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列王纪下 4-8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
列王纪下 4-8
Chinese Contemporary Bible (Simplified)
以利沙帮助穷寡妇
4 有一个先知的妻子哀求以利沙说：“你仆人——我丈夫怎样敬畏耶和华，你是知道的。如今他去世了，债主来取我的两个孩子做奴隶。” 2 以利沙问她：“我该怎样帮你呢？告诉我，你家里有什么？”妇人答道：“婢女家什么也没有，只有一瓶油。” 3 以利沙说：“你去向所有的邻居借空器皿，要尽量多借一些。 4 然后回家关上门，你和你儿子在屋里把那瓶油倒在所有借来的器皿中，装满的放在一边。” 5 于是，妇人辞别以利沙，回去后把自己和儿子关在屋里，儿子递给她器皿，她就倒油。 6 器皿都装满了，她对儿子说：“再拿个器皿给我。”儿子说：“已经没有了。”这时，油止住了。 7 妇人将经过告诉上帝的仆人，上帝的仆人对她说：“你去把油卖了还债，你们母子可以用剩下的钱度日。”
以利沙和书念妇人
8 一天，以利沙路过书念，那里一位富有的妇人挽留他吃饭。此后以利沙每次路过那里，总到她家里吃饭。 9 那妇人对丈夫说：“我看常路过我们这里的这位是上帝圣洁的仆人。他常路过我们这里， 10 不如我们在房顶上给他盖一间小屋，里面放床、桌子、椅子和灯。这样，他来我们家时，可以在那里休息。”
11 一天，以利沙又到了那里，便在那间小屋里休息。 12 以利沙吩咐仆人基哈西去请书念的妇人。她来了，站在以利沙面前。 13 以利沙吩咐基哈西说：“你对她说，‘你为我们费了不少心，我们该为你做些什么呢？要不要我们在王或元帅面前为你说些好话呢？’”她答道：“我在本族中安居无事。” 14 以利沙问基哈西：“我们能为她做什么呢？”基哈西说：“她没有儿子，丈夫也已经老了。” 15 以利沙说：“你再去请她来。”她来了，站在门口。 16 以利沙对她说：“明年这时候，你必抱一个儿子。”她说：“上帝的仆人，我主啊，不要骗我。” 17 那妇人果然怀了孕，在第二年的那时候生了一个儿子，应验了以利沙对她说的话。
18 孩子渐渐长大。一天，他到收割的人那里找他父亲。 19 突然，他对他父亲喊道：“我的头啊！我的头啊！”他父亲见状，立刻吩咐仆人抱他到他母亲那里。 20 仆人把他抱起来，送到他母亲那里。孩子坐在母亲的膝上，到中午就死了。 21 他母亲上楼把他放在上帝仆人的床上，关上门出来。 22 她叫来丈夫，对他说：“请你预备一个仆人和一头驴，我好赶快去见上帝的仆人，然后返回来。” 23 她丈夫说：“今天不是朔日[a]，也不是安息日，你为什么要去见他？”妇人说：“平安无事。” 24 她骑上驴，对仆人说：“快走吧！我不吩咐你，就不要慢下来。”
25 她就去迦密山见上帝的仆人。上帝的仆人远远望见她，就对仆人基哈西说：“你看，书念的妇人来了！ 26 你跑去迎接她，问问她和她的丈夫与孩子都好吗。”
妇人对以利沙的仆人说：“一切都好。”
27 可是，她上山见到上帝的仆人后，就抱住他的脚。基哈西想要推开她，但上帝的仆人说：“由她吧！因为她心里非常痛苦。耶和华没有告诉我发生了什么事。” 28 妇人说：“我何尝向我主求过儿子呢？我不是对你说不要骗我吗？” 29 以利沙吩咐基哈西：“你要束上腰带，拿着我的杖去她家。路上不论遇见谁，都不要问候他。有人问候你，也不要作答。去把我的杖放在孩子脸上。” 30 孩子的母亲说：“我凭永活的耶和华和你的性命起誓，你若不同去，我决不离开你。”于是，以利沙跟她同去。 31 基哈西先赶到，把杖放在孩子脸上，可是孩子一点动静也没有。他就回去找以利沙，路上碰见他，便说：“孩子还没醒过来。”
