2 Kings 6:24-33

24

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 silverH3701,1 and a quarterH7255 cabH6894 of dove’s dungH27162 sold for fiveH2568 shekels of silverH3701.3

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?”