2 Kings 6
1 The sons of the prophets told Elisha, “Look, the place we meet with you is too small for us.
| וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּֽה־נָ֣א הַמָּקֹ֗ום אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃ |
2 Let's go to the Jordan and each of us can carry one log back. We can build a new place there for us to meet.” “Go ahead,” said Elisha.
| נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֣א עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וְנִקְחָ֤ה מִשָּׁם֙ אִ֚ישׁ קֹורָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ שָׁ֛ם מָקֹ֖ום לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֵֽכוּ׃ |
3 One of them asked, “Please come with your servants.” “I'll come,” he replied.
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד הֹ֥ואֶל נָ֖א וְלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֥י אֵלֵֽךְ׃ |
4 So he went with them. When they got to the Jordan, they started cutting down trees.
| וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ הָעֵצִֽים׃ |
5 But as one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no! My master, it was one that was borrowed!” he shouted.
| וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקֹּורָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל׃ |
6 “Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron axhead float.
| וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אָ֣נָה נָפָ֑ל וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־הַמָּקֹ֔ום וַיִּקְצָב־עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּ֖צֶף הַבַּרְזֶֽל׃ |
7 “Pick it up,” Elisha told the man. So he reached out his hand and picked it up.
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָ֣רֶם לָ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יָדֹ֖ו וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ׃ פ |
8 The Aramean king was at war with Israel. After consulting with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in this particular place.”
| וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הָיָ֥ה נִלְחָ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אֶל־מְקֹ֛ום פְּלֹנִ֥י אַלְמֹנִ֖י תַּחֲנֹתִֽי׃ |
9 Then the man of God sent a warning to the king of Israel: “Watch out if you go near this place, because the Arameans are going to be there.”
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּקֹ֣ום הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים׃ |
10 So the king of Israel sent a warning to the place the man of God had indicated. Elisha repeatedly warned the king, so that he was on the alert in those places.
| וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽל־הַמָּקֹ֞ום אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽמַר־לֹ֧ו אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וְהִזְהִירָהּ (וְהִזְהִירֹ֖ו) וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר שָׁ֑ם לֹ֥א אַחַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א שְׁתָּֽיִם׃ |
11 This made the Aramean king really mad. He summoned his officers, demanding an answer: “Tell me, which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
| וַיִּסָּעֵר֙ לֵ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֔ם עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הֲלֹוא֙ תַּגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י מִ֥י מִשֶּׁלָּ֖נוּ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ |
12 “It's none of us, my lord the king,” one of his officers replied. “It's Elisha, the prophet who lives in Israel—he tells the king of Israel even what you say in your bedroom.”
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַחַ֣ד מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו לֹ֖וא אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע הַנָּבִיא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַגִּיד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר בַּחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבֶֽךָ׃ |
13 So the king gave the order, “Go and find out where he is so I can send soldiers to capture him.” He was told, “Elisha is in Dothan.”
| וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֵיכֹ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ וַיֻּגַּד־לֹ֥ו לֵאמֹ֖ר הִנֵּ֥ה בְדֹתָֽן׃ |
14 So he sent horses, chariots, and a large army. They came at night and surrounded the town.
| וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃ |
15 Early in the morning when the servant of the man of God got up, he went out and saw that an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh, my master, what are we going to do?” he asked Elisha.
| וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה־חַ֛יִל סֹובֵ֥ב אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲרֹ֥ו אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נֽ͏ַעֲשֶֽׂה׃ |
16 Elisha replied, “Don't be afraid, for there are many more who are with us than there are with them!”
| וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּירָ֑א כִּ֤י רַבִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔נוּ מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר אֹותָֽם׃ |
17 Elisha prayed, saying, “Lord, please open his eyes so he can see.” The Lord opened the servant's eyes, and when he looked he saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
| וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל אֱלִישָׁע֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַח־נָ֥א אֶת־עֵינָ֖יו וְיִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָהָ֜ר מָלֵ֨א סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֛כֶב אֵ֖שׁ סְבִיבֹ֥ת אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ |
18 As the army descended on him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
| וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־נָ֥א אֶת־הַגֹּוי־הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃ |
19 Then Elisha went and told them, “This isn't the right road, and this isn't the right town. Follow me, and I'll take you to the man you're looking for.” He led them to Samaria.
| וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּרֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאֹולִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אֹותָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֹֽונָה׃ |
20 After they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “Lord, open the eyes of these men that they can see.” The Lord opened their eyes, and they looked around and saw that they were in Samaria.
| וַיְהִי֮ כְּבֹאָ֣ם שֹׁמְרֹון֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַ֥ח אֶת־עֵינֵֽי־אֵ֖לֶּה וְיִרְא֑וּ וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בְּתֹ֥וךְ שֹׁמְרֹֽון׃ |
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹתֹ֖ו אֹותָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃ |
22 “No, don't you kill them!” he replied. “Would you kill prisoners you captured with your own sword or bow? Give them some food and water so that they may eat and drink, and then let them go back to their master.”
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃ |
23 So the king had a great feast prepared for them, and once they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them back to their master. The Aramean raiders did not enter the land of Israel again.
| וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדֹולָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יָ֤סְפוּ עֹוד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָבֹ֖וא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ |
24 Sometime after this Ben-hadad king of Aram called up all his army and went to lay siege to Samaria.
| וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־שֹׁמְרֹֽון׃ |
25 So there was a major famine in Samaria. In fact the siege lasted so long that a donkey's head cost eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove's dung cost five shekels of silver.
| וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדֹול֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְרֹ֔ון וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱיֹ֤ות רֹאשׁ־חֲמֹור֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב חֲרֵייֹונִים (דִּבְיֹונִ֖ים) בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף׃ |
26 As the king of Israel was walking by on the city wall, a woman called out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”
| וַֽיְהִי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֹבֵ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וְאִשָּׁ֗ה צָעֲקָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הֹושִׁ֖יעָה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ |
27 “If the Lord doesn't help you, why would you think I can help you?” the king replied. “I don't have grain from the threshing floor, or wine from the winepress.”
| וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־יֹושִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אֹֽושִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן אֹ֥ו מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב׃ |
28 But then he asked her, “What's the problem?” “This woman told me, ‘Give up your son and we'll eat him today, and tomorrow we'll eat my son,’” she answered.
| וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיֹּ֔ום וְאֶת־בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר׃ |
29 “So we cooked my son and we ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him,’ but she's hidden her son.”
| וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־בְּנִ֖י וַנֹּֽאכְלֵ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יהָ בַּיֹּ֣ום הָאַחֵ֗ר תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ וַתַּחְבִּ֖א אֶת־בְּנָֽהּ׃ |
30 When the king heard what the woman said he ripped his clothes. As he walked by on the wall, the people saw that he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
| וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְה֖וּא עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַשַּׂ֛ק עַל־בְּשָׂרֹ֖ו מִבָּֽיִת׃ |
31 “May God punish me very severely if the head of Elisha, son of Shaphat, remains on his shoulders today!” he declared.
| וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכֹ֣ה יֹוסִ֑ף אִֽם־יַעֲמֹ֞ד רֹ֣אשׁ אֱלִישָׁ֧ע בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ט עָלָ֖יו הַיֹּֽום׃ |
32 Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders. The king had sent a messenger on ahead, but before he got there, Elisha told the elders, “Can you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? So, as soon as the messenger arrives, close the door and hold it shut against him. Isn't that the sound of his master's footsteps following him?”
| וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵיתֹ֔ו וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים יֹשְׁבִ֣ים אִתֹּ֑ו וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ מִלְּפָנָ֗יו בְּטֶ֣רֶם יָבֹא֩ הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ אֵלָ֜יו וְה֣וּא ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֞ח בֶּן־הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ הַזֶּה֙ לְהָסִ֣יר אֶת־רֹאשִׁ֔י רְא֣וּ ׀ כְּבֹ֣א הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ סִגְר֤וּ הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם אֹתֹו֙ בַּדֶּ֔לֶת הֲלֹ֗וא קֹ֛ול רַגְלֵ֥י אֲדֹנָ֖יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃ |
33 While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger arrived. The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
| עֹודֶ֙נּוּ֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ יֹרֵ֣ד אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־זֹ֤את הָֽרָעָה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מָֽה־אֹוחִ֥יל לַיהוָ֖ה עֹֽוד׃ ס |
