English Standard Version
2 Kings 6:23
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.
2 Kings 6:23 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
- New International Version (NIV)So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he prepared a great feast for them; and after they ate and drank, he sent them away and they went to their master. So the bands of Syrian raiders came no more into the land of Israel.
- New Living Translation (NLT)So the king made a great feast for them and then sent them home to their master. After that, the Aramean raiders stayed away from the land of Israel.
Context of 2 Kings 6:23
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?" 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." So 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. 24Afterward Ben-hadad king of Syria mustered his entire army and went up and besieged Samaria. 25And there was a great famine in Samaria, as they besieged it, until a donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove's dung for five shekels of silver.
Read all of 2 Kings 62 Kings 6:23 word by word
וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יָ֤סְפוּ עוֹד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָב֖וֹא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And he preparedכָּרָהkârâh · give a feastH3739
- greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- provisionכֵּרָהkêrâh · feastH3740
- for them: and when they had eatenאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
- and drunkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- he sent them awayשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
- and they wentיָלַךְyâlak · to walkH3212
- to their masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- So the bandsגְּדוּדgedûd · bandH1416
- of Syriaאֲרָם'ărâm · SyriaH758
- cameבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
- no moreיָסַףyâsaph · to add: againH3254
- into the landאֶ֫רֶץ'erets · land: country/planetH776
- of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:23
- 1 Samuel 24:17He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.
- 2 Chronicles 28:15And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them. They clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them, and carrying all the feeble among them on donkeys, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees. Then they returned to Samaria.
- Proverbs 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
- Matthew 5:47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
- Luke 10:29But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"
- 2 Kings 6:8Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, "At such and such a place shall be my camp."
- 2 Kings 5:2Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman's wife.
- 2 Kings 24:2And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldeans and bands of the Syrians and bands of the Moabites and bands of the Ammonites, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord that he spoke by his servants the prophets.
Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23He prepared great provision for them - These, on the return to their master, could tell him strange things about the power of the God of Israel, and the magnanimity of its king. So the bands of Syria came no more - Marauding parties were no more permitted by the Syrian king to make inroads upon Israel. And it is very likely that for some considerable time after this, there was no war between these two nations. What is mentioned in the next verse was more…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23Jehoram did not merely follow the letter of the prophet‘s direction, but understood its spirit and acted accordingly. The plundering bands which had been in the habit of ravaging the territory 2 Kings 5:2 ceased their incursions in consequence either of the miracle, or of the kind treatment which Elisha had recommended.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. 23great feast: The Israelites treated the Arameans kindly, so the Arameans stopped raiding Israel. However, this peace was only temporary.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 6:23
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
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries