1 A nd the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.

2 L et us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.”

3 A nd one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

Then one said, “Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”

4 S o he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

5 B ut as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”

6 A nd the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.

7 T herefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it. The Blinded Syrians Captured

8 T hen the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”

9 A nd the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”

10 A nd the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.

11 T herefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by 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 A nd one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

And one of his servants said, “None, 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.”

13 A nd he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.”

14 T herefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 A nd when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

16 A nd he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

17 A nd Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open 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.

And Elisha prayed, and said, “ Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18 A nd when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 A nd Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.

20 A nd it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “ Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!

21 A nd the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them? ”

22 A nd he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest 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 to their master.

But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”

23 A nd he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel. Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine

24 A nd it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

25 A nd 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 cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.

26 A nd as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”

27 A nd he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

And he said, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”

28 A nd the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’

29 S o we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”

30 A nd it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.

31 T hen he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

Then he said, “God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”

32 B ut Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent someone to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

33 A nd while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?

And while he was still talking with them, there was the messenger, coming down to him; and then the king said, “Surely this calamity is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”