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And the Bnei HaNevi’im said unto Elishah, Hinei now, the makom where we dwell with thee is too tzar (cramped, crowded) for us.

Let us go, now, unto the Yarden, and take from there every ish one korah (beam), and let us build us a makom (place, home) there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go, ye.

And one said, Be agreed, now, and go with thy avadim. And he answered, I will go.

So he went with them. And when they came to the Yarden, they cut down haetzim (the trees, the wood).

But as one was felling the korah (beam, i.e., tree) the barzel (iron [axehead]) fell into the mayim; and he cried out, and said, Alas, adoni! For it was sha’ul (being borrowed).

And the Ish HaElohim said, Where fell it? And he showed him the makom (place). And he cut an etz (piece of wood, stick), and cast it in there; and the barzel did float up to the surface.

Therefore said he, Take it out to thee. And he stretched out his yad, and took it.

Then Melech Aram warred against Yisroel, and took counsel with his avadim, saying, In such and such makom shall be my chosen encampment places.

And the Ish HaElohim sent unto Melech Yisroel, saying, Beware that thou be shomer not to pass this makom; for there come down Aram.

10 And Melech Yisroel sent to the makom which the Ish HaElohim told him and warned him of, and he was watchful there, not just once nor twice.

11 Therefore the lev Melech Aram was over this matter much incensed; and he summoned his avadim, and said unto them, Will ye not show me who of us is [traitor] to Melech Yisroel?

12 And one of his avadim said, None, adoni HaMelech; but Elishah HaNavi that is in Yisroel, telleth Melech Yisroel the devarim that thou speakest in thy cheder mishkav (bedroom).

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and take him captive. And it was told him, saying, Hinei, he is in Dotan.

14 Therefore sent he there susim, and merkavot, and a strong army contingent; and they came by lailah, and surrounded the ir.

15 And when the mesharet (minister, servant) of the Ish HaElohim was risen early, and went forth, hinei, an army surrounded the ir with susim and merkavot. And his na’ar said unto him, Alas, adoni! What shall we do?

16 And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are rabbim (many) more than they that be with them.

17 And Elishah davened, and said, Hashem, now, open his eyes, that he may see. And Hashem opened the eyes of the na’ar and he saw; and, hinei, the har was full of susim and merkavot of eish all around Elishah.

18 And when they made their descent unto him, Elishah davened unto Hashem, and said, Strike now hagoy hazeh, with blindness. And He struck them with blindness according to the davar Elishah.

19 And Elishah said unto them, This is not the derech, neither is this the ir; follow me, and I will lead you to the ish whom ye seek. But he led them to Shomron.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Shomron, that Elishah said, Hashem, open the eyes of these, that they may see. And Hashem opened their eyes, and they saw; and, hinei, they were in the midst of Shomron.

21 And Melech Yisroel said unto Elishah, when he saw them, Avi, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not strike them; wouldest thou strike those whom thou hast taken captive with thy cherev and with thy keshet? Set lechem and mayim before them, that they may eat and drink, and go back to adoneihem.

23 And he prepared kerah gedolah (a great meal) for them; and when they finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they went to adoneihem. So the raiding parties of Aram (Syria) came no more into Eretz Yisroel.

24 And it came to pass after this, that Ben Hadad Melech Aram gathered all his machaneh, and went up, and laid siege to Shomron.

25 And there was a ra’av gadol in Shomron; and, hinei, they laid siege to it, until a rosh chamor was sold for fourscore pieces of kesef, and a quarter of a kav of dove’s dung for five pieces of kesef.

26 And as Melech Yisroel was passing by upon the chomah (wall), there cried out an isha unto him, saying, Hoshia (save), adoni HaMelech!

27 And he said, If Hashem saves thee not, from where can I save thee? From the goren (threshing floor) or from the yekev (wine press)?

28 And HaMelech said unto her, What troubleth thee? And she answered, This isha said unto me, Give thy ben, that we may eat him hayom (today), and we will eat beni (my son) machar (tomorrow).

29 So we cooked beni (my son), and did eat him; and I said unto her on the yom ha’acher (the day after), Give thy ben, that we may eat him; and she hath hid her ben.

30 And it came to pass, when HaMelech heard the divrei haisha, that he tore his begadim; and he passed by upon the chomah, and the people looked, and, hinei, he had, underneath, sackcloth upon his basar.

31 Then he said, Elohim do so and more also to me, if the rosh Elishah Ben Shaphat shall remain on him hayom (today).

32 But Elishah sat in his bais, and the Zekenim sat with him; and he [HaMelech] sent an ish ahead of him; but before the malach came to him, he [Elishah] said to the Zekenim, See ye how this ben hameratze’ach (son of a murderer) hath sent to cut off mine rosh? Look, when the malach cometh, shut the delet (door), and hold him shut out by the delet; is not the sound of the raglei adonav behind him?

33 And while he [Elishah] yet was speaking with them, hinei, the malach (messenger) came down unto him; and he [HaMelech] said, Hinei, this ra’ah (evil, disaster) is from Hashem; what hope can I have from Hashem?

An Axhead Floats

The company(A) of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”

And he said, “Go.”

Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”

“I will,” Elisha replied. And he went with them.

They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”

The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw(B) it there, and made the iron float. “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans

Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

The man of God sent word to the king(C) of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned(D) the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king(E),” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.”(F) 14 Then he sent(G) horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,”(H) the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more(I) than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots(J) of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.”(K) So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father?(L) Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured(M) with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands(N) from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

Famine in Besieged Samaria

24 Some time later, Ben-Hadad(O) king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege(P) to Samaria. 25 There was a great famine(Q) in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels[a] of silver, and a quarter of a cab[b] of seed pods[c](R) for five shekels.[d]

26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”

27 The king replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” 28 Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?”

She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29 So we cooked my son and ate(S) him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”

30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore(T) his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth(U) on his body. 31 He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders(V) were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer(W) is sending someone to cut off my head?(X) Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” 33 While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.

The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait(Y) for the Lord any longer?”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 pounds or about 920 grams
  2. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, probably about 1/4 pound or about 100 grams
  3. 2 Kings 6:25 Or of doves’ dung
  4. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams