1The sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too tight for us. 2Let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and each one take a beam from there, and let us make us a place there where we may dwell. And he answered, Go. 3And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down the wood. 5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water, and he cried and said, Alas, master! It was borrowed. 6And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place. Then he cut down a stick and cast it in there and caused the iron to swim. 7And he said unto him, Take it. And he put out his hand and took it. 8Then the king of Syria warred against Israel and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp. 9And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware to not pass through such [and such] a place, for the Syrians are going there. 10Then the king of Israel sent to the place, which the man of God told him and warned him of and kept himself from there, not once nor twice. 11Therefore, the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled over 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? 12Then 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. 13And he said, Go and spy where he [is], that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan. 14So he sent horsemen and chariots there and a great host, who came by night and compassed the city about. 15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early to go forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horsemen and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! What shall we do? 16And he answered, Fear not; for those that [are] with us [are] more than those that [are] with them. 17And 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 horsemen and chariots of fire round about Elisha. 18And when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD and said, Smite these people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19And 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. 20And when they came into Samaria, 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. 21And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite [them]? Shall I smite [them]? 22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite [them]; would 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 return to their master. 23And 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. 24And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad, king of Syria, gathered all his host and went up and besieged Samaria. 25And there was a great famine in Samaria as they besieged it until an ass's head was [sold] for eighty [pieces] of silver and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five [pieces] of silver. 26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, a woman cried unto him, saying, Save me, my lord, O king. 27And he said, If the LORD does not save thee, from where shall I save thee? Out of the threshingfloor, or out of the winepress? 28And the king said unto her, What ails thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. 29So we boiled my son and ate him. And I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son that we may eat him. But she has hid her son. 30And when the king heard the words of the woman, he rent his clothes; and he passed by [like this] upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, [he had] sackcloth within upon his flesh. 31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha, the son of Shaphat, shall remain upon him today. 32And Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man unto him. But before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer has sent 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? 33And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him; and he said, Behold, this evil [is] of the LORD; for what should I wait for the LORD any longer?: