1. And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.
2. “Please, let us go to the Yardĕn, and let every man take a log from there, and let us make there a place to dwell.” And he answered, “Go.”
3. Then the one said, “Please undertake to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I shall go.”
4. And he went with them, and they came to the Yardĕn, and they cut down trees.
5. And it came to be, as one was cutting down a tree, that the iron axe head fell into the water. And he cried out and said, “Oh my master, for it was borrowed!”
6. And the man of Elohim said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. And he cut off a stick, and threw it in there, and made the iron float.
7. And he said, “Pick it up.” And he reached out his hand and took it.
8. And the sovereign of Aram was fighting against Yisra’ĕl, and took counsel with his servants, saying, “My camp is in such and such a place.”
9. And the man of Elohim sent to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl, saying, “Be on guard, do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.”
10. The sovereign of Yisra’ĕl then sent to the place of which the man of Elohim had spoken to him, and warned him, so that he was on his guard there, not once, and not twice.
11. And this greatly troubled the heart of the sovereign of Aram. And he called his servants and said to them, “Declare to me! Who of us is for the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl?”
12. And one of his servants said, “None, my master, O sovereign, for Elisha, the prophet who is in Yisra’ĕl, declares to the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
13. And he said, “Go and see where he is, so that I send and get him.” And it was reported to him, saying, “See, he is in Dothan.”
14. And he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15. And the servant of the man of Elohim rose early and went out, and saw an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Oh, my master! What do we do?”
16. And he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17. And Elisha prayed, and said, “יהוה, I pray, open his eyes and let him see.” And יהוה opened the eyes of the young man, and he looked and saw the mountain covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18. And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to יהוה, and said, “Strike this nation with blindness, I pray.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19. And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and let me bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Shomeron.
20. And it came to be, when they had come to Shomeron, that Elisha said, “יהוה, open the eyes of these men so that they see.” And יהוה opened their eyes, and they looked and saw they were in the midst of Shomeron!
21. And when the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, should I smite? Should I smite?”
22. But he said, “Do not smite. Do you smite those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them and let them eat and drink and go to their master.”
23. And he made a great feast for them. And after they ate and drank, he let them go, and they went to their master. And the bands of Aramean raiders came no more into the land of Yisra’ĕl.
24. And after this it came to be that Ben-Haḏaḏ the sovereign of Aram mustered all his army, and went up and besieged Shomeron.
25. And there was a great scarcity of food in Shomeron. And see, they besieged it until a donkey’s head went at eighty pieces of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five pieces of silver.
26. And it came to be, as the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my master, O sovereign!”
27. And he said, “If יהוה does not help you, where do I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”
28. And the sovereign said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son and let us eat him today, and tomorrow we eat my son.’
29. “So we cooked my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son and let us eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.”
30. And it came to be, when the sovereign heard the words of the woman, that he tore his garments. And as he passed by on the wall, the people looked and saw the sackcloth on his body, underneath.
31. And he said, “Elohim do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on him today.”
32. And Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And the sovereign sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you see how this son of a murderer has sent someone 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. While he was still speaking with them, then see, the messenger came down to him, and he said, “Look, this evil is from יהוה, why should I wait for יהוה any longer?”