¹⁸ Whenever the Lord raised up a judge for the Israelites, the Lord was with^(A) him and saved the people from the power of their enemies while the judge was still alive.^[a] The Lord was moved to pity whenever they groaned because of those who were oppressing and afflicting them.

²⁵ Then Jehoash son of Jehoahaz took back from Ben-hadad son of Hazael the cities that Hazael had taken in war from Jehoash’s father Jehoahaz. Jehoash defeated Ben-hadad three times and recovered the cities of Israel.^(A)

²⁵ He restored Israel’s border^(A) from Lebo-hamath^(B) as far as the Sea of the Arabah,^(C) according to the word the Lord, the God of Israel, had spoken through His servant, the prophet Jonah^(D) son of Amittai from Gath-hepher.^(E)

²⁷ However, the Lord had not said He would blot out the name of Israel under heaven,^(A) so He delivered^(B) them by the hand of Jeroboam son of Jehoash.^[a]