The disciples of the prophets said to Elisha, “Behold, the place where we sit before you is too crowded for us.

Let us go now to the Yardein, and each man will take one plank from there and we will make for ourselves a place there, to sit there.” He said, “Go.”

One of them said, “Please agree to go with your servants,” and he said, “I will go.”

He went with them, and they came to the Yardein and cut down the trees.

As one of them was cutting a plank, the iron [ax blade] fell into the water. He cried out and said, “Alas, my master, it is borrowed.”

The man of God said, “Where did it fall?” And he showed him the place. He cut off a piece of wood, and he threw it there and the iron [ax blade] floated up.

And he [Elisha] said, “Pick it up for yourself,” and he stretched out his hand and took it.

The king of Arom was at war with Yisroel. He consulted with his servants, saying, “In this concealed and secret place, I will make my camp.”

The man of God sent [a message] to the king of Yisroel, saying, “Be careful not to pass by this place, because Arom[’s camp] is hidden there.”

The king of Yisroel dispatched [scouts] to the place about which the man of God had spoken to him and warned him, and he took precautions there, not once and not twice.

The king of Arom’s heart was troubled over this situation. He summoned his servants and said to them, “Will you not tell me which one of our [people] is [reporting] to the king of Yisroel?”

And one of his servants said, “No, my master, the king, but Elisha, the prophet who is in Yisroel tells the king of Yisroel the words that you speak in your bedroom.”

And he said, “Go and see where he is, and I will send and take him.” It was told to him, saying, “He is in Doson.”

He sent there horses and chariots, and a huge army; they came at night and surrounded the city.

The servant of the man of God awoke early, to get up and went out, and behold, an army was surrounding the city, with horses and chariots. His attendant said to him, “Alas, my master, what will we do?”

He said, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

Elisha prayed and said, “Adonoy, please open his eyes and let him see.” Adonoy opened the eyes of the lad and he saw, and behold, the mountain was filled with horses and chariots of fire [all] around Elisha.

They [Arom’s army] came down towards him, and Elisha prayed to Adonoy, and said, “Please strike this nation with blindness.” He struck them with blindness as Elisha had spoken.

Elisha said to them, “This is neither the way nor is this the city. Follow me and I will lead you to the man you are looking for;” and he led them to Shomron.

When they came to Shomron, Elisha said, “Adonoy, open the eyes of these and let them see.” And Adonoy opened their eyes and they saw, and behold they were in the middle of Shomron.

The king of Yisroel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “Shall I slay them, my father?”

And he said, “Do not slay them. Those that you captured with your sword and bow would you slay? Set bread [food] and water for them, and let them eat and drink and let them go to their masters.”

He prepared a lavish feast for them, and they ate and drank and he sent them away, and they went to their masters. No longer did the bands of marauders from Arom come to Eretz Yisroel.

After this, Ben-Hadad, king of Arom gathered his whole camp and went up and laid siege over Shomron.

There was a severe famine in Shomron, and now they were besieging it. It became such that the head of a donkey [sold] for eighty pieces of silver, and a fourth of a kav of pigeon dung [sold] for five silver pieces.

As the king of Yisroel was passing on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, “Save [me], my master, the king.”

And he said, “If Adonoy will not help you, how then can I help you? From the threshing floor or from the winepress?”

And the king said, “What troubles you?” And the woman said, “This woman said to me, ‘Give your son and we will eat him today, and my son, we will eat tomorrow.”

So we cooked my son and we ate him, and I said to her the next day, “Give your son and let us eat him,” but she has hidden her son.”

When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes as he was passing by on the wall. The people saw, and behold there was a sackcloth on his flesh beneath [his royal garb].

And he said, “So should God do to me, and even more if the head of Elisha son of Shophot stands [remains] on him today.”

Elisha was sitting in his house and the elders were sitting with him. He [the king] sent a man from his presence. Before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, “Are you aware that this son of a murderer has sent [a man] to remove my head. Look, when the messenger comes, close the door, and push him out with the door; the sound of his master’s footsteps will surely follow after him.”

He was still speaking with them, and behold, the messenger was coming down to him. He [the king] said, “This tragedy is from Adonoy; What can I hope for from Adonoy?”