The Death of Ahaziah

11 Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. 2 Ahaziah fell down through the lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick. So he sent messengers, and said to them, “Go, inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether I will recover of this sickness.” 3 But the angel of Yahweh said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and tell them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you go to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus says Yahweh, “You shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.”’” Elijah departed. 5 The messengers returned to him, and he said to them, “Why is it that you have returned?” 6 They said to him, “A man came up to meet us, and said to us, ‘Go, return to the king who sent you, and tell him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel, that you send to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.’”’” 7 He said to them, “What kind of man was he who came up to meet you, and told you these words?” 8 They answered him, “He was a hairy man, and wearing a leather belt around his waist.”

He said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

9 Then the king sent a captain of fifty with his fifty to him. He went up to him; and behold, he was sitting on the top of the hill. He said to him, “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’” 10 Elijah answered to the captain of fifty, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!” Fire came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 11 Again he sent to him another captain of fifty and his fifty. He answered him, “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down quickly!’” 12 Elijah answered them, “If I am a man of God, let fire come down from the sky, and consume you and your fifty!” The fire of God came down from the sky, and consumed him and his fifty. 13 Again he sent the captain of a third fifty with his fifty. The third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and begged him, and said to him, “Man of God, please let my life, and the life of these fifty your servants, be precious in your sight. 14 Behold, fire came down from the sky, and consumed the two former captains of fifty with their fifties. But now let my life be precious in your sight.” 15 The angel of Yahweh said to Elijah, “Go down with him. Don’t be afraid of him.”

He arose, and went down with him to the king. 16 He said to him, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Because you have sent messengers to inquire of Baal Zebub, the god of Ekron, is it because there is no God in Israel to inquire of his word? Therefore you shall not come down from the bed where you have gone up, but shall surely die.” 17 So he died according to the word of Yahweh which Elijah had spoken. Jehoram began to reign in his place in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. 18 Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, aren’t they written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?

Elisha Succeeds Elijah

21 It happened, when Yahweh would take up Elijah by a whirlwind into heaven, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal. 2 Elijah said to Elisha, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me as far as Bethel.”

Elisha said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. 3 The sons of the prophets who were at Bethel came out to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?”

He said, “Yes, I know it; hold your peace.” 4 Elijah said to him, “Elisha, please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to Jericho.”

He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So they came to Jericho. 5 The sons of the prophets who were at Jericho came near to Elisha, and said to him, “Do you know that Yahweh will take away your master from your head today?”

He answered, “Yes, I know it. Hold your peace.” 6 Elijah said to him, “Please wait here, for Yahweh has sent me to the Jordan.”

He said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” They both went on. 7 Fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood opposite them at a distance; and they both stood by the Jordan. 8 Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and struck the waters, and they were divided here and there, so that they two went over on dry ground.

9 It happened, when they had gone over, that Elijah said to Elisha, “Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you.”

Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your spirit be on me.” 10 He said, “You have asked a hard thing. If you see me when I am taken from you, it shall be so for you; but if not, it shall not be so.” 11 It happened, as they still went on, and talked, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 Elisha saw it, and he cried, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!”

He saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and tore them in two pieces.

13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of the Jordan. 14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and struck the waters, and said, “Where is Yahweh, the God of Elijah?” When he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha went over. 15 When the sons of the prophets who were at Jericho over against him saw him, they said, “The spirit of Elijah rests on Elisha.” They came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him. 16 They said to him, “See now, there are with your servants fifty strong men. Let them go, please, and seek your master. Perhaps the Spirit of Yahweh has taken him up, and put him on some mountain, or into some valley.

He said, “You shall not send them.” 17 When they urged him until he was ashamed, he said, “Send them.”

They sent therefore fifty men; and they searched for three days, but didn’t find him. 18 They came back to him, while he stayed at Jericho; and he said to them, “Didn’t I tell you, ‘Don’t go?’”

19 The men of the city said to Elisha, “Behold, please, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord sees; but the water is bad, and the land miscarries.” 20 He said, “Bring me a new jar, and put salt in it.” They brought it to him. 21 He went out to the spring of the waters, and threw salt into it, and said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘I have healed these waters. There shall not be from there any more death or miscarrying.’” 22 So the waters were healed to this day, according to the word of Elisha which he spoke. 23 He went up from there to Bethel. As he was going up by the way, some youths came out of the city and mocked him, and said to him, “Go up, you baldy! Go up, you baldhead!” 24 He looked behind him and saw them, and cursed them in the name of Yahweh. Two female bears came out of the woods, and mauled forty-two of those youths. 25 He went from there to Mount Carmel, and from there he returned to Samaria.

The Reign of Jehoram of Israel

31 Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria in the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 He did that which was evil in the sight of Yahweh, but not like his father, and like his mother; for he put away the pillar of Baal that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved to the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, with which he made Israel to sin; he didn’t depart from it.

Elisha Predicts Victory over Moab

4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep breeder; and he rendered to the king of Israel the wool of one hundred thousand lambs, and of one hundred thousand rams. 5 But it happened, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.

6 King Jehoram went out of Samaria at that time, and mustered all Israel. 7 He went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, “The king of Moab has rebelled against me. Will you go with me against Moab to battle?”

He said, “I will go up. I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” 8 He said, “Which way shall we go up?”

He answered, “The way of the wilderness of Edom.” 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom; and they made a circuit of seven days’ journey. There was no water for the army, nor for the animals that followed them. 10 The king of Israel said, “Alas! For Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 11 But Jehoshaphat said, “Isn’t there here a prophet of Yahweh, that we may inquire of Yahweh by him?”

