The Prophet Who Saw What No One Else Could.

וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּֽה־נָ֣א הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ׃

[1] Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, "See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us.

נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֣א עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וְנִקְחָ֤ה מִשָּׁם֙ אִ֚ישׁ קוֹרָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ שָׁ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֵֽכוּ׃

[2] Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there." And he answered, "Go."

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד ה֥וֹאֶל נָ֖א וְלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֥י אֵלֵֽךְ׃

[3] Then one of them said, "Be pleased to go with your servants." And he answered, "I will go."

וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ הָעֵצִֽים׃

[4] So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees.

וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקּוֹרָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל׃

[5] But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אָ֣נָה נָפָ֑ל וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיִּקְצָב־עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּ֖צֶף הַבַּרְזֶֽל׃

[6] Then the man of God said, "Where did it fall?" When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float.

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָ֣רֶם לָ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ׃ פ

[7] And he said, "Take it up." So he reached out his hand and took it.

וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הָיָ֥ה נִלְחָ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אֶל־מְק֛וֹם פְּלֹנִ֥י אַלְמֹנִ֖י תַּחֲנֹתִֽי׃

[8] Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, "At such and such a place shall be my camp."

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים׃

[9] But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there."

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽמַר־ל֧וֹ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים ׳וְהִזְהִירָהּ׳ ״וְהִזְהִיר֖וֹ״ וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר שָׁ֑ם לֹ֥א אַחַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א שְׁתָּֽיִם׃

[10] And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.

וַיִּסָּעֵר֙ לֵ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֔ם עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הֲלוֹא֙ תַּגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י מִ֥י מִשֶּׁלָּ֖נוּ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

[11] And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?"

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַחַ֣ד מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו ל֖וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע הַנָּבִיא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַגִּיד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר בַּחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבֶֽךָ׃

[12] And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֵיכֹ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ וַיֻּגַּד־ל֥וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר הִנֵּ֥ה בְדֹתָֽן׃

[13] And he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him." It was told him, "Behold, he is in Dothan."

וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר׃

[14] So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה־חַ֛יִל סוֹבֵ֥ב אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲר֥וֹ אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה׃

[15] When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּירָ֑א כִּ֤י רַבִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔נוּ מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר אוֹתָֽם׃

[16] He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל אֱלִישָׁע֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַח־נָ֥א אֶת־עֵינָ֖יו וְיִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָהָ֜ר מָלֵ֨א סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֛כֶב אֵ֖שׁ סְבִיבֹ֥ת אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

[17] Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־נָ֥א אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃

[18] And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.

וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּרֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אוֹתָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָה׃

[19] And Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he led them to Samaria.

וַיְהִי֮ כְּבֹאָ֣ם שֹׁמְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַ֥ח אֶת־עֵינֵֽי־אֵ֖לֶּה וְיִרְא֑וּ וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

[20] As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the LORD opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אוֹתָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃

[21] As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?"

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃

[22] He answered, "You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master."

וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יָ֤סְפוּ עוֹד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָב֖וֹא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ

[23] So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.

וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־שֹׁמְרֽוֹן׃

[24] Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria.

וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדוֹל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱי֤וֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב ׳חֲרֵייוֹנִים׳ ״דִּבְיוֹנִ֖ים״ בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף׃

[25] And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.

וַֽיְהִי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֹבֵ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וְאִשָּׁ֗ה צָעֲקָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃

[26] Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!"

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן א֥וֹ מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב׃

[27] And he said, "If the LORD will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?"

וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר׃

[28] And the king asked her, "What is your trouble?" She answered, "This woman said to me, 'Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.'

וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־בְּנִ֖י וַנֹּֽאכְלֵ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יהָ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֵ֗ר תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ וַתַּחְבִּ֖א אֶת־בְּנָֽהּ׃

[29] So we boiled my son and ate him. And on the next day I said to her, 'Give your son, that we may eat him.' But she has hidden her son."

וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְה֖וּא עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַשַּׂ֛ק עַל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ מִבָּֽיִת׃

[30] When the king heard the words of the woman, he tore his clothes — now he was passing by on the wall — and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth beneath on his body —

וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֑ף אִֽם־יַעֲמֹ֞ד רֹ֣אשׁ אֱלִישָׁ֧ע בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ט עָלָ֖יו הַיּֽוֹם׃

[31] and he said, "May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."

וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵית֔וֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים יֹשְׁבִ֣ים אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ מִלְּפָנָ֗יו בְּטֶ֣רֶם יָבֹא֩ הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ אֵלָ֜יו וְה֣וּא׀ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֞ח בֶּן־הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ הַזֶּה֙ לְהָסִ֣יר אֶת־רֹאשִׁ֔י רְא֣וּ׀ כְּבֹ֣א הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ סִגְר֤וּ הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בַּדֶּ֔לֶת הֲל֗וֹא ק֛וֹל רַגְלֵ֥י אֲדֹנָ֖יו אַחֲרָֽיו׃

[32] Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. Now the king had dispatched a man from his presence, but before the messenger arrived Elisha said to the elders, "Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold the door fast against him. Is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?"

עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ יֹרֵ֣ד אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־זֹ֤את הָֽרָעָה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מָֽה־אוֹחִ֥יל לַיהוָ֖ה עֽוֹד׃ ס

[33] And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, "This trouble is from the LORD! Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?"