2 Kings

2 Kings 6 ©

1 The sons of the prophets get leave to enlarge their dwelling: Elisha causeth the iron to swim. 8 He discloseth and disappointeth the counsels of the king of Syria, 11 who sendeth troops to apprehend him in Dothan. 15 Elisha's servant is terrified at seeing them, but is encouraged by his master with a vision of horses and chariots of fire. 18 The Syrians, struck blind at Elisha's prayer, are conducted by him into the midst of Samaria, where they recover their sight, are kindly entertained, and dismissed in peace. 24 Ben-hadad besiegeth Samaria, which occasioneth a great famine. 26 Women eat their own children. 30 The king sendeth to slay Elisha.

1

AND the asons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too *strait for us.

a 1Ki. 18.4,35. ch. 2.3,5,7,15; 4.1. Is. 8.18.
2

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

b 1Ti. 6.6; 5.8. 1Th. 4.11,12.
3

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

c Ju. 4.8. Ex. 4.10.
4

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

5

But as one was *felling a beam, the 1axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, dAlas, master! for it was borrowed.

d v.15. ch. 3.10. Re. 18.10,16,19.
6

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

e Ex. 15.25. ch. 2.21; 4.41. Jn. 9.6.
7

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

8

¶Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and ftook counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be 2my camp.

f Pr. 24.6; 20.18; 21.30.
9

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

g 1Ki. 20.7.
h Am. 3.7. ch. 2.12; 13.14. Is. 63.12. Ps. 25.14.
10

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

i Jn. 4.41. Ac. 17.11.
11

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

j Is. 57.20. Job 18.7,11; 20.20,22; 15.20.
k 1Sa. 22.8.
12

And one of his servants said, 3None, my lord, O king: but lElisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest min thy bedchamber.

l ch. 5.8,10. v.9,10.
m Ec. 10.20. Ps. 25.14. Am. 3.7.
13

¶And he said, Go and nspy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is oin Dothan.

n 1Sa. 23.22. Ps. 37.12,14,32; 10.8,9.
o Ge. 37.17.
14

Therefore sent he thither phorses, and chariots, and a 4great host: and they came by night, and *compassed the city about.

p Is. 8.9,10. 1Sa. 23.26. Ps. 27.3; 118.10-12.
15

And when the 5servant 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, qAlas, my master! how shall we do?

q v.5. Ps. 53.5.
16

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

r Is. 43.1,2; 41.10,14,15. Ps. 27.1-3. Ex. 14.15. 2Ch. 32.7. Ro. 8.31. He. 13.6.
s Ps. 55.18.
17

And Elisha tprayed, 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 ufull of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

t Ps. 50.15; 91.15. Eze. 36.37. Is. 58.9; 65.24.
u Ps. 34.7; 68.17; 91.11. Mat. 26.53. ch. 2.11. Zec. 1.8; 6.1-7. He. 1.14.
18

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

v Ge. 19.11. Job 5.14. Lu. 24.16. Mar. 8.24. Ac. 13.11.
19

¶And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: 6follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

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 wopened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

w Mat. 7.7. Is. 58.9; 45.11; 65.24. Ja. 5.16-18.
21

And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, xMy father, shall I smite them ? shall I smite them ?

x ch. 2.12; 8.9; 13.14; 5.13.
22

And he answered, yThou shalt not smite them : wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? zset bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

y Pr. 25.21. Ro. 12.20. Mat. 5.44. 2Ch. 28.11,15.
z Eze. 8.1; 14.1; 20.1.
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 abands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

a ch. 5.2; 24.2; 13.20. 2Ch. 22.1.
24

¶And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered ball his host, and went up, and besieged cSamaria.

b 1Ki. 20.1,2; 22.31.
c 1Ki. 16.21,29,32. ch. 10.1; 17.5,6.
25

And there was da 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.

d Le. 26.26. De. 28.52.
26

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

e Is. 10.3. Mat. 8.25.
27

And he fsaid, 7If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

f Ps. 127.1,2; 60.11; 146.3; 124.1.
28

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

g Ju. 18.23. 2Sa. 14.5.
h Le. 26.29. De. 28.53-55. La. 4.10. Eze. 5.10. Is. 9.20.
29

So iwe boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the 8next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.

i De. 28.53. Eze. 5.10.
30

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

j ch. 5.7; 18.37; 19.1. Ge. 37.34. 1Ki. 21.27.
31

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

k 1Ki. 19.2; 18.17. Ac. 23.12,14. Ru. 1.17.
32

But Elisha lsat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but mere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this nson 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 osound of his master's feet behind him?

l Ps. 118.6. Eze. 9.4. Mal. 3.16. Eze. 8.1; 14.1; 20.1.
m v.12. ch. 5.26. Am. 3.7.
n 1Ki. 18.4; 21.13,19.
o 1Ki. 14.6. Ge. 31.29. ch. 7.17.
33

And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and phe said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

p Re. 16.9. Ge. 4.13.