English Standard Version
2 Kings 6:21
21As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?"
2 Kings 6:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?
- New International Version (NIV)When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?”
- New Living Translation (NLT)When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?”
Context of 2 Kings 6:21
19And Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." And he led them to Samaria. 20As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, "O Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see." So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?" 22He 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." 23So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again on raids into the land of Israel.
Read all of 2 Kings 62 Kings 6:21 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אוֹתָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:21
- 2 Kings 2:12And Elisha saw it and he cried, "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!" And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.
- 2 Kings 5:13But his servants came near and said to him, "My father, it is a great word the prophet has spoken to you; will you not do it? Has he actually said to you, 'Wash, and be clean'?"
- 2 Kings 8:9So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, all kinds of goods of Damascus, forty camels' loads. When he came and stood before him, he said, "Your son Ben-hadad king of Syria has sent me to you, saying, 'Shall I recover from this sickness?'"
- 2 Kings 13:14Now when Elisha had fallen sick with the illness of which he was to die, Joash king of Israel went down to him and wept before him, crying, "My father, my father! The chariots of Israel and its horsemen!"
- 1 Samuel 24:4And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the Lord said to you, 'Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Then Abishai said to David, "God has given your enemy into your hand this day. Now please let me pin him to the earth with one stroke of the spear, and I will not strike him twice."
- Luke 9:54And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"
- Luke 22:49And when those who were around him saw what would follow, they said, "Lord, shall we strike with the sword?"
Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:21
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21My father, shall I smite - This was dastardly; the utmost he could have done with these men, when thus brought into his hand, was to make them prisoners of war.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 21My father - A term of respect used by Jehoram in his joy at seeing an army of Syrians delivered up to him by the prophet. That the king‘s character was not changed appears from 2 Kings 6:31-32. Shall I smite them? shall I smite them? - The repetition of the words mean, “Shall I utterly smite them?” Compare similar repetitions with similar meanings in Genesis 22:17; Luke 22:15.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
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 21My father: Elisha used this respectful term when talking to Elijah (2 Kings 2:12), just as Naaman’s servant did with his master (2 Kings 5:13).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 6:21
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
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