An Ax Blade Floats
1The group of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look. The place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2We would like to go to the Jordan River. Each of us can get some wood there. We want to build a place there for us to meet.”
Elisha said, “Go.”
3Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with us?”
“I will,” Elisha replied. 4And he went with them.
They went to the Jordan River. There they began to cut down trees. 5One of them was cutting down a tree. The iron blade of his ax fell into the water. “Oh no, master!” he cried out. “This ax was borrowed!”
6The man of God asked, “Where did the blade fall?” He showed Elisha the place. Then Elisha cut a stick and threw it there. That made the iron blade float. 7“Take it out of the water,” he said. So the man reached out and took it.
Elisha Makes the Soldiers of Aram Blind
8The king of Aram was at war with Israel. He talked things over with his officers. Then he said, “I’m going to set up my camp in a certain place.”
9Elisha, the man of God, sent a message to the king of Israel. Elisha said, “Try to stay away from that place. Aram’s army is going to be down there.” 10The king of Israel checked on the place the man of God had told him about. Time after time Elisha warned the king. So the king was on guard in those places.
11All of that made the king of Aram very angry. He sent for his officers. He said to them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
12“You are my king and master,” said one of his officers. “None of us is on Israel’s side. But Elisha is a prophet in Israel. He tells the king of Israel even the words you speak in your own bedroom.”
13“Go and find out where he is,” the king ordered. “Then I can send my men and capture him.” The report came back. The officers said, “He’s in Dothan.” 14Then the king sent horses and chariots and a strong army there. They went at night and surrounded the city.
15The servant of the man of God got up the next morning. He went out early. He saw that an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my master!” the servant said. “What can we do?”
16“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17Elisha prayed, “Lord, open my servant’s eyes so that he can see.” Then the Lord opened his eyes. Elisha’s servant looked up and saw the hills. He saw that Elisha was surrounded by horses and chariots made of fire.
18Aram’s army came down toward Elisha. Then he prayed to the Lord, “Make these soldiers blind.” So the Lord made them blind, just as Elisha had prayed.
19Elisha told them, “This isn’t the right road. This isn’t the right city. Follow me. I’ll lead you to the man you are looking for.” He led them to Samaria.
20They entered the city. Then Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men. Help them see again.” Then the Lord opened their eyes. They looked around. And there they were, inside Samaria!
21The king of Israel saw them. So he asked Elisha, “Should I kill them? I need your advice. You are like a father to me. Should I kill them?”
22“Don’t kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill people you have captured with your own sword or bow? Put some food and water in front of them. Then they can eat and drink. They can go back to their master.” 23So the king of Israel prepared a great feast for them. After they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away. They returned to their master. So the groups of fighting men from Aram stopped attacking Israel’s territory.
Aram’s Army Attacks Samaria and People Go Hungry
24Some time later, Ben-Hadad gathered his entire army together. Ben-Hadad was the king of Aram. His army marched up and surrounded Samaria. Then they attacked it. 25There wasn’t enough food anywhere in the city. It was surrounded for so long that people had to weigh out two pounds of silver for a donkey’s head. They had to weigh out two ounces of silver for half a pint of seed pods.
26One day the king of Israel was walking on top of the city wall. A woman cried out to him, “You are my king and master. Please help me!”
27The king replied, “If the Lord doesn’t help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” 28He continued, “What’s wrong?”
She answered, “A woman said to me, ‘Give up your son. Then we can eat him today. Tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29So we cooked my son. Then we ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son. Then we can eat him.’ But she had hidden him.”
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his royal robes. As he walked along the wall, the people looked up at him. They saw that under his robes he was wearing the rough clothing people wear when they’re sad. 31He said, “I’ll cut the head of Shaphat’s son Elisha off his shoulders today. If I don’t, may God punish me greatly!”
32Elisha was sitting in his house. The elders were sitting there with him. The king went to see Elisha. He sent a messenger on ahead of him. Before the messenger arrived, Elisha spoke to the elders. He said, “That murderer is sending someone here to cut off my head. Can’t you see that? When the messenger comes, close the door. Hold it shut against him. Can’t you hear his master’s footsteps right behind him?” 33Elisha was still talking to the elders when the messenger came down to him.
