2 Kings – Chapter 8

Old Testament29 Verses

Chapter Summary

Chapter 8 of 2 Kings begins: "And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever…" The chapter centers on Ahab, Elisha and David. Across its 29 verses, two threads run through the text: God's kingdom and kingship and family and covenant relationships. Taken as a whole, the chapter forms one movement in the account, preparing what follows and completing what came before.

1And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for the Lord hath called a famine, and it shall come upon the land seven years.

2And she arose, and did according to the word of the man of God: and going with her household, she sojourned in the land of the Philistines many days.

3And when the seven years were ended, the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines, and she went forth to speak to the king for her house and for her lands.

4And the king talked with Giezi, the servant of the man of God, saying: Tell me all the great things that Eliseus hath done.

5And when he was telling the king how he had raised one dead to life, the woman appeared, whose son he had restored to life, crying to the king for her house, and her lands. And Giezi said: My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Eliseus raised to life.

6And the king asked the woman: and she told him. And the king appointed her an eunuch, saying: Restore her all that is hers, and all the revenues of the lands, from the day that she left the land to this present.

7Eliseus also came to Damascus, and Benadad, king of Syria was sick; and they told him, saying: The man of God is come hither.

8And the king said to Hazael: Take with thee presents, and go to meet the man of God, and consult the Lord by him, saying: Can I recover of this my illness?

9And Hazael went to meet him, taking with him presents, and all the good things of Damascus, the burdens of forty camels. And when he stood before him, he said: Thy son, Benadad, the king of Syria, hath sent me to thee, saying: Can I recover of this my illness?

10And Eliseus said to him: Go tell him: Thou shalt recover: but the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.

11And he stood with him, and was troubled so far as to blush: and the man of God wept.

12And Hazael said to him: Why doth my lord weep? And he said: Because I know the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel. Their strong cities thou wilt burn with fire, and their young men thou wilt kill with the sword, and thou wilt dash their children, and rip up their pregnant women.

13And Hazael said: But what am I, thy servant, a dog, that I should do this great thing? And Eliseus said: The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king of Syria.

14And when he was departed from Eliseus he came to his master, who said to him: What said Eliseus to thee? And he answered: He told me: Thou shalt recover.

15And on the next day, he took a blanket, and poured water on it, and spread it upon his face: and he died, and Hazael reigned in his stead.

16In the fifth year of Joram, son of Achab, king of Israel, and of Josaphat, king of Juda, reigned Joram, son of Josaphat, king of Juda.

17He was two and thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

18And he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Achab had walked: for the daughter of Achab was his wife: and he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord.

19But the Lord would not destroy Juda, for David his servant's sake, as he had promised him, to give him a light, and to his children always.

20In his days Edom revolted from being under Juda, and made themselves a king.

21And Joram came to Seira, and all the chariots with him: and he arose in the night, and defeated the Edomites that had surrounded him, and the captains of the chariots, but the people fled into their tents.

22So Edom revolted from being under Juda, unto this day. Then Lobna also revolted at the same time.

23But the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the words of the days of the kings of Juda?

24And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with them in the city of David, and Ochozias, his son, reigned in his stead.

25In the twelfth year of Joram, the son of Achab, king of Israel, reigned Ochozias, son of Joram, king of Juda.

26Ochozias was two and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem: the name of his mother was Athalia the daughter of Amri king of Israel.

27And he walked in the ways of the house of Achab: and he did evil before the Lord, as did the house of Achab: for he was the son in law of the house of Achab.

28He went also with Joram, son of Achab, to fight against Hazael, king of Syria, in Ramoth Galaad, and the Syrians wounded Joram:

29And he went back to be healed, in Jezrahel: because the Syrians had wounded him in Ramoth, when he fought against Hazael, king of Syria And Ochozias, the son of Joram, king of Juda, went down to visit Joram, the son of Achab, in Jezrahel, because he was sick there.

