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2 Kings 6 - New American Standard Bible 1995 (NASB1995)

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The Axe Head Recovered

6 Now (A)the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too limited for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan and each of us take from there a beam, and let us make a place there for ourselves where we may live.” So he said, “Go.” 3 Then one said, “Please be willing to go with your servants.” And he [a]answered, “I shall go.” 4 So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5 But as one was felling a beam, [b]the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.” 6 Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And when he showed him the place, (B)he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7 He said, “Take it up for yourself.” So he put out his hand and took it.

The Arameans Plot to Capture Elisha

8 Now the king of Aram was warring against Israel; and he [c]counseled with his servants saying, “In such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 (C)The man of God sent word to the king of Israel saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Arameans are coming down there.” 10 The king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God had told him; thus he warned him, so that he guarded himself there, [d]more than once or twice.

11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 One of his servants said, “No, 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.” 13 So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him.” And it was told him, saying, “Behold, he is in (D)Dothan.” 14 He sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

15 Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! [e]What shall we do?” 16 So he [f]answered, “(E)Do not fear, for (F)those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “(G)O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of (H)horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Strike this [g]people with blindness, I pray.” So He (I)struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. 19 Then 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.” And he brought them to Samaria.

20 When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “O (J)Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “(K)My father, shall I [h]kill them? Shall I [i]kill them?” 22 He [j]answered, “You shall not [k]kill them. Would you [l](L)kill those you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? (M)Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away, and they went to their master. And (N)the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.

The Siege of Samaria—Cannibalism

24 Now it came about after this, that (O)Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25 There was a great (P)famine in Samaria; and behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a [m]kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 26 As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall a woman cried out to him, saying, “Help, my lord, O king!” 27 He said, “[n]If the Lord does not help you, from where shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?” 28 And the king said to her, “(Q)What [o]is the matter with you?” And she [p]answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ 29 (R)So we 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.” 30 When the king heard the words of the woman, (S)he tore his clothes—now he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth [q]beneath on his [r]body. 31 Then he said, “May (T)God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat [s]remains on him today.”

32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and (U)the elders were sitting with him. And the king sent a man from his presence; but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Do you (V)see how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and [t]hold the door shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” 33 While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him and he said, “(W)Behold, this evil is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:3 Lit said
  2. 2 Kings 6:5 Lit as for the iron, it fell
  3. 2 Kings 6:8 Lit took counsel
  4. 2 Kings 6:10 Lit not once or twice
  5. 2 Kings 6:15 Lit How
  6. 2 Kings 6:16 Lit said
  7. 2 Kings 6:18 Lit nation
  8. 2 Kings 6:21 Lit smite
  9. 2 Kings 6:21 Lit smite
  10. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit said
  11. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit smite
  12. 2 Kings 6:22 Lit smite
  13. 2 Kings 6:25 I.e. One kab equals approx 2 qts
  14. 2 Kings 6:27 Lit No, let the Lord help you
  15. 2 Kings 6:28 Lit to you
  16. 2 Kings 6:28 Lit said
  17. 2 Kings 6:30 Lit within
  18. 2 Kings 6:30 Lit flesh
  19. 2 Kings 6:31 Lit stands
  20. 2 Kings 6:32 Lit press him with the door

Cross references

  1. 2 Kings 6:1 : 2 Kin 2:3
  2. 2 Kings 6:6 : Ex 15:25; 2 Kin 2:21; 4:41
  3. 2 Kings 6:9 : 2 Kin 4:1, 7; 6:12
  4. 2 Kings 6:13 : Gen 37:17
  5. 2 Kings 6:16 : Ex 14:13
  6. 2 Kings 6:16 : 2 Chr 32:7, 8; Rom 8:31
  7. 2 Kings 6:17 : 2 Kin 6:20
  8. 2 Kings 6:17 : 2 Kin 2:11; Ps 68:17; Zech 6:1-7
  9. 2 Kings 6:18 : Gen 19:11
  10. 2 Kings 6:20 : 2 Kin 6:17
  11. 2 Kings 6:21 : 2 Kin 2:12; 5:13; 8:9
  12. 2 Kings 6:22 : Deut 20:11-16; 2 Chr 28:8-15
  13. 2 Kings 6:22 : Rom 12:20
  14. 2 Kings 6:23 : 2 Kin 5:2; 24:2
  15. 2 Kings 6:24 : 1 Kin 20:1
  16. 2 Kings 6:25 : Lev 26:26
  17. 2 Kings 6:28 : Judg 18:23
  18. 2 Kings 6:29 : Lev 26:27-29; Deut 28:52, 53, 57; Lam 4:10
  19. 2 Kings 6:30 : 1 Kin 21:27
  20. 2 Kings 6:31 : Ruth 1:17; 1 Kin 19:2
  21. 2 Kings 6:32 : Ezek 8:1; 14:1; 20:1
  22. 2 Kings 6:32 : 1 Kin 18:4, 13, 14; 21:10, 13
  23. 2 Kings 6:33 : Is 8:21