The king also arrived. He said, “The Lord has sent this horrible trouble on us. Why should I wait any longer for him to help us?”
Nkhwangwa Iyandama pa madzi
1Ana a aneneri anati kwa Elisa, “Taonani malo amene timakhala ndi inu atichepera kwambiri. 2Tiloleni tipite ku Yorodani kumene aliyense wa ife akadule mtengo umodzi, kuti timange malo woti tizikhalamo.”
Ndipo Elisa anati, “Pitani.”
3Mmodzi wa iwo anati, “Chonde mulole kutsagana nawo atumiki anu.”
Elisa anayankha kuti, “Ndipita nanu.” 4Ndipo anapita nawo.
Anapita ku Yorodani nayamba kudula mitengo. 5Pamene wina ankadula mtengo, nkhwangwa yake inaguluka nigwera mʼmadzi. Iye anafuwula kuti, “Mayo! Mbuye wanga! Popeza ndi yobwereka!”
6Ndipo munthu wa Mulungu uja anafunsa, “Yagwera pati?” Pamene anamuonetsa malowo, Elisa anadula kamtengo nakaponya pamenepo, ndipo nkhwangwayo inayandama. 7Elisa anati, “Itenge.” Ndipo munthuyo anatambalitsa dzanja lake nayitenga.
Elisa Achititsa Khungu Ankhondo a ku Aramu
8Tsono mfumu ya ku Aramu inali pa nkhondo ndi Israeli. Itakambirana ndi atsogoleri ake ankhondo inati, “Ndidzamanga misasa yanga pamalo akutiakuti.”
9Munthu wa Mulungu anatumiza mawu kwa mfumu ya ku Israeli kuti “Musamale podutsa malo akuti, chifukwa Aaramu akupita kumeneko.” 10Choncho mfumu ya ku Israeli inatuma anthu kumalo kumene munthu wa Mulunguyo ananena. Nthawi ndi nthawi Elisa ankachenjeza mfumu, kotero kuti ankakhala tcheru ku malo amenewo.
11Zimenezi zinakwiyitsa kwambiri mfumu ya ku Aramu. Mfumuyo inayitanitsa atsogoleri ake ankhondo ndipo inawafunsa kuti, “Kodi simungandiwuze munthu amene pakati pathu pano ali mbali ya mfumu ya ku Israeli?”
12Mmodzi mwa atsogoleri a ankhondowo anati, “Palibe ndi mmodzi yemwe pakati pathu, inu mbuye wanga, koma Elisa mneneri amene ali ku Israeli amawuza mfumu ya ku Israeli mawu enieni amene inu mumayankhula ku chipinda kwanu.”
13Choncho mfumu inalamula kuti, “Pitani, kafufuzeni kumene akukhala kuti ine nditume anthu kukamugwira.” Anthuwo anabweretsa mawu oti, “Taonani, Elisa ali ku Dotani.” 14Ndipo mfumu inatumizako magaleta ndi akavalo ndiponso gulu lankhondo lamphamvu. Anapita usiku nakawuzungulira mzindawo.
15Mtumiki wa munthu wa Mulungu atadzuka mmamawa ndi kutuluka panja, gulu la ankhondo pamodzi ndi akavalo ndi magaleta anali atazungulira mzindawo. Mtumikiyo anafunsa kuti, “Kalanga mbuye wanga, tidzachita chiyani?”
16Mneneri anamuyankha kuti, “Usachite mantha. Amene ali mbali yathu ndi ambiri kupambana amene ali mbali yawo.”
17Ndipo Elisa anapemphera kuti, “Inu Yehova tsekulani maso ake kuti aone.” Pamenepo Yehova anatsekula maso a mtumikiyo, ndipo anayangʼana naona kuti phiri lonse linali lodzaza ndi akavalo ndi magaleta a moto atazungulira Elisa.
18Pamene adaniwo ankabwera kudzalimbana naye, Elisa anapemphera kwa Yehova kuti, “Achititseni khungu anthu awa.” Kotero Yehova anawachititsa khungu monga anapemphera Elisa.
