2 Kings 6

The Axe Head Floats

1Now the sonsH1121 of the prophetsH5030 saidH559 toH413 ElishaH477, “PleaseH4994 take noteH2009 that the placeH4725 whereH834 weH587 meetH3427 with youH6440 is too smallH6862 for usH4480. 2PleaseH4994 let us goH1980 toH5704 the JordanH3383, whereH8033 each of usH376 can getH3947 aH259 logH6982 so we can buildH6213 ourselves a placeH4725 to liveH3427H8033 thereH8033.”

“GoH1980,” saidH559 Elisha.

3Then one of themH259 saidH559, “PleaseH4994H2974 comeH1980 withH854 your servantsH5650.”

“I willH589 comeH1980,” he repliedH559.

4So Elisha wentH1980 with themH854, and when they cameH935 to the JordanH3383, they began to cut downH1504 some treesH6086. 5As oneH259 of them was cutting downH5307 a treeH6982, the ironH1270 axe head fellH5307 intoH413 the waterH4325. “OhH162, my masterH113,” he cried outH6817H559, “itH1931 was borrowedH7592!”

6“WhereH575 did it fallH5307?” askedH559 the manH376 of GodH430.

And when he showedH7200 himH853 the placeH4725, the man of God cutH7094 a stickH6086, threwH7993 it thereH8033, and made the ironH1270 floatH6687.

7“Lift it outH7311,” he saidH559, and the man reached outH7971 his handH3027 and took itH3947.

Elisha Captures the Blinded Arameans

8Now the kingH4428 of AramH758 wasH1961 at warH3898 against IsraelH3478. After consultingH3289 withH413 his servantsH5650, he saidH559, “My campH8466 will be inH413 suchH6423 and suchH492 a placeH4725.”

9Then the manH376 of GodH430 sentH7971 word toH413 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478H559: “Be careful notH8104 to pass byH5674 thisH2088 placeH4725, forH3588 the ArameansH758 are going downH5185 thereH8033.”

10So the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 sentH7971 word toH413 the placeH4725 the manH376 of GodH430 had pointed outH559. Time and againH3808H259H81471 Elisha warned the kingH2094, so that he was on his guardH8104 in such placesH8033. 11ForH5921 thisH2088 reasonH1697 the kingH4428 of AramH758 became enragedH5590H3820 and calledH7121 his servantsH5650 to demandH559 of themH413, “Tell meH5046, which oneH4310 of us is on the sideH413 of the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478?”

12But oneH259 of his servantsH5650 repliedH559, “No oneH3808, my lordH113 the kingH4428. ForH3588 ElishaH477, the prophetH5030 in IsraelH3478, tellsH5046 the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 the very wordsH1697 you speakH1696 in your bedroomH2315H4904.”

13So the king saidH559, “GoH1980 and seeH7200 whereH351 heH1931 is, that I may sendH7971 men to capture himH3947.”

On receiving the reportH5046, “Elisha is in DothanH1886,” 14the king of Aram sentH7971 horsesH5483, chariotsH7393, and a greatH3515 armyH2428. They went thereH935 by nightH3915 and surroundedH5362H5921 the cityH5892.

15When the servantH8334 of the manH376 of GodH430 got upH6965 and went outH3318 early in the morningH7925, beholdH2009, an armyH2428 with horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393 had surroundedH5437 the cityH5892. So heH5288H413 asked ElishaH559, “OhH162, my masterH113, whatH349 are we to doH6213?”

16“Do notH408 be afraidH3372,” Elisha answeredH559, “forH3588 those whoH834 are with usH854 are moreH7227 than those whoH834 are with themH854.”

17Then ElishaH477H559 prayedH6419, “O LORDH3068, pleaseH4994 openH6491 his eyesH5869 that he may seeH7200.”

And the LORDH3068 openedH6491 the eyesH5869 of the young manH5288, and he saw thatH7200H2009 the hillsH2022 were full ofH4390 horsesH5483 and chariotsH7393 of fireH784 all aroundH5439 ElishaH477.

18As the Arameans came downH3381 against himH413, ElishaH477 prayedH6419 toH413 the LORDH3068H559, “PleaseH4994 strikeH5221 theseH2088 peopleH1471 with blindnessH5575.” So He struck themH5221 with blindnessH5575, according to the wordH1697 of ElishaH477.

