| Berean Study Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Please take note that the place where we meet with you is too small for us. | 1The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "Please notice that the place where we live under your supervision is too small for us. |
| 2Please let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a log so we can build ourselves a place to live there.” “Go,” said Elisha. | 2Please let us go to the Jordan where we can each get a log and can build ourselves a place to live there."" Go," he said. |
| 3Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.” “I will come,” he replied. | 3Then one said, "Please come with your servants."" I'll come," he answered. |
| 4So Elisha went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they began to cut down some trees. | 4So he went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. |
| 5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water. “Oh, my master,” he cried out, “it was borrowed!” | 5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Oh, my master, it was borrowed!" |
| 6“Where did it fall?” asked the man of God. And when he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float. | 6Then the man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, the man of God cut a stick, threw it there, and made the iron float. |
| 7“Lift it out,” he said, and the man reached out his hand and took it. | 7Then he said, "Pick it up." So he reached out and took it. |
| 8Now the king of Aram was at war against Israel. After consulting with his servants, he said, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” | 8When the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he conferred with his servants, "My camp will be at such and such a place." |
| 9Then the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there.” | 9But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there." |
| 10So the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had pointed out. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places. | 10Consequently, the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had told him about. The man of God repeatedly warned the king, so the king would be on his guard. |
| 11For this reason the king of Aram became enraged and called his servants to demand of them, “Tell me, which one of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” | 11The king of Aram was enraged because of this matter, and he called his servants and demanded of them, "Tell me, which one of us is for the king of Israel?" |
| 12But one of his servants replied, “No one, my lord the king. For Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” | 12One of his servants said, "No one, my lord the king. Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your bedroom." |
| 13So the king said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.” On receiving the report, “Elisha is in Dothan,” | 13So the king said, "Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him." When he was told, "Elisha is in Dothan," |
| 14the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a great army. They went there by night and surrounded the city. | 14he sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city. |
| 15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?” | 15When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, "Oh, my master, what are we to do?" |
| 16“Do not be afraid,” Elisha answered, “for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” | 16Elisha said, "Don't be afraid, for those who are with us outnumber those who are with them." |
| 17Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. | 17Then Elisha prayed, " LORD, please open his eyes and let him see." So the LORD opened the servant's eyes. He looked and saw that the mountain was covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. |
| 18As the Arameans came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, “Please strike these people with blindness.” So He struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha. | 18When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Please strike this nation with blindness." So He struck them with blindness, according to Elisha's word. |
| 19And Elisha told them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria. | 19Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you're looking for." And he led them to Samaria. |
| 20When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria. | 20When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, " LORD, open these men's eyes and let them see." So the LORD opened their eyes. They looked and discovered they were in Samaria. |
| 21And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” | 21When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? I will kill them." |
| 22“Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.” | 22Elisha replied, "Don't kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master." |
| 23So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again. | 23So he prepared a great feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiders did not come into Israel's land again. |
| 24Some time later, Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army and marched up to besiege Samaria. | 24Some time later, King Ben-hadad of Aram brought all his military units together and marched up to besiege Samaria. |
| 25So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver. | 25So there was a great famine in Samaria, and they continued the siege against it until a donkey's head sold for 80 silver shekels, and a cup of dove's dung sold for five silver shekels. |
| 26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help me, my lord the king!” | 26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, "My lord the king, help!" |
| 27He answered, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?” | 27He answered, "If the LORD doesn't help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor or the winepress?" |
| 28Then the king asked her, “What is the matter?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him, and tomorrow we will eat my son.’ | 28Then the king asked her, "What's the matter?" She said, "This woman said to me, 'Give up your son, and we will eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.' |
| 29So we boiled my son and ate him, and the next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son, that we may eat him.’ But she had hidden her son.” | 29So we boiled my son and ate him, and I said to her the next day, 'Give up your son, and we will eat him,' but she has hidden her son." |
| 30When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes. And as he passed by on the wall, the people saw the sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin. | 30When the king heard the woman's words, he tore his clothes. Then, as he was passing by on the wall, the people saw that there was sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin. |
| 31He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!” | 31He announced, "May God punish me and do so severely if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today." |
| 32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” | 32Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger got to him, Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door to keep him out. Isn't the sound of his master's feet behind him?" |
| 33While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. And the king said, “This calamity is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?” | 33While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. Then he said, "This disaster is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?" |
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