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2 Kings 1-6
New American Standard Bible

Ahaziah’s Messengers Meet Elijah

1 Now (A)Moab broke with Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 And Ahaziah fell through the window lattice in his upper chamber which was in Samaria, and became ill. So he sent messengers and said to them, “Go, (B)inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, (C)whether I will recover from this sickness.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to (D)Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and say to them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of (E)Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Now therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘[a](F)You will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’” Then Elijah departed.

5 When the messengers returned to [b]Ahaziah, he said to them, “[c]Why have you returned?” 6 They said to him, “A man came up to meet us and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you and say to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers (G)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore [d]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”’” 7 Then he said to them, “What [e]did the man look like, who came up to meet you and spoke these words to you?” 8 And they said to him, “(H)He was a hairy man with a leather [f]belt worn around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then the king (I)sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he went up to him, and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. And he said to him, “You man of God, the king says, ‘Come down.’” 10 But Elijah replied to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, (J)may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” (K)Then fire came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

11 So the king again sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he said to him, “You man of God, this is what the king says: ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 But Elijah replied to them, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty.” Then the fire of God came down from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

13 So the king (L)again sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty men. When the third captain of fifty went up, he came and bowed down on his knees before Elijah, and begged him and said to him, “You man of God, please let my life and the lives of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from heaven and consumed the first two captains of fifty with their fifties; but now let my [g]life be precious in your sight.” 15 And (M)the angel of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; (N)do not be afraid of him.” So he got up and went down with him to the king. 16 Then he said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Since you have sent messengers (O)to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron—is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of His word? Therefore [h]you will not get down from the bed upon which you have lain, but you shall certainly die.’”

Jehoram Reigns over Israel

17 So Ahaziah died in accordance with the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And since he had no son, Jehoram became king in his place (P)in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat, king of Judah. 18 Now as for the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel?

Elijah Taken to Heaven

2 Now it came about, when the Lord was about to (Q)bring Elijah up by a [i]whirlwind to heaven, that Elijah left (R)Gilgal with (S)Elisha. 2 And Elijah said to Elisha, “(T)Stay here please, for the Lord has sent me as far as (U)Bethel.” But Elisha said, “(V)As surely as the Lord lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 Then (W)the sons of the prophets who were at Bethel went out to Elisha and said to him, “Are you aware that the Lord will take away your master from over [j]you today?” And he said, “Yes, I am aware; say nothing about it.”

4 And Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please (X)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (Y)Jericho.” But he said, “(Z)As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 Then (AA)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho approached Elisha and said to him, “(AB)Do you know that the Lord will take away your master from over [k]you today?” And he [l]answered, “Yes, I know; say nothing about it.” 6 And Elijah said to him, “Please (AC)stay here, for the Lord has sent me to (AD)the Jordan.” But he said, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them went on.

7 Now (AE)fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood opposite them at a distance, while the two of them stood by the Jordan. 8 And Elijah (AF)took his coat, folded it, and (AG)struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground.

9 When they had crossed over, Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask me what I should do for you before I am taken from you.” And Elisha said, “Please let a (AH)double portion of your spirit be upon me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. Nevertheless, if you (AI)see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 And as they were walking along and talking, behold, (AJ)a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and they separated the two of them. Then Elijah went up by a [m]whirlwind to heaven. 12 And Elisha was watching it and he was crying out, “(AK)My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!” And he did not see [n]Elijah again. Then (AL)he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces. 13 He also took up the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him, and he went back and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 Then he took the coat of Elijah that had fallen from him and struck the waters, and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had (AM)struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

15 Now when (AN)the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho opposite him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah has settled on Elisha.” And they came to meet him and bowed down to the ground before him. 16 Then they said to him, “Behold now, there are with your servants fifty strong men; please let them go and search for your master, in case (AO)the Spirit of the Lord has taken him up and cast him on some mountain or into some valley.” But he said, “You shall not send anyone.” 17 Yet when (AP)they urged him until he was ashamed to refuse, he said, “Send them.” So they sent fifty men; and they searched for three days, but did not find him. 18 They returned to him while he was staying in Jericho; and he said to them, “Did I not say to you, ‘Do not go’?”

