The king asked them, “What sort of man came up to meet you and spoke those words to you?”

Elisha said, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them.”

Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master.”

In those days the Lord began to reduce the size of Israel. Hazael defeated the Israelites throughout their territory:

So the commanders of hundreds did everything Jehoiada the priest commanded. They each brought their men—those coming on duty on the Sabbath and those going off duty—and went to Jehoiada the priest.

Then they would put the counted money into the hands of those doing the work—those who oversaw the Lord’s temple. They in turn would pay it out to those working on the Lord’s temple—the carpenters, the builders,

Instead, it was given to those doing the work, and they repaired the Lord’s temple with it.

No accounting was required from the men who received the money to pay those doing the work, since they worked with integrity.

In those days the Lord began sending Rezin king of Aram and Pekah son of Remaliah against Judah.

They burned incense on all the high places just like those nations that the Lord had driven out before them. They did evil things, provoking the Lord.

In those days Hezekiah became terminally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Put your affairs in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’”

Then the common people executed all those who had conspired against King Amon and made his son Josiah king in his place.

It is to be put into the hands of those doing the work—those who oversee the Lord’s temple. They in turn are to give it to the workmen in the Lord’s temple to repair the damage.

Then Shaphan the court secretary went to the king and reported, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the temple and have put it into the hand of those doing the work—those who oversee the Lord’s temple.”