4 Kingdoms 6

Βασιλειῶν Δ´

1 ΚΑΙ εἶπον υἱοὶ τῶν προφητῶν πρὸς Ἑλισαιέ· ἰδοὺ δὴ ὁ τόπος, ἐν ᾧ ἡμεῖς οἰκοῦμεν ἐνώπιόν σου, στενὸς ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν·

And the sons of the prophets said to Elisaie, Behold now, the place wherein we dwell before you is too narrow for us.

2 πορευθῶμεν δὴ ἕως τοῦ Ἰορδάνου καὶ λάβωμεν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνὴρ εἷς δοκόν μίαν καὶ ποιήσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς ἐκεῖ τοῦ οἰκεῖν ἐκεῖ. καὶ εἶπε· δεῦτε.

Let us go, we pray you, to Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and make for ourselves a habitation there.

3 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ εἷς ἐπιεικῶς· δεῦρο μετὰ τῶν δούλων σου· καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγὼ πορεύσομαι.

And he said, Go. And one of them said gently, Come with your servants. And he said, I will go.

4 καὶ ἐπορεύθη μετ᾿ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὸν Ἰορδάνην καὶ ἔτεμνον τὰ ξύλα.

And he went with them, and they came to Jordan, and began to cut down wood.

5 καὶ ἰδοὺ ὁ εἷς καταβάλλων τὴν δοκόν, καὶ τὸ σιδήριον ἐξέπεσεν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ· καὶ ἐβόησεν· ὧ Κύριε, καὶ αὐτὸ κεκρυμμένον.

And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the axe head fell into the water: and he cried out, Alas! master: and it was hidden.

6 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ· ποῦ ἔπεσε; καὶ ἔδειξεν αὐτῷ τὸν τόπον. καὶ ἀπέκνισε ξύλον καὶ ἔρριψεν ἐκεῖ, καὶ ἐπεπόλασε τὸ σιδήριον.

And the man of God said, Where did it fall? and he showed him the place: and he broke off a stick, and threw it in there, and the iron came to the surface.

7 καὶ εἴρηκεν· ὕψωσον σεαυτῷ· καὶ ἐξέτεινε τὴν χεῖρα καὶ ἔλαβεν αὐτό.

And he said, Take it up to yourself. And he stretched out his hand, and took it.

8 καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Συρίας ἦν πολεμῶν ἐν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ λέγων· εἰς τὸν τόπον τόνδε τινὰ ἐλμωνὶ παρεμβαλῶ.

And the king of Syria was at war with Israel: and he consulted with his servants, saying, I will encamp in such a place.

9 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν Ἑλισαιὲ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Ἰσραὴλ λέγων· φύλαξαι μὴ παρελθεῖν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ὅτι ἐκεῖ Συρία κέκρυπται.

And Elisaie sent to the king of Israel, saying, Take heed that you pass not by that place, for the Syrians are hidden there.

10 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τὸν τόπον, ὃν εἶπεν αὐτῷ Ἑλισαιέ, καὶ ἐφυλάξατο ἐκεῖθεν οὐ μίαν οὐδὲ δύο.

And the king of Israel sent to the place which Elisaie mentioned to him, and saved himself thence not once or twice.

11 καὶ ἐξεκινήθη ἡ ψυχὴ βασιλέως Συρίας περὶ τοῦ λόγου τούτου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς παῖδας αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτούς· οὐκ ἀναγγελεῖτέ μοι τίς προδίδωσί με βασιλεῖ Ἰσραήλ;

And the mind of the king of Syria was very much disturbed concerning this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will you⌃ not tell me who betrays me to the king of Israel?

12 καὶ εἶπεν εἷς τῶν παίδων αὐτοῦ· οὐχί κύριέ μου βασιλεῦ, ὅτι Ἑλισαιὲ ὁ προφήτης ὁ ἐν Ἰσραὴλ ἀναγγέλλει τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰσραὴλ πάντας τοὺς λόγους, οὓς ἐὰν λαλήσῃς ἐν τῷ ταμιείῳ τοῦ κοιτῶνός σου.

And one of his servants said, Nay, my Lord, O king, for Elisaie the prophet that is in Israel reports to the king of Israel all the words whatever you may say in your bedchamber.