One of the king of Israel’s servants answered, “Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.” 12 Jehoshaphat said, “The word of Yahweh is with him.” So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. 13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, “What have I to do with you? Go to the prophets of your father, and to the prophets of your mother.”

The king of Israel said to him, “No; for Yahweh has called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab.” 14 Elisha said, “As Yahweh of Armies lives, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I respect the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward you, nor see you. 15 But now bring me a minstrel.” It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him. 16 He said, “Thus says Yahweh, ‘Make this valley full of trenches.’ 17 For thus says Yahweh, ‘You will not see wind, neither will you see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, and you will drink, both you and your livestock and your animals. 18 This is but a light thing in the sight of Yahweh. He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand. 19 You shall strike every fortified city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all springs of water, and mar every good piece of land with stones.’”

20 It happened in the morning, about the time of offering the offering, that behold, water came by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. 21 Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them, they gathered themselves together, all who were able to put on armor, and upward, and stood on the border. 22 They rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone on the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood. 23 They said, “This is blood. The kings are surely destroyed, and they have struck each other. Now therefore, Moab, to the spoil!” 24 When they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and struck the Moabites, so that they fled before them; and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites. 25 They beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the springs of water, and felled all the good trees, until in Kir Hareseth only they left its stones; however the men armed with slings went about it, and struck it. 26 When the king of Moab saw that the battle was too severe for him, he took with him seven hundred men who drew sword, to break through to the king of Edom; but they could not. 27 Then he took his eldest son who would have reigned in his place, and offered him for a burnt offering on the wall. There was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land.

The Widow's Oil

41 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead. You know that your servant feared Yahweh. Now the creditor has come to take for himself my two children to be slaves.” 2 Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me: what do you have in the house?”

She said, “Your handmaid has nothing in the house, except a pot of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow containers from of all your neighbors, even empty containers. Don’t borrow just a few. 4 You shall go in, and shut the door on you and on your sons, and pour out into all those containers; and you shall set aside that which is full.” 5 So she went from him, and shut the door on her and on her sons; they brought the containers to her, and she poured out. 6 It happened, when the containers were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another container.”

He said to her, “There isn’t another container.” The oil stopped flowing. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. He said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

Elisha and the Shunammite Woman

8 It fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where there was a prominent woman; and she persuaded him to eat bread. So it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread. 9 She said to her husband, “See now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, that passes by us continually. 10 Let us make, please, a little chamber on the wall. Let us set for him there a bed, a table, a chair, and a lamp stand. It shall be, when he comes to us, that he shall turn in there.” 11 One day he came there, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. 12 He said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 He said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Behold, you have cared for us with all this care. What is to be done for you? Would you like to be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the army?”

She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” 14 He said, “What then is to be done for her?”

Gehazi answered, “Most certainly she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 He said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the door. 16 He said, “At this season, when the time comes around, you will embrace a son.”

She said, 17 The woman conceived, and bore a son at that season, when the time came around, as Elisha had said to her.

18 When the child was grown, it happened one day that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 He said to his father, “My head! My head!”

He said to his servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees until noon, and then died. 21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door on him, and went out. 22 She called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the servants, and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God, and come again.” 23 He said, “Why would you want go to him today? It is neither new moon nor Sabbath.”

She said, “It’s alright.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward! Don’t slow down for me, unless I ask you to.” 25 So she went, and came to the man of God to Mount Carmel. It happened, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, “Behold, there is the Shunammite. 26 Please run now to meet her, and ask her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’”

She answered, “It is well.” 27 When she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, “Leave her alone; for her soul is troubled within her; and Yahweh has hid it from me, and has not told me.” 28 Then she said, “Did I desire a son of my lord? Didn’t I say, Do not deceive me?” 29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Tuck your cloak into your belt, take my staff in your hand, and go your way. If you meet any man, don’t greet him; and if anyone greets you, don’t answer him again. Then lay my staff on the face of the child.” 30 The mother of the child said, “As Yahweh lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.”

He arose, and followed her. 31 Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Therefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.” 32 When Elisha had come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid on his bed. 33 He went in therefore, and shut the door on them both, and prayed to Yahweh. 34 He went up, and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, and his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands. He stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child grew warm. 35 Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth; and went up, and stretched himself on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. 36 He called Gehazi, and said, “Call this Shunammite!” So he called her.

When she had come in to him, he said, “Take up your son.” 37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out.

Elisha's Miracles for the Prophets

38 Elisha came again to Gilgal. There was a famine in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him; and he said to his servant, “Set on the great pot, and boil stew for the sons of the prophets.” 39 One went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered of it wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of stew; for they didn’t recognize them. 40 So they poured out for the men to eat. It happened, as they were eating of the stew, that they cried out, and said, “Man of God, there is death in the pot!” They could not eat of it. 41 But he said, “Then bring meal.” He cast it into the pot; and he said, “Pour out for the people, that they may eat.” There was no harm in the pot. 42 A man from Baal Shalishah came, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley, and fresh ears of grain in his sack. He said, “Give to the people, that they may eat.” 43 His servant said, “What, should I set this before a hundred men?”

But he said, “Give the people, that they may eat; for thus says Yahweh, ‘They will eat, and will have some left over.’” 44 So he set it before them, and they ate, and left some of it, according to the word of Yahweh.