וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע הִנֵּה־נָא הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ יֹשְׁבִים שָׁם לְפָנֶיךָ צַר מִמֶּנּוּ

The disciples of the prophets, Elisha’s students, who had increased as his reputation grew, said to Elisha: Behold please, the place where we live before you is too small for us.

נֵלְכָה־נָּא עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְנִקְחָה מִשָּׁם אִישׁ קוֹרָה אֶחָת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּנוּ שָׁם מָקוֹם לָשֶׁבֶת שָׁם וַיֹּאמֶר לֵכוּ

Let us go, please, to the Jordan, where large trees grow, and we will chop them down and each take from there a log and make a place there for us to live. There is a vacant area there, where we can build a home for you and a place sufficiently large for all of us, your disciples. He, Elisha, said: Go; I authorize your request.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָאֶחָד הוֹאֶל נָא וְלֵךְ אֶת עֲבָדֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ

One said: Please agree and go with us, your servants, as we wish to construct a new building for your educational enterprise. He said: I will go.

וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתָּם וַיָּבֹאוּ הַיַּרְדֵּנָה וַיִּגְזְרוּ הָעֵצִים

He went with them. They came to the Jordan and they hewed down trees, as planned.

וַיְהִי הָאֶחָד מַפִּיל הַקּוֹרָה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶל נָפַל אֶל־הַמָּיִם וַיִּצְעַק וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי וְהוּא שָׁאוּל

It was as one was felling a log, and the iron ax-head became detached from the handle and fell into the water. He cried out and said: Alas, my master, the ax-head is lost and it is borrowed. How can I restore it to its owner?

וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים אָנָה נָפָל וַיַּרְאֵהוּ אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם וַיִּקְצָב עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁמָּה וַיָּצֶף הַבַּרְזֶל

The man of God said: Where did it fall? He showed him the place. He, Elisha, cut wood and cast it there, and miraculously the blade floated to the surface of the water.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָרֶם לָךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ

And He, Elisha, said: Pick it up for yourself. He extended his hand and took it.

וּמֶלֶךְ אֲרָם הָיָה נִלְחָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּוָּעַץ אֶל־עֲבָדָיו לֵאמֹר אֶל־מְקוֹם פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי תַּחֲנֹתִי

The king of Aram made war against Israel, not by means of direct, full-scale military confrontation but through occasional raids. And he consulted with his servants, saying: In such and such a place will be my camp, in preparation for an ambush.

וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמֶר מֵעֲבֹר הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי־שָׁם אֲרָם נְחִתִּים

The man of God sent a message to the king of Israel, saying: Beware of passing this place, as there the Arameans are encamped, waiting to ambush you.

וַיִּשְׁלַח מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר־לוֹ אִישׁ־ הָאֱלֹהִים וְהִזְהִירֹה וְנִשְׁמַר־שָׁם לֹא אַחַת וְלֹא שְׁתָּיִם

The king of Israel sent messengers to the place of which the man of God had spoken to him and had warned him, and they confirmed the presence of enemy soldiers. He was safeguarded from traveling there or having his army travel there. This occurred not once and not twice, but many times.

וַיִּסָּעֵר לֵב מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־עֲבָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הֲלוֹא תַּגִּידוּ לִי מִי מִשֶּׁלָּנוּ אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל

The heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this matter because every time he set up an ambush, the Israelites refrained from traveling on that path. He called his servants and said to them: Won’t you tell me who among us is spying for the king of Israel and giving him information?

וַיֹּאמֶר אַחַד מֵעֲבָדָיו לוֹא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי־אֱלִישָׁע הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יַגִּיד לְמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר בַּחֲדַר מִשְׁכָּבֶךָ

One of his servants said: It is not so, my lord, king, that one of your servants is an informant. Rather, Elisha the prophet, who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel even the words that you speak in your bedroom. He knows everything you say, and he is aware of the placement of your troops.

וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיכֹה הוּא וְאֶשְׁלַח וְאֶקָּחֵהוּ וַיֻּגַּד־לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה בְדֹתָן

He said: Go and see where he is, and I will send troops and take him prisoner and eliminate the threat he poses to us. It was told to him, saying: Behold, he is currently in Dotan.