19 Then the men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold now, the site of the city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad and the land [o]is unfruitful.” 20 And he said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt [p]in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring of water and (AQ)threw salt [q]in it and said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have [r]purified these waters; there shall not come from there death or [s]unfruitfulness any longer.’” 22 So the waters have been [t]purified to this day, in accordance with the word of Elisha which he spoke.

23 Now he went up from there to Bethel; and as he was going up by the road, some young boys came out from the city and (AR)ridiculed him and said to him, “Go up, you baldhead; go up, you baldhead!” 24 When he looked behind him and saw them, he (AS)cursed them in the name of the Lord. Then two female bears came out of the woods and tore up forty-two [u]of the boys. 25 He then went on from there to (AT)Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

Jehoram Meets Moabite Rebellion

3 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab became king over Israel at Samaria (AU)in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned for twelve years. 2 He did evil in the sight of the Lord, though not like his father and his mother; for (AV)he removed the memorial stone of Baal (AW)which his father had made. 3 Nevertheless, (AX)he clung to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, into (AY)which he misled Israel; he did not abandon them.

4 Now Mesha the king of Moab was a sheep breeder, and he (AZ)used to make tribute payments to the king of Israel of a hundred thousand lambs, and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 However, (BA)when King Ahab died, the king of Moab broke with the [v]king of Israel. 6 So King Jehoram left Samaria for battle [w]at that time and mustered all Israel. 7 Then he went and sent word to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has broken away from me. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?” And he said, “I will go up. [x](BB)Consider me yours, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 Then he said, “Which way shall we go up?” And he [y]answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.”

9 So (BC)the king of Israel went with (BD)the king of Judah and (BE)the king of Edom, and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. But there was no water for the army or for the cattle that [z]followed them. 10 Then the king of Israel said, “It is hopeless! For the Lord has called these three kings to hand them over to Moab!” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “(BF)Is there no prophet of the Lord here, that we may inquire of the Lord by him?” And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, “(BG)Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, (BH)who used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 And Jehoshaphat said, “The word of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 Now Elisha said to the king of Israel, “[aa]What business do you have with me? (BI)Go to your father’s prophets and your mother’s prophets.” But the king of Israel said to him, “No, for the Lord has called these three kings together to hand them over to Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “(BJ)As surely as the Lord of armies lives, before whom I stand, if I did not respect Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you. 15 But now (BK)bring me a [ab]musician.” And it came about, when the [ac]musician played, that (BL)the hand of the Lord came upon him. 16 And he said, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Make this valley [ad]full of trenches.’ 17 For the Lord says this: ‘You will not see wind, nor will you see rain; yet that valley (BM)shall be filled with water, so that you will drink, you, your livestock, and your other animals. 18 And this is an (BN)insignificant thing in the sight of the Lord; He will also give the Moabites into your hand. 19 (BO)Then you shall strike every fortified city and every choice city, and [ae]cut down every good tree and stop up all the springs of water, and spoil every good plot of land with stones.’” 20 And it happened in the morning (BP)about the time of offering the sacrifice, that behold, water came from the direction of Edom, and the country was filled with water.

21 Now all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. And all who were able to [af]put on armor and older were summoned and they took their positions on the border. 22 Then they got up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water opposite them as red as blood. 23 So they said, “This is blood; the kings must have fought each other, and they have killed one another. Now then, Moab, to the spoils!” 24 But when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled from them; and the Israelites invaded [ag]the land, [ah]killing the Moabites. 25 (BQ)So they destroyed the cities; and each one threw a stone on every plot of good land and filled it. So they stopped up every spring of water and [ai]cut down every good tree, until in (BR)Kir-hareseth only they left its stones; however, the rock slingers surrounded it and struck it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then the king of Moab took his oldest son who was to reign in his place, and (BS)offered him as a burnt offering on the wall. And great anger came upon Israel, and they departed from him and returned to their own land.

The Widow’s Oil

4 Now a woman of the wives of (BT)the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord; and (BU)the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except (BV)a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, [aj]borrow containers [ak]elsewhere for yourself, empty containers from all your neighbors—do not get too few. 4 Then you shall come in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour into all these containers; and you shall set aside what is full.” 5 So she left him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they began bringing the containers to her, and she poured the oil. 6 When (BW)the containers were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another container.” But he said to her, “There [al]are no more containers.” Then the oil stopped. 7 So she came and told (BX)the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest.”