Important Verses in 2 Kings 8

And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for the Lord hath called a famine, and it shall come upon the land seven years.

2 Kings 8:1

And the king talked with Giezi, the servant of the man of God, saying: Tell me all the great things that Eliseus hath done.

2 Kings 8:4

And the king said to Hazael: Take with thee presents, and go to meet the man of God, and consult the Lord by him, saying: Can I recover of this my illness?

2 Kings 8:8

But the Lord would not destroy Juda, for David his servant's sake, as he had promised him, to give him a light, and to his children always.

2 Kings 8:19

Historical Context

As a Old Testament book, 2 Kings was written with the exiles in Babylon, called to repentance and hope in view. Chapter 8 of 25 belongs to the early movement of the book, where the narrative or argument is still unfolding. It is a genealogical record linking earlier promises to later generations with 29 verses in the Douay-Rheims translation. Ahab, Elisha and David appear at the center of the events recorded here. It opens with the line: "And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and…" It concludes: "And he went back to be healed, in Jezrahel: because the Syrians had wounded him in Ramoth, when he fought against…" The wider setting of 2 Kings is this: Second Kings continues from Elijah's fiery departure and Elisha's ministry to the destruction of both kingdoms: Israel fell to Assyria in 722 BC and Judah to Babylon in 587 BC, when the Temple was burned. Scholarly and ecclesial tradition places the composition of 2 Kings around Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

Who Wrote It

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah

When It Was Written

Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile

Catholic Commentary

The list of names is not mere record-keeping: it anchors the story of prophets, kings, and exile in real families and real history. A pivotal line is verse 1: "And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for…" The passage repeatedly touches on God's kingdom and kingship.

The Church teaches that every passage of Scripture must be read in light of Christ and the Magisterium (CIC 2215). Here, the prophets prepared for Christ and called Israel to repentance (CIC 64, 522). The spiritual sense invites believers to recognize God's kingdom and kingship as part of God's pedagogy of salvation.

For Christians today, the chapter's lesson is clear: God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.. The Church invites us to receive this word not as antiquarian information but as living Scripture proclaimed at Mass and prayed in lectio divina.

Main Teachings

  • God's kingdom is not of this world; every earthly throne stands under His eternal reign.
  • The family is the first school of faith, where love, obedience, and forgiveness are learned.
  • Christ is the Divine Physician who heals both body and soul.

People in This Chapter

Ahab9 mentionsElisha8 mentionsDavid2 mentions

Reflection for Today

When the Church proclaims 2 Kings Chapter 8 at Mass or in the Liturgy of the Hours, she treats this text as the living voice of God.

In the four senses of Scripture—literal, allegorical, moral, and anagogical—the Church finds rich meaning in 2 Kings Chapter 8. At the moral level, evangelization and missionary discipleship challenges us to examine conscience and amend our lives (CIC 756).

As you continue through 2 Kings, carry this chapter's lesson into your family, parish, and work. Catholic faith is always ecclesial—God speaks to us as members of Christ's Body, not as isolated individuals.

💡Catholic Reflection • Church Teachings

Frequently Asked Questions

What is 2 Kings Chapter 8 about?

2 Kings 8 contains 29 verses. It opens with "And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and…" and closes with "And he went back to be healed, in Jezrahel: because the Syrians had wounded him in Ramoth, when he fought against…". The book as a whole is historical narrative with prophetic accounts.

What is a key verse in 2 Kings 8?

One of the most significant verses is verse 1: "And Eliseus spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying: Arise, and go thou, and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst find: for the Lord hath called…" It is often cited in Catholic teaching and preaching.

Who appears in 2 Kings Chapter 8?

This chapter mentions Ahab, Elisha, David.

Who wrote 2 Kings and when?

Unknown; compiled by prophetic circles, traditionally linked to Jeremiah. Events from about 850 to 560 BC; final form during the Babylonian exile.

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