32 以利沙进了屋子，看见孩子死了，躺在床上， 33 就关上门，向耶和华祈祷。 34 祷告后，他上床伏在孩子身上，口对口，眼对眼，手对手，孩子的身体渐渐变暖了。 35 然后，以利沙起来在房内来回走了一趟，又上床伏在孩子身上。孩子打了七个喷嚏，便睁开了眼睛。 36 以利沙叫基哈西请那妇人来。妇人来了，以利沙对她说：“把你儿子抱走吧。” 37 妇人进来，在以利沙脚前下拜，然后抱起儿子出去了。
用面粉解毒
38 以利沙回到吉甲，那里正闹饥荒。一群先知坐在他面前，他吩咐仆人把一口大锅放在火上给他们煮汤。 39 有个先知到田间摘野菜，看见一棵野瓜藤，便摘了一兜野瓜回来，切碎了放进锅里，却不知道那是什么瓜。 40 汤煮好后倒出来给众人喝，他们刚喝了一点，就叫道：“上帝的仆人啊，汤里有毒！”他们都不敢喝了。 41 以利沙说：“拿点面粉来。”他把面粉撒在锅里，说：“倒出来给众人喝吧。”于是，汤里没有毒了。
用二十个饼喂饱百人
42 从巴力·沙利沙来了一个人，他带了二十个用初熟大麦做的饼和一些麦穗送给上帝的仆人。上帝的仆人说：“分给众人吃吧。” 43 仆人说：“这些怎么够一百人吃呢？”以利沙说：“你只管分给众人吃。因为耶和华说，‘众人都能吃饱，并且还会剩下。’” 44 于是，仆人将食物摆在众人面前，他们都吃饱了，果然还有剩余，正如耶和华所言。
以利沙医治乃缦
5 乃缦是亚兰王的元帅，甚得亚兰王器重，因为耶和华借他使亚兰人打了许多胜仗。他是英勇的战士，只是患了麻风病。 2 亚兰人袭击以色列时，曾掳回一个以色列少女，这少女做了乃缦妻子的婢女。 3 有一天，她对主母说：“要是我主人去见撒玛利亚的那位先知就好了！他一定能治好我主人的麻风病。” 4 乃缦把这以色列少女的话告诉亚兰王。 5 亚兰王说：“你去吧。我会写信给以色列王的。”于是，乃缦带了三百四十公斤银子、七十公斤金子和十套衣服，启程前往以色列。 6 他带给以色列王的信上写着：“谨以此信介绍我的臣仆乃缦到你那里，你要医好他的麻风病。” 7 以色列王读完信后，就撕裂衣服说：“难道我是上帝吗？我能操纵人的生死吗？这人竟叫我医好一个人的麻风病！他只是想找借口攻打我。”
8 上帝的仆人以利沙听说以色列王撕裂了衣服，便派人去对王说：“你为什么撕裂衣服呢？让那人到我这里来，我要让他知道以色列有先知。” 9 乃缦带领车辆和马匹到了以利沙的家，站在门口。 10 以利沙派使者出去对乃缦说：“你到约旦河里洗七次，你的皮肤就会复原，并得到洁净。” 11 乃缦却怒冲冲地走了。他说：“我以为他一定会出来见我，为我站着求告他的上帝耶和华，用手在我的患处晃一晃，医好我的麻风病。 12 大马士革的亚波纳河和法尔法河不比以色列所有的河都好吗？难道我在那里洗就不能得到洁净吗？”于是，他怒冲冲地转身走了。 13 他的仆人上前对他说：“我父啊，先知若吩咐你做一件大事，难道你会不去做吗？何况他只是说你去洗洗就可以洁净！” 14 乃缦就去约旦河，照上帝仆人的话在河里洗了七次，便洁净了，皮肤变得像小孩子的一样。
15 乃缦率领全体随从回到上帝的仆人那里，站在他面前说：“如今我才知道，除了以色列，普天下没有上帝。请你收下仆人的礼物。” 16 以利沙说：“我凭我事奉的永活上帝起誓，我决不接受。”乃缦再三请求，他仍不肯接受。 17 乃缦说：“如果你不肯接受礼物，请你容许仆人用两头骡子驮些泥土回去。从此以后，我不再献燔祭或平安祭给其他神明，只献给耶和华。 18 但有一件事，愿耶和华饶恕仆人。我主人进入临门庙祭拜时，他会扶着我的手，这样我也得随着他弯腰。若我在临门庙里弯腰，愿耶和华饶恕我。” 19 以利沙对他说：“你安心地走吧。”
