2Kgs 6
1
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell
before you is too strait for us.
2
Let us go, we pray you, to 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 you.
3
And one said, Be pleased, I pray you, to go with your servants. And he answered, I
will go.
4
So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they 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 master! for it was borrowed.
6
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 there, and made the iron to swim.
7
And he said, Take it up to you. So he put out his hand, and took it.
8
Now the king of Syria was warring 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 you pass not such
a place; for there the Syrians are coming down.
10
And 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 nor twice.
11
And the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called
his servants, and said to them, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of
Israel?
12
And one of his servants said, Nay, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is
in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.
13
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 sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night,
and compassed the city about.
15
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 to him,
Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16
And he answered, Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that are with
them.
17
And Elisha prayed, and said, YHWH, I pray you, open his eyes, that he may see. And
YHWH 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 when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to YHWH, and said, Smite this people,
I pray you, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word
of Elisha.
19
And 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. And he led them to Samaria.
20
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, YHWH, open
the eyes of these men, that they may see. And YHWH opened their eyes, and they saw;
and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite
them? shall I smite them?
22
And he answered, You shall not smite them: would you smite 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, and go to their master.
23
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 Syria came no more into
the land of Israel.
24
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host,
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 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 upon the wall, there cried a woman to him,
saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27
And he said, If YHWH do not help you, whence shall I help you? out of the threshing-floor,
or out of the wine press?
28
And the king said to her, What ails you? And she answered, This woman said to me,
Give your son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29
So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said to her on the next day, Give your
son, that we may eat him; and she has hid her son.
30
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
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 Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and [the
king] sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to
the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? look,
when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: is not
the sound of his master`s feet behind him?
33
And while he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him: and
he said, Behold, this evil is of YHWH; why should I wait for YHWH any longer?