1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait 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.
3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
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 axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.
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 took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
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.
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.
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 show me which of us is for 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.
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.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
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?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
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.
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.
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.
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.
21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite 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.
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.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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?
1 And the sons H1121 of the prophets H5030 said H559 unto H6440 Elisha, H477 Behold now, the place H4725 where we dwell H3427 with thee is too strait H6862 for us.
2 Let us go, H3212 we pray thee, unto Jordan, H3383 and take H3947 thence every man H376 a H259 beam, H6982 and let us make H6213 us a place H4725 there, where we may dwell. H3427 And he answered, H559 Go H3212 ye.
3 And one H259 said, H559 Be content, H2974 I pray thee, and go H3212 with thy servants. H5650 And he answered, H559 I will go. H3212
4 So he went H3212 with them. And when they came H935 to Jordan, H3383 they cut down H1504 wood. H6086
5 But as one H259 was felling H5307 a beam, H6982 the axe head H1270 fell H5307 into the water: H4325 and he cried, H6817 and said, H559 Alas, H162 master! H113 for it was borrowed. H7592
6 And the man H376 of God H430 said, H559 Where H575 fell H5307 it? And he shewed H7200 him the place. H4725 And he cut down H7094 a stick, H6086 and cast H7993 it in thither; and the iron H1270 did swim. H6687
7 Therefore said H559 he, Take it up H7311 to thee. And he put out H7971 his hand, H3027 and took H3947 it.
8 Then the king H4428 of Syria H758 warred H3898 against Israel, H3478 and took counsel H3289 with his servants, H5650 saying, H559 In such H6423 and such H492 a place H4725 shall be my camp. H8466
9 And the man H376 of God H430 sent H7971 unto the king H4428 of Israel, H3478 saying, H559 Beware H8104 that thou pass H5674 not such H2088 a place; H4725 for thither the Syrians H758 are come down. H5185
10 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 sent H7971 to the place H4725 which the man H376 of God H430 told H559 him and warned H2094 him of, and saved H8104 himself there, not once H259 nor twice. H8147
11 Therefore the heart H3820 of the king H4428 of Syria H758 was sore troubled H5590 for this thing; H1697 and he called H7121 his servants, H5650 and said H559 unto them, Will ye not shew H5046 me which of us is for the king H4428 of Israel? H3478
12 And one H259 of his servants H5650 said, H559 None, my lord, H113 O king: H4428 but Elisha, H477 the prophet H5030 that is in Israel, H3478 telleth H5046 the king H4428 of Israel H3478 the words H1697 that thou speakest H1696 in thy bedchamber. H2315 H4904
13 And he said, H559 Go H3212 and spy H7200 where H351 he is, that I may send H7971 and fetch H3947 him. And it was told H5046 him, saying, H559 Behold, he is in Dothan. H1886
14 Therefore sent H7971 he thither horses, H5483 and chariots, H7393 and a great H3515 host: H2428 and they came H935 by night, H3915 and compassed H5362 the city H5892 about. H5362
15 And when the servant H8334 of the man H376 of God H430 was risen H6965 early, H7925 and gone forth, H3318 behold, an host H2428 compassed H5437 the city H5892 both with horses H5483 and chariots. H7393 And his servant H5288 said H559 unto him, Alas, H162 my master! H113 how shall we do? H6213
16 And he answered, H559 Fear H3372 not: for they that be with us are more H7227 than they that be with them.
17 And Elisha H477 prayed, H6419 and said, H559 LORD, H3068 I pray thee, open H6491 his eyes, H5869 that he may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 the eyes H5869 of the young man; H5288 and he saw: H7200 and, behold, the mountain H2022 was full H4390 of horses H5483 and chariots H7393 of fire H784 round about H5439 Elisha. H477
18 And when they came down H3381 to him, Elisha H477 prayed H6419 unto the LORD, H3068 and said, H559 Smite H5221 this people, H1471 I pray thee, with blindness. H5575 And he smote H5221 them with blindness H5575 according to the word H1697 of Elisha. H477
19 And Elisha H477 said H559 unto them, This is not the way, H1870 neither is this H2090 the city: H5892 follow H3212 H310 me, and I will bring H3212 you to the man H376 whom ye seek. H1245 But he led H3212 them to Samaria. H8111
20 And it came to pass, when they were come H935 into Samaria, H8111 that Elisha H477 said, H559 LORD, H3068 open H6491 the eyes H5869 of these men, that they may see. H7200 And the LORD H3068 opened H6491 their eyes, H5869 and they saw; H7200 and, behold, they were in the midst H8432 of Samaria. H8111
21 And the king H4428 of Israel H3478 said H559 unto Elisha, H477 when he saw H7200 them, My father, H1 shall I smite H5221 them? shall I smite H5221 them?
