Dual Panel1Some of the prophets <05030> said <0559> to <0413> Elisha <0477>, “Look <02009>, the place <04725> where <0834> we <0587> meet <03427> with <06440> you is too cramped <06862> for <04480> us.
2Let’s go <01980> to <05704> the Jordan <03383>. Each <0376> of us will get <03947> a <0259> log <06982> from there <08033> and we will build <06213> a meeting place <04725> for ourselves there <08033>.” He said <0559>, “Go <01980>.”
3One <0259> of them said <0559>, “Please <02974> come <01980> along with <0854> your servants <05650>.” He replied <0559>, “All right, I’ll <0589> come <01980>.”
4So he went <01980> with <0854> them. When they arrived <0935> at the Jordan <03383>, they started cutting down <01504> trees <06086>.
5As <01961> one <0259> of them was felling <05307> a log <06982>, the ax head <01270> dropped <05307> into <0413> the water <04325>. He shouted <06817>, “Oh no <0162>, my master <0113>! It <01931> was borrowed <07592>!”
6The prophet <0430> <0376> asked <0559>, “Where <0575> did it drop <05307> in?” When he showed <07200> him the spot <04725>, Elisha cut off <07094> a branch <06086>, threw <07993> it in at that spot, and made the ax head <01270> float <06687>.
7He said <0559>, “Lift <07311> it out.” So he reached <07971> out his hand <03027> and grabbed <03947> it.
8Now the king <04428> of Syria <0758> was <01961> at war <03898> with Israel <03478>. He consulted <03289> his advisers <05650>, who said <0559>, “Invade <08466> at such <06423> and such <0492> a place <04725>.”
9But the prophet <0430> <0376> sent <07971> this message to <0413> the king <04428> of Israel <03478>, “Make sure <08104> you don’t pass <05674> through this <02088> place <04725> because <03588> Syria <0758> is invading <05181> there <08033>.”
10So the king <04428> of Israel <03478> sent <07971> a message to <0413> the place <04725> the prophet <0430> <0376> had pointed out <0559>, warning <02094> it to be on its guard <08104>. This happened on several occasions <08147> <03808> <0259> <03808>.
11This <02088> made the king <04428> of Syria <0758> upset <03820> <05590>. So he summoned <07121> his advisers <05650> and said <0559> to <0413> them, “One of us must be helping <05046> the king <04428> of Israel <03478>.”
12One <0259> of his advisers <05650> said <0559>, “No <03808>, my master <0113>, O king <04428>. The prophet <05030> Elisha <0477> who <0834> lives in Israel <03478> keeps telling <05046> the king <04428> of Israel <03478> the things <01697> you say <01696> in your bedroom <04904> <02315>.”
13The king ordered <0559>, “Go <01980>, find out <07200> where <0351> he is, so I can send <07971> some men to capture <03947> him.” The king was told <05046>, “He is in Dothan <01886>.”
14So he sent <07971> horses <05483> and chariots <07393> there <08033>, along with a good-sized <03515> army <02428>. They arrived <0935> during the night <03915> and surrounded <05362> the city <05892>.
15The prophet’s <0430> <0376> attendant <08334> got up <06965> early <07925> in the morning. When he went outside <03318> there was an army <02428> surrounding <05437> the city <05892>, along with horses <05483> and chariots <07393>. He said <0559> to <0413> Elisha, “Oh <0162> no, my master <0113>! What <0349> will we do <06213>?”
16He replied <0559>, “Don’t <0408> be afraid <03372>, for <03588> our side outnumbers <07227> them.”
17Then Elisha <0477> prayed <06419>, “O Lord <03068>, open <06491> his eyes <05869> so he can see <07200>.” The Lord <03068> opened <06491> the servant’s <05288> eyes <05869> and he saw <07200> that <02009> the hill <02022> was full <04390> of horses <05483> and chariots <07393> of fire <0784> all around <05439> Elisha <0477>.
18As they approached <03381> him, Elisha <0477> prayed <06419> to <0413> the Lord <03068>, “Strike <05221> these <02088> people <01471> with blindness <05575>.” The Lord struck <05221> them with blindness <05575> as Elisha <0477> requested <01697>.
