New Living Translation

Hebrew Study Bible

1One day the group of prophets came to Elisha and told him, “As you can see, this place where we meet with you is too small.

1וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־ הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־ אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּֽה־ נָ֣א הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

2Let’s go down to the Jordan River, where there are plenty of logs. There we can build a new place for us to meet.” “All right,” he told them, “go ahead.”

2נֵֽלְכָה־ נָּ֣א עַד־ הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וְנִקְחָ֤ה מִשָּׁם֙ אִ֚ישׁ קוֹרָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־ לָּ֥נוּ שָׁ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֵֽכוּ׃

3“Please come with us,” someone suggested. “I will,” he said.

3וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד ה֥וֹאֶל נָ֖א וְלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־ עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֥י אֵלֵֽךְ׃

4So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees.

4וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ הָעֵצִֽים׃

5But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

5וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקּוֹרָ֔ה וְאֶת־ הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל׃

6“Where did it fall?” the man of God asked. When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. Then the ax head floated to the surface.

6וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אָ֣נָה נָפָ֑ל וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־ הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיִּקְצָב־ עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־ שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּ֖צֶף הַבַּרְזֶֽל׃

7“Grab it,” Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it. Elisha Traps the Arameans

7וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָ֣רֶם לָ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ׃ פ

8When the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he would confer with his officers and say, “We will mobilize our forces at such and such a place.”

8וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הָיָ֥ה נִלְחָ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־ עֲבָדָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אֶל־ מְק֛וֹם פְּלֹנִ֥י אַלְמֹנִ֖י תַּחֲנֹתִֽי׃

9But immediately Elisha, the man of God, would warn the king of Israel, “Do not go near that place, for the Arameans are planning to mobilize their troops there.”

9וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־ מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־ שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים׃

10So the king of Israel would send word to the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he would be on the alert there.

10וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽל־ הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽמַר־ ל֧וֹ אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים [והזהירה] (וְהִזְהִיר֖וֹ) וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר שָׁ֑ם לֹ֥א אַחַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א שְׁתָּֽיִם׃

11The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, “Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?”

11וַיִּסָּעֵר֙ לֵ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֲרָ֔ם עַל־ הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־ עֲבָדָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הֲלוֹא֙ תַּגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י מִ֥י מִשֶּׁלָּ֖נוּ אֶל־ מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

12“It’s not us, my lord the king,” one of the officers replied. “Elisha, the prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in the privacy of your bedroom!”

12וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַחַ֣ד מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו ל֖וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־ אֱלִישָׁ֤ע הַנָּבִיא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַגִּיד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־ הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר בַּחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבֶֽךָ׃

13“Go and find out where he is,” the king commanded, “so I can send troops to seize him.” And the report came back: “Elisha is at Dothan.”

13וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֵיכֹ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ וַיֻּגַּד־ ל֥וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר הִנֵּ֥ה בְדֹתָֽן׃

14So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.

14וַיִּשְׁלַח־ שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־ הָעִֽיר׃

15When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. “Oh, sir, what will we do now?” the young man cried to Elisha.

15וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה־ חַ֛יִל סוֹבֵ֥ב אֶת־ הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲר֥וֹ אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה׃

16“Don’t be afraid!” Elisha told him. “For there are more on our side than on theirs!”

16וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־ תִּירָ֑א כִּ֤י רַבִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔נוּ מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר אוֹתָֽם׃

17Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, open his eyes and let him see!” The LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.

17וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל אֱלִישָׁע֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַח־ נָ֥א אֶת־ עֵינָ֖יו וְיִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־ עֵינֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָהָ֜ר מָלֵ֨א סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֛כֶב אֵ֖שׁ סְבִיבֹ֥ת אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

18As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please make them blind.” So the LORD struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked.

18וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־ יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־ נָ֥א אֶת־ הַגּוֹי־ הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

19Then Elisha went out and told them, “You have come the wrong way! This isn’t the right city! Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to the city of Samaria.

19וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּרֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־ הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אוֹתָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָה׃

20As soon as they had entered Samaria, Elisha prayed, “O LORD, now open their eyes and let them see.” So the LORD opened their eyes, and they discovered that they were in the middle of Samaria.

20וַיְהִי֮ כְּבֹאָ֣ם שֹׁמְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַ֥ח אֶת־ עֵינֵֽי־ אֵ֖לֶּה וְיִרְא֑וּ וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־ עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

21When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”

21וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־ אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אוֹתָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃

22“Of course not!” Elisha replied. “Do we kill prisoners of war? Give them food and drink and send them home again to their master.”

22וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־ אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃

23So the king made a great feast for them and then sent them home to their master. After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel. Ben-Hadad Besieges Samaria

23וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־ אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־ יָ֤סְפוּ עוֹד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָב֖וֹא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

24Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria.

24וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־ הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־ כָּל־ מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

25As a result, there was a great famine in the city. The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver.

25וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדוֹל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱי֤וֹת רֹאשׁ־ חֲמוֹר֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב [חרייונים] (דִּבְיוֹנִ֖ים‪‬) בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־ כָֽסֶף׃

26One day as the king of Israel was walking along the wall of the city, a woman called to him, “Please help me, my lord the king!”

26וַֽיְהִי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֹבֵ֖ר עַל־ הַחֹמָ֑ה וְאִשָּׁ֗ה צָעֲקָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

27He answered, “If the LORD doesn’t help you, what can I do? I have neither food from the threshing floor nor wine from the press to give you.”

27וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־ יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־ הַגֹּ֖רֶן א֥וֹ מִן־ הַיָּֽקֶב׃

28But then the king asked, “What is the matter?” She replied, “This woman said to me: ‘Come on, let’s eat your son today, then we will eat my son tomorrow.’

28וַיֹּֽאמֶר־ לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־ לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־ בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־ בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר׃

29So we cooked my son and ate him. Then the next day I said to her, ‘Kill your son so we can eat him,’ but she has hidden her son.”

29וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־ בְּנִ֖י וַנֹּֽאכְלֵ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יהָ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֵ֗ר תְּנִ֤י אֶת־ בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ וַתַּחְבִּ֖א אֶת־ בְּנָֽהּ׃

30When the king heard this, he tore his clothes in despair. And as the king walked along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing burlap under his robe next to his skin.

30וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־ דִּבְרֵ֤י הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־ בְּגָדָ֔יו וְה֖וּא עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־ הַחֹמָ֑ה וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַשַּׂ֛ק עַל־ בְּשָׂר֖וֹ מִבָּֽיִת׃

31“May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders this very day,” the king vowed.

31וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּֽה־ יַעֲשֶׂה־ לִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֑ף אִֽם־ יַעֲמֹ֞ד רֹ֣אשׁ אֱלִישָׁ֧ע בֶּן־ שָׁפָ֛ט עָלָ֖יו הַיּֽוֹם׃

32Elisha was sitting in his house with the elders of Israel when the king sent a messenger to summon him. But before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “A murderer has sent a man to cut off my head. When he arrives, shut the door and keep him out. We will soon hear his master’s steps following him.”

32וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵית֔וֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים יֹשְׁבִ֣ים אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ מִלְּפָנָ֗יו בְּטֶ֣רֶם יָבֹא֩ הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ אֵלָ֜יו וְה֣וּא ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־ הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ כִּֽי־ שָׁלַ֞ח בֶּן־ הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ הַזֶּה֙ לְהָסִ֣יר אֶת־ רֹאשִׁ֔י רְא֣וּ ׀ כְּבֹ֣א הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ סִגְר֤וּ הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בַּדֶּ֔לֶת הֲל֗וֹא ק֛וֹל רַגְלֵ֥י אֲדֹנָ֖יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃

33While Elisha was still saying this, the messenger arrived. And the king said, “All this misery is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

33עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ יֹרֵ֣ד אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־ זֹ֤את הָֽרָעָה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מָֽה־ אוֹחִ֥יל לַיהוָ֖ה עֽוֹד׃ ס

Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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