22 And he answered, H559 Thou shalt not smite H5221 them: wouldest thou smite H5221 those whom thou hast taken captive H7617 with thy sword H2719 and with thy bow? H7198 set H7760 bread H3899 and water H4325 before H6440 them, that they may eat H398 and drink, H8354 and go H3212 to their master. H113
23 And he prepared H3739 great H1419 provision H3740 for them: and when they had eaten H398 and drunk, H8354 he sent them away, H7971 and they went H3212 to their master. H113 So the bands H1416 of Syria H758 came H935 no more H3254 into the land H776 of Israel. H3478
24 And it came to pass after this, H310 that Benhadad H1130 king H4428 of Syria H758 gathered H6908 all his host, H4264 and went up, H5927 and besieged H6696 Samaria. H8111
25 And there was a great H1419 famine H7458 in Samaria: H8111 and, behold, they besieged H6696 it, until an ass's H2543 head H7218 was sold for fourscore H8084 pieces of silver, H3701 and the fourth part H7255 of a cab H6894 of dove's dung H1686 H3123 H2755 for five H2568 pieces of silver. H3701
26 And as the king H4428 of Israel H3478 was passing by H5674 upon the wall, H2346 there cried H6817 a woman H802 unto him, saying, H559 Help, H3467 my lord, H113 O king. H4428
27 And he said, H559 If the LORD H3068 do not help H3467 thee, whence H370 shall I help H3467 thee? out of the barnfloor, H1637 or out of the winepress? H3342
28 And the king H4428 said H559 unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, H559 This woman H802 said H559 unto me, Give H5414 thy son, H1121 that we may eat H398 him to day, H3117 and we will eat H398 my son H1121 to morrow. H4279
29 So we boiled H1310 my son, H1121 and did eat H398 him: and I said H559 unto her on the next H312 day, H3117 Give H5414 thy son, H1121 that we may eat H398 him: and she hath hid H2244 her son. H1121
30 And it came to pass, when the king H4428 heard H8085 the words H1697 of the woman, H802 that he rent H7167 his clothes; H899 and he passed by H5674 upon the wall, H2346 and the people H5971 looked, H7200 and, behold, he had sackcloth H8242 within H1004 upon his flesh. H1320
31 Then he said, H559 God H430 do H6213 so and more H3254 also to me, if the head H7218 of Elisha H477 the son H1121 of Shaphat H8202 shall stand H5975 on him this day. H3117
32 But Elisha H477 sat H3427 in his house, H1004 and the elders H2205 sat H3427 with him; and the king sent H7971 a man H376 from before H6440 him: but ere the messenger H4397 came H935 to him, he said H559 to the elders, H2205 See H7200 ye how this son H1121 of a murderer H7523 hath sent H7971 to take away H5493 mine head? H7218 look, H7200 when the messenger H4397 cometh, H935 shut H5462 the door, H1817 and hold him fast H3905 at the door: H1817 is not the sound H6963 of his master's H113 feet H7272 behind H310 him?
33 And while he yet talked H1696 with them, behold, the messenger H4397 came down H3381 unto him: and he said, H559 Behold, this evil H7451 is of the LORD; H3068 what should I wait H3176 for the LORD H3068 any longer?
1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto the 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.
3 And one said, Be pleased, I pray thee, to go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.
4 So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.
7 And he said, Take it up to thee. So he put out his hand, and took it.
8 Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
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 coming down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 And 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 show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, Nay, 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.
13 And he said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not; for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah 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.
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto Jehovah, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
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. And he led them to Samaria.
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst 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?
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.
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. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
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 kab of dove's dung for five `pieces' of silver.
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.
27 And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?
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.
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.
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes (now he was passing by upon the wall); and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting 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 my head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 And while he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah; why should I wait for Jehovah any longer?
1 And sons of the prophet say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the place where we are dwelling before thee is too strait for us;
2 let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and we take thence each one beam, and we make for ourselves there a place to dwell there;' and he saith, `Go.'
3 And the one saith, `Be pleased, I pray thee, and go with thy servants;' and he saith, `I -- I go.'
4 And he goeth with them, and they come in to the Jordan, and cut down the trees,
5 and it cometh to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron hath fallen into the water, and he crieth and saith, `Alas! my lord, and it asked!'
6 And the man of God saith, `Whither hath it fallen?' and he sheweth him the place, and he cutteth a stick, and casteth thither, and causeth the iron to swim,
7 and saith, `Raise to thee;' and he putteth forth his hand and taketh it.
8 And the king of Aram hath been fighting against Israel, and taketh counsel with his servants, saying, `At such and such a place `is' my encamping.'
