25Then they destroyed the cities, and each man threw a stone on every good piece of land and filled it; and they stopped up all the springs of water and cut down all the good trees. But they left the stones of uKir Haraseth intact. However the slingers surrounded and attacked it.
26And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too fierce for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew swords, to break through to the king of Edom, but they could not.
27Then vhe took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him as a burnt offering upon the wall; and there was great 4indignation against Israel. wSo they departed from him and returned to their own land.
2 Kings 4
Elisha and the Widow’s Oil
(cf. 1 Kin. 17:14–16)
1A certain woman of the wives of athe sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD. And the creditor is coming bto take my two sons to be his slaves.”
2So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.”
3Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; cdo not gather just a few.
4“And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.”
5So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out.
6Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased.
7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
(cf. 1 Kin. 17:17–24)
8Now it happened one day that Elisha went to dShunem, where there was a 1notable woman, and she 2persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food.
9And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly.
10“Please, let us make 3a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.”
11And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there.
12Then he said to eGehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him.
13And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”
14So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”
15So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.
16Then he said, 4“About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, fdo not lie to your maidservant!”
17But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.
18And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers.
19And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.”
20When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.
21And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out.
22Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.”
23So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the gNew Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, 5“It is well.”
24Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.”
25And so she departed, and went to the man of God hat Mount Carmel.
So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman!
26“Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’ ” And she answered, “It is well.”
27Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the LORD has hidden it from me, and has not told me.”
28So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? iDid I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?”
29Then he said to Gehazi, j“Get6 yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, kdo not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but llay my staff on the face of the child.”
30And the mother of the child said, m“As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not nleave you.” So he arose and followed her.
31Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has onot awakened.”
32When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.
33He pwent in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, qand prayed to the LORD.
34And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and rhe stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm.
35He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up sand stretched himself out on him; then tthe child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
36And he called Gehazi and said, “Call this Shunammite woman.” So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, “Pick up your son.”
37So she went in, fell at his feet, and bowed to the ground; then she upicked up her son and went out.
Elisha Purifies the Pot of Stew
38And Elisha returned to vGilgal, and there was a wfamine in the land. Now the sons of the prophets were xsitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Put on the large pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.”
39So one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered from it a lapful of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, though they did not know what they were.
40Then they served it to the men to eat. Now it happened, as they were eating the stew, that they cried out and said, “Man of God, there is ydeath in the pot!” And they could not eat it.
41So he said, “Then bring some flour.” And zhe put it into the pot, and said, “Serve it to the people, that they may eat.” And there was nothing harmful in the pot.
Elisha Feeds One Hundred Men
(cf. Matt. 14:13–21; 15:32–39)
42Then a man came from aBaal Shalisha, band brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley bread, and newly ripened grain in his knapsack. And he said, “Give it to the people, that they may eat.”
43But his servant said, c“What? Shall I set this before one hundred men?” He said again, “Give it to the people, that they may eat; for thus says the LORD: d‘They shall eat and have some left over.’ ”
44So he set it before them; and they ate eand had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.
2 Kings 5
Naaman’s Leprosy Healed
1Now aNaaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was ba great and honorable man in
the eyes of his master, because by him the LORD had given victory to Syria. He was also a mighty man of valor, but a leper.
2And the Syrians had gone out con1 raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She 2waited on Naaman’s wife.
3Then she said to her mistress, “If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! For he would heal him of his leprosy.”
4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus said the girl who is from the land of Israel.”
5Then the king of Syria said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” So he departed and dtook with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
6Then he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said,
Now be advised, when this letter comes to you, that I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may heal him of his leprosy.
7And it happened, when the king of Israel read the letter, that he tore his clothes and said, “Am I eGod, to kill and make alive, that this man sends a man to me to heal him of his leprosy? Therefore please consider, and see how he seeks a quarrel with me.”
8So it was, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Please let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.”
9Then Naaman went with his horses and chariot, and he stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and fwash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.”
11But Naaman became furious, and went away and said, “Indeed, I said to myself, ‘He will surely come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leprosy.’
12“Are not the 3Abanah and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
13And his gservants came near and spoke to him, and said, “My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”
14So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his hflesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and ihe was clean.
15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his aides, and came and stood before him; and he said, “Indeed, now I know that there is jno God in all the earth, except in Israel; now therefore, please take ka gift from your servant.”
16But he said, l“As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, mI will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
17So Naaman said, “Then, if not, please let your servant be given two mule-loads of earth; for your servant will no longer offer either burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD.
18“Yet in this thing may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and nhe leans on my hand, and I bow down in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the LORD please pardon your servant in this thing.”
19Then he said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him a short distance.
Gehazi’s Greed
20But oGehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Look, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, while not receiving from his hands what he brought; but as the LORD lives, I will run after him and take something from him.”
21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw him running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?”
22And he said, “All is pwell. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Indeed, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the mountains of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of garments.’ ”
23So Naaman said, “Please, take two talents.” And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and handed them to two of his servants; and they carried them on ahead of him.
24When he came to 4the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed.
25Now he went in and stood before his master. Elisha said to him, “Where did you go, Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.”
26Then he said to him, “Did not my heart go with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it qtime to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
27“Therefore the leprosy of Naaman rshall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence sleprous, as white as snow.
2 Kings 6
The Floating Ax Head
1And athe sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we dwell with you is too small for us.
2“Please, let us go to the Jordan, and let every man take a beam from there, and let us make there a place where we may dwell.” So he answered, “Go.”
3Then one said, b“Please consent to go with your servants.” And he answered, “I will go.”
4So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
5But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was cborrowed.”
6So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So dhe cut off a stick, and threw it in there; and he made the iron float.
7Therefore he said, “Pick it up for yourself.” So he reached out his hand and took it.
The Blinded Syrians Captured
8Now the eking of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
9And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.”
10Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.
11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?”
12And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”
13So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in fDothan.”
14Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?”
16So he answered, g“Do not fear, for hthose who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD iopened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of jhorses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And kHe struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19Now Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” But he led them to Samaria.
20So it was, when they had come to Samaria, that Elisha said, “LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and there they were, inside Samaria!
21Now w
hen the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My lfather, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? mSet food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”
23Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So nthe bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
Syria Besieges Samaria in Famine
24And it happened after this that oBen-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great pfamine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a 1kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.
26Then, as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”
27And he said, “If the LORD does not help you, where can I find help for you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”
28Then the king said to her, “What is troubling you?” And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29“So qwe boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”
30Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rtore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.
31Then he said, s“God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”
32But Elisha was sitting in his house, and tthe elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man ahead of him, but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, u“Do you see how this son of va murderer has sent someone to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?”
The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV Page 182