Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float
1 One day the prophets said to Elisha, “The place where we meet with you is too small. 2 Why don't we build a new meeting place near the Jordan River? Each of us could get some wood, then we could build it.”
“That's a good idea,” Elisha replied, “get started.”
3 “Aren't you going with us?” one of the prophets asked.
“Yes, I'll go,” Elisha answered, 4 and he left with them.
They went to the Jordan River and began chopping down trees. 5 While one of the prophets was working, his ax head fell off and dropped into the water. “Oh!” he shouted. “Sir, I borrowed this ax.”
6 “Where did it fall in?” Elisha asked. The prophet pointed to the place, and Elisha cut a stick and threw it into the water at that spot. The ax head floated to the top of the water.
7 “Now get it,” Elisha told him. And the prophet reached in and grabbed it.
Elisha Stops an Invasion of the Syrian Army
8 Time after time, when the king of Syria was at war against the Israelites, he met with his officers and announced, “I've decided where we will set up camp.”
9 Each time, Elisha would send this warning to the king of Israel: “Don't go near there. That's where the Syrian troops have set up camp.” 10 So the king would warn the Israelite troops in that place to be on guard.
11 The king of Syria was furious when he found out what was happening. He called in his officers and asked, “Which one of you has been telling the king of Israel our plans?”
12 “None of us, Your Majesty,” one of them answered. “It's an Israelite named Elisha. He's a prophet, so he can tell his king everything—even what you say in your own room.”
13 “Find out where he is!” the king ordered. “I'll send soldiers to bring him here.”
They learned that Elisha was in the town of Dothan and reported it to the king. 14 He ordered his best troops to go there with horses and chariots. They marched out during the night and surrounded the town.
15 When Elisha's servant got up the next morning, he saw that Syrian troops had the town surrounded. “Sir, what are we going to do?” he asked.
16 “Don't be afraid,” Elisha answered. “There are more troops on our side than on theirs.” 17 Then he prayed, “Lord, please help him to see.” And the Lord let the servant see that the hill was covered with fiery horses and flaming chariots all around Elisha.
18 As the Syrian army came closer, Elisha prayed, “Lord, make those soldiers blind!” And the Lord blinded them with a bright light.
19 Elisha told the enemy troops, “You've taken the wrong road and are in the wrong town. Follow me. I'll lead you to the man you're looking for.” Elisha led them straight to the capital city of Samaria.
20 When all the soldiers were inside the city, Elisha prayed, “Lord, now let them see again.” The Lord let them see that they were standing in the middle of Samaria.
21 The king of Israel saw them and asked Elisha, “Should I kill them, sir?”
22 “No!” Elisha answered. “You didn't capture these troops in battle, so you have no right to kill them. Instead, give them something to eat and drink and let them return to their leader.”
23 The king ordered a huge meal to be prepared for Syria's army, and when they finished eating, he let them go.
For a while, the Syrian troops stopped invading Israel's territory.
King Benhadad of Syria Attacks Samaria
24 Some time later, King Benhadad of Syria called his entire army together, then they marched to Samaria and attacked. 25 They kept up the attack until there was nothing to eat in the city. In fact, a donkey's head cost 80 pieces of silver, and a small bowl of pigeon droppings cost 5 pieces of silver.
26 One day as the king of Israel was walking along the top of the city wall, a woman shouted to him, “Please, Your Majesty, help me!”
27 “Let the Lord help you!” the king said. “Do you think I have grain or wine to give you?” 28 Then he asked, “What's the matter anyway?”
The woman answered, “Another woman and I were so hungry that we agreed to eat our sons. She said if we ate my son one day, we could eat hers the next day. 29 So yesterday we cooked my son and ate him. But today when I went to her house to eat her son, she had hidden him.”
30 The king tore off his clothes in sorrow, and since he was on top of the city wall, the people saw that he was wearing sackcloth underneath. 31 He said, “I pray that God will punish me terribly, if Elisha's head is still on his shoulders by this time tomorrow.” 32 Then he sent a messenger to Elisha.
