7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Lord says: ‘About this time tomorrow at Samaria’s gate, six quarts^[a] of fine flour will sell for a half ounce of silver^[b] and twelve quarts^[c] of barley will sell for a half ounce of silver.’”^(A)

² Then the captain, the king’s right-hand man,^[d](B) responded to the man of God,^(C) “Look, even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” ^(D)

Elisha announced, “You will in fact see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.”^(E)

³ Now four men with a skin disease^(F) were at the entrance to the city gate. They said to each other, “Why just sit here until we die? ⁴ If we say, ‘Let’s go into the city,’ we will die there because the famine is in the city, but if we sit here, we will also die. So now, come on. Let’s surrender to the Arameans’ camp.^(G) If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”

⁵ So the diseased men got up at twilight to go to the Arameans’ camp. When they came to the camp’s edge, they discovered that no one was there, ⁶ for the Lord^[e] had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a large army.^(H) The Arameans had said to each other, “The king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites^(I) and the kings of Egypt^(J) to attack us.” ⁷ So they had gotten up and fled^(K) at twilight, abandoning their tents, horses, and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had fled for their lives.

⁸ When these diseased men came to the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they picked up the silver, gold, and clothing and went off and hid them. They came back and entered another tent, picked things up, and hid them.^{(L) 9} Then they said to each other, “We’re not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news.^(M) If we are silent and wait until morning light, our punishment will catch up with us. So let’s go tell the king’s household.”

¹⁰ The diseased men came and called to the city’s gatekeepers and told them, “We went to the Aramean camp and no one was there—no human sounds. There was nothing but tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents were intact.” ¹¹ The gatekeepers called out, and the news was reported to the king’s household.

¹² So the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving,^(N) so they have left the camp to hide in the open country, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and go into the city.’”^(O)

¹³ But one of his servants responded, “Please, let messengers take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their fate is like the entire Israelite community who will die,^[f] so let’s send them and see.”

¹⁴ The messengers took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” ¹⁵ So they followed them as far as the Jordan. They saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.

¹⁶ Then the people went out and plundered the Aramean camp.^(P) It was then that six quarts of fine flour sold for a half ounce of silver and twelve quarts of barley sold for a half ounce of silver, according to the word of the Lord.^{(Q) 17} The king had appointed the captain, his right-hand man,^(R) to be in charge of the city gate, but the people trampled him in the gate. He died, just as the man of God had predicted when the king had come to him. ¹⁸ When the man of God had said to the king, “About this time tomorrow twelve quarts of barley will sell for a half ounce of silver and six quarts of fine flour will sell for a half ounce of silver at Samaria’s gate,” ¹⁹ this captain had answered the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” Elisha had said, “You will in fact see it with your own eyes, but you won’t eat any of it.”^{(S) 20} This is what happened to him: the people trampled him in the city gate, and he died.

The Shunammite’s Land Restored

8 Elisha said to the woman whose son he had restored to life,^(T) “Get ready, you and your household, and go live as a resident alien wherever you can. For the Lord has announced a seven-year famine,^(U) and it has already come to the land.”

² So the woman got ready and did what the man of God said. She and her household lived as resident aliens in the land of the Philistines for seven years. ³ When the woman returned from the land of the Philistines at the end of seven years,^(V) she went to appeal to the king for her house and field.^(W)

⁴ The king had been speaking to Gehazi,^(X) the attendant of the man of God, saying, “Tell me all the great things Elisha has done.”

⁵ While he was telling the king how Elisha restored the dead son to life, the woman whose son he had restored to life came to appeal to the king for her house and field. So Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman and this is the son Elisha restored to life.”^(Y)

⁶ When the king asked the woman, she told him the story. So the king appointed a court official for her, saying, “Restore all that was hers, along with all the income from the field from the day she left the country until now.”