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2 Kings 6 - Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

6 And sons of the prophet say unto Elisha, `Lo, we pray thee, the place where we are dwelling before thee is too strait for us; 2 let us go, we pray thee, unto the Jordan, and we take thence each one beam, and we make for ourselves there a place to dwell there;' and he saith, `Go.' 3 And the one sai...
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2 Kings 6 - Wycliffe Bible (WYC)

6 Forsooth the sons of prophets said to Elisha, Lo! the place in which we dwell before thee, is strait to us; (And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, Lo! the place in which we live before thee, is too narrow, or too small, for us;) 2 go we therefore to Jordan, and each man take a portion of wo...
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2 Kings 6 - World English Bible (WEB)

6 The sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “See now, the place where we live and meet with you is too small for us. 2 Please let us go to the Jordan, and each man take a beam from there, and let’s make us a place there, where we may live.”He answered, “Go!” 3 One said, “Please be pleased to go with...
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2 Kings 6 - The Voice (VOICE)

6 The students of the prophets spoke to Elisha.Students of the Prophets: The place where we are staying with you is too small for us. 2 Allow us to travel to the Jordan Valley, cut down trees, and build a house there for ourselves.Elisha: Go. One of the Students: 3 Will you please travel with us, y...
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2 Kings 6 - Tree of Life Version (TLV)

Floating Ax Head6 Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place where we are living in your presence is too cramped for us. 2 So please, let’s go to the Jordan and pick from there each one a beam, and make ourselves a place there to live.”“Go,” he answered. 3 Then one of them ...
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2 Kings 6 - Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (RSVCE)

The Miracle of the Ax Head6 Now the sons of the prophets said to Eli′sha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, ...
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2 Kings 6 - Revised Standard Version (RSV)

The Miracle of the Ax Head6 Now the sons of the prophets said to Eli′sha, “See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.” And he answered, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, ...
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2 Kings 6 - New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

The Miracle of the Ax Head6 Now the company of prophets[a] said to Elisha, “As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, and let us collect logs there, one for each of us, and build a place there for us to live.” He answered, “Do so.” 3 Then...
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2 Kings 6 - New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised (NRSVA)

The Miracle of the Axehead6 Now the company of prophets[a] said to Elisha, ‘As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, and let us collect logs there, one for each of us, and build a place there for us to live.’ He answered, ‘Do so.’ 3 Then...
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2 Kings 6 - New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

The Miracle of the Ax Head6 Now the company of prophets said to Elisha, “As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us.(A)2 Let us go to the Jordan, and let us collect logs there, one for each of us, and build a place there for us to live.” He answered, “Do so.” 3 Then on...
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2 Kings 6 - New Living Translation (NLT)

The Floating Ax Head6 One 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. 2 Let’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.”...
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2 Kings 6 - New Life Version (NLV)

The Ax Head That Was Not Lost6 Now the sons of the men who tell what will happen in the future said to Elisha, “See, the place where we are living under your care is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan and each of us cut down a tree there. And let us make a place for us to live there.” So E...
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2 Kings 6 - New King James Version (NKJV)

The Floating Ax Head6 And (A)the 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.” 3 Then one said...
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2 Kings 6 - New International Version - UK (NIVUK)

An axe-head floats6 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, ‘Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.’And he said, ‘Go.’ 3 Then one of them said, ‘Won’t you please come ...
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2 Kings 6 - New International Version (NIV)

An Axhead Floats6 The company(A) of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”And he said, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come ...
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2 Kings 6 - New International Reader's Version (NIRV)

An Ax Blade Floats6 The group of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look. The place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2 We would like to go to the Jordan River. Each of us can get some wood there. We want to build a place there for us to meet.”Elisha said, “Go.” 3 Then one of them said, “Won’t...
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2 Kings 6 - New English Translation (NET)

Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float6 Some of the prophets[a] said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you[b] is too cramped[c] for us. 2 Let’s go to the Jordan. Each of us will get a log from there, and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there.” He said, “Go.” 3 One of them said, “Pl...
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