[29] And Elisaie said to Giezi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thy hand, and go: if thou meet any man, thou shalt not salute him, and if a man salute thee thou shalt not answer him: and thou shalt lay my staff on the child’s face. [30] And the mother of the child said, As the Lord lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And Elisaie arose, and went after her. [31] And Giezi went on before her, and laid his staff on the child’s face: but there was neither voice nor any hearing. So he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked.
[32] And Elisaie went into the house, and, behold, the dead child was laid upon his bed. [33] And Elisaie went into the house, and shut the door upon themselves, the two, and prayed to the Lord. [34] And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands; and bowed himself upon him, and the flesh of the child grew warm. [35] And he returned, and walked up and down in the house: and he went up, and bowed himself on the child seven times; and the child opened his eyes. [36] And Elisaie cried out to Giezi, and said, Call this Somanite. So he called her, and she came in to him: and Elisaie said, Take thy son. [37] And the woman went in, and fell at his feet, and did obeisance bowing to the ground; and she took her son, and went out.
[38] And Elisaie returned to Galgala: and a famine was in the land; and the sons of the prophets sat before him: and Elisaie said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets. [39] And he went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a vine in the field, and gathered of it wild gourds, his garment full; and he cast it into the caldron of pottage, for they knew them not. [40] And he poured it out for the men to eat: and it came to pass, when they were eating of the pottage, that lo! they cried out, and said, There is death in the pot, O man of God. And they could not eat. [41] And he said, Take meal, and cast it into the pot. And Elisaie said to his servant Giezi, Pour out for the people, and let them eat. And there was no longer there any hurtful thing in the pot.
[42] And there came a man over from Baetharisa, and brought to the man of God twenty barley loaves and cakes of figs, of the first-fruits. And he said, Give to the people, and let them eat. [43] And his servant said, Why should I set this before a hundred men? and he said, Give to the people, and let them eat; for thus saith the Lord, They shall eat and leave. [44] And they ate and left, according to the word of the Lord.
Chapter 5
[1] Now Naiman, the captain of the host of Syria, was a great man before his master, and highly respected, because by him the Lord had given deliverance to Syria, and the man was mighty in strength, but a leper. [2] And the Syrians went forth in small bands, and took captive out of the land of Israel a little maid: and she waited on Naiman’s wife. [3] And she said to her mistress, O that my lord were before the prophet of God in Samaria; then he would recover him from his leprosy. [4] And she went in and told her lord, and said, Thus and thus spoke the maid from the land of Israel.
[5] And the king of Syria said to Naiman, Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel. And he went, and took in his hand ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment. [6] And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now then, as soon as this letter shall reach thee, behold, I have sent to thee my servant Naiman, and thou shalt recover him from his leprosy. [7] And it came to pass, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he rent his garments, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends to me to recover a man of his leprosy? consider, however, I pray you, and see that this man seeks an occasion against me.
[8] And it came to pass, when Elisaie heard that the king of Israel had rent his garments, that he sent to the king of Israel, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy garments? Let Naiman, I pray thee, come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.
[9] So Naiman came with horse and chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisaie. [10] And Elisaie sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and wash seven times in Jordan, and thy flesh shall return to thee, and thou shalt be cleansed. [11] And Naiman was angry, and departed, and said, Behold, I said, He will by all means come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of his God, and lay his hand upon the place, and recover the leper. [12] Are not the Abana and Pharphar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not go and wash in them, and be cleansed? and he turned and went away in a rage. [13] And his servants came near and said to him, Suppose the prophet had spoken a great thing to thee, wouldest thou not perform it? yet he has but said to thee, Wash, and be cleansed. [14] So Naiman went down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the word of Elisaie: and his flesh returned to him as the flesh of a little child, and he was cleansed.
[15] And he and all his company returned to Elisaie, and he came and stood before him, and said, Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth, save only in Israel: and now receive a blessing of thy servant. [16] And Elisaie said, As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will not take one. And he pressed him to take one: but he would not. [17] And Naiman said, Well then, if not, let there be given to thy servant, I pray thee, the load of a yoke of mules; and thou shalt give me of the red earth: for henceforth thy servant will not offer whole-burnt-offering or sacrifice to other gods, but only to the Lord by reason of this thing. [18] And l let the Lord be propitious to thy servant when my master goes into the house of Remman to worship there, and he shall lean on my hand, and I shall bow down in the house of Remman when he bows down in the house of Remman; even let the Lord, I pray, be merciful to thy servant in this matter. [19] And Elisaie said to Naiman, Go in peace. And he departed from him a little way.
