And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, Am, I, God, to kill and to make alive, that, this, man is sending unto me, to set one free from his leprosy, - but, of a truth, just mark, I pray you, and see, that he, is seeking an occasion, against me.

And it was so, when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent unto the king, saying - Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come, I pray thee, unto me, that he may get to know that there is a prophet in Israel.

and Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, - Go and bathe seven times in the Jordan, so shall thy flesh come back to thee, and be thou clean.

Then went he down, and dipped himself in the Jordan, seven times, according to the word of the man of God: and his flesh came back, as the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

But he said - By the life of Yahweh, before whom I stand, I will not accept one. And, though he urged him to accept it, yet did he refuse.

Then said Naaman, Shall there not, then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant, two mules' burden of earth? For thy servant will henceforth offer neither ascending-offering nor sacrifice to other gods, save only to Yahweh.

In this thing, Yahweh grant forgiveness to thy servant, - When my lord entereth the house of Rimmon, to bow down therein, he leaning upon my hand, and so I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when he boweth down in the house of Rimmon, Yahweh, I pray, grant forgiveness to thy servant, in this thing.

So Gehazi hastened after Naaman. And, when Naaman saw one running after him, he alighted from his chariot to meet him, and said, - Is all well?

And he said, All is well. My lord, hath sent me to say, Lo! just now, have come unto me, two young men out of the hill country of Ephraim, of the sons of the prophets, - give for them, I pray thee, a talent, of silver, and two changes of raiment.

And Naaman said, Be content, accept two talents. So he urged him, and bound up two talents of silver in two bags, and two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his young men, and they bare them before him.

And, when he came to the hill-tower, he took them from their hand, and put them in charge within, - and let the men go, and they departed.

Then he said unto him - My heart, had not gone with thee, when someone turned again from off his chariot, to meet thee! Is it a time to accept silver, or to accept raiment, or oliveyards, or vineyards, or flocks or herds, or men-servants, or maid-servants?

The leprosy of Naaman, therefore, shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed, to times age-abiding. And he went forth from before him - a leper - like snow.

And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, - See, we pray thee, the place wherein we sit before thee, is too strait for us.

So he went with them, - and, when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.

And it came to pass, as one was felling a branch, that, the axe-head, fell into the water, so he made outcry and said - Alas! my lord, for, it, was borrowed!

And he said - Take it up to thee. So he put forth his hand, and took it.

So the king of Israel sent unto the place whereof the man of God had spoken to him and warned him, and was on his guard there, - not once nor twice

And, when the attendant of the man of God arose early and went forth, lo! a force surrounding the city, with horses and chariots. Then said his young man unto him - Alas! my lord, what shall we do?

And he said - Do not fear, - for, more, are, they who are with us, than, they who are with them.

And, when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto Yahweh, and said - Smite, I beseech thee, this people, with sudden blindness. And he smote them with sudden blindness, according to the word of Elisha.

Then Elisha said unto them - This, is not the way, neither is, this, the city, follow me, that I may lead you unto the man, whom ye would secure! So he led them to Samaria.

And it came to pass, when they had entered Samaria, that Elisha said, O Yahweh! open the eyes of these men, that they may see! And Yahweh opened their eyes, and they saw, and lo! they were in the midst of Samaria!

But it came to pass, after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered together all his host, - and came up and laid siege against Samaria.

And there came to be, a great famine, in Samaria, and lo! they continued the siege against it, - until an ass's head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and one pint of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

And he said - If Yahweh do not save thee, whence should I save thee? out of the threshing-floor or out of the wine-press?

And the king said to her - What aileth thee? And she said - This woman, said unto me - Give thy son, that we may eat him, to-day, and, my son, will we eat to-morrow.

So we cooked my son, and did eat him, - and I said unto her, on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him; But she had hid her son.

And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes, while yet he was passing by upon the wall, - so the people looked, and lo! sackcloth upon his flesh, within.

And he said - So, let God do to me, and, so, let him add, - if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remain on him, to-day!

Now, Elisha, being seated in his house, and, the elders, seated with him, - when he had sent a man from before him, ere yet the messenger could come in unto him, he himself, said unto the elders - Do ye see how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away my head? See! when the messenger is coming in, close ye the door, and press him back with the door, is not the sound of his lord's feet behind him?

Then said Elisha - Hear ye the word of Yahweh, - Thus, saith Yahweh - About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

Then the officer on whose hand the king leaned responded to the man of God, and said, Even if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could this thing, come to pass? And he said - Lo! thou, art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat!

Now there were, four men, lepers, at the entrance of the gate, - and they said one to another - Why are, we, sitting here until we are dead?

If we say - Let us enter into the city, Then, the famine, is in the city, and we shall die there, and, if we remain here, then shall we die. Now, therefore, let us fall away unto the camp of the Syrians, if they save us alive, we shall live, and, if they put us to death, we shall die.

