Study Desk

So the men went to Jericho where Elisha was staying and told him. Elisha said to them, "I told you not to go."

So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They traveled around for seven days. There was not enough water for the army or for their animals.

Jehoshaphat said, "The Lord 's word is with Elisha." So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to see Elisha.

The Moabites heard that the kings had come up to fight against them. So they gathered together all the men old enough to wear armor and waited at the border.

The king of Moab saw that the battle was too strong for him, so he took 700 men with swords to break through to the king of Edom. But they were not able to do it.

Then the king of Moab took his oldest son, who would become the next king after him. On the wall around the city, the king of Moab offered his son as a burnt offering. This upset the Israelites very much. So the Israelites left the king of Moab and went back to their own land.

So the woman left Elisha, went into her house, and shut the door. Only she and her sons were in the house. Her sons brought the bowls to her and she poured oil.

One day Elisha went to Shunem, where an important woman lived. She asked Elisha to stop and eat at her house. So every time Elisha went through that place, he stopped there to eat.

Then Elisha said, "Call her." So Gehazi called the woman. She came and stood at his door.

But the child's mother said, "I promise, as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave without you!" So Elisha got up and followed her.

Then they poured some of the soup for the men to eat. But when they began to eat the soup, they shouted out, "Man of God! There's poison in the pot!" The food tasted like poison, so they could not eat that food.

But Elisha said, "Bring some flour." He threw the flour into the pot. Then he said, "Pour the soup for the people so that they can eat." And there was nothing wrong with the soup.

A man from Baal Shalishah came and brought bread from the first harvest to the man of God. This man brought 20 loaves of barley bread and fresh grain in his sack. Then Elisha said, "Give this food to the people, so that they can eat."

Then the king of Aram said, "Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." So Naaman went to Israel. He took 750 pounds of silver, 6000 pieces of gold and ten changes of clothes as gifts.

When the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his clothes to show he was sad and upset. He said, "Am I God? I don't have the power over life and death. So why did the king of Aram send a man sick with leprosy for me to heal? Think about it, and you will see that it is a trick. The king of Aram is trying to start a fight."

Elisha, the man of God, heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes. So Elisha sent this message to the king: "Why did you tear your clothes? Let Naaman come to me. Then he will know there is a prophet in Israel."

So Naaman came with his horses and chariots to Elisha's house and stood outside the door.

So Naaman did what the man of God said. He went down and dipped himself in the Jordan River seven times, and he became pure and clean. His skin became soft like the skin of a baby.

And I pray that the Lord will forgive me for this: When my master goes to the temple of Rimmon to worship that false god, he will want to lean on me for support. So I must bow down in the temple of Rimmon. I ask the Lord now to forgive me when that happens."

Then Elisha said to Naaman, "Go in peace." So Naaman left Elisha and went a short way.