NET Bible

New American Standard Bible 1995

1Some of the prophets said to Elisha, "Look, the place where we meet with you is too cramped for us.

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

2Let's go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there." He said, "Go."

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."

3One of them said, "Please come along with your servants." He replied, "All right, I'll come."

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

4So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they started cutting down trees.

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

5As one of them was felling a log, the ax head dropped into the water. He shouted, "Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!"

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."

6The prophet asked, "Where did it drop in?" When he showed him the spot, Elisha cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float.

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.

7He said, "Lift it out." So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.

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

8Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, "Invade at such and such a place."

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."

9But the prophet sent this message to the king of Israel, "Make sure you don't pass through this place because Syria is invading there."

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."

10So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out, warning it to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions.

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.

11This made the king of Syria upset. So he summoned his advisers and said to them, "One of us must be helping the king of Israel."

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?"

12One of his advisers said, "No, my master, O king. The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom."

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."

13The king ordered, "Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him." The king was told, "He is in Dothan."

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."

14So he sent horses and chariots there, along with a good-sized army. They arrived during the night and surrounded the city.

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

15The prophet's attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha, "Oh no, my master! What will we do?"

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?"

16He replied, "Don't be afraid, for our side outnumbers them."

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

17Then Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he can see." The LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

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.

18As they approached him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike these people with blindness." The LORD struck them with blindness as Elisha requested.

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.

19Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the right road or city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you're looking for." He led them to Samaria.

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.

20When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open their eyes, so they can see." The LORD opened their eyes and they saw that they were in the middle of 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.

21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Should I strike them down, my master?"

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

22He replied, "Do not strike them down! You did not capture them with your sword or bow, so what gives you the right to strike them down? Give them some food and water, so they can eat and drink and then go back to their master."

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."

23So he threw a big banquet for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.

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.

24Later King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled his entire army and attacked and besieged Samaria.

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

25Samaria's food supply ran out. They laid siege to it so long that a donkey's head was selling for eighty shekels of silver and a quarter of a kab of dove's droppings for five shekels of silver.

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.

26While the king of Israel was passing by on the city wall, a woman shouted to him, "Help us, my master, O king!"

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

27He replied, "No, let the LORD help you. How can I help you? The threshing floor and winepress are empty."

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

28Then the king asked her, "What's your problem?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Hand over your son; we'll eat him today and then eat my son tomorrow.'

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.'

29So we boiled my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day, 'Hand over your son and we'll eat him.' But she hid her son!"

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."

30When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his clothes. As he was passing by on the wall, the people could see he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes.

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.

31Then he said, "May God judge me severely if Elisha son of Shaphat still has his head by the end of the day!"

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."

32Now Elisha was sitting in his house with the community leaders. The king sent a messenger on ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the leaders, "Do you realize this assassin intends to cut off my head?" Look, when the messenger arrives, shut the door and lean against it. His master will certainly be right behind him."

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?"

33He was still talking to them when the messenger approached and said, "Look, the LORD is responsible for this disaster! Why should I continue to wait for the LORD to help?"

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?"

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