וַיֹּאמְרוּ בְנֵי־הַנְּבִיאִים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע הִנֵּה־נָא הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ יֹשְׁבִים שָׁם לְפָנֶיךָ צַר מִמֶּנּוּ׃   6:1

2Kin. 6:1   And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold now, the place where we are living before you is too crowded for us.”

נֵלְכָה־נָּא עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְנִקְחָה מִשָּׁם אִישׁ קוֹרָה אֶחָת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּנוּ שָׁם מָקוֹם לָשֶׁבֶת שָׁם וַיֹּאמֶר לֵכוּ׃   6:2

2Kin. 6:2   Let us go now as far as the Jordan and take from there each one beam and make for ourselves there a place to live there.”  And he said, “Go.”

וַיֹּאמֶר הָאֶחָד הוֹאֶל נָא וְלֵךְ אֶת־עֲבָדֶיךָ וַיֹּאמֶר אֲנִי אֵלֵךְ׃   6:3

2Kin. 6:3   Then one said, “Relent, I pray you, and lead your servants.”  And he said, “I will lead.”

וַיֵּלֶךְ אִתָּם וַיָּבֹאוּ הַיַּרְדֵּנָה וַיִּגְזְרוּ הָעֵצִים׃   6:4

2Kin. 6:4   So he went with them, and they came to the Jordan and cut down trees.

וַיְהִי הָאֶחָד מַפִּיל הַקּוֹרָה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶל נָפַל אֶל־הַמָּיִם וַיִּצְעַק וַיֹּאמֶר אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי וְהוּא שָׁאוּל׃   6:5

2Kin. 6:5   And it was the one who was felling the beams that the axe of iron fell down to the water, and he cried out and said, “Alas, my master, as it is borrowed!

וַיֹּאמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים אָנָה נָפָל וַיַּרְאֵהוּ אֶת־הַמָּקוֹם וַיִּקְצָב־עֵץ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁמָּה וַיָּצֶף הַבַּרְזֶל׃   6:6

2Kin. 6:6   Then the man of God said, “Where did it fall?”  And he showed him the place.  And he cut down a branch and cast down there, and the iron swam.

וַיֹּאמֶר הָרֶם לָךְ וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וַיִּקָּחֵהוּ׃   6:7

2Kin. 6:7   And he said, “Lift to you.”  So he put out his hand and took it.

וּמֶלֶךְ אֲרָם הָיָה נִלְחָם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל וַיִּוָּעַץ אֶל־עֲבָדָיו לֵאמֹר אֶל־מְקוֹם פְּלֹנִי אַלְמֹנִי תַּחֲנֹתִי׃   6:8

2Kin. 6:8   And the king of Aram was waging war with Israel, and he gave counsel to his servants saying, “At such and such place will be my camp.”

וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵאמֹר הִשָּׁמֶר מֵעֲבֹר הַמָּקוֹם הַזֶּה כִּי־שָׁם אֲרָם נְחִתִּים׃   6:9

2Kin. 6:9   And the man of God sent to the king of Israel saying, “Keep from passing by this place, for there the Arameans are coming down.”

וַיִּשְׁלַח מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־הַמָּקוֹם אֲשֶׁר אָמַר־לוֹ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִים (וְהִזְהִירָהּ) [וְהִזְהִירוֹ] וְנִשְׁמַר שָׁם   6:10

  לֹא אַחַת וְלֹא שְׁתָּיִם׃

2Kin. 6:10   Then the king of Israel sent to that place that the man of God had said to him so he would be warned.  And he would be guarded there, not once and not twice.

The word in parentheses has an incorrect feminine pronoun suffix instead of the correct masculine suffix.  The appropriate change is in the brackets.  In addition, I presume the last phrase, not once and not twice, means many fold.

וַיִּסָּעֵר לֵב מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיִּקְרָא אֶל־עֲבָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵיהֶם הֲלוֹא תַּגִּידוּ לִי מִי מִשֶּׁלָּנוּ   6:11 אֶל־מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Kin. 6:11   And the heart of the king of Aram was greatly troubled over this thing, and he called to his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell to me who among us is for the king of Israel?”

וַיֹּאמֶר אַחַד מֵעֲבָדָיו לוֹא אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ כִּי־אֱלִישָׁע הַנָּבִיא אֲשֶׁר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל יַגִּיד לְמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל   6:12 אֶת־הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר תְּדַבֵּר בַּחֲדַר מִשְׁכָּבֶךָ׃

2Kin. 6:12   And one from his servants said,” My lord, O king, it is none but Elisha, the prophet, who is in Israel, could have told to the king of Israel the words that you might have spoken in the chamber of your bed.”

וַיֹּאמֶר לְכוּ וּרְאוּ אֵיכֹה הוּא וְאֶשְׁלַח וְאֶקָּחֵהוּ וַיֻּגַּד־לוֹ לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה בְדֹתָן׃   6:13

2Kin. 6:13   And he said, “Go and find out where he is that I may send and fetch him.”  And it was told to him saying, “Behold, in Dothan!”

וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁמָּה סוּסִים וְרֶכֶב וְחַיִל כָּבֵד וַיָּבֹאוּ לַיְלָה וַיַּקִּפוּ עַל־הָעִיר׃   6:14

2Kin. 6:14   So he sent horses and chariots and a great host there, and they came at night and encircled about the city.

וַיַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵת אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים לָקוּם וַיֵּצֵא וְהִנֵּה־חַיִל סוֹבֵב אֶת־הָעִיר וְסוּס וָרָכֶב וַיֹּאמֶר נַעֲרוֹ אֵלָיו   6:15 אֲהָהּ אֲדֹנִי אֵיכָה נַעֲשֶׂה׃

2Kin. 6:15   And the servant of the man of God got up early to rise and go forth, and behold, a host was surrounding the city with horses and chariots.  And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master, what shall we do?”

וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־תִּירָא כִּי רַבִּים אֲשֶׁר אִתָּנוּ מֵאֲשֶׁר אוֹתָם׃   6:16

2Kin. 6:16   And he answered, “Do not be afraid, for there are more who are with us than who are with them.”

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֱלִישָׁע וַיֹּאמַר יְהוָה פְּקַח־נָא אֶת־עֵינָיו וְיִרְאֶה וַיִּפְקַח יְהוָה אֶת־עֵינֵי הַנַּעַר וַיַּרְא וְהִנֵּה   6:17 הָהָר מָלֵא סוּסִים וְרֶכֶב אֵשׁ סְבִיבֹת אֱלִישָׁע׃

2Kin. 6:17   Then Elisha prayed and he said, “O Lord, open, I pray You, his eyes that he may see.”  And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha.

וַיֵּרְדוּ אֵלָיו וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֱלִישָׁע אֶל־יְהוָה וַיֹּאמַר הַךְ־נָא אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּה בַּסַּנְוֵרִים וַיַּכֵּם בַּסַּנְוֵרִים כִּדְבַר   6:18 אֱלִישָׁע׃

2Kin. 6:18   And they came down to him, and Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Smite, I pray You, these people with blindness.”  And He smote them with blindness according to the request of Elisha.

וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם אֱלִישָׁע לֹא זֶה הַדֶּרֶךְ וְלֹא זֹה הָעִיר לְכוּ אַחֲרַי וְאוֹלִיכָה אֶתְכֶם אֶל־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר   6:19 תְּבַקֵּשׁוּן וַיֹּלֶךְ אוֹתָם שֹׁמְרוֹנָה׃

2Kin. 6:19   And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way and this is not the city.  Come after me and I will lead you to the one whom you seek.”  And he led them to Samaria.

וַיְהִי כְּבֹאָם שֹׁמְרוֹן וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע יְהוָה פְּקַח אֶת־עֵינֵי־אֵלֶּה וְיִרְאוּ וַיִּפְקַח יְהוָה אֶת־עֵינֵיהֶם וַיִּרְאוּ   6:20 וְהִנֵּה בְּתוֹךְ שֹׁמְרוֹן׃

2Kin. 6:20   And it was on their coming to Samaria that Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these that they may see.”  And the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

וַיֹּאמֶר מֶלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל־אֱלִישָׁע כִּרְאֹתוֹ אוֹתָם הַאַכֶּה אַכֶּה אָבִי׃   6:21

2Kin. 6:21   And the king of Israel said to Elisha on his seeing them, “Shall I smite? Shall I smite, my father?”

וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא תַכֶּה הַאֲשֶׁר שָׁבִיתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ וּבְקַשְׁתְּךָ אַתָּה מַכֶּה שִׂים לֶחֶם וָמַיִם לִפְנֵיהֶם וְיֹאכְלוּ   6:22

  וְיִשְׁתּוּ וְיֵלְכוּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶם׃

2Kin. 6:22   And he answered, “You shall not smite.  Who have you taken captive with your sword and with your bow that you would be smiting?  Set bread and water before them so they may eat and drink and go away to their master.”

וַיִּכְרֶה לָהֶם כֵּרָה גְדוֹלָה וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ וַיְשַׁלְּחֵם וַיֵּלְכוּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶם וְלֹא־יָסְפוּ עוֹד גְּדוּדֵי אֲרָם לָבוֹא   6:23 בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

2Kin. 6:23   So he prepared a great provision for them and they ate and drank.  Then he sent them away and they went to their master.  And no bands of Aram were coming again into the land of Israel any more.

וַיְהִי אַחֲרֵי־כֵן וַיִּקְבֹּץ בֶּן־הֲדַד מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵהוּ וַיַּעַל וַיָּצַר עַל־שֹׁמְרוֹן׃  6:24

2Kin. 6:24   And it was after this, that Ben-hadad, king of Aram, assembled all his host and went up and laid siege on Samaria.

