2 Kings 6:22-31
New American Standard Bible
Chapter 6
22But he answered, 'You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set bread and water before them, so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.' 23So he provided a large feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel.
24Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25So there was a severe famine in Samaria; and behold, they kept besieging it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a fourth of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver.
26And as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, 'Help, my lord the king!'
27But he said, 'If the Lord does not help you, from where am I to help you? From the threshing floor, or from the wine press?'
28Then the king said to her, 'What is on your mind?' And she said, 'This woman said to me, ‘Give your son so that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we cooked my son and ate him; and I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, so that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.'
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes—and he was passing by on the wall—and the people looked, and behold, he had sackcloth underneath on his body.
31Then he said, 'May God do so to me and more so, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today.'
King James Version
Chapter 6
22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. 23And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel. 24And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. 25And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.
26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
28And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.
29So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.
30And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
Christian Standard Bible
24Some time later, King Ben-hadad of Aram brought all his military units together and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
25So there was a severe famine in Samaria, and they continued the siege against it until a donkey’s head sold for thirty-four ounces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for two ounces of silver.
28Then the king asked her, "What’s the matter?" She said, "This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son, and we will eat him today. Then we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we boiled my son and ate him, and I said to her the next day, ‘Give up your son, and we will eat him,’ but she has hidden her son."
30When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his clothes. Then, as he was passing by on the wall, the people saw that there was sackcloth under his clothes next to his skin.
31He announced, "May God punish me and do so severely if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today."
New Living Translation
24Some time later, however, King Ben-hadad of Aram mustered his entire army and besieged Samaria.
25As a result, there was a great famine in the city. The siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty pieces of silver, and a cup of dove’s dung sold for five pieces of silver.
28But then the king asked, 'What is the matter?' She replied, 'This woman said to me: ‘Come on, let’s eat your son today, then we will eat my son tomorrow.’
29So we cooked my son and ate him. Then the next day I said to her, ‘Kill your son so we can eat him,’ but she has hidden her son.'
30When the king heard this, he tore his clothes in despair. And as the king walked along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing burlap under his robe next to his skin.
31May God strike me and even kill me if I don’t separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders this very day,' the king vowed.
English Standard Version
Chapter 6
22He 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." 23So 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.
24Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And 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.
26Now as the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried out to him, saying, "Help, my lord, O king!"
27And he said, "If the Lord will not help you, how shall I help you? From the threshing floor, or from the winepress?"
28And 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.’
29So 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."
30When 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 —
31and 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."
New International Version
Chapter 6
22"Do not kill them," he answered. "Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master." 23So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
24Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
25There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for five shekels.
New King James Version
Chapter 6
22But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
24And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.
25And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove droppings for five shekels of silver.
28Then the king said to her, “What is troubling 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.’
29So we boiled my son, and ate him. And I said to her on the next day, ‘Give your son, that we may eat him’; but she has hidden her son.”
30Now it happened, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and as he passed by on the wall, the people looked, and there underneath he had sackcloth on his body.
31Then he said, “God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on him today!”
