Chapter 6

And the sons of the prophets said⁴ unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell⁶ with thee is too strait for us.

Let us go,⁴ we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take⁴ thence every man a beam, and let us make⁴ us a place there, where we may dwell.² And he answered,⁴ Go³ ye.

And one said,⁴ Be content,⁵⁴ I pray thee, and go³ with thy servants. And he answered,⁴ I will go.⁴

So he went⁴ with them. And when they came⁴ to Jordan, they cut down⁴ wood.

But as one was felling⁵⁶ a beam, the axe head fell¹ into the water: and he cried,⁴ and said,⁴ Alas, master! for it was borrowed.⁷

And the man of God said,⁴ Where fell¹ it? And he shewed⁵⁵ him the place. And he cut down⁴ a stick, and cast⁵⁵ [it] in thither; and the iron did swim.⁵⁵

Therefore said⁴ he, Take [it] up⁵⁴ to thee. And he put out⁴ his hand, and took⁴ it.

Then the king of Syria warred¹² against Israel, and took counsel¹¹ with his servants, saying,² In such and such a place [shall be] my camp.

And the man of God sent⁴ unto the king of Israel, saying,² Beware¹⁰ that thou pass² not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

And the king of Israel sent⁴ to the place which the man of God told¹ him and warned⁵² him of, and saved⁸ himself there, not once nor twice.

Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled¹¹ for this thing; and he called⁴ his servants, and said⁴ unto them, Will ye not shew⁵⁵ me which of us [is] for the king of Israel?

And one of his servants said,⁴ None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that [is] in Israel, telleth⁵⁵ the king of Israel the words that thou speakest¹⁷ in thy bedchamber. ⁴⁹⁰⁴

And he said,⁴ Go³ and spy³ where he [is], that I may send⁴ and fetch⁴ him. And it was told⁹³ him, saying,² Behold, [he is] in Dothan.

Therefore sent⁴ he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came⁴ by night, and compassed⁵⁵ the city about.

And when the servant¹⁸ of the man of God was risen² early,⁵⁵ and gone forth,⁴ behold, an host compassed⁶ the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said⁴ unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?⁴

And he answered,⁴ Fear⁴ not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them.

And Elisha prayed,¹⁰¹ and said,⁴ LORD, I pray thee, open³ his eyes, that he may see.⁴ And the LORD opened⁴ the eyes of the young man; and he saw:⁴ and, behold, the mountain [was] full¹ of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

And when they came down⁴ to him, Elisha prayed¹⁰¹ unto the LORD, and said,⁴ Smite⁵⁴ this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote⁵⁵ them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

And Elisha said⁴ unto them, This [is] not the way, neither [is] this the city: follow^{3 310} me, and I will bring⁵⁵ you to the man whom ye seek.¹⁷ But he led⁵⁵ them to Samaria.

And it came to pass, when they were come² into Samaria, that Elisha said,⁴ LORD, open³ the eyes of these [men], that they may see.⁴ And the LORD opened⁴ their eyes, and they saw;⁴ and, behold, [they were] in the midst of Samaria.

And the king of Israel said⁴ unto Elisha, when he saw² them, My father, shall I smite⁵⁵ [them]? shall I smite⁵⁵ [them]?

And he answered,⁴ Thou shalt not smite⁵⁵ [them]: wouldest thou smite⁵⁶ those whom thou hast taken captive¹ with thy sword and with thy bow? set³ bread and water before them, that they may eat⁴ and drink,⁴ and go⁴ to their master.

And he prepared⁴ great provision for them: and when they had eaten⁴ and drunk,⁴ he sent them away,¹⁷ and they went⁴ to their master. So the bands of Syria came² no more¹ into the land of Israel.

And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered⁴ all his host, and went up,⁴ and besieged⁴ Samaria.

And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged⁶ it, until an ass's head was [sold] for fourscore [pieces] of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung ^{3123 2755} for five [pieces] of silver.

And as the king of Israel was passing⁶ by upon the wall, there cried¹ a woman unto him, saying,² Help,⁵⁴ my lord, O king.

And he said,⁴ If the LORD do not help⁵⁵ thee, whence shall I help⁵⁵ thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

And the king said⁴ unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered,⁴ This woman said¹ unto me, Give³ thy son, that we may eat⁴ him to day, and we will eat⁴ my son to morrow.

So we boiled¹⁷ my son, and did eat⁴ him: and I said⁴ unto her on the next day, Give³ thy son, that we may eat⁴ him: and she hath hid⁵⁵ her son.

And it came to pass, when the king heard² the words of the woman, that he rent⁴ his clothes; and he passed by⁶ upon the wall, and the people looked,⁴ and, behold, [he had] sackcloth within upon his flesh.

Then he said,⁴ God do⁴ so and more⁵⁵ also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand⁴ on him this day.

But Elisha sat⁶ in his house, and the elders sat⁶ with him; and [the king] sent⁴ a man from before him: but ere the messenger came⁴ to him, he said¹ to the elders, See¹ ye how this son of a murderer¹⁸ hath sent¹ to take away⁵³ mine head? look,³ when the messenger cometh,² shut³ the door, and hold him fast¹ at the door: [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

And while he yet talked¹⁸ with them, behold, the messenger came down⁶ unto him: and he said,⁴ Behold, this evil [is] of the LORD; what should I wait⁵⁵ for the LORD any longer?