20 乃缦刚走不远，上帝仆人以利沙的仆人基哈西心想：“我主人没有收亚兰人乃缦带来的礼物就让他走了。我凭永活的耶和华起誓，我一定要追上去，向他要点东西。” 21 他便去追赶乃缦。乃缦见后面有人赶来，就下车迎接他，问他：“一切都好吗？” 22 基哈西答道：“一切都好。我主人派我来告诉你，刚才有两位年轻的先知从以法莲山区来见他，请你赐给他们三十四公斤银子和两套衣服。” 23 乃缦说：“请你拿走六十八公斤银子吧！”并再三请他接受，然后把六十八公斤银子装进两个袋子，连同两套衣服，交给他的两个仆人抬走，基哈西跟在他们后面。 24 到了山冈，基哈西接过银子和衣服，放进屋里，便让他们回去了。 25 基哈西进去侍立在以利沙面前，以利沙问他：“基哈西，你刚才去哪里了？”基哈西答道：“仆人哪里也没有去。” 26 以利沙对他说：“那人下车回头迎接你的时候，我的心不也在那里吗？现在岂是接受人家银子、衣服、橄榄园、葡萄园、牛羊和仆婢的时候？ 27 因此，你和你的后代会永远沾染乃缦的麻风病。”基哈西离开以利沙时，患了麻风病，皮肤像雪一样白。
以利沙找回斧头
6 一群先知对以利沙说：“你看，我们住的地方实在太小了。 2 请让我们去约旦河吧，我们每人都可以从那里砍一根木头盖房子居住。”以利沙说：“你们去吧。” 3 其中一人请以利沙一起去，以利沙答应了， 4 便和他们一起去约旦河砍伐树木。 5 有个人砍树的时候，斧头掉进了水里。他大喊：“唉！师傅，这把斧头是借来的。” 6 上帝的仆人问：“斧头掉在哪里了？”他就指给以利沙看。以利沙砍了一根树枝抛进水里，斧头便浮了上来。 7 以利沙说：“你去拿上来吧！”他便伸手拿起了斧头。
以利沙使亚兰军败退
8 亚兰王与以色列人交战，他和臣仆商议要在某处安营。 9 上帝的仆人派人去禀告以色列王说：“你要小心，不要经过那个地方，因为亚兰人埋伏在那里。” 10 以色列王派人到上帝的仆人所说的地方，警告那里的人要小心防备。这样的事情发生了好几次。
11 亚兰王因此十分恼怒，召来臣仆质问他们：“你们当中谁向以色列王泄露了我们的计划？” 12 一位臣仆说：“我主我王啊，没有人泄露。是以色列的先知以利沙将王在寝宫所谈的事告诉了以色列王。” 13 王说：“去找出他在哪里，我派人去捉拿他。”王得知以利沙在多坍后， 14 便派出大队人马和战车前往那里，他们在夜间抵达多坍，把城围住。 15 上帝仆人的侍者清早起来，走到外面，看见城被军队、车马包围，就对上帝的仆人说：“唉！我主啊，怎么办呢？” 16 上帝的仆人说：“不要害怕！我们的人比他们的还要多。” 17 他随后祷告：“耶和华啊，求你开他的眼睛，让他看见。”于是，耶和华开那个仆人的眼睛，他就看见山上到处都是火车火马围绕着以利沙。 18 亚兰人向以利沙冲来，以利沙祈求耶和华说：“求你使他们瞎眼。”耶和华听了以利沙的祷告，使他们瞎了眼。 19 以利沙对他们说：“不是这条路，也不是这座城。跟我来，我带你们到你们要找的人那里。”以利沙把他们领到撒玛利亚。
20 他们进城后，以利沙祷告：“耶和华啊，求你开他们的眼睛，让他们看见。”耶和华开了他们的眼睛，他们就看见了，发现自己在撒玛利亚城中。 21 以色列王看见他们，问以利沙说：“我父啊，我可以杀他们吗？” 22 以利沙答道：“不可杀他们。岂可杀从战场上抓来的俘虏呢？给他们吃的喝的，让他们回自己主人那里吧。” 23 于是，以色列王为他们大摆宴席，等他们吃喝完毕，便放他们回自己主人那里。之后，亚兰人不再侵犯以色列。
撒玛利亚城被围困
