2 Kings 5-6
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 5
1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in the view of his master, and eminent, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but afflicted with leprosy. 2Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3And she said to her mistress, 'If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.' 4And Naaman went in and told his master, saying, 'The girl who is from the land of Israel spoke such and such.' 5Then the king of Aram said, 'Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.' So he departed and took with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothes.
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which said, 'And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, so that you may cure him of his leprosy.'
7But when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, 'Am I God, to kill and to keep alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.'
8Now it happened, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, 'Why did you tear your clothes? Just have him come to me, and he shall learn that there is a prophet in Israel.'
9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots, and stood at the doorway of Elisha’s house.
10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, 'Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.'
11But Naaman was furious and went away, and he said, 'Behold, I thought, ‘He will certainly come out to me, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the site and cure the leprosy.’
12Are Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, not 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.
13Then his servants approached and spoke to him, saying, 'My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, 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 himself in the Jordan seven times, in accordance with the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15Then he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him. And he said, 'Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel; so please accept a gift from your servant now.'
16But he said, 'As surely as the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will accept nothing.' And he urged him to accept it, but he refused.
17Then Naaman said, 'If not, please let your servant be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering nor a sacrifice to other gods, but to the Lord.
18Regarding this matter may the Lord forgive your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord please forgive your servant in this matter.'
19He said to him, 'Go in peace.' So he went some distance from him.
20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, thought, 'Behold, my master has spared this Naaman the Aramean, by not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and take something from him.'
21So Gehazi pursued Naaman. When Naaman saw someone running after him, he came down from the chariot to meet him and said, 'Is everything well?'
22And he said, 'Everything is well. My master has sent me, saying, ‘Behold, just now two young men of the sons of the prophets have come to me from the hill country of Ephraim. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothes.’?'
23Naaman said, 'Be sure to take two talents.' And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags with two changes of clothes, and gave them to two of his servants; and they carried them before him.
24When he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and deposited them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.
25But he went in and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, 'Where have you been, Gehazi?' And he said, 'Your servant went nowhere.'
26Then he said to him, 'Did my heart not go with you, when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Is it a time to accept money and to accept clothes, olive groves, vineyards, sheep, oxen, and male and female slaves?
27Therefore, the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever.' So he went out from his presence afflicted with leprosy, as white as snow.
Chapter 6
1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, 'Behold now, the place before you where we are living is too cramped for us. 2Please let us go to the Jordan, and let us each take from there a beam, and let us construct a place there for ourselves, to live there.' So he said, 'Go.' 3Then one of them said, 'Please agree and go with your servants.' And he said, 'I will go.' 4So he went with them; and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. 5But it happened that as one of them was cutting down a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, 'Oh, my master! It was borrowed!' 6Then the man of God said, 'Where did it fall?' And when he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there, and made the iron float. 7Then he said, 'Pick it up for yourself.' So he reached out his hand and took it.
8Now the king of Aram was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, 'In such and such a place shall be my camp.'
9But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, saying, 'Be careful that you do not pass this place, because the Arameans are coming down there.'
10And the king of Israel sent scouts to the place about which the man of God had told him; so he warned him, so that he was on his guard there, more than once or twice.
11Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this matter; and he called his servants and said to them, 'Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?'
12One of his servants said, 'No, my lord, the 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, so that I may send men and take him.' And it was told to him, saying, 'Behold, he is in Dothan.'
14So he sent horses and chariots and a substantial army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15Now 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, 'This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?'
16And he said, 'Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are greater than those who are with them.'
17Then Elisha prayed and said, 'Lord, please, open his eyes so that he may see.' And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, 'Please strike this people with blindness.' So He struck them with blindness in accordance with the word of Elisha.
19Then 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.
20When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, 'Lord, open the eyes of these men, so that they may see.' So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, 'My father, 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? Set bread and water before them, so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.'
23So he provided a large feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.
24Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25So there was a severe famine in Samaria; and behold, they kept besieging it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.
26And as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, 'Help, my lord the king!'
27But he said, 'If the Lord does not help you, from where am I to help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?'
28Then the king said to her, 'What is on your mind?' And she said, 'This woman said to me, ‘Give your son so that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we cooked my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, so that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.'
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes—and he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
31Then he said, 'May God do so to me and more so, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.'