9 And the man of God sendeth unto the king of Israel, saying, `Take heed of passing by this place, for thither are the Aramaeans coming down;
10 and the king of Israel sendeth unto the place of which the man of God spake to him, and warned him, and he is preserved there not once nor twice.
11 And the heart of the king of Aram is tossed about concerning this thing, and he calleth unto his servants, and saith unto them, `Do ye not declare to me who of us `is' for the king of Israel?'
12 And one of his servants saith, `Nay, my lord, O king, for Elisha the prophet, who `is' in Israel, declareth to the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in the inner part of thy bed-chamber.'
13 And he saith, `Go ye and see where he `is', and I send and take him;' and it is declared to him, saying, `Lo -- in Dothan.'
14 And he sendeth thither horses and chariot, and a heavy force, and they come in by night, and go round against the city.
15 And the servant of the man of God riseth early, and goeth out, and lo, a force is surrounding the city, and horse and chariot, and his young man saith unto him, `Alas! my lord, how do we do?'
16 And he saith, `Fear not, for more `are' they who `are' with us than they who `are' with them.'
17 And Elisha prayeth, and saith, `Jehovah, open, I pray Thee, his eyes, and he doth see;' and Jehovah openeth the eyes of the young man, and he seeth, and lo, the hill is full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha.
18 And they come down unto it, and Elisha prayeth unto Jehovah, and saith, `Smite, I pray Thee, this nation with blindness;' and He smiteth them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha saith unto them, `This `is' not the way, nor `is' this the city; come after me, and I lead you unto the man whom ye seek;' and he leadeth them to Samaria.
20 And it cometh to pass, at their coming in to Samaria, that Elisha saith, `Jehovah, open the eyes of these, and they see;' and Jehovah openeth their eyes, and they see, and lo, in the midst of Samaria!
21 And the king of Israel saith unto Elisha, at his seeing them, `Do I smite -- do I smite -- my father?'
22 And he saith, `Thou dost not smite; those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow art thou smiting? set bread and water before them, and they eat, and drink, and go unto their lord.'
23 And he prepareth for them great provision, and they eat and drink, and he sendeth them away, and they go unto their lord: and troops of Aram have not added any more to come in to the land of Israel.
24 And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathereth all his camp, and goeth up, and layeth siege to Samaria,
25 and there is a great famine in Samaria, and lo, they are laying siege to it, till the head of an ass is at eighty silverlings, and a forth of the cab of dovesdung at five silverlings.
26 And it cometh to pass, the king of Israel is passing by on the wall, and a woman hath cried unto him, saying, `Save, my lord, O king.'
27 And he saith, `Jehovah doth not save thee -- whence do I save thee? out of the threshing-floor, or out of the wine-vat?'
28 And the king saith to her, `What -- to thee?' and she saith, `This woman said unto me, Give thy son, and we eat him to-day, and my son we eat to-morrow;
29 and we boil my son and eat him, and I say unto her on the next day, Give thy son, and we eat him; and she hideth her son.'
30 And it cometh to pass, at the king's hearing the words of the woman, that he rendeth his garments, and he is passing by on the wall, and the people see, and lo, the sackcloth `is' on his flesh within.
31 And he saith, `Thus doth God do to me, and thus He doth add -- if it remain -- the head of Elisha son of Shaphat -- upon him this day.'
32 And Elisha is sitting in his house, and the elders are sitting with him, and `the king' sendeth a man from before him; before the messenger doth come unto him, even he himself said unto the elders, `Have ye seen that this son of the murderer hath sent to turn aside my head? see, at the coming in of the messenger, shut the door, and ye have held him fast at the door, is not the sound of the feet of his lord behind him?'
33 He is yet speaking with them, and lo, the messenger is coming down unto him, and he saith, `Lo, this `is' the evil from Jehovah: what -- do I wait for Jehovah any more?'
1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, to the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he said, Go.
3 And one said, Consent, I pray thee, to go with thy servants. And he said, I will go.
4 And he went with them. And they came to the Jordan and cut down the trees.
5 And it came to pass as one was felling a beam, that the iron fell into the water; and he cried and said, Alas, master, and it was borrowed!
6 And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.
7 And he said, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it.
8 And the king of Syria warred against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp.
9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place, for thither the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and he was on his guard there. [That took place] not once, nor twice.
11 And the heart of the king of Syria was troubled because of this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.
13 And he said, Go and see where he is, and I will send and fetch him. And it was told him saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 And he sent thither horses and chariots, and a great host, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 And when the attendant of the man of God rose early and went forth, behold, an army surrounded the city, with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he said, Fear not, for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.
17 And Elisha prayed and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And Jehovah 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.
18 And they came down to him; and Elisha prayed to Jehovah and said, Smite this nation, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. And he led them to Samaria.
