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Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float

Some of the prophets[a] said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you[b] is too cramped[c] for us. Let’s go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there, and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there.” He said, “Go.” One of them said, “Please come along with your servants.” He replied, “All right, I’ll come.” So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they started cutting down trees. As one of them was felling a tree, the ax head[d] dropped into the water. He shouted, “Oh no,[e] my master! It was borrowed!” The prophet[f] asked, “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot, Elisha[g] cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float. He said, “Lift it out.” So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:1 tn Heb “the sons of the prophets.”
  2. 2 Kings 6:1 tn Heb “sit before you.”
  3. 2 Kings 6:1 tn Heb “narrow, tight.”
  4. 2 Kings 6:5 tn Heb “iron.”
  5. 2 Kings 6:5 tn Or “ah.”
  6. 2 Kings 6:6 tn Heb “man of God” (also in v. 9).
  7. 2 Kings 6:6 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell before thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto the 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. And one said, Be pleased, I pray thee, to go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and [a]made the iron to swim. And he said, Take it up to thee. So he put out his hand, and took it.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:6 Or, the iron did swim