[20] And Giezi the servant of Elisaie said, Behold, my Lord has spared this Syrian Naiman, so as not to take of his hand what he has brought: as the Lord lives, I will surely run after him, and take somewhat of him. [21] So Giezi followed after Naiman: and Naiman saw him running after him, and turned back from his chariot to meet him. [22] And Giezi said, All is well: my master has sent me, saying, Behold, now are there come to me two young men of the sons of the prophets from mount Ephraim; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment. [23] And Naiman said, Take two talents of silver. And he took two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of raiment, and put them upon two of his servants, and they bore them before him. [24] And he came to a secret place, and took them from their hands, and laid them up in the house, and dismissed the men.
[25] And he went in himself and stood before his master; and Elisaie said to him, [26] Whence comest thou, Giezi? and Giezi said, Thy servant has not been hither or thither. And Elisaie said to him, Went not my heart with thee, when the man returned from his chariot to meet thee? and now thou hast received silver, and now thou hast received raiment, and olive yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants. [27] The leprosy also of Naiman shall cleave to thee, and to thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence leprous, like snow.
Chapter 6
[1] And the sons of the prophets said to Elisaie, Behold now, the place wherein we dwell before thee is too narrow for us. [2] Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and make for ourselves a habitation there. [3] And he said, Go. And one of them said gently, Come with thy servants. And he said, I will go. [4] And he went with them, and they came to Jordan, and began to cut down wood. [5] And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the axe head fell into the water: and he cried out, Alas! master: and it was hidden. [6] And the man of God said, Where did it fall? and he shewed him the place: and he broke off a stick, and threw it in there, and the iron came to the surface. [7] And he said, Take it up to thyself. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.
[8] And the king of Syria was at war with Israel: and he consulted with his servants, saying, I will encamp in such a place. [9] And Elisaie sent to the king of Israel, saying, Take heed that thou pass not by
that place, for the Syrians are hidden there. [10] And the king of Israel sent to the place which Elisaie mentioned to him, and saved himself thence not once or twice.
[11] And the mind of the king of Syria was very much disturbed concerning this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will ye not tell me who betrays me to the king of Israel? [12] And one of his servants said, Nay, my Lord, O king, for Elisaie the prophet that is in Israel reports to the king of Israel all the words whatsoever thou mayest say in thy bedchamber. [13] And he said, Go, see where this man is, and I will send and take him. And they sent word to him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothaim.
[14] And he sent thither horses, and chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night, and compassed about the city. [15] And the servant of Elisaie rose up early and went out; and, behold, a host compassed the city, and horses and chariots: and the servant said to him, O master, what shall we do? [16] And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who are with us are more than they that are with them. [17] And Elisaie prayed, and said, Lord, open, I pray thee, the eyes of the servant, and let him see. And the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses, and there were chariots of fire round about Elisaie. [18] And they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said, Smite, I pray thee, this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisaie. [19] And Elisaie said to them, This is not the city, and this is not the way: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. And he led them away to Samaria. [20] And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisaie said, Open, I pray thee, O Lord, their eyes, and let them see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
[21] And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father? [22] And he said, Thou shalt not smite them, unless thou wouldest smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow: set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and depart to their master. [23] And he set before them a great feast, and they ate and drank: and he dismissed them and they departed to their master. And the bands of Syria came no longer into the land of Israel.
[24] And it came to pass after this, that the son of Ader king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria. [25] And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was valued at fifty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung at five pieces of silver.
[26] And the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, and a woman cried to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. [27] And he said to her, Unless the Lord help thee, whence shall I help thee? from the corn-floor, or from the wine-press? [28] And the king said to her, What is the matter with thee? And the woman said to him, This woman said to me, Give thy son, and we will eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow. [29] So we boiled my son, and ate him; and I said to her on the second day, Give thy son, and let us eat him: and she has hidden her son. [30] And it came to pass, when the king of Israel heard the words of the woman, that he rent his garments; and he passed by on the wall, and the people saw sackcloth within upon his flesh. [31] And he said, God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisaie shall stand upon him this day.
[32] And Elisaie was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and the king sent a man before him: before the messenger came to him, he also said to the elders, Do ye see that this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, as soon as the messenger shall have come, shut the door, and forcibly detain him at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? [33] While he was yet speaking with them, behold, a messenger came to him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?
