II Kings 6

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּה־נָ֣א הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

The disciples of the prophets said to Elisha, “See, the place where we live under your direction is too cramped for us.

נֵלְכָה־נָּ֣א עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וְנִקְחָ֤ה מִשָּׁם֙ אִ֚ישׁ קוֹרָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ שָׁ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֵֽכוּ׃

Let us go to the Jordan, and let us each get a log there and build quarters there for ourselves to live in.” “Do so,” he replied.

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָאֶחָ֔ד ה֥וֹאֶל נָ֖א וְלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֥י אֵלֵֽךְ׃

Then one of them said, “Will you please come along with your servants?” “Yes, I will come,” he said;

וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ הָעֵצִֽים׃

and he accompanied them. So they went to the Jordan and cut timber.

וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקּוֹרָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל׃

As one of them was felling a trunk, the iron ax head fell into the water. And he cried aloud, “Alas, master, it was a borrowed one!”

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אָ֣נָה נָפָ֑ל וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיִּקְצׇב־עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּ֖צֶף הַבַּרְזֶֽל׃

“Where did it fall?” asked the agent of God. He showed him the spot; and he cut off a stick and threw it in, and he made the ax head float.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָ֣רֶם לָ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ׃ {פ}

“Pick it up,” he said; so he reached out and took it.

וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הָיָ֥ה נִלְחָ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֔ר אֶל־מְק֛וֹם פְּלֹנִ֥י אַלְמֹנִ֖י תַּחֲנֹתִֽי׃

While the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he took counsel with his officers and said, “I will encamp in such and such a place.”

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּי־שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים׃

But the agent of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Take care not to pass through that place, for the Arameans are encamped there.”

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָמַר־ל֧וֹ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וְהִזְהִירֹ֖ה וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר שָׁ֑ם לֹ֥א אַחַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א שְׁתָּֽיִם׃

So the king of Israel sent word to the place of which the agent of God had told him. Time and again he alerted such a place and took precautions there.

וַיִּסָּעֵר֙ לֵ֣ב מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֔ם עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הֲלוֹא֙ תַּגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י מִ֥י מִשֶּׁלָּ֖נוּ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

Greatly agitated about this matter, the king of Aram summoned his officers and said to them, “Tell me! Who of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַחַ֣ד מֵעֲבָדָ֔יו ל֖וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע הַנָּבִיא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַגִּיד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר בַּחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבֶֽךָ׃

“No one, my lord king,” said one of the officers. “Elisha, that prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֵיכֹ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ וַיֻּגַּד־ל֥וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר הִנֵּ֥ה בְדֹתָֽן׃

“Go find out where he is,” he said, “so that I can have him seized.” It was reported to him that [Elisha] was in Dothan;

וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃

so he sent horses and chariots there and a strong force. They arrived at night and encircled the town.

וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּ֠ם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה־חַ֛יִל סוֹבֵ֥ב אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲר֥וֹ אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נַעֲשֶֽׂה׃

When the attendant of the agent of God rose early and went outside, he saw a force, with horses and chariots, surrounding the town. “Alas, master, what shall we do?” his servant asked him.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּירָ֑א כִּ֤י רַבִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔נוּ מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר אוֹתָֽם׃

“Have no fear,” he replied. “There are more on our side than on theirs.”

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל אֱלִישָׁע֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר יְהֹוָ֕ה פְּקַח־נָ֥א אֶת־עֵינָ֖יו וְיִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָהָ֜ר מָלֵ֨א סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֛כֶב אֵ֖שׁ סְבִיבֹ֥ת אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

Then Elisha prayed: “E TERNAL One, open his eyes and let him see.” And G OD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw the hills all around Elisha covered with horses and chariots of fire.

וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־נָ֥א אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

[The Arameans] came down against him, and Elisha prayed to G OD : “Please strike this people with a blinding light.” And they were struck with a blinding light, as Elisha had asked.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּ֘רֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אוֹתָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָה׃

Elisha said to them, “This is not the road, and that is not the town; follow me, and I will lead you to the man you want.” And he led them to Samaria.

וַיְהִי֮ כְּבֹאָ֣ם שֹׁמְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע יְהֹוָ֕ה פְּקַ֥ח אֶת־עֵֽינֵי־אֵ֖לֶּה וְיִרְא֑וּ וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהֹוָה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O E TERNAL One, open the eyes of these men so that they may see.” G OD opened their eyes and they saw that they were inside Samaria.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אוֹתָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃

When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Father, shall I strike them down?”

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃

“No, do not,” he replied. “Did you take them captive with your sword and bow that you would strike them down? Rather, set food and drink before them, and let them eat and drink and return to their master.”

וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹא־יָ֤סְפוּ עוֹד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָב֖וֹא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ {פ}

So he prepared a lavish feast for them and, after they had eaten and drunk, he let them go, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean bands stopped invading the land of Israel.

וַֽיְהִי֙ אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־כׇּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

Sometime later, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and marched upon Samaria and besieged it.

וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדוֹל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱי֤וֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב (חרי) [דִּב־]יוֹנִ֖ים בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף׃

There was a great famine in Samaria, and the siege continued until a donkey’s head sold for eighty [shekels] of silver and a quarter of a kab of doves’ dung for five shekels.

וַֽיְהִי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֹבֵ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וְאִשָּׁ֗ה צָעֲקָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

Once, when the king of Israel was walking on the city wall, a woman cried out to him: “Help me, Your Majesty!”

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהֹוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן א֥וֹ מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב׃

“Don’t [ask me],” he replied. “Let G OD help you! Where could I get help for you, from the threshing floor or from the winepress?

וַיֹּאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר׃

But what troubles you?” the king asked her. The woman answered, “That woman said to me, ‘Give up your son and we will eat him today; and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’

וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־בְּנִ֖י וַנֹּאכְלֵ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יהָ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֵ֗ר תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ וַתַּחְבִּ֖א אֶת־בְּנָֽהּ׃

So we cooked my son and we ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son and let’s eat him’; but she hid her son.”

וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְה֖וּא עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַשַּׂ֛ק עַל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ מִבָּֽיִת׃

When the king heard what the woman said, he rent his clothes; and as he walked along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing sackcloth underneath.

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֑ף אִֽם־יַעֲמֹ֞ד רֹ֣אשׁ אֱלִישָׁ֧ע בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ט עָלָ֖יו הַיּֽוֹם׃

He said, “Thus and more may God do to me if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today.”

וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵית֔וֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים יֹשְׁבִ֣ים אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ מִלְּפָנָ֗יו בְּטֶ֣רֶם יָבֹא֩ הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ אֵלָ֜יו וְה֣וּא׀ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֞ח בֶּן־הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ הַזֶּה֙ לְהָסִ֣יר אֶת־רֹאשִׁ֔י רְא֣וּ׀ כְּבֹ֣א הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ סִגְר֤וּ הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בַּדֶּ֔לֶת הֲל֗וֹא ק֛וֹל רַגְלֵ֥י אֲדֹנָ֖יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃

Now Elisha was sitting at home and the elders were sitting with him. The king had sent one of his men ahead; but before that messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see—that murderer has sent someone to cut off my head! Watch when the messenger comes, and shut the door and hold the door fast against him. No doubt the sound of his master’s footsteps will follow.”

עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ יֹרֵ֣ד אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּה־זֹ֤את הָרָעָה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהֹוָ֔ה מָה־אוֹחִ֥יל לַיהֹוָ֖ה עֽוֹד׃ {פ}

While he was still talking to them, the messenger came to him and said, “This calamity is from G OD . What more can I hope for from G OD ?”