19Elisa anawawuza ankhondowo kuti, “Njira si imeneyi ndipo mzinda sumenewunso. Tsateni, ndipo ndidzakutengerani kwa munthu amene mukumufunayo.” Ndipo anawatengera ku Samariya.
20Atalowa mu mzinda wa Samariya, Elisa anati, “Yehova tsekulani maso a anthu awa kuti aone.” Choncho Yehova anatsekula maso awo ndipo anangoona kuti ali mʼkati mwenimweni mwa Samariya.
21Mfumu ya ku Israeli itawaona, inafunsa Elisa kuti, “Abambo anga, kodi ndiwaphe? Kodi ndiwaphe?”
22Elisa anayankha kuti, “Musawaphe. Kodi mungaphe anthu amene munawagwira pogwiritsa ntchito lupanga ndi uta? Apatseni chakudya ndi madzi kuti adye ndi kumwa kenaka apite kwa mbuye wawo.” 23Choncho anawakonzera mphwando lalikulu, ndipo atatsiriza kudya ndi kumwa, anawatumiza kwawo ndipo anabwerera kwa mbuye wawo. Kotero magulu a ankhondo a ku Aramu analeka kuthira nkhondo dziko la Israeli.
Njala mu Mzinda wa Samariya
24Patapita nthawi, Beni-Hadadi mfumu ya Aramu anasonkhanitsa gulu lake lonse la ankhondo, napita kukazungulira mzinda wa Samariya. 25Mu mzinda wa Samariya munali njala yoopsa. Ndipo taonani, Aaramu anazungulira mzindawu kwa nthawi yayitali kotero kuti mutu wa bulu ankawugulitsa ndalama za siliva 80, ndipo magalamu 200 a zitosi za nkhunda ankawagulitsa pa mtengo wa masekeli asanu.
26Pamene mfumu inkayenda pa khoma la mzindawo, mayi wina anafuwulira mfumuyo kuti, “Thandizeni mbuye wanga mfumu!”
27Mfumu inayankha kuti, “Ngati Yehova sakuthandiza iwe, ine thandizo lako ndingalipeze kuti? Kuchokera ku malo opunthira tirigu kodi? Kuchokera kumalo opsinyira mphesa kodi?” 28Pamenepo mfumuyo inafunsa mayiyo kuti, “Kodi chakuvuta nʼchiyani?”
Iye anayankha kuti, “Mayi uyu anandiwuza kuti, ‘Bweretsa mwana wako kuti timudye lero, ndipo mawa tidzadya mwana wangayu.’ 29Choncho tinaphika mwana wanga ndi kumudya. Tsiku lotsatira lakelo ine ndinati, ‘Bweretsa mwana wako kuti timudye,’ koma iye anabisa mwana wakeyo.”
30Mfumu itamva mawu a mayiyo, inangʼamba mkanjo wake. Pamene inkayenda pa khoma, anthu anayangʼana, ndipo anaona zovala zamʼkati, pakuti anavala chiguduli. 31Mfumuyo inati, “Mulungu andilange, andilange kwambiri ndikapanda kudula mutu wa Elisa mwana wa Safati lero!”
32Tsono Elisa nʼkuti atakhala mʼnyumba mwake, ndipo akuluakulu anali naye limodzi. Mfumu inatuma munthu wina kuti imutsogolere, koma asanafike, Elisa anawuza akuluakuluwo kuti, “Kodi simukuona momwe wopha munthu uja watumizira munthu wina kuti adzadule mutu wanga? Taonani mthengayo akafika, mutseke chitseko ndipo muchigwiritsitse kuti asalowe. Kodi ndikumvawo pambuyo pake si mgugu wa mbuye wake?”
33Elisa akuyankhulabe ndi anthuwo, taonani, wamthengayo anafika kwa iye. Ndipo mfumu inati, “Mavuto amenewa ndi ochokera kwa Yehova. Kodi nʼchifukwa chiyani ine ndiyenera kudikira thandizo lochokera kwa Yehova?”
