1 The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us. 2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and each one take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. 3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy slaves. And he answered, I will go. 4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down the wood. 5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried and said, Alas, master! It was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim. 7 And he said unto him, Take it. And he put out his hand and took it.
8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel and took counsel with his slaves, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware to not pass through such and such a place, for the Syrians are going there. 10 Then the king of Israel sent to the place, which the man of God told him and warned him of and kept himself from there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled over this thing, and he called his slaves and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? 12 Then one of his slaves said, None, my lord, O king, but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14 So he sent horsemen and chariots there and a great host, who came by night and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early to go forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horsemen and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not; for those that are with us are more than those that are with them. 17 And Elisha prayed and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horsemen and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD and said, Smite these people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. And he led them to Samaria.
20 And when they came into Samaria, Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? Shall I smite them? 22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them; would thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and return to their master. 23 And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 And there was a great famine in Samaria as they besieged it until an ass’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver. 26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, a woman cried unto him, saying, Save me, my lord, O king. 27 And he said, If the LORD does not save thee, from where shall I save thee? Out of the threshingfloor, or out of the winepress? 28 And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. 29 So we boiled my son and ate him. And I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son that we may eat him. But she has hid her son. 30 And when the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes; and he passed by like this upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. 31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shall remain upon him today.
32 And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man unto him. But before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door; is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? 33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him; and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; for what should I wait for the LORD any longer?