"Ifthere is faminein the land,ifthere is pestilence,ifthere is blightor mildew,ifthere is locustor grasshopper,iftheir enemiesbesiegethem in the landof their cities,whateverplagueor whateversickness[there is],
Now Elishaspoketo the womanwhosesonhe had restoredto life,saying,"Ariseand gowith your household,and sojournwhereveryou can sojourn;for the LORDhas calledfor a famine,and it will evencomeon the landfor sevenyears."
Aftertheseactsof faithfulnessSennacheribkingof Assyriacameand invadedJudahand besiegedthe fortifiedcities,and thoughtto breakinto them for himself.
In thosedaysHezekiahbecamemortallyill;and he prayedto the LORD,and the LORD spoketo him and gavehim a sign.
whateverprayeror supplicationis madeby anymanor by allYour peopleIsrael,eachknowinghis own afflictionand his own pain,and spreadinghis handstowardthishouse,
"IfI shutup the heavensso that there is norain,or ifI commandthe locustto devourthe land,or ifI sendpestilenceamong My people,
Be ashamed,O farmers,Wail,O vinedressers,For the wheatand the barley;Becausethe harvestof the fieldis destroyed.
"Then I will makeup to you for the yearsThat the swarminglocusthas eaten,The creepinglocust,the strippinglocustand the gnawinglocust,My greatarmywhichI sentamong you.
I, in turn,will dothisto you: I will appointoveryou a suddenterror,consumptionand feverthat will wasteawaythe eyesand cause the soulto pineaway;also, you will sowyour seeduselessly,for your enemieswill eatit up.
Is anyoneamongyou suffering?[Then] he must pray.Is anyonecheerful?He is to sing praises.
Now it cameabout in the dayswhen the judgesgoverned,that there was a faminein the land.And a certain manof Bethlehemin Judahwentto sojournin the landof Moabwith his wifeand his twosons.
