Chronological
The Second Book of the Kings
1 2 Ahaziah by a fall falleth sick, and consulteth with Baal-Zebub. 3 He is reproved by Elijah. 10 The captains over fifty were sent to Elijah, whereof two were burnt with fire from heaven by his prayer. 17 Ahaziah dieth, and Jehoram his brother succeedeth him.
1 Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab:
2 And [a]Ahaziah fell through the lattice window in his upper chamber which was in Samaria: so he was sick: then he sent messengers, to whom he said, Go, and inquire of [b]Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, if I shall recover of this my disease.
3 Then the Angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, and go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, [c]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron?
4 Wherefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from the bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death. So Elijah departed.
5 And the messengers returned unto him, to whom he said, Why are ye now returned?
6 And they answered him, There came a man and met us, and said unto us, Go, and return unto the king which sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, [d]Is it not because there is no God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-Zebub the God of Ekron? Therefore thou shalt not come down from the bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death.
7 And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came and met you, and told you these words?
8 And they said unto him, He was an [e]hairy man, and girded with a girdle of leather about his loins. Then said he, It is Elijah the Tishbite.
9 Therefore the King sent unto him a captain over fifty with his fifty men, who went up unto him: for behold, he sat on the top [f]of a mountain, and he said unto him, O man of God, the king hath commanded that thou come down.
10 But Elijah answered, and said to the captain over the fifty, If that I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven, and devour thee and thy fifty. [g]So fire came down from the heaven and devoured him and his fifty.
11 Again also he sent unto him another captain over fifty with his fifty. Who spake, and said unto him, [h]O man of God, thus the King commandeth, Come down quickly.
12 But Elijah answered, and said unto them, [i]If I be a man of God, let fire come down from the heaven and devour thee and thy fifty. So fire came down from the heaven, and devoured him and his fifty.
13 ¶ Yet again he sent the third captain over fifty with his fifty. And the third captain over 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 [j]life and the life of these thy fifty servants be [k]precious in thy sight.
14 Behold, there came fire down from the heaven, and devoured the two former captains over fifty with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight.
15 And the Angel of the Lord said unto Elijah, Go down with him, be [l]not afraid of his presence. So he arose, and went down with him unto the king.
16 And he said unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Because thou hast sent messengers to inquire of Baal-Zebub the god of Ekron, (was it not because there was no God in Israel to inquire of his word?) therefore thou shalt not come down off the bed, on which thou art gone up, but shalt die the death.
17 So he died according to the word of the Lord which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram began to reign in his stead in the second year of [m]Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, because he had no son.
18 Concerning the rest of the acts of Ahaziah, that he did, are they not written in the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Israel?
2 1 Elijah divided the waters with his cloak. 11 He is taken up into heaven. 13 Elisha taketh his cloak and divideth Jordan. 20 The bitter and venomous waters are healed. 23 The children that mock Elisha, are rent in pieces with bears.
1 And when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah went with Elisha from [n]Gilgal.
2 Then Elijah said to Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee: for the Lord hath sent me to Bethel. But Elisha said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came down to Bethel.
3 And the [o]children of the Prophets that were at Bethel, came out to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take thy master from [p]thine head this day? And he said, Yea, I [q]know it: hold ye your peace.
4 Again Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee: for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. But he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.
5 And the children of the Prophets that were at [r]Jericho, came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou, that the Lord will take thy master from thine head this day? And he said, Yea, I know it: hold ye your peace.
6 Moreover Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here: for the Lord hath sent me to Jordan. But he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went both together.
7 And fifty men of the sons of the Prophets went and stood on the other side a far off, and they two stood by Jordan.
8 ¶ Then Elijah took his cloak, and wrapped it together, and smote the [s]waters, and they were divided hither and thither, and they twain went over on the dry land.
9 Now when they were passed over, Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I be taken from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let thy Spirit [t]be double upon me.
10 And he said, Thou hast asked an hard thing: yet if thou see me when I am taken from thee, thou shalt have it so: and if not, it shall not be.
11 And as they went walking and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and did separate them twain. So Elijah went up by a whirlwind into [u]heaven.
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 his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces.
13 ¶ He took up also the cloak of Elijah, that fell from him, and returned, and stood by the bank of Jordan.
14 After, he took the cloak of Elijah, that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? And so he also, after he had stricken the waters, so that they were divided this way and that way, went over, even Elisha.
