The fifth time that Sanballat sent his assistant to me in this way, he had an open letter in his hand.

The king’s servants who attended him said, “Let a search be conducted in the king’s behalf for attractive young women. ¹ 

The king’s attendants said to him, “It is Haman who is standing in the courtyard.” The king said, “Let him enter.”

Like ¹  wild donkeys in the desert they ²  go out to their labor, ³  seeking diligently for food; the wasteland provides ⁴  food for them and for their children.

I was once young, now I am old. I have never seen a godly man abandoned, or his children ¹  forced to search for food. ² 

Even a young man ¹  is known ²  by his actions, whether his activity is pure and whether it is right. ³ 

Train ¹  a child ²  in the way that he should go, ³  and when he is old he will not turn from it. ⁴ 

Do not withhold discipline from a child; even if you strike him with the rod, he will not die.

The people will treat each other harshly; men will oppose each other; neighbors will fight. ¹  Youths will proudly defy the elderly and riffraff will challenge those who were once respected. ² 

Their arrows will cut young men to ribbons; ¹  they have no compassion on a person’s offspring, ²  they will not ³  look with pity on children.

I answered, “Oh, Lord God, ¹  I really ²  do not know how to speak well enough for that, ³  for I am too young.” ⁴ 

I used you to smash men and women. I used you to smash old men and young men. I used you to smash young men and young women.

But God heard the boy’s voice. ¹  The angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and asked her, “What is the matter, ²  Hagar? Don’t be afraid, for God has heard ³  the boy’s voice right where he is crying.

He quickly called to the young man who carried his weapons, ¹  “Draw your sword and kill me, so they will not say, ²  ‘A woman killed him.’” So the young man stabbed him and he died.

Take note of ¹  the field where the men ²  are harvesting and follow behind with the female workers. ³  I will tell the men ⁴  to leave you alone. ⁵  When you are thirsty, you may go to ⁶  the water jars ⁷  and drink some of the water ⁸  the servants draw.” ⁹ 

When I send a boy after them, I will say, “Go and find the arrows.” If I say to the boy, ‘Look, the arrows are on this side of you; ¹  get them,’ then come back. For as surely as the Lord lives, you will be safe and there will no problem.

Ask your own servants; they can tell you! May my servants find favor in your sight, for we have come ¹  at the time of a holiday. Please provide us – your servants ²  and your son David – with whatever you can spare.” ³ 

The king asked the Cushite, “How is the young man Absalom?” The Cushite replied, “May the enemies of my lord the king and all who have plotted against you ¹  be like that young man!”

Now Gehazi went on ahead of them. He placed the staff on the child’s face, but there was no sound or response. When he came back to Elisha ¹  he told him, “The child did not wake up.”

Elisha ¹  went back and walked around in the house. ²  Then he got up on the bed again ³  and bent down over him. The child sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.