Death of Elisha

14 When Elisha 1became sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash the king of Israel came down to him and wept over 2him and said, “aMy father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

15 Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and arrows.” So he 1took a bow and arrows.

16 Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” And he put his hand on it, then Elisha laid his hands on the king’s hands.

17 He said, “Open the window toward the east,” and he opened it. Then Elisha said, “Shoot!” And he shot. And he said, “The Lord’s arrow of victory, even the arrow of victory over Aram; for you will 1defeat the Arameans at aAphek until you have 2destroyed them.”

18 Then he said, “Take the arrows,” and he took them. And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground,” and he struck it three times and 1stopped.

19 So athe man of God was angry with him and said, “You should have struck five or six times, then you would have struck Aram until you would have 1destroyed it. But now you shall strike Aram bonly three times.”