2 Kings, Chapter 6:

Verses from 2 Kings, Chapter 6 of the book of 1 Samuel of the Bible.

Elisha makes an iron float

• 1. The disciples of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we met with you is too small for us.
• 2. Let us go to the Jordan River, where each of us can cut down a tree and build a meeting place there.” Elisha replied, “You may go.”
• 3. One of them asked, “Would you like to go with us, sir?” “Yes,” Elisha replied. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees.
• 4. Elisha went with them.
• 5. While one of them was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. The man exclaimed, “Ah, sir, it was borrowed!”
• 6. The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When the man showed him the place, Elisha cut off a branch and threw it there, making the iron float.
• 7. And he said, “Take it.” The man reached out his hand and took it.

God blinds the Syrian army

• 8. Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel, and he met with his advisers and said, “I will camp at such and such a place.”
• 9. But the man of God sent a message to the king of Israel, saying, “Be careful not to pass by that place, for the Arameans are lying in wait there.”
• 10. Then the king of Israel would send someone to the place the man of God had mentioned, and he would take the necessary precautions.
• 11. This angered the king of Syria, and he summoned his advisers and asked, “Tell me, which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
• 12. One of the councilors replied, “None of us, Your Majesty. It is Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, who reveals to the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom.”
• 13. Then the king ordered, “Find out where he is, so that I can send you to capture him.” When they reported that Elisha was in Dothan,
• 14. He sent a large force there with horses and chariots. They arrived at night and surrounded the city.
• 15. The servant of the man of God got up early in the morning and went out. He saw a force with horses and chariots surrounding the city. “Ah, my lord,” he said, “what should we do?”
• 16. Elisha replied, “Don’t be afraid. Those who are with us are more than they are.”
• 17 Then Elisha prayed, “Lord, open his eyes so he may see.” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and he looked and saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• 18. When the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people with blindness.” And the Lord struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
• 19 Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” So he led them to Samaria.
• 20. When they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open their eyes so they can see.” And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the midst of Samaria.
• 21. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
• 22. Elisha replied, “You must not kill them. Would you kill prisoners of war whom you have captured with your sword and bow? Give them food and water, so that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”
• 23. Then the king prepared a great feast for them, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And from that day on the Syrians no longer invaded the land of Israel.

Samaria is besieged

• 24. Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered his entire army and besieged Samaria.
• 25. The siege lasted so long that a severe famine struck the city. A donkey's head was worth eighty pieces of silver, and a quarter of a head of pigeon dung was worth five pieces of silver.
• 26. One day the king of Israel was passing by the city wall when a woman called out to him, “Help, my lord the king!”
• 27. He replied, “If the Lord does not help you, what good will it be to you if I help you? I have neither grain nor wine to give you.”
• 28. Then he asked her, “What is the matter?” She replied, “This woman said to me, ‘We will eat your son today, and tomorrow we will eat mine.’
• 29. So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, 'Let's eat your son,' but she had hidden him.”
• 30. When the king heard the woman's words, he tore his clothes. As he stood on the wall, the people saw that he was wearing sackcloth undergarments.
• 31. And he said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on your shoulders today!”
• 32. While Elisha was sitting in his house, the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “See how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head! When the messenger comes, shut the door and do not let him in. Surely your master’s footsteps can be heard behind him.”
• 33. While he was still speaking to them, the messenger arrived. And the king said, “This disaster has come from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord?”

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