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            The Second Book of the KINGS

CHAPTER 1

1:1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab.

1:2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that

was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said

unto them, Go, enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron whether I

shall recover of this disease.

1:3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up

to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them,

Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire

of Baalzebub the God of Ekron?

1:4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, Thou shalt not come down

from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And

Elijah departed.

1:5 And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto

them, Why are ye now turned back?

1:6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said

unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto

him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in

Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baalzebub the God of

Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which

thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.

1:7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came

up to meet you, and told you these words?

1:8 And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a

girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the

Tishbite.

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1:9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And

he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he

spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.

1:10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man

of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee

and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and

consumed him and his fifty.

1:11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty.

And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the

king said, Come down quickly.

1:12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let

fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And

the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his

fifty.

1:13 And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And

the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees

before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God,

I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, be

precious in thy sight.

1:14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two

captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life

now be precious in thy sight.

1:15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him:

be not afraid of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto

the king.

1:16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Forasmuch as thou

hast sent messengers to enquire of Baalzebub the God of Ekron, is

it not because there is no God in Israel to enquire of his word?

therefore thou shalt not come down off that bed on which thou art

gone up, but shalt surely die.

1:17 So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had

spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of

Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no

son.

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1:18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not

written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

CHAPTER 2

2:1 And it came to pass, when the LORD would take up Elijah into

heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

2:2 And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD

hath sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD

liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went

down to Bethel.

2:3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to

Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take

away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know

it; hold ye your peace.

2:4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the

LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth,

and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to

Jericho.

2:5 And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha,

and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away

thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know

it; hold ye your peace.

2:6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD

hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as

thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on.

2:7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood to view

afar off: and they two stood by Jordan.

2:8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the

waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two

went over on dry ground.

2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said

unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away

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from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy

spirit be upon me.

2:10 And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see

me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it

shall not be so.

2:11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold,

there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them

both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot

of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and

he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.

2:13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went

back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;

2:14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the

waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he

also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and

Elisha went over.

2:15 And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho

saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And

they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before

him.

2:16 And they said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants

fifty strong men; let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy master:

lest peradventure the Spirit of the LORD hath taken him up, and

cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. And he said,

Ye shall not send.

2:17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They

sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found

him not.

2:18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he

said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not?

2:19 And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the

situation of this city is pleasant, as my Lord seeth: but the water is

naught, and the ground barren.

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2:20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they

brought it to him.

2:21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt

in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these

waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren

land.

2:22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of

Elisha which he spake.

2:23 And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up

by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and

mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou

bald head.

2:24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the

name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the

wood, and tare forty and two children of them.

2:25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he

returned to Samaria.

CHAPTER 3

3:1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria

the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned

twelve years.

3:2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his

father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that

his father had made.

3:3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of

Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.

3:4 And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto

the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred

thousand rams, with the wool.

3:5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab

rebelled against the king of Israel.

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3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and

numbered all Israel.

3:7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying,

The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me

against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art,

my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses.

3:8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The

way through the wilderness of Edom.

3:9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of

Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days’ journey: and

there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed

them.

3:10 And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these

three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!

3:11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD,

that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of

Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of

Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah.

3:12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the

king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to

him.

3:13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with

thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of

thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the

LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into

the hand of Moab.

3:14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I

stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat

the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

3:15 But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the

minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

3:16 And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of

ditches.

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3:17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye

see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may

drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

3:18 And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will

deliver the Moabites also into your hand.

3:19 And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and

shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar

every good piece of land with stones.

3:20 And it came to pass in the morning, when the meat offering was

offered, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and

the country was filled with water.

3:21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to

fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armor,

and upward, and stood in the border.

3:22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the

water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as

blood:

3:23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they

have smitten one another: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil.

3:24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up

and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they

went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country.

3:25 And they beat down the cities, and on every good piece of land

cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the

wells of water, and felled all the good trees: only in Kirharaseth left

they the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and

smote it.

3:26 And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for

him, he took with him seven hundred men that drew swords, to

break through even unto the king of Edom: but they could not.

3:27 Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead,

and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was

great indignation against Israel: and they departed from him, and

returned to their own land.

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CHAPTER 4

4:1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the

prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead;

and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the

creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.

4:2 And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what

hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any

thing in the house, save a pot of oil.

4:3 Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors,

even empty vessels; borrow not a few.

4:4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and

upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou

shalt set aside that which is full.

4:5 So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her

sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out.

4:6 And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto

her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a

vessel more. And the oil stayed.