20 And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these [men] that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite? shall I smite [them]?
22 And he said, 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.
23 And he prepared a great repast for them, and they ate and drank; and he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 And it came to pass after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was worth eighty silver-pieces, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung five silver-pieces.
26 And it came to pass as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him saying, Help, my lord O king!
27 And he said, If Jehovah do not help thee, whence should I help thee? Out of the threshing-floor, or out of the winepress?
28 And the king said to her, What aileth thee? And she said, This woman said to me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
29 And we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him; and she has hidden her son.
30 And it came to pass when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his garments; and he was passing by upon the wall, and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 And he said, God do so, and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall remain on him this day!
32 And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him. And [the king] sent a man before him. Before the messenger came to him, he himself said to the elders, Do ye see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, when the messenger comes; shut the door, and keep him off with the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him. And [the king] said, Behold, this evil is of Jehovah: why should I wait for Jehovah any longer?
1 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, See now, the place where we dwell before you is too strait for us.
2 Let us go, we pray you, to the Jordan, and take there every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. He answered, Go you.
3 One said, Be pleased, I pray you, to go with your servants. He answered, I will go.
4 So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
5 But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
6 The man of God said, Where fell it? He shown him the place. He cut down a stick, and cast it in there, and made the iron to swim.
7 He said, Take it up to you. So he put out his hand, and took it.
8 Now the king of Syria was warring against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.
9 The man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that you not pass such a place; for there the Syrians are coming down.
10 The king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 The heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Won't you show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
12 One of his servants said, No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.
13 He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him. It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he there horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 He answered, Don't be afraid; for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.
17 Elisha prayed, and said, Yahweh, Please open his eyes, that he may see. Yahweh 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.
18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, Please smite this people with blindness. He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 Elisha said to them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria.
20 It happened, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Yahweh, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21 The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them?
22 He answered, You shall not strike them: would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 He prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24 It happened after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 There was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty [pieces] of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five [pieces] of silver.
26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 He said, If Yahweh doesn't help you, whence shall I help you? out of the threshing floor, or out of the winepress?
28 The king said to her, What ails you? She answered, This woman said to me, Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.
29 So we boiled my son, and ate him: and I said to her on the next day, Give your son, that we may eat him; and she has hid her son.
30 It happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes (now he was passing by on the wall); and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within on his flesh.
31 Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32 But Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? behold, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him: isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33 While he was yet talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of Yahweh; why should I wait for Yahweh any longer?
1 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, There is not room enough for us in the place where we are living under your care;
2 So let us go to Jordan, and let everyone get to work cutting boards, and we will make a living-place for ourselves there. And he said to them, Go, then.
3 And one of them said, Be pleased to go with your servants. And he said, I will go.
4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they got to work cutting down trees.
5 But one of them, while cutting a board, let the head of his axe go into the water; and he gave a cry, and said, This is a bad business, my master, for it is another's.
6 And the man of God said, Where did it go in? and when he saw the place where it had gone into the water, cutting a stick, he put it into the water, and the iron came up to the top of the water.
7 Then he said, Take it up. So he put out his hand and took it.
8 At that time the king of Aram was making war against Israel; and he had a meeting with the chiefs of his army and said, I will be waiting in secret in some named place.
9 And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Take care to keep away from that place, for the Aramaeans are waiting there in secret.
10 So the king of Israel sent to the place where the man of God had said there was danger, and kept clear of it more than once.
11 And at this, the mind of the king of Aram was greatly troubled, and he sent for his servants and said to them, Will you not make clear to me which of us is helping the king of Israel?
12 And one of them said, Not one of us, my lord king; but Elisha, the prophet in Israel, gives the king of Israel news of the words you say even in your bedroom.
13 Then he said, Go and see where he is, so that I may send and get him. And news came to him that he was in Dothan.
14 So he sent there horses and carriages and a great army; and they came by night, circling the town.
15 Now the servant of the man of God, having got up early and gone out, saw an army with horses and carriages of war all round the town. And the servant said to him, O my master, what are we to do?
16 And he said in answer, Have no fear; those who are with us are more than those who are with them.
17 Then Elisha made a prayer to the Lord, saying, Lord, let his eyes be open so that he may see. And the Lord made the young man's eyes open; and he saw that all the mountain was full of horses and carriages of fire round Elisha.
18 Now when the Aramaeans came down to Elisha, he made a prayer to the Lord saying, Lord, make this people blind. And he made them blind at Elisha's request.
19 And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, and this is not the town: come after me so that I may take you to the man you are searching for. And he took them to Samaria.
20 And when they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, Lord, let the eyes of these men be open so that they may see. And the Lord made their eyes open, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel, when he saw them, said to Elisha, My father, am I to put them to the sword?