15 And when the children of the Prophets, which were at Jericho, saw him on the other side, they said, [v]The Spirit of Elijah doeth rest on Elisha: and they came to meet him, and fell to the ground before him,
16 And said unto him, Behold now, there be with thy servants fifty strong men: let them go, we pray thee, and seek thy [w]master, if so be the Spirit of the Lord hath taken him up, and cast him upon some mountain, or into some valley. But he said, [x]Ye shall not send.
17 Yet they were instant upon him, till he was ashamed: wherefore he said, Send. So they sent fifty men, which sought three days, but found him not.
18 Therefore they returned to him, (for he tarried at Jericho) and he said unto them, Did not I say unto you, Go not?
19 ¶ And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, we pray thee: the situation of this city is pleasant, as thou, my lord, seest, but the water is naught, and the ground [y]barren.
20 Then he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him.
21 And he went unto the spring of the waters, and cast there [z]the salt, and said, Thus saith the Lord, I have healed this water: death shall no more come thereof, neither barrenness to the ground.
22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the word of Elisha which he had spoken.
23 ¶ And he went up from thence unto Bethel. And as he was going up the way, little children came out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Come up, thou bald head, come up, thou bald head.
24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and [aa]cursed them in the name of the Lord. And two bears came out of the forest, and tore in pieces two and forty children of them.
25 So he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria.
3 1 The reign of Jehoram. 6 He and Jehoshaphat go to war against Moab which rebelled. 13 Elisha reproveth him, 17 and giveth their hosts water. 24 The Moabites are overcome. 27 Their King sacrificeth his son.
1 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria, the [ab]eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat King of Judah, and reigned twelve years.
2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his father nor like his mother: for he took away the image of Baal that his father had made.
3 Nevertheless, he cleaved unto the [ac]sins of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin, and departed not therefrom.
4 ¶ Then [ad]Mesha king of Moab had store of sheep, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand rams with the wool.
5 But when Ahab was dead, the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.
6 Therefore King Jehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and numbered all Israel,
7 And went, and sent to Jehoshaphat king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me to battle against Moab? And he answered, I will go up: for [ae]I am, as thou art, my people, as thy people, and mine horses, as thine horses.
8 Then said he, What way shall we go up? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom.
9 ¶ So went the king of Israel and the king of Judah, and the [af]king of Edom, and when they had compassed the way seven days, they had no water for the host, nor for the cattle that [ag]followed them.
10 Therefore the king of Israel said, Alas, that the Lord hath called these three kings, to give them into the hand of Moab.
11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a Prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire 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 [ah]poured water on the hands of Elijah.
12 Then Jehoshaphat said, [ai]The word of the Lord is with him. Therefore the king of Israel, and Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to him.
13 And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, [aj]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, [ak]Nay: for the Lord hath called these three kings, to give them into the hand of Moab.
14 Then Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if it were not, that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would [al]not have looked toward thee, nor seen thee.
15 But now bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel [am]played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.
16 And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.
17 For thus saith the Lord, Ye shall neither see wind nor see rain, yet the valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye and your cattle, and your beasts.
18 But this is a [an]small thing in the sight of the Lord: for he will give Moab into your hand.
19 And ye shall smite every strong town, and every chief city, and shall fell every fair tree, and shall stop all the fountains of water, and [ao]mar every good field with stones.
20 And in the morning when the meat offering was offered, behold, there came water by the way of Edom: and the country was filled with water.
21 And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that was able [ap]to put on harness, and upward, and stood in their border.
22 And they rose early in the morning, when the Sun arose upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them, as red as blood.
23 And they said, [aq]This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and one hath smitten another: now therefore Moab, to the spoil.
24 And when they came to the host of Israel, the Israelites arose up, and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them, but they [ar]invaded them, and smote Moab.
25 And they destroyed the cities: and on all the good field every man cast his stone, and filled them and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees: only in [as]Kir Haraseth left they the stones thereof: howbeit they went about it with slings, and smote it.
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 the sword, to break through unto the king of Edom: but they could not.
27 Then he took his eldest son, that should have reigned in his stead, and [at]offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall: so that Israel was sore grieved, and they departed from him, and returned to their country.
4 4 God increaseth the oil to the poor widow by Elisha. 12 He obtaineth for the Shunammite a son at God’s hand. 18 Who dying, 32 he raiseth him up again. 40 He maketh sweet the pottage, 42 and multiplied the loaves.