32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and 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 see how this son of a murderer has sent a man to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door shut against him. Is the sound of his master’s feet not behind him?'
33While he was still talking with them, behold, the messenger came down to him and he said, 'Behold, this evil is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?'
King James Version
Chapter 5
1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper. 2And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. 3And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel.
5And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have therewith sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy.
7And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me.
8And it was so, when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha.
10And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean.
11But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?
14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him: and he said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant.
16But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it; but he refused.
17And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.
18In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.
19And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.
20But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.
21So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, Is all well?
22And he said, All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments.
23And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him.
24And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed.
25But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, Whence comest thou, Gehazi? And he said, Thy servant went no whither.
26And he said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.
Chapter 6
1And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. 2Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. 3And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. 4So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. 5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. 6And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. 7Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. 8Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. 9And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. 10And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. 11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew 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 that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. 13And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 14Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
17And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
18And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.
20And it came to pass, when they were come into 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, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
21And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
24And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
28And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
29So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
33And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?
Christian Standard Bible
2Aram had gone on raids and brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife.
3She said to her mistress, "If only my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria, he would cure him of his skin disease."
8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, "Why have you torn your clothes? Have him come to me, and he will know there is a prophet in Israel."
9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha’s house.
11But Naaman got angry and left, saying, "I was telling myself: He will surely come out, stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the skin disease.
12Aren’t Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be clean?" So he turned and left in a rage.
13But his servants approached and said to him, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more should you do it when he only tells you, ‘Wash and be clean’?"
14So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the command of the man of God. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean.
17Naaman responded, "If not, please let your servant be given as much soil as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will no longer offer a burnt offering or a sacrifice to any other god but the Lord.
18However, in a particular matter may the Lord pardon your servant: When my master, the king of Aram, goes into the temple of Rimmon to bow in worship while he is leaning on my arm, and I have to bow in the temple of Rimmon—when I bow in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant in this matter."
19So he said to him, "Go in peace." After Naaman had traveled a short distance from Elisha,
20Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha the man of God, thought, "My master has let this Aramean Naaman off lightly by not accepting from him what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
23But Naaman insisted, "Please, accept one hundred fifty pounds." He urged Gehazi and then packed one hundred fifty pounds of silver in two bags with two sets of clothing. Naaman gave them to two of his attendants who carried them ahead of Gehazi.
24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the gifts from them and deposited them in the house. Then he dismissed the men, and they left.
26"And my heart didn’t go when the man got down from his chariot to meet you," Elisha said. "Is this a time to accept silver and clothing, olive orchards and vineyards, flocks and herds, and male and female slaves?
27Therefore, Naaman’s skin disease will cling to you and your descendants forever." So Gehazi went out from his presence diseased, resembling snow.
4So he went with them, and when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.
5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Oh, my master, it was borrowed!"
6Then the man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, the man of God cut a piece of wood, threw it there, and made the iron float.
7Then he said, "Pick it up." So he reached out and took it.
9But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Be careful passing by this place, for the Arameans are going down there."
10Consequently, the king of Israel sent word to the place the man of God had told him about. The man of God repeatedly warned the king, so the king would be on his guard.
13So the king said, "Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him." When he was told, "Elisha is in Dothan,"
14he sent horses, chariots, and a massive army there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
18When the Arameans came against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, "Please strike this nation with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, according to Elisha’s word.
19Then Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you’re looking for." And he led them to Samaria.
20When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, "Lord, open these men’s eyes and let them see." So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.
24Some time later, King Ben-hadad of Aram brought all his military units together and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
25So there was a severe famine in Samaria, and they continued the siege against it until a donkey’s head sold for thirty-four ounces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for two ounces of silver.
28Then the king asked her, "What’s the matter?" She said, "This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, and we will eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we boiled my son and ate him, and I said to her the next day, ‘Give up your son, and we will eat him,’ but she has hidden her son."
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes. Then, as he was passing by on the wall, the people saw that there was sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
31He announced, "May God punish me and do so severely if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."
New Living Translation
2At this time Aramean raiders had invaded the land of Israel, and among their captives was a young girl who had been given to Naaman’s wife as a maid.
3One day the girl said to her mistress, 'I wish my master would go to see the prophet in Samaria. He would heal him of his leprosy.'
4So Naaman told the king what the young girl from Israel had said.