22 But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not taken prisoner with your sword and your bow? put bread and water before them, so that they may have food and drink and go to their master.
23 So he made ready a great feast for them, and when they had had food and drink, he sent them away and they went back to their master. And no more bands of Aramaeans came into the land of Israel.
24 Now after this, Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got together all his army and went up to make an attack on Samaria, shutting the town in on all sides with his forces.
25 And they became very short of food in Samaria; for they kept it shut in till the price of an ass's head was eighty shekels of silver, and a small measure of doves' droppings was five shekels of silver.
26 And when the king of Israel was going by on the wall, a woman came crying out to him, and said, Help! my lord king.
27 And he said, If the Lord does not give you help, where am I to get help for you? from the grain-floor or the grape-crusher?
28 And the king said to her, What is troubling you? And she said in answer, This woman said to me, Give your son to be our food today, and we will have my son tomorrow.
29 So, boiling my son, we had a meal of him; and on the day after I said to her, Now give your son for our food; but she has put her son in a secret place.
30 Then the king, hearing what the woman said, took his robes in his hands, violently parting them; and, while he was walking on the wall, the people, looking, saw that under his robe he had haircloth on his flesh.
31 Then he said, May God's punishment come on me if Elisha, the son of Shaphat, keeps his head on his body after this day.
32 But Elisha was in his house, and the responsible men were seated there with him; and before the king got there, Elisha said to those who were with him, Do you see how this cruel and violent man has sent to take away my life?
33 While he was still talking to them, the king came down and said, This evil is from the Lord; why am I to go on waiting any longer for the Lord?
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » John Gill's Exposition of the Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 6
Commentary on 2 Kings 6 John Gill's Exposition of the Bible
INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 6
In this chapter are recorded other wonders of Elisha, as causing iron to swim, 2 Kings 6:1 having knowledge of the secret counsels of the king of Syria, which he disclosed to the king of Israel, 2 Kings 6:8 smiting the Syrian army with blindness sent to take him, and which he led into the midst of Samaria, 2 Kings 6:13, and the chapter is closed with an account of the siege of Samaria, and a sore famine in it, 2 Kings 6:24.
And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha,.... Or the disciples of the prophets, as the Targum:
behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us: their numbers were so increased, that there was not room enough for them in the house they dwelt in with the prophet; which increase was owing, the JewsF26T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 107. 2. say, to the departure of Gehazi last mentioned, who was a bad man, and used the disciples so ill, that they could not stay in the college; but, when he was gone, they flocked in great numbers; but rather it was owing to the very instructive ministry and wonderful miracles of Elisha: the place where the prophet and his disciples now dwelt seems to be Gilgal, 2 Kings 4:38.
Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan,.... Which, according to JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 5. c. 1. sect. 4. , was fifty furlongs, or upwards of six miles, distant from Gilgal:
and take thence every man a beam; by cutting down the trees that grew there; for Mr. Maundrell saysF2Journey from Aleppo, &c. p. 82,83. , the banks of Jordan are beset with bushes and trees, which are an harbour for wild beasts; and another travellerF3Sandys's Travels, l. 3. p. 110. observes, that it is shadowed on both sides with poplars, alders, &c. and who speaks of their cutting down boughs from the trees when there:
and let us make us a place there where we may dwell: near the banks of Jordan, which they might choose for the seclusion and pleasantness of the situation, or because Elijah was taken up to heaven near it, as Abarbinel thinks; from whence it appears that these scholars were far from living an idle life; for they were not only trained up in useful learning, but were employed in trades and manufactures, to which they had been brought up, and knew how to fell timber, and build houses:
and he answered, go ye; he gave them leave, without which they did not choose to do anything.
And one said, be content, I pray thee, and with thy servants,.... Or be pleased to go with us; he begged it as a favour, that, being awed by his presence, they might preserve peace and order, and have his advice as to the spot of ground to erect their edifice on, and might be protected by him from harm and mischief by men or wild beasts:
and he answered, I will go; he consented to it, knowing perhaps before hand that he should have an opportunity of working a miracle there, as he did.
So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. Trees which grew upon the banks of it, to build their house with, at least for the rafters and flooring of it, supposing the walls to be built of stone.
But as one was felling a beam,.... Cutting down a tree, or a branch of it:
the axe head fell into the water: into the waters of Jordan; or "the iron"F4הברזל "ferrum", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. , the iron part of it, with which the wood was cut; that flew off from the helve into the water:
and he cried, and said, alas, master! for it was borrowed: it grieved him to lose his axe, because he could do no more work, and the more because it was not his own, but he had borrowed it of his neighbour; and still more, because, as it seems, he was poor, and not able to pay for it, which, being of an honest disposition, gave him distress.
And the man of God said, where fell it?.... For though endowed with a spirit of prophecy, he did not know all things, and at all times; and if he did know where it fell, he might ask this question to lead on to the performance of the miracle:
and he showed him the place; the exact place in the river into which it fell:
and he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; he did not take the old helve and throw in, but a new stick he cut off of a tree; some think he made of this another helve or handle, of the same size and measure with the other, and that this being cast in was miraculously directed and fixed in the hole of the iron at the bottom of the water, and brought it up with it; but, as Abarbinel observes, there is no need to suppose this; the wood was cast into the precise place where the iron fell, and was sent as it were to call it up to it:
and the iron did swim; it came up and appeared, and was bore on the surface of the waters; or, "and made the iron to swim"F5יצף "fecit supernatare", Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. ; which some understand of the wood cast in, as if it had some peculiar virtue in it to draw up the iron; but it was not any particular chosen wood, but what first occurred to the prophetF6Vid. Friese, Dissert. de Ferro Natante, sect. 7. ; and the meaning is, that Elisha caused it to float, contrary to the nature of iron.
Therefore said he, take it up to thee,.... This the prophet said to the man that had lost it:
and he put out his hand, and took it; it being on the top of the water within his reach.
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel,.... Proclaimed war against him; on what account, or how long it was after Naaman his general came with a letter of recommendation from him to the king of Israel, and had his cure, is not said:
and took counsel with his servants; his privy counsellors, or the general officers of his army:
saying, in such and such a place shall be my camp; in some covered hidden place, as the Targum; where he would lie encamped waiting in ambush, to fall upon the king of Israel unawares, as he and his forces should pass that way; the place, no doubt, was named by the king of Syria, though not recorded by the historian; or, as the words may be rendered:
the place of such and such a man; for, as Ben Melech observes, "peloni almoni" are used of persons whose names are either unknown or concealed.
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel,.... That is, Elisha sent to him: saying:
beware that thou pass not such a place: not go to it, but avoid it, and pass another way:
for thither the Syrians are come down: are hidden, as the Targum; lie covered at the bottom of the hill, so as not to be seen.
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him, and warned him of,.... Sent spies thither to see whether the Syrians were there or not, and whether it was truth the man of God told him; for he had no hearty respect for the prophet, though he had been so serviceable to him:
and saved himself there, not once, nor twice; escaped the snares the king of Syria laid for him, not once, nor twice only, but many times.
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing,.... There was as it were a storm in his breast, as the word signifies; he was like a troubled sea, tossed with tempests, exceeding uneasy in his mind, fretting at the disappointment he met with time after time:
and he called his servants, and said unto them, will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel? he suspected that some one of his counsellors was in the interest of the king of Israel, and betrayed his secrets to him, which was the cause of his disappointments.
And one of his servants said, none, my lord, O king,.... He believed everyone of his counsellors were true and faithful to him:
but Elisha the prophet, that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber; what is said in the most private place, and in the most secret manner: this man had heard much of Elisha, by Naaman, very probably; or perhaps he had attended him in his journey to Israel for a cure, and so might have personal knowledge of Elisha, and be acquainted with the affair of Gehazi; from whence he concluded, that he, who had the thoughts of men revealed to him, had knowledge of their words and counsels, though ever so secret; see Ecclesiastes 10:20.
And he said, go, and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him,.... But how could he expect to take him, who could give the king of Israel such intelligence of his designs against him, that he might escape his snares?
and it was told him, saying, behold, he is in Dothan; a city in the tribe of Manasseh, not far from Shechem; see Genesis 37:17.
Therefore sent he thither horses and chariots, and a great host,.... To terrify the inhabitants from attempting to defend the prophet, but deliver him up at once:
and they came by night; that they might come upon them unawares, and their design not be discovered, so as to have timely help from Samaria, which was not far off:
and compassed the city about; that the prophet might not make his escape out of it.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,.... Either out of his master's house, or out of the city upon some business to be done early in the morning; this was not Gehazi, but a new servant:
behold, an host compassed the city, both with horses and chariots; which he could see at the door of his master's house, the city being built upon an eminence; or which he perceived, as soon as he came out of the gates of the city, or was about so to do:
and his servant said unto him; Elisha being with him; or else he returned to his master on the sight of such an army, and not being able to go forward:
alas, my master! how shall we do? to get out of the city, and through this host, and proceed on our intended journey; and if he understood that the intention of this formidable host was to take his master, his concern might be the greater; and the more as he was a new servant, and not so well acquainted with his master's being possessed of a power of doing miracles.
And he answered, fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. Meaning the legions of angels that encamped around them.