The Shunammite Woman

8 Now a day came when Elisha went over to (BY)Shunem, where there was a [am]prominent woman, and she urged him to eat [an]food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, that he turned in there to eat [ao]food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Behold now, I am aware that this is a holy (BZ)man of God passing by us repeatedly. 10 Please, let’s (CA)make a little walled upper room, and let’s set up a bed for him there, and a table, a chair, and a lampstand; then it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there.”

11 Now [ap]one day he came there, and turned in to the upper room and [aq]rested. 12 Then he said to his servant (CB)Gehazi, “Call this Shunammite.” And when he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have taken trouble for us with all this [ar]care; what can I do for you? [as]Would you like me to speak for you to the king or to the commander of the army?’” But she [at]answered, “I live among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi [au]answered, “It is a fact that she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He then said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway. 16 Then he said, “(CC)At this season [av]next year, you are going to embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord, you man of God, (CD)do not lie to your servant.”

17 Now the woman conceived and gave birth to a son at that season [aw]the next year, as Elisha had told her.

The Shunammite’s Son

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” And his father said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had carried him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her [ax]lap until noon, and then he died. 21 And she went up and (CE)laid him on the bed of (CF)the man of God, and shut the door behind him and left. 22 Then she called to her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, so that I may run to the man of God and return.” 23 But he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither (CG)new moon nor Sabbath.” So she just said, “It will be fine.” 24 Then she saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Drive the donkey and go on; do not slow down [ay]the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she went on and came to the man of God at (CH)Mount Carmel.

When the man of God saw her at a distance, he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, that person there is the Shunammite. 26 Please run now to meet her and say to her, ‘Is it going well for you? Is it going well for your husband? Is it going well for the child?’” Then she [az]answered, “It is going well.” 27 But she came to the man of God (CI)at the hill and took hold of his feet. And Gehazi came up to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone, for her soul is [ba]troubled within her; and the Lord has concealed it from me and has not informed me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, ‘(CJ)Do not give me false hope’?”

29 Then he said to Gehazi, “[bb](CK)Get ready and (CL)take my staff in your hand, and go; if you meet anyone, do not [bc](CM)greet him, and if anyone [bd]greets you, do not reply to him. And (CN)lay my staff on the boy’s face.” 30 The mother of the boy said, “(CO)As surely as the Lord lives and you yourself live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her. 31 Then Gehazi went on ahead of them and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or [be]response. So he returned to meet him and informed him, saying, “The boy (CP)has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha entered the house, behold the boy was dead, laid on his bed. 33 So he entered and (CQ)shut the door behind them both, and he prayed to the Lord. 34 Then (CR)he got up on the bed and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, his hands on his hands, and he bent down on him; and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 Then he returned and walked in the house back and forth once, and went up and (CS)bent down on him; and the boy sneezed seven times, then the boy opened his eyes. 36 And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite.” So he called her. And when she came to him, he said, “Pick up your son.” 37 Then she came in and fell at his feet and bowed down to the ground, and (CT)she picked up her son and left.

The Poisonous Stew

38 When Elisha returned to (CU)Gilgal, there was (CV)a famine in the land. [bf]As (CW)the sons of the prophets (CX)were sitting in front of him, he said to his servant, “(CY)Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 Then one went out into the field to gather mallow, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds; and he came and sliced them into the pot of stew, because they did not know what they were. 40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. But as they were eating the stew, they cried out and said, “You man of God, there is (CZ)death in the pot!” And they were unable to eat. 41 Then he said, “Bring flour.” (DA)And he threw it into the pot, and said, “Pour it out for the people that they may eat.” Then there was nothing harmful in the pot.

42 Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh grain in his sack. And Elisha said, “(DB)Give them to the people that they may eat.” 43 But his attendant said, “How (DC)am I to serve this to a hundred men?” Nevertheless he said, “Give them to the people that they may eat, for this is what the Lord says: ‘They shall eat and have some left over.’” 44 So he served it to them, and they ate and (DD)had some left over, in accordance with the word of the Lord.

