2 Kings 6:1-16 ▼

1 And sons of the prophet say to Elisha, “Now behold, the place where we are dwelling before you is too narrow for us;

2 please let us go to the Jordan, and we each take one beam from there, and we make a place there for ourselves to dwell there”; and he says, “Go.”

3 And the one says, “Please be willing, and go with your servants”; and he says, “I go.”

4 And he goes with them, and they come to the Jordan, and cut down the trees,

5 and it comes to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron [ax head] has fallen into the water, and he cries and says, “Aah! My lord, for it was borrowed!”

6 And the man of God says, “To where has it fallen?” And he shows him the place, and he cuts a stick, and casts [it] there, and causes the iron to swim,

7 and says, “Raise [it] up for yourself”; and he puts forth his hand and takes it.

8 And the king of Aram has been fighting against Israel, and takes counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place [is] my encamping.”

9 And the man of God sends to the king of Israel, saying, “Take heed of passing by this place, for the Arameans are coming down there”;

10 and the king of Israel sends to the place of which the man of God spoke to him, and warned him, and he is preserved there not [just] once and not [just] twice.

11 And the heart of the king of Aram is tossed about concerning this thing, and he calls to his servants and says to them, “Do you not declare to me who of us [is] for the king of Israel?”

12 And one of his servants says, “No, my lord, O king, for Elisha the prophet, who [is] in Israel, declares to the king of Israel the words that you speak in the inner part of your bed-chamber.”

13 And he says, “Go and see where he [is], and I send and take him”; and it is declared to him, saying, “Behold—in Dothan.”

14 And he sends horses and chariot, and a heavy force there, and they come in by night, and go around against the city.

15 And the servant of the man of God rises early, and goes out, and behold, a force is surrounding the city, and horse and chariot, and his young man says to him, “Aah! My lord, how do we do?”

16 And he says, “Do not fear, for more [are] they who [are] with us than they who [are] with them.”