Chapter 7
[1] And Elisaie said, Hear thou the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, As at this time, to-morrow a measure of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gates of Samaria. [2] And the officer on whose hand the king rested, answered Elisaie, and said, Behold, if the Lord shall make flood-gates in heaven, might this thing be? and Elisaie said, Behold, thou shalt see with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
[3] And there were four leprous men by the gate of the city: and one said to his neighbour, Why sit we here until we die? [4] If we should say, Let us go into the city, then there is famine in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit here, then we shall die. Now then come, and let us fall upon the camp of the Syrians: if they should take us alive, then we shall live; and if they should put us to death, then we shall only die. [5] And they rose up while it was yet night, to go into the camp of Syria; and they came into a part of the camp of Syria, and behold, there was no man there. [6] For the Lord had made the army of Syria to hear a sound of chariots, and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great host: and each man said to his fellow, Now has the king of Israel hired against us the kings of the Chettites, and the kings of Egypt, to come against us. [7] And they arose and fled while it was yet dark, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses in the camp, as they were, and fled for their lives.
[8] And these lepers entered a little way into the camp, and went into one tent, and ate and drank, and took thence silver, and gold, and raiment; and they went and returned thence, and entered into another tent, and took thence, and went and hid the spoil. [9] And one man said to his neighbour, We are not doing well thus: this day is a day of glad tidings, and we hold our peace, and are waiting till the morning light, and shall find mischief: now them come, and let us go into the city, and report to the house of the king.
[10] So they went and cried toward the gate of the city, and reported to them, saying, We went into the camp of Syria, and, behold, there is not there a man, nor voice of man, only horses tied and asses, and their tents as they were. [11] And the porters cried aloud, and reported to the house of the king within.
[12] And the king rose up by night, and said to his servants, I will now tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They knew that we are hungry; and they have gone forth from the camp and hidden themselves in the field, saying, They will come out of the city, and we shall catch them alive, and go into the city. [13] And one of his servants answered and said, Let them now take five of the horses that were left, which were left here; behold, they are the number left to all the multitude of Israel; and we will send thither and see. [14] So they took two horsemen; and the king of Israel sent after the king of Syria, saying, Go, and see. [15] And they went after them even to Jordan: and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their panic. and the messengers returned, and brought word to the king.
[16] And the people went out, and plundered the camp of Syria: and a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord, and two measures of barley for a shekel. [17] And the king appointed the officer on whose hand the king leaned to have charge over the gate: and the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spoke when the messenger came down to him. [18] So it came to pass as Elisaie had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley shall be sold for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel; and it shall be as at this time to-morrow in the gate of Samaria. [19] And the officer answered Elisaie, and said, Behold, if the Lord makes flood-gates in heaven, shall this thing be? and Elisaie said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eat thereof. [20] And it was so: for the people trampled on him in the gate, and he died.
Chapter 8
[1] And Elisaie spoke to the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thy house, and sojourn wherever thou mayest sojourn: for the Lord has called for a famine upon the land; indeed it is come upon the land for seven years. [2] And the woman arose, and did according to the word of Elisaie, both she and her house; and they sojourned in the land of the Ph
ilistines seven years.
[3] And it came to pass after the expiration of the seven years, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines to the city; and came to cry to the king for her house and for her lands. [4] And the king spoke to Giezi the servant of Elisaie the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things which Elisaie has done. [5] And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored to life the dead son, behold, the woman whose son Elisaie restored to life came crying to the king for her house and for her lands. And Giezi said, My lord, O king, this is the woman, and this is her son, whom Elisaie restored to life. [6] And the king asked the woman, and she told him: and the king appointed her a eunuch, saying, Restore all that was hers, and all the fruits of the field from the day that she left the land until now.
[7] And Elisaie came to Damascus; and the king of Syria the son of Ader was ill, and they brought him word, saying, The man of God is come hither. [8] And the king said to Azael, Take in thine hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, and enquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease? [9] And Azael went to meet him, and he took a present in his hand, and all the good things of Damascus, forty camels’ load, and came and stood before him, and said to Elisaie, Thy son the son of Ader, the king of Syria, has sent me to thee to enquire, saying, Shall I recover of this my disease? [10] And Elisaie said, Go, say, Thou shalt certainly live; yet the Lord has shewed me that thou shalt surely die. [11] And he stood before him, and fixed his countenance till he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. [12] And Azael said, Why does my lord weep? And he said, Because I know all the evil that thou wilt do to the children of Israel: thou wilt utterly destroy their strong holds with fire, and thou wilt slay their choice men with the sword, and thou wilt dash their infants against the ground, and their women with child thou wilt rip up. [13] And Azael said, Who is thy servant? a dead dog, that he should do this thing? And Elisaie said, The Lord has shewn me thee ruling over Syria. [14] And he departed from Elisaie, and went in to his lord; and he said to him, What said Elisaie to thee? and he said, He said to me, Thou shalt surely live. [15] And it came to pass on the next day that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and put it on his face, and he died: and Azael reigned in his stead.
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