Naaman Is Healed

5 Now (DE)Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man [bg]in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. 2 Now the Arameans had gone out (DF)in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she [bh]waited on Naaman’s wife. 3 And she said to her mistress, “If only my master were [bi]with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 And [bj]Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.” 5 Then the king of Aram said, “Go [bk]now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and (DG)took with him ten [bl]talents of silver, six thousand [bm]shekels of gold, and ten (DH)changes of clothes.

6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, [bn]which said, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7 But when the king of Israel read the letter, (DI)he tore his clothes and said, “(DJ)Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But (DK)consider now, and see how he is seeking [bo]a quarrel against me.”

8 Now it happened, when Elisha (DL)the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9 So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house. 10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “(DM)Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11 But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, “Behold, I [bp]thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the [bq]leprosy.’ 12 Are [br]Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and (DN)went away in a rage. 13 (DO)Then his servants approached and spoke to him, [bs]saying, “(DP)My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and (DQ)his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and (DR)he was clean.

Gehazi’s Greed

15 Then he returned to the man of God [bt]with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, “Behold now, (DS)I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please (DT)accept a [bu]gift from your servant now.” 16 But he said, “(DU)As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, (DV)I will accept nothing.” And he urged him to accept it, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of (DW)earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord. 18 Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and (DX)he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.” 19 He said to him, “(DY)Go in peace.” So he went some distance from him.

20 But (DZ)Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, [bv]thought, “Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, [bw]by not accepting from his hand what he brought. (EA)As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.” 21 So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, “Is everything well?” 22 And he said, “(EB)Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from (EC)the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and (ED)two changes of clothes.’” 23 Naaman said, “(EE)Be sure to take two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him. 24 When he came to the [bx]hill, he took them from their hand and (EF)deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed. 25 But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?” And he said, “(EG)Your servant went nowhere.”

26 Then he said to him, “Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? (EH)Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves? 27 Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your [by]descendants forever.” So he went out from his presence (EI)afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.

The Axe Head Recovered

6 Now (EJ)the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place [bz]before you where we are living is too cramped for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and let us each take from there a beam, and let us construct a place there for ourselves, to live there.” So he said, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Please agree and go with your servants.” And he said, “I will go.” 4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But it happened that as one of them was [ca]cutting down a beam, [cb]the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Oh, my master! It was borrowed!” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, (EK)he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7 Then he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.

The Arameans Plot to Capture Elisha

8 Now the king of Aram was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But (EL)the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, saying, “Be careful that you do not pass this place, because the Arameans are coming down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent scouts to the place about which the man of God had told him; so he warned him, so that he was on his guard there, [cc]more than once or twice.

11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this matter; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 One of his servants said, “No, my lord, the king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 So he said, “Go and see where he is, so that I may send men and take him.” And it was told to him, saying, “Behold, he is in (EM)Dothan.” 14 So he sent horses and chariots and a substantial army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 Now 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, “This is hopeless, my master! [cd]What are we to do?” 16 And he said, “(EN)Do not be afraid, for (EO)those who are with us are [ce]greater than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “(EP)Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of (EQ)horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this [cf]people with blindness.” So He (ER)struck them with blindness in accordance with the word of Elisha. 19 Then 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.

20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “(ES)Lord, open the eyes of these men, so that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “(ET)My father, shall I [cg]kill them? Shall I [ch]kill them?” 22 But he [ci]answered, “You shall not [cj]kill them. Would you [ck](EU)kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? (EV)Set bread and water before them, so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.” 23 So he provided a large feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And (EW)the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.

