 1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we live with you is too small for us. 2 Please let us go to Jordan. And let each man take a beam from there. And let us make us a place there, where we may live. And he answered, Go. 3 One said, Be content, please, and go with your servants. And he answered them, I will go. 4 He went with them and they came to Jordan and cut down trees. 5 As one was felling a log, the axe head fell into the water. He cried out and said, Alas, master. For it was borrowed. 6 The man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick and threw it in there. And the iron swam. 7 He said, take it up to you. And he put out his hand and took it. 8 The king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants saying, In such and such a place will be my camp. 9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, Beware that you do not pass such a place, for the Syrians have come down there. 10 The king of Israel sent to the place that the man of God told him and warned him, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11 The heart of the king of Syria was enraged for this. And he called his servants and said to them, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12 One of his servants said, None, my lord and king, but Elisha the prophet, who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom. 13 He said, Go and spy where he is so that I may bring him. And it was told to him saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14 He sent horses and chariots and a great army and they came by night and surrounded the city. 15 The servant of the man of God arose early and went out. And, behold, an army surrounded the city, and horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master. What shall we do? 16 He answered, Do not fear, for those with us are more than those with them. 17 Elisha prayed and said, I ask you Lord, to open his eyes so that he may see. Then the Lord opened the young man's eyes and he saw. Then the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 They came down and Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, I ask you to strike this people with blindness. So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then Elisha said to them, This is not the way nor is this the city. Follow me and I will bring you to the one you seek. But he led them to Samaria. 20 When they came into Samaria, Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men so that they may see. So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw and indeed+, they were in the middle of Samaria. 21 When he saw them, the king of Israel said to Elisha, my father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them? 22 He 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 so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23 He prepared a great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away and they went to their master. The bands of Syria came no longer into the land of Israel. 24 After this King Benhadad of Syria gathered all his army and lay siege to Samaria. 25 Then there was a great famine in Samaria. They besieged it until a donkey's head was sold for 80 pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung sold for five silver pieces. 26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him saying, Help, my lord and king. 27 He said, if the Lord does not help you, how can I help you? Out of the barn floor or out of the winepress? 28 The king said to her, What ails you? She said, This woman said to me, Give your son so that we may eat him today and we will eat my son tomorrow. 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day, Give your son so that we may eat him. But she hid her son. 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes and he passed by on the wall and the people looked and behold, he had sackcloth inside on his flesh. 31 He said, May God do so and more also to me if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat will stand on him this day. 32 But Elisha sat in his house and the elders sat with him and he 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 was sent to take away my head? 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 While he still talked with them, the messenger came to him and said, Behold, this evil is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?
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