Christian Standard Bible
2 Kings 6:22
22Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master.”
2 Kings 6:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
- New International Version (NIV)“Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)He answered, "You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master."
- New King James Version (NKJV)But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.”
Context of 2 Kings 6:22
20When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open these men’s eyes and let them see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria. 21When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Should I kill them, should I kill them, my father?” Elisha replied, “Don’t kill them. Do you kill those you have captured with your sword or your bow? Set food and water in front of them so they can eat and drink and go to their master.” 23So he prepared a big feast for them. When they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiders did not come into Israel’s land again. 24Some time later, King Ben-hadad of Aram brought all his military units together and marched up and laid siege to Samaria.
Read all of 2 Kings 62 Kings 6:22 word by word
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Thou shalt not smiteנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
- those whom thou hast taken captiveשָׁבָהshâbâh · to take captiveH7617
- with thy swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- and with thy bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
- setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
- breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
- and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
- them, that they may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- and goיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- to their masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:22
- Deuteronomy 20:11If it accepts your offer of peace and opens its gates to you, all the people found in it will become forced laborers for you and serve you.
- 2 Chronicles 28:8Then the Israelites took two hundred thousand captives from their brothers — women, sons, and daughters. They also took a great deal of plunder from them and brought it to Samaria.
- Genesis 48:22Over and above what I am giving your brothers, I am giving you the one mountain slope that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
- Joshua 24:12I sent hornets ahead of you, and they drove out the two Amorite kings before you. It was not by your sword or bow.
- Psalms 44:6For I do not trust in my bow, and my sword does not bring me victory.
- Hosea 1:7But I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will deliver them by the Lord their God. I will not deliver them by bow, sword, or war, or by horses and cavalry.
- Hosea 2:18On that day I will make a covenant for them with the wild animals, the birds of the sky, and the creatures that crawl on the ground. I will shatter bow, sword, and weapons of war in the land and will enable the people to rest securely.
- Proverbs 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
- Matthew 5:44But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- Romans 12:20But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 22Whom thou hast taken captive - Those who in open battle either lay down their arms, or are surrounded, and have their retreat cut off, are entitled to their lives, much more those who are thus providentially put into thy hand, without having been in actual hostility against thee. Give them meat and drink, and send them home to their master, and let them thus know that thou fearest him not, and art incapable of doing an ungenerous or unmanly action.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22Wouldest thou smite - It is doubtful whether this sentence is really interrogative. Others translate - “Smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword,” etc. A contrast is intended between ordinary captives - those made with the sword and bow - and these particular prisoners who have been given into the king‘s hand by God. The former, Jehoram is told, he may slay, if he pleases Deuteronomy 20:13, the latter, he is informed, he must not slay…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. 19-2319-23. This is not the way, neither is this the city--This statement is so far true that, as he had now left the place of his residence, they would not have got him by that road. But the ambiguity of his language was purposely framed to deceive them; and yet the deception must be viewed in the light of a stratagem, which has always been deemed lawful in war. he led them to Samaria--When they were arrived in the midst of the capital, their eyes, at…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Kings 6:22
In the dictionaries
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
Christian Standard Bible — © 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
Commentaries