וַיְהִי רָעָב גָּדוֹל בְּשֹׁמְרוֹן וְהִנֵּה צָרִים עָלֶיהָ עַד הֱיוֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר בִּשְׁמֹנִים כֶּסֶף וְרֹבַע הַקַּב   6:25 (חֲרֵייוֹנִים) [דִּבְיוֹנִים] בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָסֶף׃

2Kin. 6:25   And there was a famine so great in Samaria, when behold, they were laying siege on it, that the head of an ass was for eighty pieces of silver and a fourth of a Kab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

The word in parentheses is peculiar.  It is a combination of two distinct words which together might be translated as dove’s dung, except that it would be a stretch.  It’s certainly possible that the word meant something in the time of the scribe, but its usage might have disappeared.  In any case, the word in brackets is the more acceptable word for dove’s dung.  Neither of the two words appears anywhere else in the bible.

וַיְהִי מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל עֹבֵר עַל־הַחֹמָה וְאִשָּׁה צָעֲקָה אֵלָיו לֵאמֹר הוֹשִׁיעָה אֲדֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ׃   6:26

2Kin. 6:26   And the king of Israel was passing on the wall when a woman cried out to him saying, “Help, my lord, O king!”

וַיֹּאמֶר אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵךְ יְהוָה מֵאַיִן אוֹשִׁיעֵךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּרֶן אוֹ מִן־הַיָּקֶב׃   6:27

2Kin. 6:27   And he answered, “The Lord has not helped you.  From where shall I help you, from the threshing floor, or from the winepress?

וַיֹּאמֶר־לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ מַה־לָּךְ וַתֹּאמֶר הָאִשָּׁה הַזֹּאת אָמְרָה אֵלַי תְּנִי אֶת־בְּנֵךְ וְנֹאכְלֶנּוּ הַיּוֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִי   6:28 נֹאכַל מָחָר׃

2Kin. 6:28   And the king said to her, “What is with you?”  And she answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son that we may eat him today and we will eat my son tomorrow.’”

וַנְּבַשֵּׁל אֶת־בְּנִי וַנֹּאכְלֵהוּ וָאֹמַר אֵלֶיהָ בַּיּוֹם הָאַחֵר תְּנִי אֶת־בְּנֵךְ וְנֹאכְלֶנּוּ וַתַּחְבִּא אֶת־בְּנָהּ׃   6:29

2Kin. 6:29   So we cooked my son and ate him, and I said to her on the day after, “Give me your son that we may eat him.”  But she hid her son.

This is a gruesome story, but remember that Jews in various generations were frequently enticed to sacrifice their children to pagan gods.

וַיְהִי כִשְׁמֹעַ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵי הָאִשָּׁה וַיִּקְרַע אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וְהוּא עֹבֵר עַל־הַחֹמָה וַיַּרְא הָעָם וְהִנֵּה   6:30 הַשַּׂק עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ מִבָּיִת׃

2Kin. 6:30   And it was when the king heard the words of the woman that he rent his clothes.  Now he was passing on the wall, so the people saw, and behold, sackcloth was inside on his flesh.

וַיֹּאמֶר כֹּה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּי אֱלֹהִים וְכֹה יוֹסִף אִם־יַעֲמֹד רֹאשׁ אֱלִישָׁע בֶּן־שָׁפָט עָלָיו הַיּוֹם׃   6:31

2Kin. 6:31   Then he said, “May God do so to me, and also more, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat shall remain on him today.”

The king blamed Elisha because he had told the king to feed and release the Arameans.

וֶאֱלִישָׁע יֹשֵׁב בְּבֵיתוֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִים יֹשְׁבִים אִתּוֹ וַיִּשְׁלַח אִישׁ מִלְּפָנָיו בְּטֶרֶם יָבֹא הַמַּלְאָךְ אֵלָיו וְהוּא   6:32

  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׃

2Kin. 6:32   Now Elisha was sitting in his house and the elders were sitting with him, when he sent a man from his presence.  Before the messenger could come to him, then he said to the elders, “Do you see that this son of a murderer has sent to remove my head?  See when the messenger comes; close the door and you will hold him fast by the door.  Would the sound of the feet of his master not be after him?”

The “he” in the first sentence refers to the king of Israel.  The “he” in the second sentence refers to Elisha.  The final sentence seems to imply that Elisha was expecting the king to come after the messenger.

עוֹדֶנּוּ מְדַבֵּר עִמָּם וְהִנֵּה הַמַּלְאָךְ יֹרֵד אֵלָיו וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּה־זֹאת הָרָעָה מֵאֵת יְהוָה מָה־אוֹחִיל לַיהוָה   6:33 עוֹד׃

2Kin. 6:33   While he was talking with them, then behold, the messenger came down to him, and he said, “Behold this!  The evil is from the Lord.  How could I still hope for the Lord?”

I imagine the words spoken by the messenger here are those of the king.  See the next chapter.

[Return to 1&2Kings Chapters]    [Prev.:  2Kin. 5]    [Next:  2Kin. 7]