2Kgs 6
1
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 you, to Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and make for
ourselves a Gr. a place of inhabiting habitation there.
3
And he said, Go. And one of them said gently, Come with your servants. And he said,
I will go.
4
And he went with them, and they came to Jordan, and began to cut down Or, trees wood.
5
And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the Gr. iron 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 shewed him the place: and he Lit. pinched off with the nail, etc. broke
off a stick, and threw it in there, and the iron came to the surface.
7
And he said, Take it up to yourself. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.
8
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 Elisaie sent to the king of Israel, saying, Take heed that you pass not by Gr. this that place, for the Syrians are hidden
there.
10
And the king of Israel sent to the place which Elisaie mentioned to him, and saved
himself thence not once or twice.
11
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, 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
Gr. closet of your bedchamber bedchamber.
13
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 there horses, and chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night,
and compassed about the city.
15
And the servant of Elisaie Gr. was early to rise 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, Gr. how shall we do? what shall we do?
16
And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who are with us are more than they that are with
them.
17
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 they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said, Smite, I pray you,
this Gr. nation people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of
Elisaie.
19
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 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 to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not truly smite
them, my father?
22
And he said, You shall not smite them, unless you Gr. smite would smite 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 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 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 valued at fifty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s
dung at five pieces of silver.
26
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 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 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 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 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 of Israel heard the words of the woman, that he
rent his garments; and he passed by on the wall, and the people saw sackcloth within
upon his flesh.
31
And he said, God Gr. do these things to me and add these things do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisaie shall stand
upon him this day.
32
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
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?