The Second Book of the KINGS, Commonly called, The Fourth Book of the KINGS. CHAP. I. 1 Moab rebelleth. 2 Ahaziah, sending to Baal-zebub, hath his judgment by Elijah. 5 Elijah twice bringeth fire from heaven upon them whom Ahaziah sent to apprehend him. 13 He pitieth the third captain, and, encouraged by an angel, telleth the king of his death. 17 Jehoram succeedeth Ahaziah. [BEFORE CHRIST 896.] a THE HEN Moab rebelled against Israel b after the death of Ahab. about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite. 9 Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come 2 And Ahaziah fell down through a lat-down. tice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick : and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease. с 3 But the angel of the LORD said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? 4 Now therefore thus saith the LORD, "Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed. 5¶ And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? 6 And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to enquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 7 And he said unto them, 'What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? 8 And they answered him, He was dan an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather CHAP. I. a 2 Sam. 8. 2. b ch. 3. 5. c 1 Sam. 5. 10. a Heb. The bed whither thou art gone up, thou shalt not come down from it. b Heb. What was the manner of the e 10 And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And there came down fire from heaven, and consumed him. and his fifty. 11 Again also he sent unto him another captain of fifty with his fifty. And he answered and said unto him, O man of God, thus hath the king said, Come down quickly. 12 And Elijah answered and said unto them, If I be a man of God, let fire come down from heaven, and consume thee and thy fifty. And the fire of God came down from heaven, and consumed him and his fifty. с 13 ¶ And he sent again a captain of the third fifty with his fifty. And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and besought him, and said unto him, O man of God, I pray thee, let my life, and the life of these fifty thy servants, 'be precious in thy sight. 14 Behold, there came fire down from heaven, and burnt up the two captains of the former fifties with their fifties: therefore let my life now be precious in thy sight 15 And the angel of the LORD said unto Elijah, Go down with him: be not afraid of him. of him. And he arose, and went down with him unto the king. Elijah taketh leave of Elisha, CHAP. II. and is taken up into heaven. 16 And he said unto him, Thus saith || 5 And the sons of the prophets that the LORD, Forasmuch as thou hast sent were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said messengers to enquire of Baal-zebub the unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD god of Ekron, is it not because there is will take away thy master from thy head no God in Israel to enquire of his word? to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it, therefore thou shalt not come down off hold ye your peace. that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. 17 ¶ So he died, according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had 3 And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace. 4 And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. 6 And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here; for the LORD hath sent me to Jordan. And he said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they two went on. 7 And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went, and stood "to view afar off: and they two stood by Jordan. 8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. 9 ¶ And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. 10 And he said, 'Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. 11 And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 12 ¶ And Elisha saw it, and he cried My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 13 He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan; 14 And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Eli jah? and when he also had smitten the 17 And when they urged him till he was ashamed, he said, Send. They sent therefore fifty men; and they sought three days, but found him not. 18 And when they came again to him, (for he tarried at Jericho,) he said unto them, Did I not say unto you, Go not? 19 ¶ And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren. 20 And he said, Bring me a new cruse, and put salt therein. And they brought it to him. 21 And he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land. 22 So the waters were healed unto this day, according to the saying of Elisha which he spake. 23 ¶ And he went up from thence unto Beth-el and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, Jehoram's evil reign. 24 And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them. 25 And he went from thence to mount Carmel, and from thence he returned to Samaria. CHAP. III. 1 Jehoram's reign. 4 Mesha rebelleth. 6 Jehoram, with Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom, being distressed for want of water, by Elisha obtaineth water, and promise of victory. 21 The Moabites, deceived by the colour of the water, coming to spoil, are overcome. 26 The king of Moab, by sacrificing the king of Edom's son, raiseth the siege. [BEFORE CHRIST 896.] a NOW Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. 2 And he wrought evil in the sight of the LORD; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the "image of Baal 'that his father had made. 3 Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom. 4 ¶ And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. 5 But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. 6 ¶ And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: 'I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and as thy horses. my horses 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. CHAP. III. a ch. 1. 17. a Hob. statue. b1 Kings 16. 31, 32. e 1 Kings 12 38, 21 32. d See Isai. 16. 1. e ch. 1 1. f1 Kings 22. 4. Elisha obtaineth water. The Moabites are overcome. 19 And ye shall smite every fenced city and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all wells of water, and mar every good piece of land with CHAP. III. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed stones. them с 20 And it came to pass in the morn10 And the king of Israel said, Alas!ing, when the meat offering was offered, that the LORD hath called these three that, behold, there came water by the way kings together, to deliver them into the of Edom, and the country was filled with hand of Moab! 11 But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 12 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. I k water. 21 ¶ And when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood in the border. 22 And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water on the other side as red as blood : 23 And they said, This is blood: the kings are surely slain, and they have smit13 And Elisha said unto the king of Is-ten one another now therefore, Moab, to rael, What have I to do with thee? get the spoil. thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. 24 And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them: but they went forward smiting the Moabites, even in their country. m 15 But now bring me "a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, 0 upon him. that the hand of the LORD came 17 For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts. 18 And this is but a light thing in the Bight of the LORD he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand. 6 Ileb. at their feet. See Exod. 11. 8. g1 Kings 22.7. h ch. 2. 25. i Ezek. 14. 3. So Judg. 10. 14. Ruth 1. 15. 11 Kings 18. 19. m 1 Kings 17.1 ch.5. 16. n See 1 Sam. 10.5 o Ezek. 1. 3. & 3. 14, 22, & 8. 1. poh. 4. 3 c Heb. grieve. q Exod. 29. 39 40. Elisha multiplieth the widow's oil. II. KINGS. CHAP. IV. Elisha multiplieth the widow's oil. 8 He giveth a son to the good Shunammite. 18 He raiseth again her dead son. The Shunammite's son dieth. 10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray 8 He giveth a son to thee, on the wall; and let us set for him 38 At Gilgal he healeth the deadly pottage. 42 He satis-there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 11 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there. fieth an hundred men with twenty loaves. [BEFORe christ 895.] a NOW there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen. b 12 And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. 8 ¶ And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. 9 And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. 13 And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. 14 And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. 15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door. |