1 T he sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.

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

2 P lease let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”

Let us go, we pray thee, unto the 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 O ne said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”

And one said, Be pleased, I pray thee, to 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 wood.

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

5 B ut as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried, and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”

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

6 T he man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.

And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.

7 H e said, “Take it.” So he put out his hand and took it.

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

8 N ow the king of Syria was at war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”

Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

9 T he man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you 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 coming down.

10 T he king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.

And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.

11 T he king of Syria’s heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”

And 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 show me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12 O ne of his servants said, “No, 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.”

And one of his servants said, Nay, 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 H e said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”

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

14 T herefore he sent horses, chariots, and a great army there. They came by night, and surrounded the city.

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

15 W hen the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

16 H e answered, “Don’t be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

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

17 E lisha prayed, and said, “Yahweh, please open his eyes, that he may see.” Yahweh opened the young man’s eyes; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah 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 they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elijah’s word.

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

19 E lisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led 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. And he led them to Samaria.

20 W hen they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “Yahweh, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.

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

21 T he king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike 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, “You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”

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 H e prepared great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.

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

24 A fter this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

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

25 T here was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung 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 kab 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 to him, saying, “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 H e said, “If Yahweh doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From of the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”

And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?

28 T he king said to her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that 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 boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him;’ and 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. Now he was passing by on the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.

And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes (now he was passing by upon the wall); and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

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

32 B ut Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king sent a man from before him; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t 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 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 my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

33 W hile he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from Yahweh. Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?”

And while he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah; why should I wait for Jehovah any longer?