24 后来，亚兰王便·哈达召集全军围困撒玛利亚。 25 撒玛利亚被困后，城里陷入严重饥荒，以致一个驴头可卖九百克银子，二百克鸽子粪可卖十一克银子。 26 一天，以色列王从城墙上走过，一个妇人向他哭喊道：“我主我王啊，求你帮帮我！” 27 王说：“如果耶和华不帮助你，我怎能帮助你呢？我既无粮也无酒。 28 你有什么难处呢？” 29 妇人说：“这个女人对我说，‘我们今天吃你儿子，明天再吃我儿子。’于是我们把我儿子煮了吃。第二天我叫她把她儿子交出来，她却把儿子藏了起来。” 30 王听了妇人的话，就撕裂衣服。王走在城墙上，人们都看见他贴身穿着麻衣。 31 王说：“如果今天沙法的儿子以利沙的头颅还留在他颈项上，愿上帝重重地惩罚我！”
32 王派使者去以利沙那里。那时，以利沙正与长老们坐在他家中。使者到达之前，以利沙对长老说：“你们看，这凶手派人来斩我的头。使者到达时，你们要把他关在门外。他后面不就是他主人的脚步声吗？” 33 话音未落，使者已经到了，说：“既然这祸是从耶和华来的，我何必再仰望祂呢？”
7 以利沙说：“你们要听耶和华的话，耶和华说，‘明天这个时候，在撒玛利亚城门口，三公斤细面粉只卖十一克银子，六公斤大麦也卖十一克银子。’” 2 一个搀扶王的将领对上帝的仆人说：“即使耶和华打开天上的窗户，也不可能发生这样的事！”以利沙说：“你必亲眼看见，却吃不到。”
撒玛利亚城获救
3 城门口有四个麻风病人，他们商量说：“我们为什么坐在这里等死呢？ 4 如果我们进城，城里正闹饥荒，我们会饿死；但我们坐在这里也是死，不如去投靠亚兰军。如果他们不杀我们，我们就能活命；如若不然，死就死吧！” 5 傍晚时分，他们动身去亚兰人的营地，到了营地外边，却发现人影全无。 6 原来，主使亚兰人听见大队人马和战车的声音。他们以为以色列王雇用了赫人的诸王和埃及人的诸王来攻营， 7 便在傍晚时分撇下帐篷、马和驴，弃营而逃。 8 那几个麻风病人到了营地，走进一个帐篷，又吃又喝，把那里的金银和衣服拿走收藏起来，再回来进入另一个帐篷，把财物拿走收藏起来。
9 后来，他们彼此说：“我们这样做不对。今天是个报好消息的日子，我们却不作声。若等到天亮，我们会受惩罚的。走，我们给王报信去。” 10 他们就去喊城门守卫，对他们说：“我们到了亚兰人的营中，里面不见人影也没有人声，只有拴着的马和驴，帐篷依然在那里。” 11 城门守卫就高声宣告消息，有人去禀告王。 12 王连夜起来，对臣仆说：“我告诉你们是怎么回事。亚兰人知道我们正闹饥荒，就故意离开军营，埋伏在田野，等我们以色列人出城后，好活捉我们，并攻入城中。”
13 一个臣仆说：“不如派人骑着城中仅存的五匹马出去打探一下。反正他们和城中剩下的以色列人一样快要死了。” 14 他们预备了两辆马车，王便命人出去追踪亚兰军、查明实情。 15 探子一路追到约旦河，沿路看见到处都是亚兰军仓皇逃走时丢弃的衣服和装备，便回去禀告王。 16 于是，民众出城抢掠亚兰人的营地。那时，三公斤细面粉只卖十一克银子，六公斤大麦也只卖十一克银子，正如耶和华所言。 17 王派那位搀扶他的将领守在城门口维持秩序，那将领却被涌出的人群踩死，应验了上帝的仆人在王去见他时所说的话。 18 上帝的仆人曾对王说：“明天这个时候，在撒玛利亚城门口，三公斤细面粉只卖十一克银子，六公斤大麦也只卖十一克银子。”
19 但那将领对上帝的仆人说：“即使耶和华打开天上的窗户，也不可能发生这样的事！”上帝的仆人说：“你必亲眼看见，却吃不到。” 20 这话果然应验在他身上，他被人群踩死在城门口。
书念妇人得回产业