5Go and visit the prophet,' the king of Aram told him. 'I will send a letter of introduction for you to take to the king of Israel.' So Naaman started out, carrying as gifts 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of clothing.
6The letter to the king of Israel said: 'With this letter I present my servant Naaman. I want you to heal him of his leprosy.'
9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and waited at the door of Elisha’s house.
10But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: 'Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.'
11But Naaman became angry and stalked away. 'I thought he would certainly come out to meet me!' he said. 'I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!
12Aren’t the rivers of Damascus, the Abana and the Pharpar, better than any of the rivers of Israel? Why shouldn’t I wash in them and be healed?' So Naaman turned and went away in a rage.
13But his officers tried to reason with him and said, 'Sir, if the prophet had told you to do something very difficult, wouldn’t you have done it? So you should certainly obey him when he says simply, ‘Go and wash and be cured!’'
14So Naaman went down to the Jordan River and dipped himself seven times, as the man of God had instructed him. And his skin became as healthy as the skin of a young child, and he was healed!
17Then Naaman said, 'All right, but please allow me to load two of my mules with earth from this place, and I will take it back home with me. From now on I will never again offer burnt offerings or sacrifices to any other god except the Lord.
18However, may the Lord pardon me in this one thing: When my master the king goes into the temple of the god Rimmon to worship there and leans on my arm, may the Lord pardon me when I bow, too.'
23By all means, take twice as much silver,' Naaman insisted. He gave him two sets of clothing, tied up the money in two bags, and sent two of his servants to carry the gifts for Gehazi.
24But when they arrived at the citadel, Gehazi took the gifts from the servants and sent the men back. Then he went and hid the gifts inside the house.
26But Elisha asked him, 'Don’t you realize that I was there in spirit when Naaman stepped down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to receive money and clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and cattle, and male and female servants?
27Because you have done this, you and your descendants will suffer from Naaman’s leprosy forever.' When Gehazi left the room, he was covered with leprosy; his skin was white as snow.
4So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began cutting down trees.
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!'
6Where 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.
7Grab it,' Elisha said. And the man reached out and grabbed it.
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.'
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.
13Go 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.'
14So one night the king of Aram sent a great army with many chariots and horses to surround the city.
16Don’t be afraid!' Elisha told him. 'For there are more on our side than on theirs!'
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.
24Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria.
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.
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.’
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.'
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.
31May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders this very day,' the king vowed.
English Standard Version
Chapter 5
1Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master and in high favor, because by him the Lord had given victory to Syria. He was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper. 2Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman 's wife. 3She said to her mistress, "Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy." 4So Naaman went in and told his lord, "Thus and so spoke the girl from the land of Israel." 5And the king of Syria said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So he went, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold, and ten changes of clothing.
6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, which read, "When this letter reaches you, know that I have sent to you Naaman my servant, that you may cure him of his leprosy."
7And when the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man sends word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? Only consider, and see how he is seeking a quarrel with me."
8But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent to the king, saying, "Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come now to me, that he may know that there is a prophet in Israel."
9So Naaman came with his horses and chariots and stood at the door of Elisha 's house.
10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean."
11But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, "Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.
12Are not Abana and 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.
13But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?"
14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God, and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
15Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and he came and stood before him. And he said, "Behold, I know that there is no God in all the earth but in Israel; so accept now a present from your servant."
16But he said, "As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it, but he refused.
17Then Naaman said, "If not, please let there be given to your servant two mule loads of earth, for from now on your servant will not offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god but the Lord.
18In this matter may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon your servant in this matter."
19He said to him, "Go in peace." But when Naaman had gone from him a short distance,
20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "See, my master has spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
21So Gehazi followed Naaman. And when Naaman saw someone running after him, he got down from the chariot to meet him and said, "Is all well?"
22And he said, "All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets. Please give them a talent of silver and two changes of clothing.’"
23And Naaman said, "Be pleased to accept two talents." And he urged him and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of clothing, and laid them on two of his servants. And they carried them before Gehazi.
24And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand and put them in the house, and he sent the men away, and they departed.
25He went in and stood before his master, and Elisha said to him, "Where have you been, Gehazi?" And he said, "Your servant went nowhere."
26But he said to him, "Did not my heart go when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male servants and female servants?
27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and to your descendants forever." So he went out from his presence a leper, like snow.
