1 N ow the sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future said to Elisha, “See, the place where we are living under your care is too small for us.

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

2 L et us go to the Jordan and each of us cut down a tree there. And let us make a place for us to live there.” So Elisha said, “Go.”

Let 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.

3 T hen one of them said, “Be pleased to go with your servants.” And Elisha answered, “I will go.”

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

4 S o he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

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

5 B ut as one of them was cutting a tree, the ax head fell into the water. The man cried out, “It is bad, sir! The ax belongs to another man, and I was to return it.”

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

6 T he man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, Elisha cut off a stick and threw it in, and the iron came to the top of the water.

And 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.

7 H e said, “Pick it up.” So his servant put out his hand and took it. Syrian Army Loses the Battle

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

8 N ow the king of Syria was fighting a war against Israel. He had a meeting with his servants, and said, “This is the place where I will be staying.”

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

9 T he man of God sent news to the king of Israel, saying, “Be careful that you do not pass this place. For the Syrians are coming down there.”

And 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.

10 T he king of Israel sent men to the place where the man of God said there would be danger. So he saved himself there more than once or twice.

And 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.

11 T he heart of the king of Syria was angry because of this. He called his servants and said to them, “Will you show me which one of us is helping the king of Israel?”

Therefore 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?

12 A nd one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king. Elisha, the man of God who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you say in your bedroom.”

And 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.

13 S o he said, “Go and see where Elisha is, that I may send men to take him.” And he was told, “See, he is in Dothan.”

And 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.

14 S o the king of Syria sent horses and war-wagons and an army of many soldiers there. They came during the night and gathered around the city.

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

15 T he servant of the man of God got up early and went out. And he saw an army with horses and war-wagons around the city. The servant said to Elisha, “It is bad, sir! What should we do?”

And 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?

16 H e answered, “Do not be afraid. For those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

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

17 T hen Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes, that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw. He saw that the mountain was full of horses and war-wagons of fire all around Elisha.

And 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.

18 W hen the Syrians came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, saying, “Make these people blind, I pray.” So the Lord made them blind, as Elisha had said.

And 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.

19 T hen Elisha said to them, “This is not the way. This is not the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the man you are looking for.” And he brought them to Samaria.

And 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.

20 W hen they had come to Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open the eyes of these men. Let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw. They saw they were in the center of Samaria.

And 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.

21 W hen the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”

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

22 H e answered, “Do not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken against their will with your sword and bow? Give them bread and water. Let them eat and drink and return to their owner.”

And 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.

23 S o he made a big supper for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away. And they went to their owner. The Syrians sent no more small groups of soldiers into the land of Israel. Samaria’s Trouble

And 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.

24 A fter this, Ben-hadad the king of Syria gathered all his army and went up against Samaria.

And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25 T here was a time of no food in Samaria. The Syrian army gathered around it, until a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver. A half cup of dove’s waste sold for five pieces of silver.

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 cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

26 A s the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help, my lord, O king!”

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

27 A nd he said, “If the Lord does not help you, from where can I help you? From the grain-floor, or from the grape-crusher?”

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

28 T hen the king said to her, “What is your trouble?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, so we may eat him today. And we will eat my son tomorrow.’

And 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.

29 S o we made my son ready to eat over the fire, and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, so we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.”

So 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.

30 W hen the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. He was passing by on the wall, and the people looked. They saw that he wore cloth made from hair under his clothes.

And 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.

31 T hen he said, “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”

Then 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.

32 N ow Elisha was sitting in his house. And the leaders were sitting with him. The king sent a man, but before the man came to him, Elisha said to the leaders, “Do you see how this son of a killer has sent to take off my head? See, when the king’s man comes, shut the door. Hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his owner’s feet behind him?”

But 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?

33 W hile he was still talking with them, the king came down to him and said, “See, this trouble is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

And 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?