Aram’s King Hazael

⁷ Elisha came to Damascus^(Z) while King Ben-hadad^(AA) of Aram was sick, and the king was told, “The man of God^(AB) has come here.” ⁸ So the king said to Hazael,^(AC) “Take a gift^(AD) with you and go meet the man of God. Inquire of the Lord through him, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’” ^(AE)

⁹ Hazael went to meet Elisha, taking with him a gift: forty camel-loads of all the finest products of Damascus. When he came and stood before him, he said, “Your son,^(AF) King Ben-hadad of Aram, has sent me to ask you, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”

¹⁰ Elisha told him, “Go say to him, ‘You are sure to^[g] recover.’ But the Lord has shown me that he is sure to die.” ¹¹ Then he stared steadily at him until he was ashamed.^(AG)

The man of God wept,^{(AH) 12} and Hazael asked, “Why is my lord weeping?”

He replied, “Because I know the evil you will do to the people of Israel. You will set their fortresses on fire. You will kill their young men with the sword. You will dash their children to pieces. You will rip open their pregnant women.”^(AI)

¹³ Hazael said, “How could your servant, a mere dog,^(AJ) do such a mighty deed?”

Elisha answered, “The Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”^(AK)

¹⁴ Hazael left Elisha and went to his master, who asked him, “What did Elisha say to you?”

He responded, “He told me you are sure to recover.” ¹⁵ The next day Hazael took a heavy cloth, dipped it in water, and spread it over the king’s face. Ben-hadad died, and Hazael reigned in his place.

Judah’s King Jehoram

¹⁶ In the fifth year^(AL) of Israel’s King Joram^(AM) son of Ahab, Jehoram^[h](AN) son of Jehoshaphat became king of Judah, replacing his father.^{[i](AO) 17} He was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem.^{(AP) 18} He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done, for Ahab’s daughter was his wife. He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight.^{(AQ) 19} For the sake of his servant David, the Lord was unwilling to destroy Judah, since he had promised to give a lamp^[j](AR) to David and his sons forever.^(AS)

²⁰ During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s control and appointed their own king.^{(AT) 21} So Jehoram crossed over to Zair with all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders, but his troops fled to their tents.^{(AU) 22} So Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s control today. Libnah^(AV) also rebelled at that time.

²³ The rest of the events of Jehoram’s reign, along with all his accomplishments, are written in the Historical Record of Judah’s Kings.^{(AW) 24} Jehoram rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.^(AX)

Judah’s King Ahaziah

²⁵ In the twelfth year of Israel’s King Joram son of Ahab,^(AY) Ahaziah son of Jehoram became king of Judah.^{(AZ) 26} Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Athaliah, granddaughter of Israel’s King Omri.^{(BA) 27} He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab and did what was evil in the Lord’s sight like the house of Ahab,^(BB) for his father had married into^[k] the house of Ahab.

²⁸ Ahaziah went with Joram son of Ahab to fight against King Hazael^(BC) of Aram in Ramoth-gilead,^(BD) and the Arameans wounded Joram. ²⁹ So King Joram returned to Jezreel^(BE) to recover from the wounds that the Arameans had inflicted on him in Ramoth-gilead^[l] when he fought against Aram’s King Hazael.^(BF) Then Judah’s King Ahaziah son of Jehoram went down to Jezreel to visit Joram son of Ahab since Joram was ill.

Jehoram Becomes King over Judah

21 Jehoshaphat rested with his ancestors and was buried with his ancestors in the city of David. His son Jehoram^[a] became king in his place.^{(A) 2} He had brothers, sons of Jehoshaphat: Azariah, Jehiel, Zechariah, Azariah, Michael, and Shephatiah; all these were the sons of King Jehoshaphat of Judah.^{[b] 3} Their father had given them many gifts of silver, gold, and valuable things, along with fortified cities^(B) in Judah, but he gave the kingdom to Jehoram because he was the firstborn. ⁴ When Jehoram had established himself over his father’s kingdom, he strengthened his position by killing with the sword all his brothers as well as some of the princes of Israel.