4:7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the

oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.

4:8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a

great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was,

that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.

4:9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is

an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually.

4:10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set

for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and

it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither.

4:11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the

chamber, and lay there.

4:12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And

when he had called her, she stood before him.

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4:13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been

careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee?

wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the

host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.

4:14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi

answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old.

4:15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the

door.

4:16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou

shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my Lord, thou man of

God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.

4:17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that

Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.

4:18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to

his father to the reapers.

4:19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a

lad, Carry him to his mother.

4:20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat

on her knees till noon, and then died.

4:21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and

shut the door upon him, and went out.

4:22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee,

one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the

man of God, and come again.

4:23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither

new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well.

4:24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go

forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee.

4:25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And

it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said

to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite:

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4:26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with

thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she

answered, It is well:

4:27 And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him

by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man

of God said, Let her alone; for her soul is vexed within her: and the

LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me.

4:28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my Lord? did I not say, Do not

deceive me?

4:29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in

thine hand, and go thy way: if thou meet any man, salute him not;

and if any salute thee, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon

the face of the child.

4:30 And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy

soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And he arose, and followed her.

4:31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face

of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he

went again to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not

awaked.

4:32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was

dead, and laid upon his bed.

4:33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and

prayed unto the LORD.

4:34 And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon

his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his

hands: and stretched himself upon the child; and the flesh of the

child waxed warm.

4:35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up,

and stretched himself upon him: and the child sneezed seven times,

and the child opened his eyes.

4:36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called

her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy

son.

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4:37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the

ground, and took up her son, and went out.

4:38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land;

and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said

unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the

sons of the prophets.

4:39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild

vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and

shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not.

4:40 So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as

they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O

thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat

thereof.

4:41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he

said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no

harm in the pot.

4:42 And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of

God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears

of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that

they may eat.

4:43 And his servitor said, What, should I set this before an hundred

men? He said again, Give the people, that they may eat: for thus

saith the LORD, They shall eat, and shall leave thereof.

4:44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left thereof,

according to the word of the LORD.

CHAPTER 5

5:1 Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great

man with his master, and honorable, because by him the LORD

had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in

valour, but he was a leper.

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5:2 And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought

away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited

on Naaman’s wife.

5:3 And she said unto her mistress, Would God my Lord were with

the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his

leprosy.

5:4 And one went in, and told his Lord, saying, Thus and thus said the

maid that is of the land of Israel.

5:5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto

the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents

of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of

raiment.

5:6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when

this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman

my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.

5:7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter,

that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make

alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his

leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a

quarrel against me.

5:8 And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king

of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying,

Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and

he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.

5:9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at

the door of the house of Elisha.

5:10 And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in

Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and

thou shalt be clean.

5:11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I

thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the

name of the LORD his God, and strike his hand over the place, and

recover the leper.

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5:12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the

waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he

turned and went away in a rage.

5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My

father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest

thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to

thee, Wash, and be clean?

5:14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan,

according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again

like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

5:15 And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and

came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that

there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray

thee, take a blessing of thy servant.

5:16 But he said, As the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will

receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.

5:17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy

servant two mules’ burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth

offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto

the LORD.

5:18 In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master

goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth

on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I

bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy

servant in this thing.

5:19 And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little

way.

5:20 But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold,

my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his

hands that which he brought: but, as the LORD liveth, I will run

after him, and take somewhat of him.

5:21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him

running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him,

and said, Is all well?

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5:22 And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold,

even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young

men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of

silver, and two changes of garments.

5:23 And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him,

and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of

garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare

them before him.

5:24 And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and

bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they

departed.

5:25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto

him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went

no whither.

5:26 And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the

man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to

receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and

vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and

maidservants?

5:27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto

thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as

white as snow.

CHAPTER 6

6:1 And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the

place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.

6:2 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.

6:3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants.

And he answered, I will go.

6:4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut

down wood.

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6:5 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.

6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the

place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron

did swim.

6:7 Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and

took it.

6:8 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.

6:9 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.

6:10 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.

6:11 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

shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?

6:12 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.

6:13 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.

6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and

they came by night, and compassed the city about.

6:15 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?

6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than

they that be with them.

6:17 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

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man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and

chariots of fire round about Elisha.

6:18 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.

6:19 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.

6:20 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.

6:21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My

father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

6:22 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.

6:23 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.

6:24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria

gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

6:25 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.

6:26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried

a woman unto him, saying, Help, my Lord, O king.

6:27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help

thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

6:28 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.

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6:29 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.