וַיִּשְׁלַח שָׁמָּה סוּסִים וְרֶכֶב וְחַיִל כָּבֵד וַיָּבֹאוּ לַיְלָה וַיַּקִּפוּ עַל הָעִיר

He, the king of Aram, sent horses, chariots, and a great army there to capture Elisha. They came at night and they surrounded the city.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵת אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לָקוּם וַיֵּצֵא וְהִנֵּה־חַיִל סוֹבֵב אֶת־הָעִיר וְסוּס וָרָכֶב וַיֹּאמֶר נַעֲרוֹ אֵלָיו אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי אֵיכָה נַעֲשֶׂה

The servant of the man of God arose early in the morning; he emerged outside, and behold, a large army was surrounding the city with horses and chariots. His lad said to him: Alas, my master, how shall we act? How can we escape them?

וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־תִּירָא כִּי רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר אִתָּנוּ מֵאֲשֶׁר אוֹתָם

He, Elisha, said: Do not fear, as there are more soldiers who are with us than who are with them. Our army is larger than theirs.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמַר ה'פְּקַח־נָא אֶת־עֵינָיו וְיִרְאֶה וַיִּפְקַח ה' אֶת־עֵינֵי הַנַּעַר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה הָהָר מָלֵא סוּסִים וְרֶכֶב אֵשׁ סְבִיבֹת אֱלִישָׁע

Elisha prayed and said: Lord, please open his eyes and he will see the prophetic vision. The Lord opened the eyes of the lad, and he saw. Behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all standing around Elisha. He perceived that the prophet was well protected by a surrounding army of fire.

וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֱלִישָׁע אֶל־ה' וַיֹּאמַר הַךְ נָא אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּה בַּסַּנְוֵרִים וַיַּכֵּם בַּסַּנְוֵרִים כִּדְבַר אֱלִישָׁע

They, the Aramean soldiers, descended toward him, and Elisha prayed to the Lord and said: Please strike this nation with blindness. Render them dizzy and confused, or make it difficult for them to focus their vision. He struck them with blindness in accordance with the word of Elisha.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֱלִישָׁע לֹא־זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ וְלֹא־זֹה הָעִיר לְכוּ אַחֲרַי וְאוֹלִיכָה אֶתְכֶם אֶל־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר תְּבַקֵּשׁוּן וַיֹּלֶךְ אוֹתָם שֹׁמְרוֹנָה

Consequently, when the prophet encountered the Aramean army, they were utterly bewildered. Elisha said to them: This is not the correct way, and this is not the correct city. Go after me, and I will lead you to the man whom you seek. He led them to Samaria, the capital city of the Kingdom of Israel.

וַיְהִי כְּבֹאָם שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע ה' פְּקַח אֶת־עֵינֵי־אֵלֶּה וְיִרְאוּ וַיִּפְקַח ה' אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ וְהִנֵּה בְּתוֹךְ שֹׁמְרוֹן

It was when they came to Samaria that Elisha said: Lord, open the eyes of these soldiers, and they will see. The Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were inside Samaria.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע כִּרְאֹתוֹ אוֹתָם הַאַכֶּה אַכֶּה אָבִי

The king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, the Aramean army: Shall I smite them, my father?

וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תַכֶּה הַאֲשֶׁר שָׁבִיתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ וּבְקַשְׁתְּךָ אַתָּה מַכֶּה שִׂים לֶחֶם וָמַיִם לִפְנֵיהֶם וְיֹאכְלוּ וְיִשְׁתּוּ וְיֵלְכוּ אֶל־ אֲדֹנֵיהֶם

He said: You shall not smite them. Would you be smiting those that you captured by your sword and your bow? Since you did not capture them with your own military prowess, you are not permitted to kill them. Instead, place food and water before them, as though they were your guests, and they will eat and drink, and then they will go back to their master.

וַיִּכְרֶה לָהֶם כֵּרָה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶם וְלֹא־יָסְפוּ עוֹד גְּדוּדֵי אֲרָם לָבוֹא בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל

He, the king of Israel, set a great meal for them. They ate and drank; he sent them off, and they went to their master, the king of Aram, and related to him all that had occurred. For the time being, the troops of Aram did not continue coming into the Land of the Kingdom of Israel, as they were afraid of entering Elisha’s territory.

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיִּקְבֹּץ בֶּן־הֲדַד מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵהוּ וַיַּעַל וַיָּצַר עַל־שֹׁמְרוֹן

It was afterward that Ben Hadad king of Aram gathered all his camp and went up and besieged Samaria. Evidently, the Aramean army was larger and more powerful than the Israelite forces, and the king of Israel was unable to defend his people.

וַיְהִי רָעָב גָּדוֹל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וְהִנֵּה צָרִים עָלֶיהָ עַד הֱיוֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר בִּשְׁמֹנִים כֶּסֶף וְרֹבַע הַקַּב דִּבְיוֹנִים בַּחֲמִשָּׁה כָסֶף

There was a great famine in Samaria; behold, they were besieging it until the head of a donkey, which in normal times is worth very little as it is not kosher and its meat is inferior, was sold for eighty silver coins, and one-fourth of a kav, roughly 320 ml, of the dung of doves sold for five silver coins.