1 And one of the wives of the sons [au]of the Prophets cried unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant mine husband is dead, and thou knowest, that thy servant did [av]fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take my two sons to be his [aw]bondmen.
2 Then Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou at home? And she said, Thine handmaid hath nothing at home, save a [ax]pitcher of oil.
3 And he said, Go and borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbors, empty vessels, and spare not.
4 And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into [ay]all those vessels, and set aside those that are full.
5 So she departed from him, and shut the door upon her, and upon her sons. And they brought to her, and she poured out.
6 And when the vessels were full, she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is no more vessels. And the oil [az]ceased.
7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go and sell the oil, and pay them that thou art in debt unto, and live thou and thy children of the [ba]rest.
8 ¶ And on a time Elisha came to Shunem, and there a woman of great estimation constrained him to eat bread: and as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread.
9 And she said unto her husband, Behold, I know now, that this is an holy man of God that passeth by us continually.
10 Let us make [bb]him a little chamber, I pray thee, with walls, and let us set him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick, that he may turn in thither when he cometh to us.
11 ¶ And on a day, he came thither and turned into the chamber, and lay therein,
12 And said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite: and when he called her, she stood before him.
13 Then he said unto him, Say unto her now, Behold, thou hast had all this great care for us, [bc]what shall we do for thee? Is there anything to be spoken for thee to the king or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I [bd]dwell among mine own people.
14 Again he said, What is then to be done for her? Then Gehazi answered, Indeed she hath [be]no son, and her husband is old.
15 Then said he, Call her. And he called her, and she stood in the door.
16 And he said, (A)At this time appointed, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Oh my Lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.
17 So the woman conceived, and bore a son at that same season, according to the time of life, that Elisha had said unto her.
18 ¶ And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father, and to the reapers.
19 And he said to his father, [bf]Mine head, mine head. Who said to his servant, Bear him to his mother.
20 And he took him and brought him to his mother, and he sat on her knees till noon, and died.
21 Then she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him and went out.
22 ¶ Then she called to her husband, and said, Send with me, I pray thee, one of the young men and one of the asses: for I will haste to the man of God, and come again.
23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him today? it is neither [bg]new moon nor Sabbath day. And she answered, [bh]All shall be well.
24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward: stay not for me to get up, except I bid thee.
25 ¶ So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And when the man of God saw her [bi]over against him, he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, the Shunammite.
26 Run now, I say, to meet her, and say unto her, Art thou in health? is thine husband in health? and is the child in health? And she answered, We are in health.
27 And when she came to the man of God unto the mountain, she [bj]caught him by his feet: and Gehazi went to her, to thrust her away: but the man of God said, Let her alone: for her soul is [bk]vexed within her, and the Lord hath hid it from me, and hath not told it me.
28 Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Deceive me not?
29 Then he said to Gehazi, Gird thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way: [bl]if thou meet any, salute him not: and if any salute thee, answer him not: and lay my staff upon the face of the child.
30 And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. Therefore he arose, and followed her.
31 But Gehazi was gone before them, and had laid the staff upon the face of the child, but he neither spake nor heard: wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not waken.
32 ¶ Then came Elisha into the house, and behold, the child was dead, and laid upon his bed.
33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the Lord.
34 After he went up, and [bm]lay upon the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands, and stretched himself upon him, and the flesh of the child waxed warm.
35 And he went from him, and walked up and down in the house, and went up and spread himself upon him: then the child sneezed [bn]seven times, and opened his eyes.
36 Then he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her, which came in unto him. And he said unto her, Take thy son.
37 And she came, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
38 Afterward Elisha returned to Gilgal, and a famine was in the [bo]land, and the children of the Prophets dwelt with him. And he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the children of the Prophets.
39 And one went out into the field, to gather herbs, and found as it were a wild vine, and gathered thereof [bp]wild gourds his garment full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew it not.
40 So they poured out for the men to eat: and when they did eat of the pottage, they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, [bq]death is in the pot: and they could not eat thereof.
41 Then he said, Bring meal. And he cast it into the pot, and said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat: and there was none evil in the pot.
42 ¶ Then came a man from Baal Shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, even twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
43 And his servant answered, How should I set this before an hundred men? He said again, Give it unto the people, that they may eat: for thus saith the Lord, They [br]shall eat, and there shall remain.
44 So he set it before them, and they did eat, and left over, according to the word of the Lord.
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