The Borrowed Ax

The Story

The group of young prophets studying with Elisha was growing, and their meeting place had become too small. “Let us go to the Jordan,” they said, “and each of us cut down a beam, and build a bigger place.” They asked Elisha to come along, and he agreed.

Down by the river, the men started chopping trees. As one of them swung his ax, the iron head flew off the handle and splashed into the Jordan. It sank out of sight.

The man cried out, “Alas, master! for it was borrowed.” Iron tools were expensive in those days, and for a poor student prophet, replacing one could mean serious debt.

Elisha asked a simple question: “Where did it fall?” The man pointed to the spot. Elisha cut a stick, threw it into the water, and the heavy iron ax head floated up to the surface. “Pick it up,” Elisha said. The man reached out his hand and took it.

Reflection