13 καὶ εἶπε· δεῦτε ἴδετε ποῦ οὗτος, καὶ ἀποστείλας λήψομαι αὐτόν· καὶ ἀπήγγειλαν αὐτῷ λέγοντες· ἰδοὺ ἐν Δωθαΐμ.

And he said, Go, see where this man [is], and I will send and take him. And they sent word to him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothaim.

14 καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἐκεῖ ἵππον καὶ ἅρμα καὶ δύναμιν βαρεῖαν, καὶ ἦλθον νυκτὸς καὶ περιεκύκλωσαν τὴν πόλιν.

And he sent there horses, and chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night, and compassed about the city.

15 καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ λειτουργὸς Ἑλισαιὲ ἀναστῆναι καὶ ἐξῆλθε, καὶ ἰδοὺ δύναμις κυκλοῦσα τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἵππος καὶ ἅρμα, καὶ εἶπε τὸ παιδάριον πρὸς αὐτόν· ὦ κύριε, πῶς ποιήσομεν;

And the servant of Elisaie rose up early and went out; and, behold, a host compassed the city, and horses and chariots: and the servant said to him, O master, what shall we do?

16 καὶ εἶπεν Ἑλισαιέ· μὴ φοβοῦ, ὅτι πλείους οἱ μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν ὑπὲρ τοὺς μετ᾿ αὐτῶν.

And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who are with us [are] more than they that are with them.

17 καὶ προσηύξατο Ἑλισαιὲ καὶ εἶπε· Κύριε, διάνοιξον δὴ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ παιδαρίου καὶ ἰδέτω· καὶ διήνοιξε Κύριος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ εἶδε. καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ ὄρος πλῆρες ἵππων, καὶ ἅρμα πυρὸς περικύκλῳ Ἑλισαιέ.

And Elisaie prayed, and said, Lord, open, I pray you, the eyes of the servant, and let him see. And the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses, and there were chariots of fire round about Elisaie.

18 καὶ κατέβησαν πρὸς αὐτόν, καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον καὶ εἶπε· πάταξον δὴ τὸ ἔθνος τοῦτο ἀορασίᾳ· καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς ἀορασίᾳ κατὰ τὸ ρῆμα Ἑλισαιέ.

And they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said, Strike, I pray you, this people with blindness. And he struck them with blindness, according to the word of Elisaie.

19 καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτοὺς Ἑλισαιέ· οὐχὶ αὕτη ἡ πόλις καὶ αὕτη ἡ ὁδός· δεῦτε ὀπίσω μου, καὶ ἄξω ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα, ὃν ζητεῖτε· καὶ ἀπήγαγεν αὐτοὺς πρὸς Σαμάρειαν.

And Elisaie said to them, This [is] not the city, and this [is] not the way: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you⌃ seek. And he led them away to Samaria.

20 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς εἰσῆλθον εἰς Σαμάρειαν, καὶ εἶπεν Ἑλισαιέ· ἄνοιξον δή, Κύριε, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ἰδέτωσαν· καὶ διήνοιξε Κύριος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν, καὶ εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦσαν ἐν μέσῳ Σαμαρείας.

And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisaie said, Open, I pray you, O Lord, their eyes, and let them see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ πρὸς Ἑλισαιέ, ὡς εἶδεν αὐτούς· εἰ πατάξας πατάξω, πάτερ;

And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I [not] verily strike them, [my] father?

22 καὶ εἶπεν· οὐ πατάξεις, εἰ μὴ οὓς ᾐχμαλώτευσας ἐν ρομφαίᾳ σου καὶ τόξῳ σου σὺ τύπτεις· παράθες ἄρτους καὶ ὕδωρ ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν, καὶ φαγέτωσαν καὶ πιέτωσαν καὶ ἀπελθέτωσαν πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν.

And he said, You shall not strike them, unless you would strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow: set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and depart to their master.

23 καὶ παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς παράθεσιν μεγάλην, καὶ ἔφαγον καὶ ἔπιον· καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτούς, καὶ ἀπῆλθον πρὸς τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν. καὶ οὐ προσέθεντο ἔτι μονόζωνοι Συρίας τοῦ ἐλθεῖν εἰς γῆν Ἰσραήλ.

And he set before them a great feast, and they ate and drank: and he dismissed them and they departed to their master. And the bands of Syria came no longer into the land of Israel.

