2 Kings

Continues the story of the divided kingdoms, their decline, and eventual exile.

Chapter 6

1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

The prophet's sons told Elisha, "The place where we live with you is too small for us."

2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.

Let's go to Jordan, please, and each of us get a beam. Then we'll build a place to live there. He replied, Go ahead.

3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

One person said, "Be happy, please, and go with your friends." And he replied, "I will go."

4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.

So he joined them. When they reached the Jordan River, they gathered wood by cutting trees.

5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.

But when someone was cutting a wooden beam, the axe head accidentally fell into the water. He shouted and said, "Oh no, boss! It wasn't his; it was something he had borrowed."

6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.

The man of God asked where the object landed, and the person showed him the spot. Then, the man took a stick, threw it there, and when the iron piece went into the water, it floated.

7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.

So, he said, "Take it." Then he reached out and grabbed it.

8 Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.

Then the Syrian king fought against Israel and talked with his helpers, saying, My camp will be at a specific location.

9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

The man warned the king not to go past a certain area because the Syrians were there.

10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.

The king of Israel went to the spot the prophet told him about and followed his warning, saving himself two times.

11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

So, the Syrian king's heart was very worried about this. He asked his helpers, "Why won't you tell me who among us supports the king of Israel?"

12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

One servant spoke up, "My lord, king, no one knows your secret talks. But Elisha, a prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel what you say in private."

13 And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

He asked, "Go find out where he is so I can bring him here." He was then told, "He is in a place called Dothan."

14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

So, he sent horses, chariots, and a large army there. They arrived at night and surrounded the city.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?

When the helper woke up early and went out, he saw that a large army surrounded the city with horses and chariots. The helper asked his master, "Oh, my lord! What should we do now?"

16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

He said, "Don't be afraid," because we have more people on our side than they do on theirs.

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 horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

Elisha asked God to open the young man's eyes so he could see. God did, and the boy saw a mountain filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha.

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

When they reached Elisha, he asked God to make the people unable to see. God did as Elisha requested, causing the people to be blind.

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. But he led them to Samaria.

Elisha told them, "This isn't the right path or city. Follow me, and I'll take you to the person you're looking for." However, he took them to Samaria instead.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that 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.

When they arrived in Samaria, Elisha prayed to the Lord to open the men's eyes so they could see. The Lord did so, and they realized they were right in the center 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?

The king of Israel asked Elisha, "Should I attack them? Should I attack them?"

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest 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 go to their master.

He replied, "Don't hurt them!" Would you attack those you captured with your sword and bow? Instead, give them food and water so they can eat and drink, then let them return to their boss.

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.

He gave them lots of food and drink. After they ate and drank, he sent them away. They returned to their boss. As a result, the groups from Syria didn't enter Israel's land anymore.

24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

After this event, King Benhadad of Syria collected his entire army and attacked Samaria, surrounding and blocking the city.

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.

There was a severe food shortage in Samaria. People surrounded the city, making things very difficult. A donkey's head cost a lot of money, and even a small amount of pigeon poop was expensive.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

As the king of Israel walked along the wall, a woman called out to him for help, saying, "Please, my lord, O king."

27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

He asked, "If the Lord doesn't help you, where can I help you from - the floor of a barn or the press for making wine?"

28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

The king asked her, "What's wrong?" She replied, "A woman told me to give my son for them to eat today, and then they would eat my son tomorrow."

29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

So we cooked my child and ate him. The next day, I asked her to give her child for us to eat, but she hid hers.

30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

When the king heard the woman's words, he tore his clothes. He walked on the wall, and the people watched as they saw he wore sackcloth against his skin.

31 Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

Then he prayed, "God, do even more to me if Elisha's head, son of Shaphat, stays on his body today."

32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?

But Elisha stayed in his home with the leaders. The king sent a man to him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha warned the leaders, "This son of a murderer wants me dead. When the messenger comes, quickly close the door and hold him tightly at the door. Isn't his master coming from behind?"

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; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

While he was still talking to them, suddenly a messenger arrived. He said, "This bad thing happened because of the LORD; why should I wait for him any longer?"

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