The Recovery of the Ax Head
1 One day the group of prophets that Elisha was in charge of complained to him, “The place where we live is too small! 2 Give us permission to go to the Jordan and cut down some trees, so that we can build a place to live.”
“All right,” Elisha answered.
3 One of them urged him to go with them; he agreed, 4 and they set out together. When they arrived at the Jordan, they began to work. 5 As one of them was cutting down a tree, suddenly his iron ax head fell in the water. “What shall I do, sir?” he exclaimed to Elisha. “It was a borrowed ax!”
6 “Where did it fall?” Elisha asked.
The man showed him the place, and Elisha cut off a stick, threw it in the water, and made the ax head float. 7 “Take it out,” he ordered, and the man reached down and picked it up.
The Syrian Army Is Defeated
8 The king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his officers and chose a place to set up his camp. 9 But Elisha sent word to the king of Israel, warning him not to go near that place, because the Syrians were waiting in ambush there. 10 So the king of Israel warned the people who lived in that place, and they were on guard. This happened several times.
11 The Syrian king became greatly upset over this; he called in his officers and asked them, “Which one of you is on the side of the king of Israel?”
12 One of them answered, “No one is, Your Majesty. The prophet Elisha tells the king of Israel what you say even in the privacy of your own room.”
13 “Find out where he is,” the king ordered, “and I will capture him.”
When he was told that Elisha was in Dothan, 14 he sent a large force there with horses and chariots. They reached the town at night and surrounded it. 15 Early the next morning Elisha's servant got up, went out of the house, and saw the Syrian troops with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. He went back to Elisha and exclaimed, “We are doomed, sir! What shall we do?”
16 “Don't be afraid,” Elisha answered. “We have more on our side than they have on theirs.” 17 Then he prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord answered his prayer, and Elisha's servant looked up and saw the hillside covered with horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18 When the Syrians attacked, Elisha prayed, “O Lord, strike these men blind!” The Lord answered his prayer and struck them blind. 19 Then Elisha went to them and said, “You are on the wrong road; this is not the town you are looking for. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are after.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 As soon as they had entered the city, Elisha prayed, “Open their eyes, Lord, and let them see.” The Lord answered his prayer; he restored their sight, and they saw that they were inside Samaria.
21 When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, sir? Shall I kill them?”
22 “No,” he answered. “Not even soldiers you had captured in combat would you put to death. Give them something to eat and drink, and let them return to their king.” 23 So the king of Israel provided a great feast for them; and after they had eaten and drunk, he sent them back to the king of Syria. From then on the Syrians stopped raiding the land of Israel.
The Siege of Samaria
24 Some time later King Benhadad of Syria led his entire army against Israel and laid siege to the city of Samaria. 25 As a result of the siege the food shortage in the city was so severe that a donkey's head cost eighty pieces of silver, and half a pound of dove's dung cost five pieces of silver.
26 The king of Israel was walking by on the city wall when a woman cried out, “Help me, Your Majesty!”
27 He replied, “If the Lord won't help you, what help can I provide? Do I have any wheat or wine? 28 What's your trouble?”
She answered, “The other day this woman here suggested that we eat my child, and then eat her child the next day. 29 So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I told her that we would eat her son, but she had hidden him!”
30 Hearing this, the king tore his clothes in dismay, and the people who were close to the wall could see that he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes. 31 He exclaimed, “May God strike me dead if Elisha is not beheaded before the day is over!” 32 And he sent a messenger to get Elisha.
Meanwhile Elisha was at home with some elders who were visiting him. Before the king's messenger arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “That murderer is sending someone to kill me! Now, when he gets here, shut the door and don't let him come in. The king himself will be right behind him.” 33 He had hardly finished saying this, when the king arrived and said, “It's the Lord who has brought this trouble on us! Why should I wait any longer for him to do something?”
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?”