24 Καὶ ἐγένετο μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἤθροισεν υἱὸς Ἄδερ βασιλεὺς Συρίας πᾶσαν τὴν παρεμβολὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνέβη καὶ περιεκάθισεν ἐπὶ Σαμάρειαν.

And it came to pass after this, that the son of Ader king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25 καὶ ἐγένετο λιμὸς μέγας ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ, καὶ ἰδοὺ περιεκάθηντο ἐπ᾿ αὐτήν, ἕως οὗ ἐγενήθη κεφαλὴ ὄνου πεντήκοντα σίκλων ἀργυρίου καὶ τέταρτον τοῦ κάβου κόπρου περιστερῶν πέντε σίκλων ἀργυρίου.

And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was [valued] at fifty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung at five pieces of silver.

26 καὶ ἦν ὁ βασιλεὺς διαπορευόμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους, καὶ γυνὴ ἐβόησε πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγουσα· σῶσον, κύριε βασιλεῦ.

And the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, and a woman cried to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.

27 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· μή σε σώσαι Κύριος, πόθεν σώσω σε; μὴ ἀπὸ ἅλωνος ἢ ἀπὸ ληνοῦ;

And he said to her, Unless the Lord help you, whence shall I help you? from the corn-floor, or from the wine-press?

28 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ βασιλεύς· τί ἔστι σοι; καὶ εἶπεν ἡ γυνή· αὕτη εἶπε πρός με· δὸς τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ φαγόμεθα αὐτὸν σήμερον, καὶ τὸν υἱόν μου φαγόμεθα αὐτὸν αὔριον·

And the king said to her, What is [the matter] with you? And the woman said to him, This [woman] said to me, Give your son, and we will eat him today, and we will eat my son to-morrow.

29 καὶ ἡψήσαμεν τὸν υἱόν μου καὶ ἐφάγομεν αὐτόν, καὶ εἶπον πρὸς αὐτὴν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ· δὸς τὸν υἱόν σου καὶ φάγωμεν αὐτόν. καὶ ἔκρυψε τὸν υἱόν αὐτῆς.

So we boiled my son, and ate him; and I said to her on the second day, Give your son, and let us eat him: and she has hidden her son.

30 καὶ ἐγένετο ὡς ἤκουσεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ τοὺς λόγους τῆς γυναικός, διέρρηξε τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ, καὶ αὐτὸς διεπορεύετο ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους. καὶ εἶδεν ὁ λαὸς τὸν σάκκον ἐπὶ τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ ἔσωθεν.

And it came to pass, when the king of Israel heard the words of the woman, [that] he tore his garments; and he passed by on the wall, and the people saw sackcloth within upon his flesh.

31 καὶ εἶπε· τάδε ποιήσαι μοι ὁ Θεὸς καὶ τάδε προσθείη, εἰ στήσεται ἡ κεφαλὴ Ἑλισαιὲ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ σήμερον.

And he said, God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisaie shall stand upon him this day.

32 καὶ Ἑλισαιὲ ἐκάθητο ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ἐκάθηντο μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ἄνδρα πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν ἄγγελον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπε πρὸς τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους· εἰ οἴδατε ὅτι ἀπέστειλεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ φονευτοῦ οὗτος ἀφελεῖν τὴν κεφαλήν μου; ἴδετε ὡς ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ ἄγγελος, ἀποκλείσατε τὴν θύραν· καὶ παραθλίψατε αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ θύρᾳ· οὐχὶ φωνὴ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ κατόπισθεν αὐτοῦ;

And Elisaie was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him; and [the king] sent a man before him: before the messenger came to him, he also said to the elders, Do you⌃ see that this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? See, as soon as the messenger shall have come, shut the door, and forcibly detain him at the door: [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

33 ἔτι αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος μετ᾿ αὐτῶν καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κατέβη πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν· ἰδοὺ αὕτη ἡ κακία παρὰ Κυρίου· τί ὑπομείνω τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔτι;

While he was yet speaking with them, behold, a messenger came to him: and he said, Behold, this evil [is] of the Lord; why should I wait for the Lord any longer?

Greek: the Septuagint as the Orthodox Media Network published it (Mount Athos); 2 Maccabees and the Prayer of Manasseh from Brenton's edition (1851). English: Brenton's translation (1851), its spelling updated by Michael Paul Johnson; public domain. About these texts.