< 2 Kings 6 >

1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha', Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too narrow for us.
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisaie, Behold now, the place wherein we dwell before you is too narrow for us.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, as far as the Jordan, and take thence every man one beam, and let us prepare for us there a place to dwell therein. And he said, Go.
Let us go, we pray you, to Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and make for ourselves a habitation there.
3 And one said, Give thy assent, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said, I will indeed go.
And he said, Go. And one of them said gently, Come with your servants. And he said, I will go.
4 So he went with them; and they came to the Jordan, and they cut down trees.
And he went with them, and they came to Jordan, and began to cut down wood.
5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, my Lord! it was also borrowed.
And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the axe head fell into the water: and he cried out, Alas! master: and it was hidden.
6 And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and he caused the iron to swim.
And the man of God said, Where did it fall? and he showed him the place: and he broke off a stick, and threw it in there, and the iron came to the surface.
7 And then said he, Lift it up to thee. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.
And he said, Take it up to yourself. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.
8 And the king of Syria made war against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
And the king of Syria was at war with Israel: and he consulted with his servants, saying, I will encamp in such a place.
9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not that place; for thither the Syrians are come down.
And Elisaie sent to the king of Israel, saying, Take heed that you pass not by that place, for the Syrians are hidden there.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place, which the man of God had told him and warned him of, and he took care of himself there: not once nor twice.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which Elisaie mentioned to him, and saved himself thence not once or twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sorely troubled concerning this thing; and he called for his servants, and said unto them, Can ye not tell me who of us is for the king of Israel?
And the mind of the king of Syria was very much disturbed concerning this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will you not tell me who betrays me to the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, Not so, my Lord, O king; but Elisha', the prophet that is in Israel, can tell unto the king of Israel the words that thou mayest speak in thy sleeping-chamber.
And one of his servants said, Nay, my Lord, O king, for Elisaie the prophet that is in Israel reports to the king of Israel all the words whatever you may say in your bedchamber.
13 And he said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told unto him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
And he said, Go, see where this man [is], and I will send and take him. And they sent word to him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothaim.
14 And he sent thither horses, and chariots, and a strong army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
And he sent there horses, and chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night, and compassed about the city.
15 And the servant of the man of God rose early, and went forth, when, behold, an army compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
And the servant of Elisaie rose up early and went out; and, behold, a host compassed the city, and horses and chariots: and the servant said to him, O master, what shall we do?
16 And he said, Fear not: for those that are with us are more than those that are with them.
And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who are with us [are] more than they that are with them.
17 And Elisha' prayed, and said, O Lord, open, I pray thee, 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'.
And Elisaie prayed, and said, Lord, open, I pray you, the eyes of the servant, and let him see. And the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses, and there were chariots of fire round about Elisaie.
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha' prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite, I pray thee, this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha'.
And they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said, Strike, I pray you, this people with blindness. And he struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisaie.
19 And Elisha' said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will lead you to the man whom ye wish to seek. And he led them thus to Samaria.
And Elisaie said to them, This [is] not the city, and this [is] not the way: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. And he led them away to Samaria.
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha' said, Lord, open the eyes of these, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw, and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisaie said, Open, I pray you, O Lord, their eyes, and let them 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 unto Elisha', when he saw them, Shall I smite them? Shall I smite them, my father?
And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I [not] verily strike them, [my] father?
22 But he said, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldst thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go [back] to their master.
And he said, You shall not strike them, unless you would strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow: set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and depart to their master.
23 And he prepared for them a great meal; and they ate and drank, and he sent them away, and they went [back] to their master. And the predatory bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
And he set before them a great feast, and they ate and drank: and he dismissed them and they departed to their master. And the bands of Syria came no longer into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Syria assembled all his camp, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
And it came to pass after this, that the son of Ader king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove'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 [valued] at fifty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung at five pieces of silver.
26 And it happened as the king of Israel was passing along upon the wall, that a woman cried unto him, saying, Help, my Lord, O king.
And the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, and a woman cried to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? shall it be out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-press?
And he said to her, Unless the Lord help you, whence shall I help you? from the corn-floor, or from the wine-press?
28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she said, This woman said unto me, Give up thy son, that we may eat him today, and my son we will eat tomorrow.
And the king said to her, What is [the matter] with you? And the woman said to him, This [woman] said to me, Give your son, and we will eat him today, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29 So we boiled my son, and ate him; but when I said unto her on the next day, Give up thy son, that we may eat him: she hid her son.
So we boiled my son, and ate him; and I said to her on the second day, Give your son, and let us eat him: and she has hidden her son.
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes, as he was passing along upon the wall: and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth beneath upon his flesh.
And it came to pass, when the king of Israel heard the words of the woman, [that] he tore his garments; and he passed by on the wall, and the people saw sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then said he, May God do so unto me and continue so yet farther, if the head of Elisha' the son of Shaphat shall remain on him this day.
And he said, God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisaie shall stand upon him this day.
32 But Elisha' was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and he sent a man from before him; but before the messenger could yet come to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of the murderer hath sent to remove my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him back with the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
And Elisaie was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man before him: before the messenger came to him, he also said to the elders, Do you see that this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, as soon as the messenger shall have come, shut the door, and forcibly detain him at the door: [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 And while he was yet speaking with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what shall I hope for in the Lord any longer?
While he was yet speaking with them, behold, a messenger came to him: and he said, Behold, this evil [is] of the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?

< 2 Kings 6 >