19Then Elisha <0477> said <0559> to <0413> them, “This <02088> is not <03808> the right road <01870> or <03808> city <05892>. Follow <0310> <01980> me, and I will lead <01980> you to <0413> the man <0376> you’re looking for <01245>.” He led <01980> them to Samaria <08111>.
20When <01961> they had entered <0935> Samaria <08111>, Elisha <0477> said <0559>, “O Lord <03068>, open <06491> their eyes <05869>, so they can see <07200>.” The Lord <03068> opened <06491> their eyes <05869> and they saw <07200> that <02009> they were in the middle <08432> of Samaria <08111>.
21When the king <04428> of Israel <03478> saw <07200> them, he asked <0559> Elisha <0477>, “Should I strike <05221> them down <05221>, my master <01>?”
22He replied <0559>, “Do not <03808> strike <05221> them down <05221>! You did not capture <07617> them with your sword <02719> or bow <07198>, so what gives you <0859> the right to strike <05221> them down <05221>? Give <07760> them some food <03899> and water <04325>, so they can eat <0398> and drink <08354> and then go back <01980> to <0413> their master <0113>.”
23So he threw <03739> a big <01419> banquet <03740> for them <01992> and they ate <0398> and drank <08354>. Then he sent <07971> them back <07971> to <0413> their master <0113>. After that no <03808> Syrian <0758> raiding parties <01416> again <05750> <03254> invaded <0935> the land <0776> of Israel <03478>.
24Later <0310> King <04428> Ben Hadad <01130> of Syria <0758> assembled <06908> his entire <03605> army <04264> and attacked <05927> and besieged <05921> <06696> Samaria <08111>.
25Samaria’s <08111> food supply ran out <01419> <07458>. They laid siege <06696> to <05921> it so long <05704> that a donkey’s <02543> head <07218> was <01961> selling for eighty <08084> shekels of silver <03701> and a quarter <07255> of a kab <06894> of dove’s droppings <02755> for five shekels <02568> of silver <03701>.
26While the king <04428> of Israel <03478> was <01961> passing by <05674> on <05921> the city wall <02346>, a woman <0802> shouted <06817> to <0413> him, “Help <03467> us, my master <0113>, O king <04428>!”
27He replied <0559>, “No <0408>, let the Lord <03068> help <03467> you. How <0370> can I help <03467> you? The threshing floor <01637> and <0176> winepress <03342> are empty.”
28Then the king <04428> asked <0559> her, “What’s <04100> your problem?” She answered <0559>, “This <02063> woman <0802> said <0559> to <0413> me, ‘Hand over <05414> your son <01121>; we’ll eat <0398> him today <03117> and then eat <0398> my son <01121> tomorrow <04279>.’
29So we boiled <01310> my son <01121> and ate <0398> him. Then I said <0559> to <0413> her the next <0312> day <03117>, ‘Hand over <05414> your son <01121> and we’ll eat <0398> him.’ But she hid <02244> her son <01121>!”
30When the king <04428> heard <08085> what <01697> the woman <0802> said, he tore <07167> his clothes <0899>. As he <01931> was passing by <05674> on <05921> the wall <02346>, the people <05971> could see <07200> he was wearing sackcloth <08242> under <05921> his clothes <01320>.
31Then he said <0559>, “May God <0430> judge <06213> me severely <03254> if <0518> Elisha <0477> son <01121> of Shaphat <08202> still <05975> has his head <07218> by <05921> the end of the day <03117>!”
32Now Elisha <0477> was sitting <03427> in his house <01004> with <0854> the community leaders <02205>. The king sent <07971> a messenger <04397> on <0413> ahead <06440>, but before <02962> he arrived <0935>, Elisha said <0559> to <0413> the leaders <02205>, “Do you realize <07200> this <02088> assassin <07523> <01121> intends <07971> to cut off <05493> my head <07218>?” Look <07200>, when the messenger <04397> arrives <0935>, shut <05462> the door <01817> and lean against <03905> it <01817>. His master <0113> will certainly be right behind <0310> him.”
33He was still <05750> talking <01696> to <05973> them when the messenger <04397> approached <03381> and said <0559>, “Look <02009>, the Lord <03068> is responsible for this <02063> disaster <07451>! Why <04100> should I continue <05750> to wait <03176> for the Lord <03068> to help?”