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see,.... Not the eyes of his body, which were not shut nor blinded, but the eyes of his mind; or, in other words, grant him a vision, represented in so strong a light, as to remove his fears:
and the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; he had a vision of angels:
and, behold, the mountain; on which the city was built, or one near it:
was full of horses and chariots of fire; angels in this form, as in 2 Kings 2:11, and these were
round about Elisha; being round about the city where he was; or rather so in the vision it was represented to the young man, he saw his master surrounded with horses and chariots of fire, in the utmost safety.
And when they came down to him,.... The Syrian army, from the hill on which they were first seen, who came down from thence to the bottom of the hill on which the city stood; and whither Elisha came out, in order both to meet them, and proceed on his journey to Samaria:
Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness; or "blindnesses"F7בסנורים "in caecitatibus", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. ; with great blindness, such as the men of Sodom were smitten with; the same word is here used as of them, Genesis 19:11.
and he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha; not in such manner that they could discern no object, for then they could not have followed Elisha; but their sight was so altered, that they knew not the objects they saw; they appeared quite otherwise to them than they were; they saw the city, but knew it not to be the same, and Elisha, but knew him not to be the man of God, though they might have some in the host that knew him personally.
And Elisha said unto them, this is not the way, neither is this the city,.... Which is an answer to some questions of the Syrians; as, whether this was the way to find the prophet Elisha, and this the city in which he was to be found? and he answers most truly, though ambiguously, that the way they were in, and in which should they proceed, was not the way, nor this the city, in which he was to be found, because he was come out of it, and was going to Samaria:
follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek; as he did: but he led them to Samaria: whither he was going, they being still under that sort of blindness with which they were smitten; otherwise they would have known the country better than to have been led thither.
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,.... So as to know where they were:
and the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw, and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria; the gates being thrown open for them, and they led into the very heart of the city; for, no doubt, Elisha sent his servant before, to acquaint the king of Israel with what he was doing; who got a sufficient number of armed men to enclose them, and fall upon them, when put into his hands, as appears by what follows.
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them,.... The Syrian army thus in his hands:
my father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? he speaks with great reverence and respect to the prophet, whom at other times he neglected and despised; and the repetition of his words shows the eagerness of his mind to fall upon his enemy when they where at a disadvantage.
And he answered, thou shalt not smite them,.... For they were not his, but the prophet's captives, or rather the Lord's:
wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? when soldiers are made prisoners of war, it is contrary to humanity, to the laws of nature and nations, to kill them in cold blood, and much more those who were taken not by his sword and bow, but by the power and providence of God:
set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master; the king of Syria, and report the miracles wrought, and the good usage they met with, when in the hand of an enemy, fed and let go; which would be more to the glory of the God of Israel, and more agreeable to the character of a king of Israel, reckoned merciful, and more serviceable to the civil good of the land of Israel, as well as more to the honour of the prophet and true religion, see Romans 12:20.
And he prepared great provision for them,.... Or a great feast, as the Targum; so obedient was he to the prophet's orders:
and when they had eaten and drank; and refreshed themselves, which they needed, having marched all night and that morning from place to place:
he sent them away; that is, the king of Israel dismissed them:
and they went to their master; the king of Syria, but without the prophet Elisha they were sent to fetch:
so the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel; not as yet, or for some time; or rather the sense is, that the Syrians came not any more in small bodies, as troops of robbers making excursions, and carrying off booty in a private manner, and by surprise; but afterwards came with a large army in an open hostile manner, as follows.
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host,.... Still retaining a grudge and enmity against Israel, and not at all softened by the kind and humane treatment his forces had met with, when in the hands of Israel; and finding he could do nothing in a secret way, by ambush, mustered all his forces together, to try what he could by open war:
and went up, and besieged Samaria; Jehoram king of Israel not being able to stop him till he came to his capital, which he laid close siege to.
