2 Kings 8:1–15

Jehoram Restores the Shunammite’s Land

1 Now aElisha spoke to the woman whose son he had restored to life, saying, “Arise and go 1with your household, and sojourn wherever you can sojourn; for the bLord has called for a famine, and cit will even come on the land for seven years.”

2 So the woman arose and did according to the word of the man of God, and she went with her household and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

3 At the end of seven years, the woman returned from the land of the Philistines; and she went out to 1appeal to the king for her house and for her field.

4 Now the king was talking with aGehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things that Elisha has done.”

5 As he was relating to the king ahow he had restored to life the one who was dead, behold, the woman whose son he had restored to life 1appealed to the king for her house and for her field. And Gehazi said, “My lord, O king, this is the woman and this is her son, whom Elisha restored to life.”

6 When the king asked the woman, she related it to him. So the king appointed for her a certain officer, saying, “Restore all that was hers and all the produce of the field from the day that she left the land even until now.”

Elisha Predicts Evil from Hazael

7 Then Elisha came to aDamascus. Now bBen-hadad king of Aram was sick, and it was told him, saying, “cThe man of God has come here.”

8 The king said to aHazael, “bTake a gift in your hand and go to meet the man of God, and cinquire of the Lord by him, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ”

9 So Hazael went to meet him and took a gift in his hand, even every kind of good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ loads; and he came and stood before him and said, “aYour son Ben-hadad king of Aram has sent me to you, saying, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’ ”

10 Then Elisha said to him, “aGo, say to him, ‘You will surely recover,’ but the bLord has shown me that he will certainly die.”

11 He 1fixed his gaze steadily on him auntil he was ashamed, and bthe man of God wept.

12 Hazael said, “Why does my lord weep?” Then he 1answered, “Because aI know the evil that you will do to the sons of Israel: their strongholds you will set on fire, and their young men you will kill with the sword, and their little ones you bwill dash in pieces, and their women with child you will rip up.”

13 Then Hazael said, “But what is your servant, awho is but a dog, that he should do this great thing?” And Elisha 1answered, “bThe Lord has shown me that you will be king over Aram.”

14 So he departed from Elisha and returned to his master, who said to him, “What did Elisha say to you?” And he 1answered, “He told me that ayou would surely recover.”

15 On the following day, he took the cover and dipped it in water and spread it on his face, aso that he died. And Hazael became king in his place.