The Siege of Samaria—Cannibalism

24 Now it came about after this, that (EX)Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 So there was a severe (EY)famine in Samaria; and behold, they kept besieging it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a [cl]kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 26 And as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord the king!” 27 But he said, “[cm]If the Lord does not help you, from where am I to help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” 28 Then the king said to her, “(EZ)What [cn]is on your mind?” And she said, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son so that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 (FA)So we cooked my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, so that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.” 30 When the king heard the woman’s words, (FB)he tore his clothes—and he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth [co]underneath on his [cp]body. 31 Then he said, “May (FC)God do so to me and more so, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat [cq]remains on him today.”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and (FD)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 (FE)see how this son of a murderer has sent a man to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and [cr]hold the door shut against him. Is the sound of his master’s feet not behind him?” 33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him and he said, “(FF)Behold, this evil is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 1:4 Lit The bed where you went up, you will not come down from it
  2. 2 Kings 1:5 Lit him
  3. 2 Kings 1:5 Lit What is this that you have returned?
  4. 2 Kings 1:6 See note v 4
  5. 2 Kings 1:7 Lit was the appearance of
  6. 2 Kings 1:8 Lit loincloth
  7. 2 Kings 1:14 Lit soul
  8. 2 Kings 1:16 See note v 4
  9. 2 Kings 2:1 Or windstorm
  10. 2 Kings 2:3 Lit your head
  11. 2 Kings 2:5 Lit your head
  12. 2 Kings 2:5 Lit said
  13. 2 Kings 2:11 Or windstorm
  14. 2 Kings 2:12 Lit him
  15. 2 Kings 2:19 Lit causes miscarriages
  16. 2 Kings 2:20 Lit there
  17. 2 Kings 2:21 Lit there
  18. 2 Kings 2:21 Lit healed
  19. 2 Kings 2:21 Lit anything causing miscarriages
  20. 2 Kings 2:22 Lit healed
  21. 2 Kings 2:24 Lit boys from them
  22. 2 Kings 3:5 I.e., Jehoram, the new king
  23. 2 Kings 3:6 Lit in that day
  24. 2 Kings 3:7 Lit As I, as you, as my people...
  25. 2 Kings 3:8 Lit said
  26. 2 Kings 3:9 Lit were in their footsteps
  27. 2 Kings 3:13 Lit What to me and to you, an ancient idiom
  28. 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
  29. 2 Kings 3:15 Lit string player
  30. 2 Kings 3:16 Lit trenches, trenches
  31. 2 Kings 3:19 Lit fell
  32. 2 Kings 3:21 Lit strap on a belt (for weapons)
  33. 2 Kings 3:24 Lit it
  34. 2 Kings 3:24 Lit striking
  35. 2 Kings 3:25 Lit felled
  36. 2 Kings 4:3 Lit request
  37. 2 Kings 4:3 Lit from outside
  38. 2 Kings 4:6 Lit is...container
  39. 2 Kings 4:8 Lit great
  40. 2 Kings 4:8 Lit bread
  41. 2 Kings 4:8 Lit bread
  42. 2 Kings 4:11 Lit the day came that
  43. 2 Kings 4:11 Lit lay there
  44. 2 Kings 4:13 Lit fear
  45. 2 Kings 4:13 Lit Is it to speak
  46. 2 Kings 4:13 Lit said
  47. 2 Kings 4:14 Lit said
  48. 2 Kings 4:16 Lit when the time revives
  49. 2 Kings 4:17 Lit when the time revived
  50. 2 Kings 4:20 Lit knees
  51. 2 Kings 4:24 Lit riding
  52. 2 Kings 4:26 Lit said
  53. 2 Kings 4:27 Lit bitter
  54. 2 Kings 4:29 Lit Belt up your waist
  55. 2 Kings 4:29 Lit bless
  56. 2 Kings 4:29 Lit blesses
  57. 2 Kings 4:31 Lit attentiveness
  58. 2 Kings 4:38 Lit And
  59. 2 Kings 5:1 Lit before
  60. 2 Kings 5:2 Lit was before
  61. 2 Kings 5:3 Lit before
  62. 2 Kings 5:4 Lit he
  63. 2 Kings 5:5 Lit enter
  64. 2 Kings 5:5 A talent was about 75 lb. or 34 kg
  65. 2 Kings 5:5 A shekel was about 0.5 oz. or 14 gm
  66. 2 Kings 5:6 Lit saying
  67. 2 Kings 5:7 Lit an opportunity
  68. 2 Kings 5:11 Lit said
  69. 2 Kings 5:11 Lit one with leprosy
  70. 2 Kings 5:12 Another reading is Amanah
  71. 2 Kings 5:13 Lit and said
  72. 2 Kings 5:15 Lit he and
  73. 2 Kings 5:15 Lit blessing
  74. 2 Kings 5:20 Lit said
  75. 2 Kings 5:20 Lit from
  76. 2 Kings 5:24 Lit Ophel
  77. 2 Kings 5:27 Lit seed
  78. 2 Kings 6:1 Or where we sit in your presence
  79. 2 Kings 6:5 Or dropping; lit felling
  80. 2 Kings 6:5 Lit as for the iron, it fell
  81. 2 Kings 6:10 Lit not once or twice
  82. 2 Kings 6:15 Lit How
  83. 2 Kings 6:16 Or more
  84. 2 Kings 6:18 Lit nation
  85. 2 Kings 6:21 Lit strike
  86. 2 Kings 6:21 Lit strike
  87. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit said
  88. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit strike
  89. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit strike
  90. 2 Kings 6:25 One kab equals about 2 qt. or 1.9 liters
  91. 2 Kings 6:27 Or No! Let the Lord help you
  92. 2 Kings 6:28 Lit to you
  93. 2 Kings 6:30 Lit within
  94. 2 Kings 6:30 Lit flesh
  95. 2 Kings 6:31 Lit stands
  96. 2 Kings 6:32 Lit press him with the door
Listen to 2 Kings 1-6
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2 Kings 1-6
New International Version