Judah’s King Jehoram

⁵ Jehoram^(C) was thirty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ He walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, as the house of Ahab had done,^(D) for Ahab’s daughter was his wife.^(E) He did what was evil in the Lord’s sight, ⁷ but for the sake of the covenant the Lord had made with David, he was unwilling to destroy the house of David since the Lord had promised^(F) to give a lamp^[c](G) to David and to his sons forever.

⁸ During Jehoram’s reign, Edom rebelled against Judah’s control and appointed their own king. ⁹ So Jehoram crossed into Edom with his commanders and all his chariots. Then at night he set out to attack the Edomites who had surrounded him and the chariot commanders. ¹⁰ And now Edom is still in rebellion against Judah’s control today. Libnah also rebelled at that time against his control because he had abandoned the Lord, the God of his ancestors. ¹¹ Jehoram also built high places^(H) in the hills^[d] of Judah, and he caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves,^(I) and he led Judah astray.

Elijah’s Letter to Jehoram

¹² Then a letter came to Jehoram from the prophet Elijah, saying:

This is what the Lord, the God of your ancestor David says: “Because you have not walked in the ways of your father Jehoshaphat^(J) or in the ways of King Asa of Judah^{(K) 13} but have walked in the ways of the kings of Israel,^(L) have caused Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to prostitute themselves like the house of Ahab^(M) prostituted itself, and also have killed your brothers,^(N) your father’s family, who were better than you, ¹⁴ the Lord is now about to strike your people, your sons, your wives, and all your possessions with a horrible affliction. ¹⁵ You yourself will be struck with many illnesses, including a disease of the intestines, until your intestines come out day after day because of the disease.”^(O)

Jehoram’s Last Days

¹⁶ The Lord roused the spirit of the Philistines and the Arabs^(P) who lived near the Cushites to attack Jehoram.^{(Q) 17} So they went to war against Judah and invaded it. They carried off all the possessions found in the king’s palace and also his sons and wives; not a son was left to him except Jehoahaz,^[e](R) his youngest son.

¹⁸ After all these things, the Lord afflicted him in his intestines with an incurable disease. ¹⁹ This continued day after day until two full years passed. Then his intestines came out because of his disease, and he died from severe^[f] illnesses. But his people did not hold a fire in his honor like the fire in honor of his predecessors.^(S)

²⁰ Jehoram^(T) was thirty-two years old when he became king; he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. He died to no one’s regret^[g](U) and was buried in the city of David but not in the tombs of the kings.^(V)

How to Give

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness^[a] in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven. ² So whenever you give to the poor, don’t sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be applauded by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(A) 3} But when you give to the poor, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[b](B)

How to Pray

⁵ “Whenever you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites, because they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward.^{(C) 6} But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^{[c](D) 7} When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words.^{(E) 8} Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask him.^(F)

The Lord’s Prayer

⁹ “Therefore, you should pray like this: ^(G)

¹⁴ “For if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well.^{(M) 15} But if you don’t forgive others,^[g] your Father will not forgive your offenses.

How to Fast

¹⁶ “Whenever you fast, don’t be gloomy like the hypocrites. For they disfigure their faces ^(N) so that their fasting is obvious to people. Truly I tell you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,^{(O) 18} so that your fasting isn’t obvious to others but to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.^[h]

God and Possessions

¹⁹ “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures^[i] on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.^{(P) 20} But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,^(Q) where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!^(R)

²⁴ “No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. ^(S)

The Cure for Anxiety

²⁵ “Therefore I tell you:^(T) Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Isn’t life more than food and the body more than clothing?^{(U) 26} Consider the birds of the sky: They don’t sow or reap or gather into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they?^{(V) 27} Can any of you add one moment to his life span^[j] by worrying? ²⁸ And why do you worry about clothes? Observe how the wildflowers of the field grow: They don’t labor or spin thread. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was adorned like one of these. ³⁰ If that’s how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and thrown into the furnace tomorrow, won’t he do much more for you—you of little faith?^{(W) 31} So don’t worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ ³² For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first the kingdom of God^[k](X) and his righteousness,^(Y) and all these things will be provided for you.^{(Z) 34} Therefore don’t worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble^(AA) of its own.