6:30 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.

6:31 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.

6:32 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?

6:33 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?

CHAPTER 7

7:1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the

LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be

sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the

gate of Samaria.

7:2 Then a Lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of

God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in

heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it

with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

7:3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and

they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

7:4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city,

and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now

therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they

save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

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7:5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the

Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the

camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

7:6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of

chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and

they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us

the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come

upon us.

7:7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents,

and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled

for their life.

7:8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp,

they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence

silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again,

and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and

hid it.

7:9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of

good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning

light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that

we may go and tell the king’s household.

7:10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told

them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold,

there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and

asses tied, and the tents as they were.

7:11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king’s house

within.

7:12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will

now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that

we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide

themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we

shall catch them alive, and get into the city.

7:13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray

thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city,

(behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it:

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behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites

that are consumed:) and let us send and see.

7:14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the

host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

7:15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full

of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their

haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

7:16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a

measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of

barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

7:17 And the king appointed the Lord on whose hand he leaned to have

the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate,

and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king

came down to him.

7:18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king,

saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine

flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of

Samaria:

7:19 And that Lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if

the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?

And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not

eat thereof.

7:20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the

gate, and he died.

CHAPTER 8

8:1 Then spake Elisha unto the woman, whose son he had restored to

life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn

wheresoever thou canst sojourn: for the LORD hath called for a

famine; and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

8:2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God:

and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the

Philistines seven years.

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8:3 And it came to pass at the seven years’ end, that the woman

returned out of the land of the Philistines: and she went forth to

cry unto the king for her house and for her land.

8:4 And the king talked with Gehazi the servant of the man of God,

saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath

done.

8:5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored

a dead body to life, that, behold, the woman, whose son he had

restored to life, cried to the king for her house and for her land.

And Gehazi said, My Lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is

her son, whom Elisha restored to life.

8:6 And when the king asked the woman, she told him. So the king

appointed unto her a certain officer, saying, Restore all that was

hers, and all the fruits of the field since the day that she left the

land, even until now.

8:7 And Elisha came to Damascus; and Benhadad the king of Syria was

sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither.

8:8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and

go, meet the man of God, and enquire of the LORD by him, saying,

Shall I recover of this disease?

8:9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of

every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and

stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath

sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

8:10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest

certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath shewed me that he shall

surely die.

8:11 And he settled his countenance stedfastly, until he was ashamed:

and the man of God wept.

8:12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my Lord? And he answered,

Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of

Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men

wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip

up their women with child.

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8:13 And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do

this great thing? And Elisha answered, The LORD hath shewed me

that thou shalt be king over Syria.

8:14 So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to

him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that

thou shouldest surely recover.

8:15 And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and

dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and

Hazael reigned in his stead.

8:16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel,

Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Je

hoshaphat king of Judah began to reign.

8:17 Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign; and he

reigned eight years in Jerusalem.

8:18 And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of

Ahab: for the daughter of Ahab was his wife: and he did evil in the

sight of the LORD.

8:19 Yet the LORD would not destroy Judah for David his servant’s

sake, as he promised him to give him alway a light, and to his

children.

8:20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made

a king over themselves.

8:21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he

rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him

about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into

their tents.

8:22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.

Then Libnah revolted at the same time.

8:23 And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not

written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?

8:24 And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers

in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

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8:25 In the twelfth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel did

Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah begin to reign.

8:26 Two and twenty years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign;

and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was

Athaliah, the daughter of Omri king of Israel.

8:27 And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the

sight of the LORD, as did the house of Ahab: for he was the son in

law of the house of Ahab.

8:28 And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael

king of Syria in Ramothgilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram.

8:29 And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds

which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against

Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of

Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because

he was sick.

CHAPTER 9

9:1 And Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets,

and said unto him, Gird up thy loins, and take this box of oil in

thine hand, and go to Ramothgilead:

9:2 And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of

Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up

from among his brethren, and carry him to an inner chamber;

9:3 Then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus

saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open

the door, and flee, and tarry not.

9:4 So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to

Ramothgilead.

9:5 And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting;

and he said, I have an errand to thee, O captain. And Jehu said,

Unto which of all us? And he said, To thee, O captain.

9:6 And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his

head, and said unto him, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I

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have anointed thee king over the people of the LORD, even over

Israel.

9:7 And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may

avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all

the servants of the LORD, at the hand of Jezebel.

9:8 For the whole house of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from

Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and

left in Israel:

9:9 And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the

son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah:

9:10 And the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel, and there