Elisha was home at the time, and the important leaders of Israel were meeting with him. Even before the king's messenger arrived, Elisha told the leaders, “That murderer is sending someone to cut off my head. When you see him coming, shut the door and don't let him in. I'm sure the king himself will be right behind him.”
33 Before Elisha finished talking, the messenger came up and said, “The Lord has made all these terrible things happen to us. Why should I think he will help us now?”
Elisa ta djuukifa oshivela kombada yomeva
1 Novalongwa vomuxunganeki va lombwela Elisa: “Tala, onhele ei tu li po koshipala shoye, oya finana. 2 Natu yeni kuJordan, nakeshe umwe womufye na ka tale omuti waye, opo tu dike po onhele tu kale mo.” Ndele ye ta ti: “Indeni!” 3 Ndelenee umwe ta ti: “Ila, u ye pamwe novapiya voye.” Nokwa nyamukula: “Handi uya.” 4 Nokwa ya pamwe naavo ndele eshi ve uya kuJordan va ka omiti. 5 Ndelenee fimbo umwe ta ke omuti, oshivela osha wila momeva; ndele ye ta ingida ta ti: “Akutu, omwene wange. Sho kasha li shange!” 6 Nomulumenhu waKalunga ta pula: “Osha wila peni?” Ndele winya eshi e mu ulikila onhele, ye okwa teta oshiti nokwe shi ekela momeva, noshivela sha djuuka mo. 7 Ndele ye ta ti: “Shi kufa po!” Nokwa nana eke laye ndele te shi kufa po.
Ovaarami tava laipikwa
8 Fimbo ohamba yaAram ya li i noita ya homona naIsrael, oya kundafana novapiya vayo ndele tai ti: “Ohatu ka onga onhanda yange ponhele yonhumba.” 9 Ndelenee omulumenhu waKalunga okwa shiivifila ohamba yaIsrael nokutya: “Lungama, uha ende po ponhele oyo, osheshi Ovaarami tava i ko.” 10 Opo nee ohamba yaIsrael ya tuma konhele tuu oyo, omulumenhu waKalunga a tonga, nomolwayo e i londwela. Ndele yo oya li ko ya lungama. Halumwe aluke ile luvali. 11 Onghee hano omutima wohamba yaAram wa tila ndele yo tai ifana ovapiya vayo ndele tai va pula: “Itamu dulu okushiivifila nge olyelye womufye e li kombinga yohamba yaIsrael?” 12 Ndele umwe womovapiya vayo ta nyamukula: “Hasho omwene wange ohamba, ndelenee omuxunganeki Elisa, ou e li muIsrael ta twala eendjovo odo to di lipopile monduda yokunangala kohamba yaIsrael.” 13 Ndele yo tai ti: “Indeni mu ka tale apa e li, ndi dule oku mu kwata.” Ndele ve i lombwela: “Ye oku li muDotan.” 14 Onghee hano oya tuma ko eenghambe nomatemba oita netanga linene lovakwaita, ndele vo ve uya ko oufiku ndele tava kondekele oshilando.
