Arameans Plot to Take Elisha

⁸ The king of Aram was fighting with Israel, so he consulted with his officers, saying, “My camp is at such and such a place.”^{[a] 9} Then the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Take care while crossing over to this place, because the Arameans are descending there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God said to him and warned him, so he was on guard there continually.^[b]

¹¹ Then the heart of the king of Aram was stormy because of this matter, so he called his servants and said to them, “Can you not tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?”^{[c] 12} Then one of his servants said, “No, my lord the king, but Elisha the prophet who is in Israel tells the king of Israel things which you speak in your own bedchamber.”^{[d] 13} Then he said, “Go and see where he is so that I can send and capture him.” Then he was told to him, “Look, he is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ So he sent horses, chariots, and an oppressing army there. They arrived at night and surrounded the town. ¹⁵ The attendant of the man of God arose early and went out, and look, the army was surrounding the city with horses and chariots. His servant said to him, “Oh no, my master! What shall we do?” ¹⁶ And he said, “Don’t be afraid, for more are with us than are with them.” ¹⁷ Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Yahweh, please open his eyes that he may see,” and Yahweh opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw, and look, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸ They came down to him, and Elisha prayed to Yahweh and said, “Please strike this people with blindness,” so he struck them with blindness as Elisha had spoken.^{[e] 19} Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the way and this is not the city. Come after me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” Then he brought them to Samaria.

²⁰ It happened at the moment they came to Samaria, Elisha said, “O Yahweh, open the eyes of these that they may see,” so Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw, and look, the middle of Samaria! ²¹ Then the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, “Shall I kill them? Shall I kill, my father?” ²² And he said, “You shall not kill. Would you kill those whom you took captive with the sword or with the bow? Put food and water before them that they may eat and drink and then go to their master.” ²³ So he made a great feast for them, and they ate and drank; then he sent them, and they went to their master. And the bands of the Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.