8 以利沙曾经救活了一位书念妇人的儿子。他对那妇人说：“你和家人要离开这里去别处寄居，因为耶和华已决定使这里遭受七年饥荒。” 2 那妇人遵照上帝仆人的话，举家迁往非利士，在那里寄居了七年。 3 七年后，她从非利士返回，去向王请求收回自己的房屋和田地。 4 那时，王正与上帝仆人的侍者基哈西谈话，让基哈西把以利沙所做的一切大事讲给他听。 5 基哈西正在向王讲述以利沙如何使死人复活的时候，那位书念妇人刚好进宫求见王，基哈西便说：“我主我王，这就是那妇人，这是她那个被以利沙救活的儿子。” 6 王问那妇人，她便原原本本地将那件事禀告王。王委派一位臣仆处理她的事情，并吩咐说：“凡属于这妇人的东西，包括从她离开本地直到今天她田地的所有出产，要全部还给她。”
以利沙对哈薛的预言
7 一天，以利沙到了大马士革。当时亚兰王便·哈达正在生病，他得知上帝的仆人来了， 8 便对哈薛说：“你带着礼物去见上帝的仆人，请他求问耶和华，看看我这病能否痊愈。” 9 哈薛用四十头骆驼驮着大马士革的各种美物前去拜见以利沙。到了那里，他站在以利沙面前说：“你儿子亚兰王便·哈达派我来问你，他的病能否痊愈？”
10 以利沙对哈薛说：“你去告诉他，他一定会痊愈。不过，耶和华告诉我他会死。” 11 他目不转睛地盯着哈薛，盯得他很不安。然后，上帝的仆人哭了。 12 哈薛问：“我主为什么哭呢？”以利沙说：“因为我知道你会加害以色列人。你会放火烧他们的堡垒，用刀杀戮他们的壮丁，摔死他们的孩童，剖开他们的孕妇。” 13 哈薛说：“你仆人算什么，不过是一条狗，怎能做这样的大事呢？”以利沙说：“耶和华告诉我，你要做亚兰王。” 14 哈薛辞别以利沙回去了。王问他：“以利沙对你说什么？”他答道：“以利沙告诉我，你一定会痊愈。” 15 第二天，哈薛拿了一床浸透水的被子，蒙在王的脸上，王窒息而死。于是哈薛篡位。
约兰做犹大王
16 以色列王亚哈的儿子约兰执政第五年，犹大王约沙法让位给儿子约兰。 17 约兰三十二岁登基，在耶路撒冷执政八年。 18 他与亚哈家一样步以色列诸王的后尘，因为他娶了亚哈的女儿为妻，做耶和华视为恶的事。 19 但耶和华因祂仆人大卫的缘故而不愿毁灭犹大，因为祂曾应许让大卫的子孙永远做王。 20 约兰执政期间，以东人反叛犹大，自己立王。 21 约兰率领所有战车前往撒益，他和战车长们被以东人包围。他们乘夜出击，突出重围，各自逃回家去。 22 以东人至今仍脱离犹大的统治。立拿人也在那个时候叛变了。
23 约兰其他的事及其一切所作所为都记在犹大列王史上。 24 约兰与祖先同眠后，葬在大卫城他的祖坟里。他儿子亚哈谢继位。
亚哈谢做犹大王
25 以色列王亚哈的儿子约兰执政第十二年，犹大王约兰的儿子亚哈谢登基。 26 他二十二岁登基，在耶路撒冷执政一年。他母亲叫亚她利雅，是以色列王暗利的孙女。 27 亚哈谢是亚哈家的女婿，他步亚哈家的后尘，做耶和华视为恶的事。
28 他联合亚哈的儿子约兰到基列的拉末与亚兰王哈薛交战。约兰受了伤， 29 便回到耶斯列疗伤。犹大王亚哈谢前去探望。
Footnotes
- 4:23 “朔日”即每月初一。
2 Kings 4-8
New International Version
2 Kings 4-8
New International Version
The Widow’s Olive Oil
4 The wife of a man from the company(A) of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor(B) is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.”