And there was a great famine in Samaria,.... No care, perhaps, having been taken to lay up stores against a siege:
and, behold, they besieged it until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver; shekels, as the Targum explains the word in the next clause, which amounted to about nine or ten pounds of our money; a great price for the head of such a creature, by law unclean, its flesh disagreeable, and of that but very little, as is on an head:
and the fourth part of a cab of doves' dung for five pieces of silver; some of the Jewish writers sayF8R. Jonah in Ben Melech, Kimchi & Abarbinel in loc. , this was bought for fuel, which was scarce: Josephus saysF9Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4. sect. 4. , for salt, and so Procopious Gazaeus, and Theodoret; others, for dunging the lands, which is the use of it in PersiaF11Universal History, vol. 5. p. 90. for melons; neither of which are probable; most certainly it was for food; but as doves' dung must be not only disagreeable, but scarce affording any nourishment, something else must be meant; some have thought that the grains found in their crops, or in their excrements, undigested, and picked out, are meant; and others, their crops or craws themselves, or entrails; but BochartF12Hierozoic. par. 2. l. 1. c. 7. col. 44, &c. is of opinion, that a sort of pulse is meant, as lentiles or vetches, much the same with the kali or parched corn used in Israel, see 1 Samuel 17:17 and a recent travellerF13Shaw's Travels, p. 140. observes, that the leblebby of the Arabs is very probably the kali, or parched pulse, of the Scriptures, and has been taken for the pigeons' dung mentioned at the siege of Samaria; and indeed as the "cicer" (a sort of peas or pulse) is pointed at one end, and acquires an ash colour by parching, the first of which circumstances answers to the figure, the other to the usual colour of pigeons' dung, the supposition is by no means to be disregarded: a "cab" was a measure with the Jews, which held the quantity of twenty four egg shells; according to GodwinF14Moses & Aaron, B. 6. c. 9. , it answered to our quart, so that a fourth part was half a pint; and half a pint of these lentiles, or vetches, or parched pulse, was sold for eleven or twelve shillings.
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, &c. To spy out the motion and situation of the enemy, and to give orders for the annoyance of them, and to see that his soldiers did their duty:
there cried a woman to him, saying, help, my lord, O king; desired his assistance and help in a cause depending between her and another woman.
And he said, if the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee?.... Mistaking her meaning, as if she prayed him to relieve her hunger; the margin of our Bible is, "let not the Lord save thee"; and so some understand it as a wish that she might perish; and so JosephusF15Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4. sect. 4.) , that being wroth, he cursed her in the name of God:
out of the barn floor, or out of the winepress? when neither of them afforded anything; no corn was to be had from the one, nor wine from the other, no, not for his own use, and therefore how could he help her out of either?
And the king said unto her, what aileth thee?.... His passion subsiding, or pitying her as in distress, and supposing that there might be something particular and pressing in her case:
and she answered:
this woman said unto me; who was now with her, and to whom she pointed:
give thy son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow; and this was agreed to between them, that first one should be eaten, and then the other, and that they should feed upon one as long as it would last, and then on the other; for it is not to be limited precisely to a day and tomorrow.
So we boiled my son, and did eat him,.... Thus what was predicted, by way of threatening, began to be accomplished, Deuteronomy 28:53; see Gill on Deuteronomy 28:53, and of which there were other instances of a like kind at the siege of Jerusalem, both by Nebuchadnezzar and Vespasian:
and I said unto her on the next day; after her child had been wholly ate up:
give thy son, that we may eat him; according to agreement:
and she hath hid her son; either to save him alive, or to eat him herself alone.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes,.... At the horror of the fact reported, and through grief that his people were brought into such distress through famine:
and he passed by upon the wall; returning to his palace:
and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth upon his flesh; which, in token of humiliation for averting the calamities he was under, he had put there before, and now was seen through the rending of his clothes.
Then he said, God do so and more also to me,.... He swore and made dreadful imprecations:
if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day; imputing the sore famine to him, because he had foretold it, and did not pray for the removal of it, as he might; and perhaps had advised and encouraged the king to hold out the siege, which had brought them to this extremity, and therefore was enraged at him.
And Elisha sat in his house,.... In Samaria:
and the elders sat with him; not the elders of the city, or the magistrates thereof, but his disciples, as Josephus saysF16Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4. sect. 4.) , the eldest of them, whom he admitted to greater familiarity and converse with him:
and the king sent a man from before him; to execute what he had sworn should be done that day to the prophet:
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? which he knew by a spirit of prophecy, and spoke of it before the executioner came; he calls Joram the son of a murderer, because of his mother Jezebel, who killed Naboth, and the prophets of the Lord, and to which his father Ahab also consented, and therefore might be so called too; and he intimates hereby that he was of the same temper and disposition, and as the above oath, and his orders, showed:
look when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door; and not suffer him to come in:
is not the sound of his master's feet behind him? that is, of Joram king of Israel, who followed the messenger, either to listen and hear what the prophet would say unto him; or repenting of his order, as JosephusF17Ibid. thinks, he followed him to prevent the execution.
And while he yet talked with them,.... Elisha with the elders:
behold, the messenger came down unto him; sent by the king:
and he said; either the messenger in the king's name, or rather the king, who was at his heels, and came to the door before the messenger was let in, who was detained; and therefore it is most probable the king went in first; for that was the intention of Elisha in holding the messenger, not to save his own life, but that the king, who was following, might hear what he had to say; and whom he advised to wait for the Lord, and his appearance, for deliverance: in answer to which he said:
behold, this evil is of the Lord, what should I wait for the Lord any longer? this calamity is from him, and he is determined upon the ruin of my people, and there is no hope; this he said as despairing, and so resolving to hold out the siege no longer.