The Lord’s Judgment on Ahaziah

1 After Ahab’s death, Moab(A) rebelled against Israel. 2 Now Ahaziah had fallen through the lattice of his upper room in Samaria and injured himself. So he sent messengers,(B) saying to them, “Go and consult Baal-Zebub,(C) the god of Ekron,(D) to see if I will recover(E) from this injury.”

3 But the angel(F) of the Lord said to Elijah(G) the Tishbite, “Go up and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel(H) that you are going off to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron?’ 4 Therefore this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not leave(I) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!’” So Elijah went.

5 When the messengers returned to the king, he asked them, “Why have you come back?”

6 “A man came to meet us,” they replied. “And he said to us, ‘Go back to the king who sent you and tell him, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are sending messengers to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you will not leave(J) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!”’”

7 The king asked them, “What kind of man was it who came to meet you and told you this?”

8 They replied, “He had a garment of hair[a](K) and had a leather belt around his waist.”

The king said, “That was Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then he sent(L) to Elijah a captain(M) with his company of fifty men. The captain went up to Elijah, who was sitting on the top of a hill, and said to him, “Man of God, the king says, ‘Come down!’”

10 Elijah answered the captain, “If I am a man of God, may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then fire(N) fell from heaven and consumed the captain and his men.

11 At this the king sent to Elijah another captain with his fifty men. The captain said to him, “Man of God, this is what the king says, ‘Come down at once!’”

12 “If I am a man of God,” Elijah replied, “may fire come down from heaven and consume you and your fifty men!” Then the fire of God fell from heaven and consumed him and his fifty men.

13 So the king sent a third captain with his fifty men. This third captain went up and fell on his knees before Elijah. “Man of God,” he begged, “please have respect for my life(O) and the lives of these fifty men, your servants! 14 See, fire has fallen from heaven and consumed the first two captains and all their men. But now have respect for my life!”

15 The angel(P) of the Lord said to Elijah, “Go down with him; do not be afraid(Q) of him.” So Elijah got up and went down with him to the king.

16 He told the king, “This is what the Lord says: Is it because there is no God in Israel for you to consult that you have sent messengers(R) to consult Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron? Because you have done this, you will never leave(S) the bed you are lying on. You will certainly die!” 17 So he died,(T) according to the word of the Lord that Elijah had spoken.

Because Ahaziah had no son, Joram[b](U) succeeded him as king in the second year of Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah. 18 As for all the other events of Ahaziah’s reign, and what he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Israel?

Elijah Taken Up to Heaven

2 When the Lord was about to take(V) Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind,(W) Elijah and Elisha(X) were on their way from Gilgal.(Y) 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here;(Z) the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(AA) So they went down to Bethel.

3 The company(AB) of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.”

4 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.(AC)”

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho.

5 The company(AD) of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?”

“Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.”

6 Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here;(AE) the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.”(AF)

And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.”(AG) So the two of them walked on.

7 Fifty men from the company of the prophets went and stood at a distance, facing the place where Elijah and Elisha had stopped at the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his cloak,(AH) rolled it up and struck(AI) the water with it. The water divided(AJ) to the right and to the left, and the two of them crossed over on dry(AK) ground.

9 When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”

“Let me inherit a double(AL) portion of your spirit,”(AM) Elisha replied.

10 “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.”

