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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>2 Kings 6 New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_kings/6.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcc/2_kings/6-1.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com/catholic">Bible</a> > <a href="../">NRSVCE</a> > 2 Kings 6</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../2_kings/5.htm" title="2 Kings 5">◄</a> 2 Kings 6 <a href="../2_kings/7.htm" title="2 Kings 7">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition</td><td width="1%" valign="top"></td></tr></table></div><div class="chap"><div class="text-html"> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Miracle of the Ax Head</span></h3><p class="chapter-1"><span class="text"><span class="versenum">1</span>Now the company of prophets<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-9676a" title="See footnote a">a</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote a">a</a>]</span> said to Elisha, “As you see, the place where we live under your charge is too small for us. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">2</span>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.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">3</span>Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.” And he answered, “I will.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">4</span>So he went with them. When they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">5</span>But as one was felling a log, his ax head fell into the water; he cried out, “Alas, master! It was borrowed.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">6</span>Then 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. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">7</span>He said, “Pick it up.” So he reached out his hand and took it.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">The Aramean Attack Is Thwarted</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">8</span>Once when the king of Aram was at war with Israel, he took counsel with his officers. He said, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">9</span>But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Take care not to pass this place, because the Arameans are going down there.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">10</span>The king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God spoke. More than once or twice he warned such a place<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-9685b" title="See footnote b">b</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote b">b</a>]</span> so that it was on the alert.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">11</span>The mind of the king of Aram was greatly perturbed because of this; he called his officers and said to them, “Now tell me who among us sides with the king of Israel?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">12</span>Then one of his officers said, “No one, my lord king. It is Elisha, the prophet in Israel, who tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedchamber.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">13</span>He said, “Go and find where he is; I will send and seize him.” He was told, “He is in Dothan.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">14</span>So he sent horses and chariots there and a great army; they came by night, and surrounded the city.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">15</span>When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, “Alas, master! What shall we do?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">16</span>He replied, “Do not be afraid, for there are more with us than there are with them.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">17</span>Then Elisha prayed: “O <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw; the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">18</span>When the Arameans<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-9693c" title="See footnote c">c</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote c">c</a>]</span> came down against him, Elisha prayed to the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, and said, “Strike this people, please, with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">19</span>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.</span></p> <p><span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">20</span>As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>, open the eyes of these men so that they may see.” The <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> opened their eyes, and they saw that they were inside Samaria. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">21</span>When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, “Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">22</span>He answered, “No! Did you capture with your sword and your bow those whom you want to kill? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink; and let them go to their master.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">23</span>So he prepared for them a great feast; after they ate and drank, he sent them on their way, and they went to their master. And the Arameans no longer came raiding into the land of Israel.</span></p> <h3><span id="en" class="text">Ben-hadad’s Siege of Samaria</span></h3><p><span class="text"><span class="versenum">24</span>Some time later King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army; he marched against Samaria and laid siege to it. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">25</span>As the siege continued, famine in Samaria became so great that a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">26</span>Now as the king of Israel was walking on the city wall, a woman cried out to him, “Help, my lord king!” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">27</span>He said, “No! Let the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> help you. How can I help you? From the threshing floor or from the wine press?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">28</span>But then the king asked her, “What is your complaint?” She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son; we will eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’ </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">29</span>So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son and we will eat him.’ But she has hidden her son.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">30</span>When the king heard the words of the woman he tore his clothes—now since he was walking on the city wall, the people could see that he had sackcloth on his body underneath— </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">31</span>and he said, “So may God do to me, and more, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat stays on his shoulders today.” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">32</span>So he dispatched a man from his presence.</span></p><p><span class="text">Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Are you aware that this murderer has sent someone to take off my head? When the messenger comes, see that you shut the door and hold it closed against him. Is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?” </span> <span id="en" class="text"><span class="versenum">33</span>While he was still speaking with them, the king<span data-fn='#fen' class='footnote' data-link='[<a href="#fen-NRSVCE-9708d" title="See footnote d">d</a>]'>[<a href="#fen" xtitle="See footnote d">d</a>]</span> came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span>! Why should I hope in the <span style="font-variant: small-caps" class="small-caps">Lord</span> any longer?” </span> </p><A name="fen"></a><div class="footnotes"><h4>Footnotes</h4><ol><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Kings 6:1">2 Kings 6:1</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb <i>sons of the prophets</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Kings 6:10">2 Kings 6:10</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb <i>warned it</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Kings 6:18">2 Kings 6:18</a> <span class='footnote-text'>Heb <i>they</i></span></li><li id="fen"><a hlef="#en" xtitle="Go to 2 Kings 6:33">2 Kings 6:33</a> <span class='footnote-text'>See 7.2: Heb <i>messenger</i></span></li></ol></div> </div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright © 1989, 1993 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. 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