB}}</ref>

Then Elisha died, and was placed into a [[sepulchre]].<ref name=Keyway/> But he worked one more miracle, even in death: a retreating Northern Kingdom army hastily laid a killed-in-action soldier in Elisha's sepulchre, and when the body touched the bones of Elisha, the soldier revived.<ref>{{Bible ref|book=II_Kings|chap=13|verses=20-21|version=NASB}}</ref>