The Ax Head Floats

1And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.

2Let us go, we pray you, unto the Jordan, and take there every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go.

3And one said, Be content, I pray you, and go with your servants. And he answered, I will go.

4So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.

5But as one was cutting down a tree, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

6And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in there; and the iron did float.

7Therefore he said, Take it up to you. And he put out his hand, and took it.

Blinded Syrians Captured

8Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

9And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you pass not this place; for there the Syrians have come down.

10And 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.

11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?

12And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.

13And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and bring him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

14Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great army: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.

15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an army compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! what shall we do?

16And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

17And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray you, 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.

18And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Strike these people, I pray you, with blindness. And he struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19And 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 you seek. But he led them to Samaria.

20And 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.

21And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I slay them? shall I slay them?

22And he answered, You shall not slay them: would you slay 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.

23And he prepared a great feast 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.

Famine in Besieged Samaria

24And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until a donkey'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.

26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

27And he said, If the LORD does not help you, how shall I help you? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

28And the king said unto her, What ails you? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.

29So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give your son, that we may eat him: and she has hid her son.

30And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth beneath upon his flesh.

31Then 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.

32But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? look, 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?

33And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?