2 Kings 6:18

2 Kings 6:18 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
• New International Version (NIV)As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.
• New King James Version (NKJV)So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, and said, “Strike this people, I pray, with blindness.” And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Context of 2 Kings 6:18

16Elisha answered, “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17Then Elisha prayed and said, “Lord, please, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. When the Arameans came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people (nation) with blindness.” And God struck them with blindness, in accordance with Elisha’s request. 19Then Elisha said to the Arameans, “This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me and I will lead you to the man whom you are seeking.” And he led them to Samaria. 20When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, so that they may see.” And the Lord opened their eyes and they saw. Behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

2 Kings 6:18 word by word

וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־נָ֥א אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And when they came downיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
• to him, Elishaאֱלִישָׁע'ĕlîyshâ‛ · ElishaH477
• prayedפָּלַלpâlal · to prayH6419
• unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• this peopleגּוֹיgôy gôy · nationH1471
• I pray thee, with blindnessסַנְוֵרִיםsanvêr · blindnessH5575
• according to the wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697

Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:18

• Genesis 19:11They struck (punished) the men who were at the doorway of the house with blindness, from the young men to the old men, so that they exhausted themselves trying to find the doorway.
• Deuteronomy 28:28The Lord will strike you with madness and with blindness and with bewilderment of heart and mind;
• Job 5:14In the daytime they meet in darkness, And at noon they grope as in the night.
• Zechariah 12:4In that day,” declares the Lord, “I will strike every horse with panic and his rider with madness; but I will open My eyes and watch over the house of Judah, and will strike every horse of the [opposing] nations with blindness.
• John 9:39Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment [to separate those who believe in Me from those who reject Me—to declare judgment on those who choose to be separated from God], so that the sightless would see, and those who see would become blind.”
• John 12:40“He has blinded their eyes and He hardened their heart, to keep them from seeing with their eyes and understanding with their heart and being converted; otherwise, I [their God] would heal them.”
• Acts 13:11Now, watch! The hand of the Lord is on you, and you will be blind, [so blind that you will be] unable to see the sun for a time.” Immediately a mist and darkness fell upon him, and he groped around, seeking people to lead him by the hand.
• Romans 11:7What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking [that is, God’s favor by obedience to the Law], but the elect [those chosen few] obtained it, while the rest of them became hardened and callously indifferent;

Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:18

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 18Smite this people - with blindness - Confound their sight so that they may not know what they see, and so mistake one place for another.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 18They came down to him - The Syrians, who had been encamped on rising ground opposite the hill of Dothan, now descended and drew near to the city. The blindness with which they were smitten was not real - blindness actual loss of sight - but a state of illusion in which a man sees things otherwise than as they are (compare 2 Kings 6:20).Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-23Verses 13-23 What Elisha said to his servant is spoken to all the faithful servants of God, when without are fightings, and within are fears. Fear not, with that fear which has torment and amazement; for they that are with us, to protect us, are more than they that are against us, to destroy us. The eyes of his body were open, and with them he saw the danger. Lord, open the eyes of our faith, that with them we may see thy protecting hand. The clearer…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1818. Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness--not a total and material blindness, for then they could not have followed him, but a mental hallucination (see Ge 19:11) so that they did not perceive or recognize him to be the object of their search.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 6:18

• Blindness
• Dothan
• Elisha
• Israel
• Joram
• Miracles
• Prayer
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Elisha
• Band
• Send
• Benhadad
• Blindness
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoash; Joash
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of
• Medicine

Commentaries on 2 Kings 6

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings