Daily Bible Reading: 2 Kings 8

After Samaria was restored, Elisha told the woman, who's son he had brought back to life, to travel away from Israel because a famine was about to occur.

In the meanwhile, the king had spoken to Gehazi, who told the king about all he had witnessed that Elisha had done.

After seven years of living in the land of the Philistines, the woman came back, and she went before the king to petition that he give her her land and her home back. Gehazi informed the king that this was the woman he had spoke to him about.

The king asked her to tell her side of the story, and she did. So, he restored her property to her.

Elisha went to Damascus. The king of Syria was sick, and when he was told of Elisha's arrival, he sent a messenger to enquire as to whether or not he would recover.

So Hazael, the messenger, went to Elisha and asked. Elisha told him, "Yes," but he began to cry, trying to keep his composure, but failing to do so.

When Hazael asked, "What's wrong?" Elisha told him, "I see what you are going to do to Israel. You will slay all the men, all the children and all the women who are with-child brutally."

"Am I a dog that I would do such a thing?" Hazael protested. Elisha insisted that he would be king.

When Hazael returned to the king, the king asked, "Will I recover?" Hazael told him, "Yes." The next day, he took a cloth, dipped it in water, and put it over the king's face, smothering him to death. Hazael became king.

After Joram was king over Israel for five years, Jehoram became king of Judah. Jehoram was married to Joram's sister, and he reigned for eight years, doing evil in the site of the Lord, who would not destroy Judah for David's sake. God had promised that Israel would always have a light.

While Joram reigned, Edom and Libnah revolted. Joram defeated Edom in battle, and Ahaziah ruled in his stead. Ahaziah was Joram's son-in-law. Before Joram died, he was wounded in battle, so he went to Jezreel to recuperate, and Ahaziah went to see him.

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Shakespeare, one of the most notorius playwrites history has to give us, once wrote, "Oh what a wicked web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive!" One sin leads to another. It causes others to stumble and sin. Soon everyone is corrupt and the whole land is covered in sin. Sin is hard to purge. The stains are thick and heavy, and Israel is in despair in 2 Kings 8 because of it.

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