Chapter 6
1Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. 2Let 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." 3Then one of them said, "Be pleased 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 felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed." 6Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. 7And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.
8Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, "At such and such a place shall be my camp."
9But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there."
10And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.
11And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me who 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."
13And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him." It was told him, "Behold, he is in Dothan."
14So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
16He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17Then Elisha prayed and said, "O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see." So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.
19And Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he led them to Samaria.
20As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O 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.
21As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?"
22He answered, "You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master."
23So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.
24Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey 's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove 's dung for five shekels of silver.
26Now 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 will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?"
28And the king asked her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "This woman said to me, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him.’ But she has hidden her son."
30When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes — now he was passing by on the wall — and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body —
31and he said, "May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."
32Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master 's feet behind him?"
33And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, "This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?"
New International Version
2Now bands of raiders from Aram had gone out and had taken captive a young girl from Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife.
3She said to her mistress, "If only my master would see the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy."
4Naaman went to his master and told him what the girl from Israel had said.
5"By all means, go," the king of Aram replied. "I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman left, taking with him ten talents of silver, six thousand shekels of gold and ten sets of clothing.
6The letter that he took to the king of Israel read: "With this letter I am sending my servant Naaman to you so that you may cure him of his leprosy."
8When Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his robes, he sent him this message: "Why have you torn your robes? Have the man come to me and he will know that there is a prophet in Israel."
9So Naaman went with his horses and chariots and stopped at the door of Elisha’s house.
10Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed."
11But Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.
12Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn’t I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage.
13Naaman’s servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, ‘Wash and be cleansed’!"
14So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy.
17"If you will not," said Naaman, "please let me, your servant, be given as much earth as a pair of mules can carry, for your servant will never again make burnt offerings and sacrifices to any other god but the Lord.
18But may the Lord forgive your servant for this one thing: When my master enters the temple of Rimmon to bow down and he is leaning on my arm and I have to bow there also—when I bow down in the temple of Rimmon, may the Lord forgive your servant for this."
19"Go in peace," Elisha said. After Naaman had traveled some distance,
20Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said to himself, "My master was too easy on Naaman, this Aramean, by not accepting from him what he brought. As surely as the Lord lives, I will run after him and get something from him."
23"By all means, take two talents," said Naaman. He urged Gehazi to accept them, and then tied up the two talents of silver in two bags, with two sets of clothing. He gave them to two of his servants, and they carried them ahead of Gehazi.
24When Gehazi came to the hill, he took the things from the servants and put them away in the house. He sent the men away and they left.
26But Elisha said to him, "Was not my spirit with you when the man got down from his chariot to meet you? Is this the time to take money or to accept clothes—or olive groves and vineyards, or flocks and herds, or male and female slaves?
27Naaman’s leprosy will cling to you and to your descendants forever." Then Gehazi went from Elisha’s presence and his skin was leprous—it had become as white as snow.
4And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees.
5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. "Oh no, my lord!" he cried out. "It was borrowed!"
6The man of God asked, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float.
7"Lift it out," he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
9The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: "Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there."
10So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.
13"Go, find out where he is," the king ordered, "so I can send men and capture him." The report came back: "He is in Dothan."
14Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
22"Do not kill them," he answered. "Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master."
23So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
24Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
25There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels.
28Then he asked her, "What’s the matter?" She answered, "This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’
29So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him."
New King James Version
Chapter 5
1Now Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Syria, was a 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 on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited 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.”
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 wash 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.’
12Are not the Abanah 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 servants 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 flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
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.
18Yet in this thing may the Lord pardon your servant: when my master goes into the temple of Rimmon to worship there, and he 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.”
20But Gehazi, 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?”
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 the citadel, he took them from their hand, and stored them away in the house; then he let the men go, and they departed.
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 time to receive money and to receive clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
27Therefore the leprosy of Naaman shall cling to you and your descendants forever.” And he went out from his presence leprous, as white as snow.
3Then one said, “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 borrowed.”
6So the man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. So he 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.
8Now the king 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.
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, “Do not fear, for those 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 opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses 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 He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set 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 the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
24And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.
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.’
29So 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.”
30Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore 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, “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 the 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, “Do you see how this son of a 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?”
33And while he was still talking with them, there was the messenger, coming down to him; and then the king said, “Surely this calamity is from the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
