2 Kings 6
1 And the sons of the prophets said to Eliseus: Behold the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha: 'Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
2 Let us go as far as the Jordan and take out of the wood every man a piece of timber, that we may build us there a place to dwell in. And he said: Go.
Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.' And he answered: 'Go ye.'
3 And one of them said: But come thou also with thy servants. He answered: I will come.
And one said: 'Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants.' And he answered: 'I will go.'
4 So he went with them. And when they were come to the Jordan they cut down wood.
So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 And it happened, as one was felling some timber, that the head of the axe fell into the water: and he cried out, and said: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, for this same was borrowed.
But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said: 'Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.'
6 And the man of God said: Where did it fall? and he shewed him the place. Then he cut off a piece of wood, and cast it in thither: and the iron swam.
And the man of God said: 'Where fell it?' And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.
7 And he said: Take it up. And he put out his hand and took it.
And he said: 'Take it up to thee.' So he put out his hand, and took it.
8 And the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying: In such and such a place let us lay ambushes.
Now the king of Aram warred against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying: 'In such and such a place shall be my camp.'
9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying: Beware that thou pass not to such a place: for the Syrians are there in ambush.
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying: 'Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Arameans are coming down.'
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God had told him, and prevented him, and looked well to himself there not once nor twice.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he guarded himself there, not once nor twice.
11 And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled for this thing. And calling together his servants, he said: Why do you not tell me who it is that betrays me to the king of Israel?
And the heart of the king of Aram was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them: 'Will ye not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?'
12 And one of his servants said: No one, my lord O king: but Eliseus the prophet, that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel all the words, that thou speakest in thy privy chamber.
And one of his servants said: 'Nay, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bed-chamber.'
13 And he said to them: Go, and see where he is: that I may send, and take him. And they told him, saying: Behold he is in Dothan.
And he said: 'Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him.' And it was told him, saying: 'Behold, he is in Dothan.'
14 Therefore he sent thither horses and chariots, and the strength of an army: and they came by night, and beset the city.
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host; and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And the servant of the man of God rising early, went out, and saw an army round about the city, and horses and chariots: and he told him, saying: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, what shall we do?
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him: 'Alas, my master! how shall we do?'
16 But he answered: Fear not: for there are more with us than with them.
And he answered: 'Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.'
17 And Eliseus prayed, and said: Lord, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Eliseus.
And Elisha prayed, and said: 'LORD, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see.' And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18 And the enemies came down to him, but Eliseus prayed to the Lord, saying: Strike, I beseech thee, this people with blindness. And the Lord struck them with blindness, according to the word of Eliseus.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said: 'Smite this people, I pray Thee, with blindness.' And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Eliseus said to them: This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will shew you the man whom you seek. So he led them into Samaria.
And Elisha said unto them: 'This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek.' And he led them to Samaria.
20 And when they were come into Samaria, Eliseus said: Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw themselves to be in the midst of Samaria.
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said: 'LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.' And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said to Eliseus, when he saw them: My father, shall I kill them?
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: 'My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?'
22 And he said: Thou shalt not kill them: for thou didst not take them with thy sword, or thy bow, that thou mayst kill them: but set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
And he answered: 'Thou shalt not smite them; hast thou taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow those whom thou wouldest smite? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.'
23 And a great provision of meats was set before them, and they ate and drank, and he let them go, and they went away to their master, and the robbers of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Aram came no more into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after these things, that Benadad king of Syria gathered together all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and so long did the siege continue, till the head of an ass was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cabe of pigeon’s dung, for five pieces of silver.
And there was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26 And as the king of Israel was passing by the wall, a certain woman cried out to him, saying: Save me, my lord O king.
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying: 'Help, my lord, O king.'
27 And he said: If the Lord doth not save thee, how can I save thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said to her: What aileth thee? And she answered:
And he said: 'If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshingfloor, or out of the winepress?'
28 This woman said to me: Give thy son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.
And the king said unto her: 'What aileth thee?' And she answered: 'This woman said unto me: Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29 So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day: Give thy son that we may eat him. And she hath hid her son.
So we boiled my son, and did eat him; and I said unto her on the next day: Give thy son, that we may eat him; and she hath hid her son.'
30 When the king heard this, he rent his garments, and passed by upon the wall. And all the people saw the haircloth which he wore within next to his flesh.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes — now he was passing by upon the wall — and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 And the king said: May God do so and so to me, and may he add more, if the head of Eliseus the son of Saphat shall stand on him this day.
Then he said: 'God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.'
32 But Eliseus sat in his house, and the ancients sat with him. So he sent a man before: and before that messenger came, he said to the ancients: Do you know that this son of a murderer hath sent to cut off my head? Look then, when the messenger shall come, shut the door, and suffer him not to come in: for behold the sound of his master’s feet is behind him.
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him; but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders: 'See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him; is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?'
33 While he was yet speaking to them, the messenger appeared who was coming to him. And he said: Behold, so great an evil is from the Lord: what shall I look for more from the Lord?
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him; and the king said: 'Behold, this evil is of the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?'