11 As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire(AN) and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven(AO) in a whirlwind.(AP) 12 Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots(AQ) and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore(AR) it in two.

13 Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the cloak(AS) that had fallen from Elijah and struck(AT) the water with it. “Where now is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” he asked. When he struck the water, it divided to the right and to the left, and he crossed over.

15 The company(AU) of the prophets from Jericho, who were watching, said, “The spirit(AV) of Elijah is resting on Elisha.” And they went to meet him and bowed to the ground before him. 16 “Look,” they said, “we your servants have fifty able men. Let them go and look for your master. Perhaps the Spirit(AW) of the Lord has picked him up(AX) and set him down on some mountain or in some valley.”

“No,” Elisha replied, “do not send them.”

17 But they persisted until he was too embarrassed(AY) to refuse. So he said, “Send them.” And they sent fifty men, who searched for three days but did not find him. 18 When they returned to Elisha, who was staying in Jericho, he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you not to go?”

Healing of the Water

19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.”

20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him.

21 Then he went out to the spring and threw(AZ) the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure(BA) to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken.

Elisha Is Jeered

23 From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered(BB) at him. “Get out of here, baldy!” they said. “Get out of here, baldy!” 24 He turned around, looked at them and called down a curse(BC) on them in the name(BD) of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. 25 And he went on to Mount Carmel(BE) and from there returned to Samaria.

Moab Revolts

3 Joram[c](BF) son of Ahab became king of Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and he reigned twelve years. 2 He did evil(BG) in the eyes of the Lord, but not as his father(BH) and mother had done. He got rid of the sacred stone(BI) of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he clung to the sins(BJ) of Jeroboam son of Nebat, which he had caused Israel to commit; he did not turn away from them.

4 Now Mesha king of Moab(BK) raised sheep, and he had to pay the king of Israel a tribute of a hundred thousand lambs(BL) and the wool of a hundred thousand rams. 5 But after Ahab died, the king of Moab rebelled(BM) against the king of Israel. 6 So at that time King Joram set out from Samaria and mobilized all Israel. 7 He also sent this message to Jehoshaphat king of Judah: “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me to fight(BN) against Moab?”

“I will go with you,” he replied. “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.”

8 “By what route shall we attack?” he asked.

“Through the Desert of Edom,” he answered.

9 So the king of Israel set out with the king of Judah and the king of Edom.(BO) After a roundabout march of seven days, the army had no more water for themselves or for the animals with them.

10 “What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”

11 But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no prophet of the Lord here, through whom we may inquire(BP) of the Lord?”

An officer of the king of Israel answered, “Elisha(BQ) son of Shaphat is here. He used to pour water on the hands of Elijah.[d](BR)”

12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word(BS) of the Lord is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.

13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “Why do you want to involve me? Go to the prophets of your father and the prophets of your mother.”

“No,” the king of Israel answered, “because it was the Lord who called us three kings together to deliver us into the hands of Moab.”

14 Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord Almighty lives, whom I serve, if I did not have respect for the presence of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, I would not pay any attention to you. 15 But now bring me a harpist.”(BT)

While the harpist was playing, the hand(BU) of the Lord came on Elisha 16 and he said, “This is what the Lord says: I will fill this valley with pools of water. 17 For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water,(BV) and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. 18 This is an easy(BW) thing in the eyes of the Lord; he will also deliver Moab into your hands. 19 You will overthrow every fortified city and every major town. You will cut down every good tree, stop up all the springs, and ruin every good field with stones.”

20 The next morning, about the time(BX) for offering the sacrifice, there it was—water flowing from the direction of Edom! And the land was filled with water.(BY)

21 Now all the Moabites had heard that the kings had come to fight against them; so every man, young and old, who could bear arms was called up and stationed on the border. 22 When they got up early in the morning, the sun was shining on the water. To the Moabites across the way, the water looked red—like blood. 23 “That’s blood!” they said. “Those kings must have fought and slaughtered each other. Now to the plunder, Moab!”

24 But when the Moabites came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and fought them until they fled. And the Israelites invaded the land and slaughtered the Moabites. 25 They destroyed the towns, and each man threw a stone on every good field until it was covered. They stopped up all the springs and cut down every good tree. Only Kir Hareseth(BZ) was left with its stones in place, but men armed with slings surrounded it and attacked it.

