But the more the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites, the more they increased in number and the farther they spread through the land. The Egyptians came to fear the Israelites

Finally the king issued a command to all his people: "Take every newborn Hebrew boy and throw him into the Nile, but let all the girls live."

The people of Judah and Israel were as numerous as the grains of sand on the seashore; they ate and drank, and were happy.

Solomon's kingdom included all the nations from the Euphrates River to Philistia and the Egyptian border. They paid him taxes and were subject to him all his life.

The Israelites were called up and equipped; they marched out and camped in two groups facing the Syrians. The Israelites looked like two small flocks of goats compared to the Syrians, who spread out over the countryside.

At that time the LORD began to reduce the size of Israel's territory. King Hazael of Syria conquered all the Israelite territory

east of the Jordan, as far south as the town of Aroer on the Arnon River---this included the territories of Gilead and Bashan, where the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and East Manasseh lived.

Jehoahaz had no armed forces left except fifty cavalry troops, ten chariots, and ten thousand foot soldiers, because the king of Syria had destroyed the rest, trampling them down like dust.