15 Ndele ongula inene eshi omupiya womulumenhu waKalunga a penduka ndele ta piti mo, tala, oshilando sha kondekelwa keenghambe nokomatemba oita. Nomupiya waye ta ti kuye: “Akutu omwene wange, ohatu ka ninga ngahelipi?” 16 Ndelenee ye ta nyamukula: “Ino tila. Osheshi ava ve li pufye ovahapu, ve dule venya ve li puvo.” 17 Ndele Elisa okwa indila ndele ta ti: “Omwene, pashukifa omesho aye, opo a mone ko.” NOmwene okwa pashukifa omesho omupiya waye, ndele ta mono ko, ndele divadiva, omhunda aishe i yadi eenghambe nomatemba omundilo, a dingilila Elisa. 18 Ndele Ovaarami eshi ve uya kuye, Elisa okwa indila kOmwene ndele ta ti: “Denga ovanhu ava noupofi.” Ndele Ye okwe va denga noupofi pandjovo yaElisa. 19 Opo nee Elisa ta ti kuvo: “Ondjila oyo hayo, noshilando osho hasho. Shikulei nge, opo ame ohandi mu twala komulumenhu tuu ou tamu mu kongo.” Ndele ye okwe va twala kuSamaria. 20 Ndele vo eshi ve uya kuSamaria Elisa ta ti: “Omwene, pashukifa omesho avo, va mone ko.” NOmwene okwa pashukifa omesho avo ndele tava mono ko, ndele va li pokati kaSamaria! 21 Nohamba yaIsrael tai pula kuElisa, yo eshi ye va mona: “Tate, ondi noku va dipaa tuu? Ondi noku va dipaa tuu?” 22 Ndelenee ye ta nyamukula: “Ahowe, ino va dipaa. Ndishi ito dipaa ovo we va kwata eenghwate neongamukonda loye nouta woye? Tula pomesho yavo omungome nomeva, va lye ndele va nwe, ndele va dule okuya kumwene wavo.” 23 Ndele okwe va telekela oitelekela inene. Ndele vo eshi va lya ndele va nwa, okwe va lekela va ye. Ndele va ya komwene wavo. NOvaarami inava ninga vali eemwiila koshilongo shaIsrael.
Ekondekelo laSamaria nexupifo lasho likumwifa
24 Ndele konima Benhadad, ohamba yaAram oya ongela omatanga ayo ovakwaita aveshe, ndele tai fikama noya kondekela Samaria. 25 Ndele muSamaria mwa li ondjala idjuu, osheshi venya ve shi kondekela efimbo lile fiyo omutwe wondongi tau landifwa neesekeli omilongo hetatu doisiliveli neegrama omafele atatu domatudi eenghuti tadi landwa neesekeli nhano doshisiliveli. 26 Ndele fimbo ohamba yaIsrael tai ende kombada yekuma, omukainhu umwe okwe i ingida ta ti: “Kwafa, omwene ohamba!” 27 Ndelenee yo oya nyamukula: “Omwene ngeenge ite ku kwafa, ame ohandi ku kwafa ngahelipi? Moshipale ile moshikolelo shomiviinyu?” 28 Ohamba ye mu lombwela vali: “Oshike shi ku kwete?” Nokwa nyamukula: “Omukainhu ou okwa lombwela nge: ‘Pe nge omona woye, tu mu lye nena. Opo nee mongula tu lye omona wange.’ 29 Onghee hano twa paka po omona wange ndele twe mu lya. Ndelenee efiku la shikula, eshi nde mu lombwela: ‘Pe nge omona woye fye tu mu lye,’ ye okwa holeka omona waye.” 30 Ohamba eshi ya uda eendjovo domukainhu, yo oya pombaula oikutu yayo, fimbo tai ende kombada yekuma, ovanhu va mona nhumbi ya djala koshi yoshikutu, oshikutu sheefya kolutu layo. 31 Ndele yo tai ti: “Kalunga na ningile nge shonhumba noshongadi, ngeenge omutwe waElisa yaSafat tau ka kala kumwe nofingo nena.”
32 Ndele Elisa fimbo ta kala omutumba meumbo laye novakulunhu va kala omutumba puye, ohamba ya tetekelifa omulumenhu. Ndelenee omutumwa fimbo ine uya kuye, Elisa ta ti kovakulunhu: “Mu wete ko tuu nokutya, omona womudipai ta tumine nge a tete nge ofingo? Taleni! Omutumwa ngeenge te uya, idileni po oshivelo, mu mu fengenyene po. Omifindo deemhadi domwene waye itadi mu shikula?” 33 Fimbo ye ta popi naavo, ohamba ye uya kuye, ndele ta ti: “Tala, omupya ou tau di kOmwene. Omolwashike ndi teelele vali Omwene?”
