An Axhead Floats
1The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. 2Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”
And he said, “Go.”
3Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”
“I will,” Elisha replied. 4And he went with them.
They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. 5As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”
6The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7“Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.
Elisha Traps Blinded Arameans
8Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”
9The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” 10So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.
11This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
12“None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”
13“Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” 14Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.
15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
16“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
17And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
19Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.
20After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
22“Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
Famine in Besieged Samaria
24Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. 25There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels6:25 That is, about 2 pounds or about 920 grams of silver, and a quarter of a cab6:25 That is, probably about 1/4 pound or about 100 grams of seed pods6:25 Or of doves’ dung for five shekels.6:25 That is, about 2 ounces or about 58 grams
26As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”
27The king replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” 28Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?”
She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ 29So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body. 31He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”
32Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” 33While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.
The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”
Ithanwa Kũrera Maaĩ Igũrũ
16:1 1Sam 10:5Na rĩrĩ, thiritũ ya anabii ĩkĩĩra Elisha atĩrĩ, “Rora, handũ haha tũgomanaga nawe nĩ hanini mũno. 2Twĩtĩkĩrie tũthiĩ Jorodani, o mũndũ witũ akuue ĩtugĩ kuo; na ũtwĩtĩkĩrie twake handũ ha gũtũũraga kũu.”
Nake akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi.”
3Ningĩ ũmwe wao akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Ndagũthaitha wĩtĩkĩre gũthiĩ na ndungata ciaku.”
Nake Elisha agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Ĩĩ, nĩtũgũthiĩ na inyuĩ.” 4Nake Elisha agĩthiĩ hamwe nao.
Nao magĩthiĩ Jorodani na makĩambĩrĩria gũtema mĩtĩ. 5Na rĩrĩa ũmwe wao aatemaga mũtĩ-rĩ, ithanwa rĩkĩgũa maaĩ-inĩ. Nake agĩkaya, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwathi wakwa, riuma rĩa kũhooya!”
66:6 Thaam 15:25; 2Ath 2:21Nake mũndũ wa Ngai akĩũria atĩrĩ, “Rĩagũa ha?” Na rĩrĩa aamuonirie handũ hau, Elisha agĩtinia kamũtĩ, agĩgaikia ho, narĩo ithanwa rĩkĩrera maaĩ igũrũ. 7Nake akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Oya ithanwa.” Nake mũndũ ũcio agĩtambũrũkia guoko, akĩrĩoya.
Elisha Gũtega Asuriata Atumumu
8Na rĩrĩ, mũthamaki wa Suriata aarĩ na mbaara na andũ a Isiraeli. Thuutha wa kũrĩkanĩra na anene ake, akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ngwamba kambĩ handũ hana na hana.”
96:9 2Ath 6:12Mũndũ wa Ngai agĩtũmana kũrĩ mũthamaki wa Isiraeli, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Wĩhũũge, na ndũkagerere handũ hana tondũ andũ a Suriata nĩho maraikũrũkĩra.” 106:10 Jer 11:18Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mũthamaki wa Isiraeli agĩtũma andũ magatuĩrie ũhoro wa handũ hau mũndũ wa Ngai aarĩtie ũhoro waho. Mahinda maingĩ Elisha nĩeragĩra mũthamaki wa Isiraeli kũndũ kũrĩa aagĩrĩirwo nĩ kwĩmenyerera, nake agaikaraga ehũũgĩte.
11Ũndũ ũcio ũkĩrakaria mũthamaki wa Suriata mũno. Nake agĩĩta anene ake na akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ngwenda kũmenya kuuma kũrĩ inyuĩ ũũ, nũũ witũ ũrĩ mwena wa mũthamaki wa Isiraeli?”
126:12 2Ath 6:9Nake ũmwe wa anene ake akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki mwathi wakwa, gũtirĩ o na ũmwe witũ ũrĩ mwena wake. No rĩrĩ, Elisha ũrĩa mũnabii kũu Isiraeli nĩwe wĩraga mũthamaki wa Isiraeli ciugo nginya iria waragia ũrĩ nyũmba yaku ya toro.”
136:13 Kĩam 37:17Nake mũthamaki agĩathana, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Thiĩi mũgatuĩrie kũrĩa arĩ, nĩguo ndũme andũ mamũnyiite.” Nake mũthamaki agĩcookerio ũhoro akĩĩrwo atĩrĩ, “Elisha arĩ Dothani.” 146:14 2Ath 1:9Nake mũthamaki agĩtũma mbarathi na ngaari cia ita, na mbũtũ yarĩ na hinya kũu. Igĩthiĩ ũtukũ, ikĩrigiicĩria itũũra rĩu.
15Na rĩrĩa ndungata ya mũndũ wa Ngai yokĩrire, ĩkiuma nja rũciinĩ tene, ĩkĩona atĩ mbũtũ ya ita, na mbarathi, na ngaari cia ita nĩciarigiicĩirie itũũra. Nayo ndungata ĩkĩũria atĩrĩ, “Wũi, mwathi wakwa-ĩ, tũgwĩka atĩa?”
166:16 2Maũ 32:7; Thab 55:18Nake mũnabii akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Tiga gwĩtigĩra, nĩgũkorwo arĩa marĩ mwena witũ nĩ aingĩ gũkĩra arĩa marĩ mwena wao.”
176:17 2Ath 2:11 Nake Elisha akĩhooya atĩrĩ, “Wee Jehova, mũhingũre maitho nĩguo oone.” Nake Jehova akĩhingũra maitho ma ndungata ĩyo, nayo ĩkĩrora, ĩkĩona kũu irĩma-inĩ kũiyũire mbarathi na ngaari cia ita irĩ na mwaki, ciothe irigiicĩirie Elisha.
186:18 Kĩam 19:11; Atũm 13:11Na rĩrĩa thũ ciake ciaikũrũkaga irorete kũrĩ we-rĩ, Elisha akĩhooya Jehova, akiuga atĩrĩ, “Hũũra andũ aya na ũtumumu.” Nĩ ũndũ ũcio Jehova akĩmahũũra na ũtumumu, o ta ũrĩa Elisha aahooete.
19Elisha akĩmeera atĩrĩ, “Ĩno tiyo njĩra, o na rĩĩrĩ tirĩo itũũra. Nũmĩrĩrai, na nĩngũmũtwara kũrĩ mũndũ ũrĩa mũracaria.” Nake akĩmatwara nginya Samaria.
20Maarĩkia kũingĩra itũũra rĩu inene, Elisha akiuga atĩrĩ, “Jehova hingũra andũ aya maitho nĩgeetha mone.” Nake Jehova akĩmahingũra maitho, nao makĩona, magĩĩkora marĩ thĩinĩ wa Samaria.
216:21 2Ath 5:13Rĩrĩa mũthamaki wa Isiraeli aamoonire-rĩ, akĩũria Elisha atĩrĩ, “Baba ndĩmoorage? Nĩ wega ndĩmoorage?”
226:22 Gũcook 20:11; 2Maũ 28:8-15Nake Elisha akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Ndũkamoorage. No ũũrage andũ arĩa wĩnyiitĩire na rũhiũ rwaku rwa njora kana ũta? Mahe irio na maaĩ, marĩe na manyue, macooke mathiĩ kũrĩ mwathi wao.” 236:23 2Ath 5:2Nĩ ũndũ ũcio akĩmathondekera iruga inene, nao maarĩkia kũrĩa na kũnyua, akĩmoigĩra ũhoro nao magĩcooka kũrĩ mwathi wao. Nĩ ũndũ ũcio mbũtũ cia ita cia Suriata igĩtiga gũtharĩkĩra bũrũri wa Isiraeli rĩngĩ.
