New American Standard Bible 1995

Holman Christian Standard Bible

1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us.

1The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Please notice that the place where we live under your supervision is too small for us.

2"Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live." So he said, "Go."

2Please let us go to the Jordan where we can each get a log and can build ourselves a place to live there."" Go," he said.

3Then one said, "Please be willing to go with your servants." And he answered, "I shall go."

3Then one said, "Please come with your servants."" I'll come," he answered.

4So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

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

5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."

5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Oh, my master, it was borrowed!"

6Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float.

6Then the man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float.

7He said, "Take it up for yourself." So he put out his hand and took it.

7Then he said, "Pick it up." So he reached out and took it.

8Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he counseled with his servants saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp."

8When the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he conferred with his servants, "My camp will be at such and such a place."

9The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there."

9But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there."

10The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, more than once or twice.

10Consequently, the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had told him about. The man of God repeatedly warned the king, so the king would be on his guard.

11Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?"

11The king of Aram was enraged because of this matter, and he called his servants and demanded of them, "Tell me, which one of us is for the king of Israel?"

12One 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."

12One of his servants said, "No one, my lord the king. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom."

13So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him." And it was told him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan."

13So the king said, "Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him." When he was told, "Elisha is in Dothan,"

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

14he sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

15When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, "Oh, my master, what are we to do?"

16So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

16Elisha said, "Don't be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them."

17Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

17Then Elisha prayed, " LORD, please open his eyes and let him see." So the LORD opened the servant's eyes. He looked and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

18When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Strike this people with blindness, I pray." So He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

18When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Please strike this nation with blindness." So He struck them with blindness, according to Elisha's word.

19Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, nor is this the city; follow me and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he brought them to Samaria.

19Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you're looking for." And he led them to Samaria.

20When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

20When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, " LORD, open these men's eyes and let them see." So the LORD opened their eyes. They looked and discovered they were in Samaria.

21Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

21When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? I will kill them."

22He answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those 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."

22Elisha replied, "Don't kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master."

23So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.

23So he prepared a great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiders did not come into Israel's land again.

24Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria.

24Some time later, King Ben-hadad of Aram brought all his military units together and marched up to besiege Samaria.

25There was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.

25So there was a great famine in Samaria, and they continued the siege against it until a donkey's head sold for 80 silver shekels, and a cup of dove's dung sold for five silver shekels.

26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!"

26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, "My lord the king, help!"

27He said, "If the LORD does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?"

27He answered, "If the LORD doesn't help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?"

28And the king said to her, "What is the matter with you?" And she answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'

28Then the king asked her, "What's the matter?" She said, "This woman said to me, 'Give up your son, and we will eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.'

29"So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, 'Give your son, that we may eat him'; but she has hidden her son."

29So we boiled my son and ate him, and I said to her the next day, 'Give up your son, and we will eat him,' but she has hidden her son."

30When 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 beneath on his body.

30When the king heard the woman's words, he tore his clothes. Then, as he was passing by on the wall, the people saw that there was sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.

31Then he said, "May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today."

31He announced, "May God punish me and do so severely if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."

32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence; 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? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?"

32Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger got to him, Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him?"

33While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him and he said, "Behold, this evil is from the LORD; why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"

33While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, "This disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"

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Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.