So they rose up in the twilight, to enter into the camp of the Syrians, - and, when they entered the outskirts of the camp of the Syrians, lo! there was not there, a man.

Now, the Lord, had caused the camp of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, noise of horses, a noise of a great host, - and they said one to another - Lo! the king of Israel hath hired against us - the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come against us.

Then said they one to another - Not a right thing, are, we, doing. This day, is, a day of good tidings, and, we, are holding our peace, if we tarry until the light of the morning, there will come upon us, some misfortune, - Now, therefore, come and let us go in, and tell the household of the king.

And the watchers of the gate called and told it to the household of the king, within.

Then arose the king by night, and said unto his servants, Let me tell you, I pray you, what the Syrians have done to us, - they knew that we were, famished, so they have gone forth out of the camp, to hide in the field, saying, When they come forth out of the city, then shall we take them alive, and, into the city, will we enter.

Then responded one of his servants, and said - Let there be taken, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel who have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel, who have been consumed, - and let us send and see!

So they took two chariots and horses, - and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see!

Then went the people forth and spoiled the camp of the Syrians, - and so there came to be - a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.

Now, the king, had set the officer on whose hand he leaned, in charge over the gate, and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died, - as spake the man of God, who said it when the messenger came down to him.

Yea it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken unto the messenger, saying, - Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine meal for a shekel, shall there be about this time to-morrow, in the gate of Samaria:

And when the officer responded to the man of God, and said, Lo! then, if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could it be according to this word? And he said, - Lo! thou art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat.

Yea it fell out to him, thus, - and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died.

Now, Elisha, had spoken unto the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying - Arise, and take thy journey, thou and thy household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn, for Yahweh hath called for a famine, moreover also, it is coming upon the land seven years.

So the woman arose, and did according to the word of the man of God, - and took her journey, she and her household, and she sojourned in the land of the Philistines, seven years.

And it came to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman returned out of the land of the Philistines, - and she went forth to make outcry unto the king, concerning her house and concerning her field.

Now, the king, was speaking unto Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, Do recount unto me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.

And so it was, just as he was recounting to the king how he had restored the dead to life, lo! the woman whose son he had restored to life, began making outcry unto the king, for her house and for her field. Then said Gehazi, My lord, O king! this, is the woman, and, this, her son, whom, Elisha, restored to life.

So the king asked the woman, and she recounted it to him, - the king, therefore, appointed her a certain officer, saying - Restore all that was hers, and all the increase of the field, from the day she left the land, even until now.

So the king said unto Hazael - Take in thy hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, - so shalt thou enquire of Yahweh, from him, saying, Shall I recover from this sickness?

So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present in his hand, even every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, - and came, and stood before him, and said - Thy son, Ben-hadad king of Syria, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Shall I recover from this sickness?

And Elisha said unto him, Go, say to him, Thou shalt, recover; And yet Yahweh hath shown me, that he will, die.

Then said Hazael, Why, is my lord, weeping? And he said - Because I know what thou wilt do to the sons of Israel, by way of harm - Their fortresses, thou wilt set on fire, and, their choice young men, with the sword, thou wilt slay, and, their children, thou wilt dash in pieces, and, their women with child, thou wilt rip up.

And Hazael said, But what is thy servant - the dog - that he should do this great thing? And Elisha said, Yahweh hath shown thee unto me, as king over Syria.

So he departed from Elisha, and came in unto his lord, who said to him, What said, Elisha, unto thee? And he said. He told me thou wouldst, recover.

But it came to pass on the morrow, that he took the coverlet, and dipped it in water, and spread it over his face, that he died, - and, Hazael, reigned, in his stead.

Now, in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, having been king of Judah, Jehoram, son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, began to reign.

Thirty-two years old, was he when he began to reign, and, eight years, reigned, he in Jerusalem.

Yet was not Yahweh willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, - even as he promised him to give him a lamp for his sons all the days.

So Joram passed over to Zair, and all the chariots with him, - and it came to pass that, he, arising by night, smote the Edomites that were round about unto him, and the captains of the chariots, and the people fled to their homes,

Yet did Edom revolt from under the hand of Judah, unto this day, - then, revolted Libnah, at the same time.

In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel, did Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah, begin to reign.

Two and twenty years old, was Ahaziah when he began to reign, - and, one year, reigned he in Jerusalem, - and, his mother's name, was Athaliah, daughter of Omri, king of Israel;

And he went with Joram son of Ahab, to make war against Hazael king of Syria, in Ramoth-gilead, - and the Syrians wounded Joram.

So Joram the king returned to get healed in Jezreel, from the wounds wherewith the Syrians had wounded him in Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria, - and, Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah, went down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he, was sick.