Ngʼaragu Nene kũu Samaria
246:24 1Ath 15:18; Gũcook 28:52Na rĩrĩ, thuutha ũcio Beni-Hadadi mũthamaki wa Suriata agĩcookanĩrĩria mbũtũ ciake cia ita ciothe, igĩthiĩ, ikĩrigiicĩria Samaria irĩtunyane. 256:25 Alaw 26:26; Isa 36:12Na gũkĩgĩa na ngʼaragu nene mũno itũũra rĩu inene. Kũrigiicĩrio kwarĩo gũgĩikara ihinda iraaya ũũ atĩ mũtwe wa ndigiri6:25 Ndigiri yarĩ nyamũ ĩrĩ thaahu na ndĩagĩrĩirwo nĩkũrĩĩo. wendagio cekeri mĩrongo ĩnana6:25 nĩ ta kilo 1 cia betha, nakĩo kĩbaba kĩmwe6:25 nĩ ta lita robo ĩmwe (0.25) kĩa mai ma ndutura gĩkeendio cekeri ithano.6:25 nĩ ta giramu 55
26Na rĩrĩa mũthamaki wa Isiraeli aahĩtũkagĩra rũthingo igũrũ-rĩ, mũtumia ũmwe akĩmũkaĩra, akĩmwĩra atĩrĩ, “Mũthamaki, mwathi wakwa, ndeithia!”
27Nake mũthamaki akĩmũcookeria atĩrĩ, “Angĩkorwo Jehova ndangĩgũteithia-rĩ, niĩ ingĩkũrutĩra ũteithio kũ? Nĩ kuuma kĩhuhĩro-inĩ kĩa ngano, kana nĩ kuuma kĩhihĩro-inĩ kĩa ndibei?” 28Ningĩ agĩcooka akĩmũũria atĩrĩ, “Nĩ kĩĩ kĩragũthĩĩnia?”
Nake agĩcookia atĩrĩ, “Mũtumia ũyũ aranjĩĩrire atĩrĩ, ‘Ruta mũrũguo nĩgeetha tũmũrĩe ũmũthĩ, naruo rũciũ tũkaarĩa mũriũ wakwa.’ 296:29 Alaw 26:29; Gũcook 28:53-55Nĩ ũndũ ũcio tũraruga mũriũ wakwa na tũramũrĩa. Mũthenya ũyũ ũngĩ ndĩramwĩra atĩrĩ, ‘Ruta mũrũguo nĩgeetha tũmũrĩe,’ no aramũhitha.”
306:30 Isa 22:15; Kĩam 37:34Na rĩrĩa mũthamaki aaiguire ciugo cia mũtumia ũcio-rĩ, agĩtembũranga nguo ciake. O agĩthiiagĩra rũthingo igũrũ-rĩ, andũ magĩcũthĩrĩria, makĩona atĩ eehumbĩte nguo ya ikũnia thĩinĩ. 31Nake akiuga atĩrĩ, “Ngai aronjĩka ũũru, na akĩrĩrĩrie kũnjĩka ũũru, angĩkorwo mũtwe wa Elisha mũrũ wa Shafatu nĩũgũkorwo ũnyiitaine na mwĩrĩ wake ũmũthĩ!”
326:32 Ezek 8:1; 1Ath 18:4Na rĩrĩ, Elisha aikarĩte gwake nyũmba arĩ hamwe na athuuri. Nake mũthamaki agĩtũma mũndũ athiiage mbere yake, no mũndũ ũcio ataanakinya, Elisha akĩĩra athuuri acio atĩrĩ, “Hĩ! Ĩĩ nĩmũrona ũrĩa mũũragani ũyũ andũmĩire mũndũ oke andinie mũtwe? Atĩrĩrĩ, mũndũ ũcio ooka-rĩ, mũhinge mũrango, na mũũnyiitĩrĩre ndakaingĩre. Githĩ mũkubio wa magũrũ ma mwathi wake ndũrĩ o thuutha wake?”
336:33 Ayub 2:9O akĩaria nao-rĩ, mũndũ ũcio watũmĩtwo agĩikũrũka, agĩkinya harĩ we. Nake mũthamaki akiuga atĩrĩ, “Mwanangĩko ũyũ uumĩte kũrĩ Jehova. Nĩ kĩĩ kĩngĩtũma njeterere Jehova makĩria ma ũguo?”