American Standard Version of 1901
Versliste
When the righteous {Or, are in authority}are increased, the people rejoice;But when a wicked man beareth rule, the people sigh.
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 Jehovah, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, wherewith he made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.
But Jehovah said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have rejected him: for Jehovah seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but Jehovah looketh on the heart.
In those days Jehovah began to cut off from Israel: and Hazael smote them in all the borders of Israel;
from the Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the valley of the Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan.
And the king of Israel answered and said, Tell him, Let not him that girdeth on his armor boast himself as he that putteth it off.
And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strongholds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash in pieces their little ones, and rip up their women with child.
When he slew them, then they inquired after him;And they returned and sought God earnestly.
I will go and return to my place, till they {Or, have borne their guilt}acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me {Or, earnestly, saying}earnestly.
What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?And what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
and if we know that he heareth us whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions which we have asked of him.
And Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz.
For he left not to Jehoahaz of the people save fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria destroyed them, and made them like the dust {Or, to trample on}in threshing.
Thus saith Jehovah: For three transgressions of Damascus, yea, for four, I will not {Or, revoke my word}turn away {Hebrew: it (and so in verse 6, 9, &c.).}the punishment thereof; because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron.