The Second Book of the Kings

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 6 -

And the children of the Prophets saide vnto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee, the place where we dwell with thee, is too litle for vs.

Let vs nowe goe to Iorden, that we may take thence euery man a beame, and make vs a place to dwell in. And he answered, Goe.

And one said, Vouchsafe, I pray thee, to go with thy seruants, and he answered, I will goe.

So he went with them, and when they came to Iorden, they cut downe wood.

And as one was felling of a tree, the yron fell into the water: then he cryed, and said, Alas master, it was but borowed.

And the man of God saide, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. Then he cut downe a piece of wood, and cast in thither, and he caused the yron to swimme.

Then he saide, Take it vp to thee. And he stretched out his hand, and tooke it.

Elisha Captures the Blinded Arameans

Then the King of Aram warred against Israel, and tooke counsell with his seruants, and said, In such and such a place shalbe my campe.

Therefore the man of God sent vnto the King of Israel, saying, Beware thou goe not ouer to such a place: for there the Aramites are come downe.

So the King of Israel sent to the place which the man of God tolde him, and warned him of, and saued himselfe from thence, not once, nor twise.

And the heart of the King of Aram was troubled for this thing: therefore he called his seruants and saide vnto them, Will ye not shewe me, which of vs bewrayeth our counsel to the king of Israel?

Then one of his seruants saide, None, my lorde, O King, but Elisha the Prophet that is in Israel, telleth the King of Israel, euen the wordes that thou speakest in thy priuie chamber.

And he said, Goe, and espie where he is, that I may sende and fetch him. And one tolde him, saying, Beholde, he is in Dothan.

So he sent thither horses, and charets, and a mightie hoste: and they came by night, and compassed the citie.

And when the seruant of the man of God arose earely to goe out, beholde, an hoste compassed the citie with horses and charets. Then his seruant sayde vnto him, Alas master, howe shall we doe?

And he answered, Feare not: for they that be with vs, are moe then they that be with them.

Then Elisha prayed, and saide, Lord, I beseech thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the seruant, and he looked, and beholde, the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fyre round about Elisha.

So they came downe to him, but Elisha prayed vnto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindnesse. And he smote them with blindnes, according to the worde of Elisha.

And Elisha said vnto them, This is not the way, neither is this the citie: follow me, and I will leade you to the man whome ye seeke. But he ledde them to Samaria.

And when they were come to Samaria, Elisha saide, Lord, open their eyes that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw, and beholde, they were in the mids of Samaria.

And the King of Israel sayde vnto Elisha when he sawe them, My father, shall I smite them, shall I smite them?

And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: doest thou not smite them that thou hast taken with thy sworde, and with thy bowe? but set bread and water before them, that they may eate and drinke and goe to their master.

And he made great preparation for them: and when they had eaten and drunken, he sent them away: and they went to their master. So ye bands of Aram came no more into the land of Israel.

The Siege and Famine of Samaria

But afterward Ben-hadad King of Aram gathered all his hoste, and went vp, and besieged Samaria.

So there was a great famine in Samaria: for loe, they besieged it vntill an asses head was at foure score pieces of siluer, and the fourth part of a kab of doues doung at fiue pieces of siluer.

And as the King of Israel was going vpon the wall, there cryed a woman vnto him, saying, Helpe, my lord, O King.

And he said, Seeing the Lord doeth not succour thee, howe shoulde I helpe thee with the barne, or with the wine presse?

Also the King said vnto her, What ayleth thee? And she answered, This woman sayde vnto me, Giue thy sonne, that we may eate him to day, and we will eate my sonne to morowe,

So we sod my sonne, and did eate him: and I saide to her the day after, Giue thy sonne, that we may eate him, but she hath hid her sonne.

And when the King had heard the wordes of the woman, he rent his clothes, (and as he went vpon the wall, the people looked, and behold, he had sackecloth within vpon his flesh)

And he saide, God doe so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the sonne of Shaphat shall stande on him this day.

(Nowe Elisha sate in his house, and the Elders sate with him.) And the King sent a man before him: but before the messenger came to him, he saide to the Elders, See ye not howe this murtherers sonne hath sent to take away mine head? take heede when the messenger commeth, and shut the doore and handle him roughly at the doore: is not the sounde of his masters feete behinde him?

While he yet talked with them, beholde, the messenger came downe vnto him, and saide, Behold, this euill commeth of the Lord: should I attende on the Lord any longer?

The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us.

Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.” He answered, “Go!”

One said, “Please be pleased to go with your servants.” He answered, “I will go.”

So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.

But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”

The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” He showed him the place. He cut down a stick, threw it in there, and made the iron float.

He said, “Take it.” So he put out his hand and took it.

Elisha Captures the Blinded Arameans

Now the king of Syria was at war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”

The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”

The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once or twice.

The king of Syria’s heart was very troubled about this. He called his servants, and said to them, “Won’t you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”

One 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.”

He said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” He was told, “Behold, he is in Dothan.”

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

When the servant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was around the city. His servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”

He answered, “Don’t be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” He struck them with blindness according to Elisha’s word.

Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” He led them to Samaria.

When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “LORD, open these men’s eyes, that they may see.” The LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the middle of Samaria.

The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?”

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, that they may eat and drink, then go to their master.”

He prepared a great feast for them. After they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria stopped raiding the land of Israel.

The Siege and Famine of Samaria

After this, Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab

(a)

of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

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

He said, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, where could I get help for you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?”

Then the king asked her, “What is your problem?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’

So we boiled my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him;’ and she has hidden her son.”

When 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 underneath on his body.

Then he said, “God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat stays on him today.”

But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Then the king 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 has sent to take away my head? Behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door shut against him. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”

While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, “Behold, this evil is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

Footnotes

(a)6:25 A kab was about 2 liters, so a fourth of a kab would be about 500 milliliters or about a pint