וַיְהִי מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עֹבֵר עַל־הַחֹמָה וְאִשָּׁה צָעֲקָה אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הוֹשִׁיעָה אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ

The king of Israel was passing by as he surveyed the enemy position from upon the wall of the city, and a woman shouted to him, saying: Help, my lord the king.

וַיֹּאמֶר אַל יוֹשִׁעֵךְ ה'מֵאַיִן אוֹשִׁיעֵךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּרֶן אוֹ מִן־הַיָּקֶב

He said: If the Lord does not help you, from where will I help you, from the threshing floor or from the winepress? All the threshing floors and the winepresses are empty.

וַיֹּאמֶר־לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה־לָּךְ וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת אָמְרָה אֵלַי תְּנִי אֶת־בְּנֵךְ וְנֹאכְלֶנּוּ הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִי נֹאכַל מָחָר

The king said to her: What is it with you? What do you want? She said: This woman said to me: Give your son and we will eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow. Since we are dying of starvation, let us divide the flesh of our children between us.

וַנְּבַשֵּׁל אֶת־בְּנִי וַנֹּאכְלֵהוּ וָאֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ בַּיּוֹם הָאַחֵר תְּנִי אֶת־בְּנֵךְ וְנֹאכְלֶנּוּ וַתַּחְבִּא אֶת־בְּנָהּ

We cooked my son and we ate him, and I said to her on the next day: Give your son and we will eat him, but when it came time to eat her child, she hid her son.

וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָאִשָּׁה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וְהוּא עֹבֵר עַל־הַחֹמָה וַיַּרְא הָעָם וְהִנֵּה הַשַּׂק עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ מִבָּיִת

It was when the king heard the words of the woman that he rent his garments, as he was passing upon the wall. The woman had innocently related her shocking story, as she was simply asking the king to help her obtain the portion to which she felt entitled, but the king shuddered and his heart broke. The people looked, and behold, they saw that the sackcloth was upon his flesh underneath his clothing. Consequently, when he tore his garment, all could see that he had donned sackcloth in the manner of a mourner.

וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִף אִם־יַעֲמֹד רֹאשׁ אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן־שָׁפָט עָלָיו הַיּוֹם

He said an oath: So shall God do to me and so shall He continue, let God afflict me with some sort of punishment, if the head of Elisha son of Shafat will remain on him today. Alternatively, the king said: Whether God leaves me in my current terrible state or whether He places me in an even worse position, I will make sure to remove Elisha’s head today. The king blamed Elisha for the people’s suffering, as he had not saved them and had presumably accused them of sinning before God.

וֶאֱלִישָׁע יֹשֵׁב בְּבֵיתוֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִים יֹשְׁבִים אִתּוֹ וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ מִלְּפָנָיו בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַמַּלְאָךְ אֵלָיו וְהוּא אָמַר אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִים הַרְּאִיתֶם כִּי־שָׁלַח בֶּן־הַמְרַצֵּחַ הַזֶּה לְהָסִיר אֶת־רֹאשִׁי רְאוּ כְּבֹא הַמַּלְאָךְ סִגְרוּ הַדֶּלֶת וּלְחַצְתֶּם אֹתוֹ בַּדֶּלֶת הֲלוֹא קוֹל רַגְלֵי אֲדֹנָיו אַחֲרָיו

Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. He, the king, sent a man ahead of him, but before the king’s messenger came to him, he, Elisha, said to the elders: Do you see how this son of a murderer, the king, Ahav’s son, sent a man to remove my head? See to it, do the following, with the arrival of the messenger, who wishes to kill me: Shut the door, and hold the door against him. Since you are many and he is only one, you will be able to hold him off. Isn’t the sound of his master’s feet behind him? His master, the king, is following immediately behind him.

עוֹדֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר עִמָּם וְהִנֵּה הַמַּלְאָךְ יֹרֵד אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה־זֹאת הָרָעָה מֵאֵת ה' מָה־אוֹחִיל לַה' עוֹד

He was still speaking with them, and behold, the messenger came down to him. He, Elisha, or the king, or the messenger, said: Behold, this evil is from the Lord; what more can I implore of the Lord? What else could they hope for or ask of God? If this was said by Elisha, it means that for the moment he did not know what to do. The prophet was suffering from the famine like the rest of the people around him, and he had no tidings for them other than to direct them to follow the proper path and wait.