2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?”
“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.”(C)
3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.”
5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.”
But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing.
7 She went and told the man of God,(D) and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
The Shunammite’s Son Restored to Life
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem.(E) And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he came by, he stopped there to eat. 9 She said to her husband, “I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay(F) there whenever he comes to us.”
11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. 12 He said to his servant Gehazi, “Call the Shunammite.”(G) So he called her, and she stood before him. 13 Elisha said to him, “Tell her, ‘You have gone to all this trouble for us. Now what can be done for you? Can we speak on your behalf to the king or the commander of the army?’”
She replied, “I have a home among my own people.”
14 “What can be done for her?” Elisha asked.
Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.”
15 Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. 16 “About this time(H) next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.”
“No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”
17 But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.(I) 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”
His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed(J) of the man of God, then shut the door and went out.
22 She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.”
23 “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon(K) or the Sabbath.”
“That’s all right,” she said.
24 She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” 25 So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.(L)
When he saw her in the distance, the man of God said to his servant Gehazi, “Look! There’s the Shunammite! 26 Run to meet her and ask her, ‘Are you all right? Is your husband all right? Is your child all right?’”
“Everything is all right,” she said.
27 When she reached the man of God at the mountain, she took hold of his feet. Gehazi came over to push her away, but the man of God said, “Leave her alone! She is in bitter distress,(M) but the Lord has hidden it from me and has not told me why.”
28 “Did I ask you for a son, my lord?” she said. “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t raise my hopes’?”
29 Elisha said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt,(N) take my staff(O) in your hand and run. Don’t greet anyone you meet, and if anyone greets you, do not answer. Lay my staff on the boy’s face.”
30 But the child’s mother said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So he got up and followed her.
31 Gehazi went on ahead and laid the staff on the boy’s face, but there was no sound or response. So Gehazi went back to meet Elisha and told him, “The boy has not awakened.”
32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.(P) 33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed(Q) to the Lord. 34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched(R) himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm. 35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got on the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times(S) and opened his eyes.(T)
36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite.” And he did. When she came, he said, “Take your son.”(U) 37 She came in, fell at his feet and bowed to the ground. Then she took her son and went out.
Death in the Pot
38 Elisha returned to Gilgal(V) and there was a famine(W) in that region. While the company of the prophets was meeting with him, he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot and cook some stew for these prophets.”
39 One of them went out into the fields to gather herbs and found a wild vine and picked as many of its gourds as his garment could hold. When he returned, he cut them up into the pot of stew, though no one knew what they were. 40 The stew was poured out for the men, but as they began to eat it, they cried out, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
41 Elisha said, “Get some flour.” He put it into the pot and said, “Serve it to the people to eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.(X)
Feeding of a Hundred
42 A man came from Baal Shalishah,(Y) bringing the man of God twenty loaves(Z) of barley bread(AA) baked from the first ripe grain, along with some heads of new grain. “Give it to the people to eat,” Elisha said.
43 “How can I set this before a hundred men?” his servant asked.
But Elisha answered, “Give it to the people to eat.(AB) For this is what the Lord says: ‘They will eat and have some left over.(AC)’” 44 Then he set it before them, and they ate and had some left over, according to the word of the Lord.
Naaman Healed of Leprosy
5 Now Naaman was commander of the army of the king of Aram.(AD) He was a great man in the sight of his master and highly regarded, because through him the Lord had given victory to Aram. He was a valiant soldier, but he had leprosy.[a](AE)
2 Now bands of raiders(AF) from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my master would see the prophet(AG) who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.”
4 Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said. 5 “By all means, go,” the king of Aram replied. “I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents[b] of silver, six thousand shekels[c] of gold and ten sets of clothing.(AH) 6 The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: “With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy.”