19And ElishaH477 toldH559 themH413, “ThisH2088 is notH3808 the wayH1870, and thisH2090 is notH3808 the cityH5892. FollowH1980 meH310, and I will takeH1980 you toH413 the manH376 you are seekingH1245.” And he ledH1980 themH853 to SamariaH8111.

20

When they had enteredH935 SamariaH8111, ElishaH477 saidH559, “O LORDH3068, openH6491 the eyesH5869 of theseH428 men that they may seeH7200.”

Then the LORDH3068 openedH6491 their eyesH5869, and they looked aroundH7200 and discovered thatH2009 they were inH8432 SamariaH8111.

21And when the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 sawH7200 themH853, he askedH559H413 ElishaH477, “My fatherH1, shall I killH5221 them? Shall I killH5221 them?”

22“Do notH3808 kill themH5221,” he repliedH559. “Would youH859 killH5221 thoseH834 you have capturedH7617 with your own swordH2719 or bowH7198? SetH7760 foodH3899 and waterH4325 before themH6440, that they may eatH398 and drinkH8354 and then returnH1980 toH413 their masterH113.”

23So the king prepared a greatH1419 feastH3739 for themH3740, and after they had finished eatingH398 and drinkingH8354, he sent them awayH7971, and they returnedH1980 toH413 their masterH113. And the ArameanH758 raidersH1416 did notH3808 comeH935 into the landH776 of IsraelH3478 againH3254H5750.

24

The Siege and Famine of Samaria

Some time laterH310H3651, Ben-hadadH1130 kingH4428 of AramH758 assembledH6908 his entireH3605 armyH4264 and marched upH5927 to besiegeH6696H5921 SamariaH8111.

25So there wasH1961 a greatH1419 famineH7458 in SamariaH8111. IndeedH2009, they besiegedH6696 the city so long thatH5704 a donkey’sH2543 headH7218 soldH1961 for eightyH8084 shekels of silverH3701,2 and a quarterH7255 cabH6894 of dove’s dungH27163 sold for fiveH2568 shekels of silverH3701.4

26

As the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 was passing byH5674 onH5921 the wallH2346, a womanH802 cried outH6817 to himH413H559, “Help meH3467, my lordH113 the kingH4428!”

27He answeredH559, “If the LORDH3068 does notH408 help youH3467, whereH370 can I find help for youH3467? FromH4480 the threshing floorH1637 orH176H4480 the winepressH3342?” 28Then the kingH4428 askedH559 her, “WhatH4100 is the matter?”

And she answeredH559, “ThisH2063 womanH802 saidH559 to meH413, ‘Give upH5414 your sonH1121, that we may eat himH398H3117, andH853 tomorrowH4279 we will eatH398 my sonH1121.’ 29So we boiledH1310 my sonH1121 and ate himH398, and the nextH312 dayH3117 I saidH559 to herH413, ‘Give upH5414 your sonH1121, that we may eat himH398.’ But she had hiddenH2244 her sonH1121.”

30

When the kingH4428 heardH8085 the wordsH1697 of the womanH802, he toreH7167 his clothesH899. And as heH1931 passed byH5674 onH5921 the wallH2346, the peopleH5971 sawH7200 the sackclothH2009H8242 under his clothesH1004 next toH5921 his skinH1320. 31He announcedH559, “May GodH430 punishH3541H6213 me, and ever soH3541 severelyH3254, ifH518 the headH7218 of ElishaH477 sonH1121 of ShaphatH8202 remainsH5975 on his shouldersH5921 through this dayH3117!”

32Now ElishaH477 was sittingH3427 in his houseH1004, and the eldersH2205 were sittingH3427 with himH854. The king sentH7971 a messengerH376 aheadH6440, but beforeH2962 he arrivedH935H413, ElishaH1931 saidH559 toH413 the eldersH2205, “Do you seeH7200 howH3588 thisH2088 murdererH1121H7523 has sentH7971 someone to cut offH5493 my headH7218? LookH7200, when the messengerH4397 comesH935, shutH5462 the doorH1817 to keep him outH3905. Is notH3808 the soundH6963 of his master’sH113 footstepsH7272 behind himH310?”

33While Elisha was stillH5750 speakingH1696 with themH5973H2009, the messengerH4397 came downH3381 to himH413. And the king saidH559H2009, “ThisH2063 calamityH7451 is fromH854 the LORDH3068. WhyH4100 should I waitH3176 for the LORDH3068 any longerH5750?”