18. As the enemy came down toward Elisha, he prayed to the Lord. He said, “Make these people blind.” So the Lord made the Aramean army blind, as Elisha had asked.
19. Elisha said to them, “This is not the right road. This is not the right city. Follow me. I’ll take you to the man you are looking for.” Then Elisha led them to Samaria.
20. After they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open these men’s eyes so they can see.” So the Lord opened their eyes. And the Aramean army saw that they were inside the city of Samaria!
21. The king of Israel saw the Aramean army. He said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”
22. Elisha answered, “Don’t kill them. You wouldn’t kill people whom you captured with your sword and bow. Give them food and water. And let them eat and drink. Then let them go home to their master.”
23. So he prepared a great feast for the Aramean army. They ate and drank. Then the king sent them away. They went home to their master. The soldiers of Aram did not come anymore into the land of Israel.
24. Later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathered all his army. He went to surround and attack Samaria.
25. There was a time of terrible hunger in Samaria. It was so bad that a donkey’s head was sold for about two pounds of silver. Half of a pint of dove’s dung sold for about two ounces of silver.
26. The king of Israel was passing by on the wall. A woman yelled out to him, “Help me, my master and king!”
27. The king said, “If the Lord doesn’t help you, how can I? Can I get help from the threshing floor or from the winepress?”
28. Then the king said to her, “What is your trouble?”She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we can eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.’