7 As soon as the king of Israel read the letter,(AI) he tore his robes and said, “Am I God?(AJ) Can I kill and bring back to life?(AK) Why does this fellow send someone to me to be cured of his leprosy? See how he is trying to pick a quarrel(AL) with me!”
8 When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: “Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet(AM) in Israel.” 9 So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, “Go, wash(AN) yourself seven times(AO) in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed.”
11 But Naaman went away angry and said, “I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand(AP) over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters(AQ) of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?” So he turned and went off in a rage.(AR)
13 Naaman’s servants went to him and said, “My father,(AS) if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!” 14 So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times,(AT) as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored(AU) and became clean like that of a young boy.(AV)
15 Then Naaman and all his attendants went back to the man of God(AW). He stood before him and said, “Now I know(AX) that there is no God in all the world except in Israel. So please accept a gift(AY) from your servant.”
16 The prophet answered, “As surely as the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will not accept a thing.” And even though Naaman urged him, he refused.(AZ)
17 “If you will not,” said Naaman, “please let me, your servant, be given as much earth(BA) as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord. 18 But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning(BB) on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this.”
19 “Go in peace,”(BC) Elisha said.
After Naaman had traveled some distance, 20 Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, “My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord(BD) lives, I will run after him and get something from him.”
21 So Gehazi hurried after Naaman. When Naaman saw him running toward him, he got down from the chariot to meet him. “Is everything all right?” he asked.
22 “Everything is all right,” Gehazi answered. “My master sent me to say, ‘Two young men from the company of the prophets have just come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent[d] of silver and two sets of clothing.’”(BE)
23 “By all means, take two talents,” said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi. 24 When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.
25 When he went in and stood before his master, Elisha asked him, “Where have you been, Gehazi?”
“Your servant didn’t go anywhere,” Gehazi answered.
26 But Elisha said to him, “Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time(BF) to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?(BG) 27 Naaman’s leprosy(BH) will cling to you and to your descendants forever.” Then Gehazi(BI) went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.(BJ)
An Axhead Floats
6 The company(BK) of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”
And he said, “Go.”
3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”
“I will,” Elisha replied. 4 And he went with them.
They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”
6 The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw(BL) it there, and made the iron float. 7 “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans
8 Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”
9 The man of God sent word to the king(BM) of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10 So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned(BN) the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.
11 This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
12 “None of us, my lord the king(BO),” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
13 “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.”(BP) 14 Then he sent(BQ) horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16 “Don’t be afraid,”(BR) the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more(BS) than those who are with them.”
17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots(BT) of fire all around Elisha.
18 As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.”(BU) So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
19 Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father?(BV) Shall I kill them?”
22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured(BW) with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands(BX) from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
Famine in Besieged Samaria
24 Some time later, Ben-Hadad(BY) king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege(BZ) to Samaria. 25 There was a great famine(CA) in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels[e] of silver, and a quarter of a cab[f] of seed pods[g](CB) for five shekels.[h]
26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”
27 The king replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” 28 Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?”
She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29 So we cooked my son and ate(CC) him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”
30 When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore(CD) his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth(CE) on his body. 31 He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”
32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders(CF) were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer(CG) is sending someone to cut off my head?(CH) Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” 33 While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.
The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait(CI) for the Lord any longer?”
7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah[i] of the finest flour will sell for a shekel[j] and two seahs[k] of barley for a shekel(CJ) at the gate of Samaria.”
2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning(CK) said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates(CL) of the heavens, could this happen?”
“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat(CM) any of it!”
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy[l](CN) at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound(CO) of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired(CP) the Hittite(CQ) and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled(CR) in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy(CS) reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”
10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.
12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide(CT) in the countryside, thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.’”
13 One of his officers answered, “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.”
14 So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” 15 They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight.(CU) So the messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered(CV) the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel,(CW) as the Lord had said.
17 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died,(CX) just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. 18 It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates(CY) of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
The Shunammite’s Land Restored
8 Now Elisha had said to the woman(CZ) whose son he had restored to life, “Go away with your family and stay for a while wherever you can, because the Lord has decreed a famine(DA) in the land that will last seven years.”(DB) 2 The woman proceeded to do as the man of God said. She and her family went away and stayed in the land of the Philistines seven years.
3 At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. 4 The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” 5 Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored(DC) the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land.
Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” 6 The king asked the woman about it, and she told him.
Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Hazael Murders Ben-Hadad
7 Elisha went to Damascus,(DD) and Ben-Hadad(DE) king of Aram was ill. When the king was told, “The man of God has come all the way up here,” 8 he said to Hazael,(DF) “Take a gift(DG) with you and go to meet the man of God. Consult(DH) the Lord through him; ask him, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
9 Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him as a gift forty camel-loads of all the finest wares of Damascus. He went in and stood before him, and said, “Your son Ben-Hadad king of Aram has sent me to ask, ‘Will I recover from this illness?’”
10 Elisha answered, “Go and say to him, ‘You will certainly recover.’(DI) Nevertheless,[m] the Lord has revealed to me that he will in fact die.” 11 He stared at him with a fixed gaze until Hazael was embarrassed.(DJ) Then the man of God began to weep.(DK)
12 “Why is my lord weeping?” asked Hazael.
“Because I know the harm(DL) you will do to the Israelites,” he answered. “You will set fire to their fortified places, kill their young men with the sword, dash(DM) their little children(DN) to the ground, and rip open(DO) their pregnant women.”
13 Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog,(DP) accomplish such a feat?”
“The Lord has shown me that you will become king(DQ) of Aram,” answered Elisha.
14 Then Hazael left Elisha and returned to his master. When Ben-Hadad asked, “What did Elisha say to you?” Hazael replied, “He told me that you would certainly recover.” 15 But the next day he took a thick cloth, soaked it in water and spread it over the king’s face, so that he died.(DR) Then Hazael succeeded him as king.
Jehoram King of Judah(DS)
16 In the fifth year of Joram(DT) son of Ahab king of Israel, when Jehoshaphat was king of Judah, Jehoram(DU) son of Jehoshaphat began his reign as king of Judah. 17 He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years. 18 He followed the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for he married a daughter(DV) of Ahab. He did evil in the eyes of the Lord. 19 Nevertheless, for the sake of his servant David, the Lord was not willing to destroy(DW) Judah. He had promised to maintain a lamp(DX) for David and his descendants forever.
20 In the time of Jehoram, Edom rebelled against Judah and set up its own king.(DY) 21 So Jehoram[n] went to Zair with all his chariots. The Edomites surrounded him and his chariot commanders, but he rose up and broke through by night; his army, however, fled back home. 22 To this day Edom has been in rebellion(DZ) against Judah. Libnah(EA) revolted at the same time.
23 As for the other events of Jehoram’s reign, and all he did, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? 24 Jehoram rested with his ancestors and was buried with them in the City of David. And Ahaziah his son succeeded him as king.
Ahaziah King of Judah(EB)
25 In the twelfth(EC) year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign. 26 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother’s name was Athaliah,(ED) a granddaughter of Omri(EE) king of Israel. 27 He followed the ways of the house of Ahab(EF) and did evil(EG) in the eyes of the Lord, as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family.
28 Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead.(EH) The Arameans wounded Joram; 29 so King Joram returned to Jezreel(EI) to recover from the wounds the Arameans had inflicted on him at Ramoth[o] in his battle with Hazael(EJ) king of Aram.
Then Ahaziah(EK) son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab, because he had been wounded.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 5:1 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verses 3, 6, 7, 11 and 27.
- 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 750 pounds or about 340 kilograms
- 2 Kings 5:5 That is, about 150 pounds or about 69 kilograms
- 2 Kings 5:22 That is, about 75 pounds or about 34 kilograms
- 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 pounds or about 920 grams
- 2 Kings 6:25 That is, probably about 1/4 pound or about 100 grams
- 2 Kings 6:25 Or of doves’ dung
- 2 Kings 6:25 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, probably about 12 pounds or about 5.5 kilograms of flour; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, about 2/5 ounce or about 12 grams; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, probably about 20 pounds or about 9 kilograms of barley; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:3 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verse 8.
- 2 Kings 8:10 The Hebrew may also be read Go and say, ‘You will certainly not recover,’ for.
- 2 Kings 8:21 Hebrew Joram, a variant of Jehoram; also in verses 23 and 24
- 2 Kings 8:29 Hebrew Ramah, a variant of Ramoth
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