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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "//www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="//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"><title>2 Kings 6 GNT</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /></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="../topmenuchap/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="//biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="../">GNT</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">Good News Translation</div><div class="chap"><h3 class="s">The Recovery of the Ax Head</h3><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_1"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.1" class="v12_6_1">1</span>One day the group of prophets that Elisha was in charge of complained to him, “The place where we live is too small! </span><span class="v12_6_2"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.2" class="v12_6_2">2</span>Give us permission to go to the Jordan and cut down some trees, so that we can build a place to live.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_2">“All right,” Elisha answered.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_3"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.3" class="v12_6_3">3</span>One of them urged him to go with them; he agreed, </span><span class="v12_6_4"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.4" class="v12_6_4">4</span>and they set out together. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began to work. </span><span class="v12_6_5"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.5" class="v12_6_5">5</span>As one of them was cutting down a tree, suddenly his iron ax head fell in the water. “What shall I do, sir?” he exclaimed to Elisha. “It was a borrowed ax!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_6"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.6" class="v12_6_6">6</span>“Where did it fall?” Elisha asked.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_6">The man showed him the place, and Elisha cut off a stick, threw it in the water, and made the ax head float. </span><span class="v12_6_7"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.7" class="v12_6_7">7</span>“Take it out,” he ordered, and the man reached down and picked it up.</span></p><h3 class="s">The Syrian Army Is Defeated</h3><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_8"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.8" class="v12_6_8">8</span>The king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his officers and chose a place to set up his camp. </span><span class="v12_6_9"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.9" class="v12_6_9">9</span>But Elisha sent word to the king of Israel, warning him not to go near that place, because the Syrians were waiting in ambush there. </span><span class="v12_6_10"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.10" class="v12_6_10">10</span>So the king of Israel warned the people who lived in that place, and they were on guard. This happened several times.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_11"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.11" class="v12_6_11">11</span>The Syrian king became greatly upset over this; he called in his officers and asked them, “Which one of you is on the side of the king of Israel?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_12"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.12" class="v12_6_12">12</span>One of them answered, “No one is, Your Majesty. The prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel what you say even in the privacy of your own room.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_13"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.13" class="v12_6_13">13</span>“Find out where he is,” the king ordered, “and I will capture him.”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_13">When he was told that Elisha was in Dothan, </span><span class="v12_6_14"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.14" class="v12_6_14">14</span>he sent a large force there with horses and chariots. They reached the town at night and surrounded it. </span><span class="v12_6_15"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.15" class="v12_6_15">15</span>Early the next morning Elisha's servant got up, went out of the house, and saw the Syrian troops with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. He went back to Elisha and exclaimed, “We are doomed, sir! What shall we do?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_16"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.16" class="v12_6_16">16</span>“Don't be afraid,” Elisha answered. “We have more on our side than they have on theirs.” </span><span class="v12_6_17"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.17" class="v12_6_17">17</span>Then he prayed, “O <span class="nd">Lord</span>, open his eyes and let him see!” The <span class="nd">Lord</span> answered his prayer, and Elisha's servant looked up and saw the hillside covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_18"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.18" class="v12_6_18">18</span>When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, “O <span class="nd">Lord</span>, strike these men blind!” The <span class="nd">Lord</span> answered his prayer and struck them blind. </span><span class="v12_6_19"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.19" class="v12_6_19">19</span>Then Elisha went to them and said, “You are on the wrong road; this is not the town you are looking for. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are after.” And he led them to Samaria.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_20"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.20" class="v12_6_20">20</span>As soon as they had entered the city, Elisha prayed, “Open their eyes, <span class="nd">Lord</span>, and let them see.” The <span class="nd">Lord</span> answered his prayer; he restored their sight, and they saw that they were inside Samaria.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_21"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.21" class="v12_6_21">21</span>When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, sir? Shall I kill them?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_22"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.22" class="v12_6_22">22</span>“No,” he answered. “Not even soldiers you had captured in combat would you put to death. Give them something to eat and drink, and let them return to their king.” </span><span class="v12_6_23"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.23" class="v12_6_23">23</span>So the king of Israel provided a great feast for them; and after they had eaten and drunk, he sent them back to the king of Syria. From then on the Syrians stopped raiding the land of Israel.</span></p><h3 class="s">The Siege of Samaria</h3><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_24"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.24" class="v12_6_24">24</span>Some time later King Benhadad of Syria led his entire army against Israel and laid siege to the city of Samaria. </span><span class="v12_6_25"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.25" class="v12_6_25">25</span>As a result of the siege the food shortage in the city was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.6.25!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> cost five pieces of silver.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_26"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.26" class="v12_6_26">26</span>The king of Israel was walking by on the city wall when a woman cried out, “Help me, Your Majesty!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_27"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.27" class="v12_6_27">27</span>He replied, “If the <span class="nd">Lord</span> won't help you, what help can I provide? Do I have any wheat or wine? </span><span class="v12_6_28"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.28" class="v12_6_28">28</span>What's your trouble?”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_28">She answered, “The other day this woman here suggested that we eat my child, and then eat her child the next day. </span><span class="v12_6_29"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.29" class="v12_6_29">29</span><a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.6.29!x.1" class="notelink x-link"><span></span></a> So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her that we would eat her son, but she had hidden him!”</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_30"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.30" class="v12_6_30">30</span>Hearing this, the king tore his clothes in dismay, and the people who were close to the wall could see that he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes. </span><span class="v12_6_31"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.31" class="v12_6_31">31</span>He exclaimed, “May God strike me dead if Elisha is not beheaded before the day is over!” </span><span class="v12_6_32"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.32" class="v12_6_32">32</span>And he sent a messenger to get Elisha.</span></p><p class="par"><span class="v12_6_32">Meanwhile Elisha was at home with some elders who were visiting him. Before the king's messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “That murderer is sending someone to kill me! Now, when he gets here, shut the door and don't let him come in. The king himself will be right behind him.” </span><span class="v12_6_33"><span class="reftext" id="2Kgs.6.33" class="v12_6_33">33</span>He had hardly finished saying this, when the king<a href="#fn" id="link_2Kgs.6.33!f.1" class="notelink f-link"><span>+</span></a> arrived and said, “It's the <span class="nd">Lord</span> who has brought this trouble on us! Why should I wait any longer for him to do something?”</span></p><a name="fn"></a><br /><br /><br /><b>Footnotes:<br /><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">6.25: </char><char style="fk" closed="false">dove's dung: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">This may be a popular term for a vegetable such as wild onions.</char></note><br /><note caller="+" style="f"><char style="fr" closed="false">6.33: </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Probable text </char><char style="fq" closed="false">king; </char><char style="ft" closed="false">Hebrew </char><char style="fq" closed="false">messenger.</char></note></div></div><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div align="center"><p><span style="font-size:11pt;">Good News Translation® (Today’s English Version, Second Edition)</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11pt;">© 1992 American Bible Society. 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