Now, Elisha the prophet, called one of the sons of the prophets, - and said to him - Gird up thy loins, and take this flask of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead;

and, when thou art come in thither, then look thee out, there, Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi; and thou shalt enter and get him to rise up out of the midst of his brethren, and take him into an inner chamber;

then shalt thou take the flask of oil, and pour out upon his head, and say - Thus, saith Yahweh, I have anointed thee to be king unto Israel! Then shalt thou open the door and flee, and not tarry.

Then rose he up and went inside, and poured out the oil upon his head, and said unto him - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, I have anointed thee to be king unto the people of Yahweh, unto Israel;

so shall perish all the house of Ahab, - and I will cut off to Ahab the meanest, both him that is shut up and him that is left at large, in Israel.

And, as for Jezebel, the dogs shall eat her , in the town-land of Jezreel, there being none to bury her. And he opened the door, and fled.

Then, Jehu, came forth unto the servants of his lord, and one said to him - Is all well? why came this madman unto thee? And he said unto them, Ye, know, the man and his message.

And they said - False! pray tell, us. And he said, - Thus and thus, spake he unto me, saying, Thus, saith Yahweh, I have anointed thee to be king unto Israel.

But Jehoram the king had returned to get himself healed in Jezreel, of the wounds wherewith the Syrians had wounded him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. Then said Jehu - If such is your mind, let no fugitive get forth out of the city, to go and tell it in Jezreel.

So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went towards Jezreel, for, Joram, was lying there, - and, Ahaziah king of Judah, had come down to see Joram.

Now, the watchman, was standing upon the tower, in Jezreel, so he saw the great company of Jehu, when he came, and said - A great company, can I see! Then said Jehoram - Take a horseman and send to meet them, that he may say - Is it peace?

So the horseman went to meet him, and said - Thus, saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said - What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me. And the watchman told, saying, The messenger came up to them, but hath not turned back.

Then sent he a second horseman, and he came up to them and said, Thus, saith the king, Is it peace? And Jehu said - What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me.

And the watchman told, saying, He came up to them, but hath not turned back, - and, the driving, is like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi; for, with mad haste, doth he drive.

Then said Jehoram, Harness! So one harnessed his chariot, - and Jehoram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went forth, each man in his chariot, yea they went forth to meet Jehu, and came upon him in the heritage of Naboth the Jezreelite.

And it came to pass, when Jehoram saw Jehu, that he said - Is it peace, Jehu? And he said - What can be the peace, while thy mother Jezebel's harlotries and her incantations do so abound?

Surely, the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, have I lately seen, declareth Yahweh, therefore will I requite thee in this portion, declareth Yahweh. Now, therefore, take him up, and cast him forth into the portion, according to the word of Yahweh.

And, Ahaziah king of Judah, saw it, and fled by the way of the garden house, - and Jehu pursued him, and said - Him also! smite him in the chariot! It was in the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. And he fled to Mepidgo, and died there.

Now it was, in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab, that Ahaziah began to reign over Judah.

And he lifted up his face unto the lattice, and said - Who, is with me? Who? And there looked out unto him, two or three eunuchs.

So they went to bury her, - but found not of her - save the skull, and the feet, and the palms of the hands.

Now, Ahab, had seventy sons in Samaria, - so Jehu wrote letters, and sent to Samaria, unto the rulers of Jezreel - the elders, and unto them who had been foster-parents for Ahab, saying:

ye shall look out the goodliest and fittest of the sons of your lord, and set on the throne of his father, and ye shall do battle for the house of your lord.

Then feared they very greatly, and said, Lo! two kings, stood not before him; how then, should, we, stand?

So he that was over the house, and he that was over the city, and the elders, and the foster-parents sent unto Jehu, saying - Thy servants, we are! and, all that thou shalt say unto us, will we do, - we will make no man king, whatsoever is good in thine own eyes, do!

Then wrote he unto them a second letter, saying - If, mine, ye are, and, unto my voice, ye intend to hearken, take ye the heads of the men who are sons of your lord, and come in unto me about this time to-morrow, in Jezreel. Now, the sons of the king, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who had been bringing them up.

And it came to pass, when the letter reached them, that they took the sons of the king, and slew them, seventy persons, - and put their heads in baskets, and sent unto him to Jezreel.

And there came in a messenger and told him, saying, They have brought in the heads of the sons of the king. And he said - Lay ye them in two heaps, at the entrance of the gate, until the morning.

And it came to pass, in the morning, that he went out and took his stand, and said unto all the people, Righteous, are, ye! Lo! I, conspired against my lord, and slew him, but, who, smote, all these?

Know ye, then, that there shall fall nought of the word of Yahweh, to the ground, which Yahweh spake concerning the house of Ahab, - but, Yahweh, hath done that which he spake through his servant Elijah.

Then Jehu smote all that were left remaining unto the house of Ahab, in Jezreel, and all his great men, and his acquaintances and his priests, - until there was not left remaining to him, a survivor.