26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle had gone against him, he took with him seven hundred swordsmen to break through to the king of Edom, but they failed. 27 Then he took his firstborn(CA) son, who was to succeed him as king, and offered him as a sacrifice on the city wall. The fury against Israel was great; they withdrew and returned to their own land.

The Widow’s Olive Oil

4 The wife of a man from the company(CB) of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor(CC) is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”

2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”

“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”(CD)

3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”

5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”

But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.

7 She went and told the man of God,(CE) and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life

8 One day Elisha went to Shunem.(CF) And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay(CG) there whenever he comes to us.”

11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.”(CH) So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”

She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”

14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.

Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”

15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time(CI) next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”

“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”

17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.

18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.(CJ) 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”

His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed(CK) of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.

22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”

23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon(CL) or the Sabbath.”

“That’s all right,” she said.

24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.(CM)

When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! 26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”

“Everything is all right,” she said.

27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress,(CN) but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”

28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”

29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,(CO) take my staff(CP) in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”

30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.

31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”

32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.(CQ) 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed(CR) to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched(CS) himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times(CT) and opened his eyes.(CU)

36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.”(CV) 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.

Death in the Pot

38 Elisha returned to Gilgal(CW) and there was a famine(CX) in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”

39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.

41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.(CY)

Feeding of a Hundred

42 A man came from Baal Shalishah,(CZ) bringing the man of God twenty loaves(DA) of barley bread(DB) baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.

43 “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.

But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat.(DC) For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.(DD)’” 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.

Naaman Healed of Leprosy

5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.(DE) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[e](DF)

2 Now bands of raiders(DG) from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet(DH) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”

4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[f] of silver, six thousand shekels[g] of gold and ten sets of clothing.(DI) 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”

7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,(DJ) he tore his robes and said, “Am I God?(DK) Can I kill and bring back to life?(DL) Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel(DM) with me!”

8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet(DN) in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash(DO) yourself seven times(DP) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”

11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand(DQ) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters(DR) of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.(DS)

13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,(DT) if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,(DU) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored(DV) and became clean like that of a young boy.(DW)

15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God(DX). He stood before him and said, “Now I know(DY) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift(DZ) from your servant.”

16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.(EA)

17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth(EB) as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(EC) on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”

19 “Go in peace,”(ED) Elisha said.

After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord(EE) lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”

21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.

22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent[h] of silver and two sets of clothing.’”(EF)

23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.

25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”

“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.

26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time(EG) to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?(EH) 27 Naaman’s leprosy(EI) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi(EJ) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.(EK)

An Axhead Floats

6 The company(EL) of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”

And he said, “Go.”

3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”

“I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them.

They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”

6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw(EM) it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans

8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

9 The man of God sent word to the king(EN) of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned(EO) the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

12 “None of us, my lord the king(EP),” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.”(EQ) 14 Then he sent(ER) horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

16 “Don’t be afraid,”(ES) the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more(ET) than those who are with them.”

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots(EU) of fire all around Elisha.

18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.”(EV) So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father?(EW) Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured(EX) with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands(EY) from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

Famine in Besieged Samaria

24 Some time later, Ben-Hadad(EZ) king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege(FA) to Samaria. 25 There was a great famine(FB) in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels[i] of silver, and a quarter of a cab[j] of seed pods[k](FC) for five shekels.[l]

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

27 The king replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” 28 Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?”

She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29 So we cooked my son and ate(FD) him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”

30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore(FE) his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth(FF) on his body. 31 He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders(FG) were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer(FH) is sending someone to cut off my head?(FI) Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” 33 While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.

The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait(FJ) for the Lord any longer?”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 1:8 Or He was a hairy man
  2. 2 Kings 1:17 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram
  3. 2 Kings 3:1 Hebrew Jehoram, a variant of Joram; also in verse 6
  4. 2 Kings 3:11 That is, he was Elijah’s personal servant.
  5. 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.
  6. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
  7. 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
  8. 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
  9. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 pounds or about 920 grams
  10. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, probably about 1/4 pound or about 100 grams
  11. 2 Kings 6:25 Or of doves’ dung
  12. 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams
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