2 Kings 6
1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha', Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too narrow for us.
2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”
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.
3 One said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”
And one said, Give thy assent, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he said, I will indeed go.
4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
So he went with them; and they came to the Jordan, and they cut down trees.
5 But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”
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.
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.
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.
7 He said, “Take it.” So he put out his hand and took it.
And then said he, Lift it up to thee. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.
8 Now the king of Syria was at war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
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.
9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
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.
10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.
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.
11 The king of Syria’s heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
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?
12 One of his servants said, “No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
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.
13 He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “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 unto him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night and surrounded the city.
And he sent thither horses, and chariots, and a strong army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
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?
16 He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
And he said, Fear not: for those that are with us are more than those that are with them.
17 Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
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'.
18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.
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'.
19 Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.
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.
20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “LORD, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.
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.
21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha', when he saw them, Shall I smite them? Shall I smite them, my father?
22 He answered, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, then go to their master.”
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.
23 He prepared a great feast for them. After they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.
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.
24 After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Syria assembled all his camp, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’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 sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
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.
27 He said, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”
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?
28 Then the king asked her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your 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 said, This woman said unto me, Give up thy son, that we may eat him today, and my son we will eat tomorrow.
29 So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.”
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.
30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
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.
31 Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”
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.
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
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?
33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”
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?
