2 Kings 6:22

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 had come into Samaria, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men, so that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw; and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” But he answered, “You shall not kill them. Would you kill those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow? Set bread and water before them, so that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.” 23So he provided a large feast for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the marauding bands of Arameans did not come again into the land of Israel. 24Now it came about after this, that Ben-hadad the king of Aram gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

2 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

• answeredאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• killנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221
• those whomאֲשֶׁר'ăsher · whichH834
• you have takenשָׁבָהshâbâh · to take captiveH7617
• with your swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• and your bowקֶ֫שֶׁתqesheth · bowH7198
• Setשׂוּםώûm ώîym · to set: makeH7760
• breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• beforeפָּנֶהpânîym · face: beforeH6440
• them, so that they may eatאָכַל'âkal · to eatH398
• and drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• and goהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• to their masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113

Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:22

• Deuteronomy 20:11And if it agrees to make peace with you and opens to you, then all the people who are found in it shall become your forced labor and serve you.
• 2 Chronicles 28:8The sons of Israel led away captive two hundred thousand of their relatives, women, sons, and daughters; and they also took a great deal of spoils from them, and brought the spoils to Samaria.
• Genesis 48:22And I give you one portion more than your brothers, which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and my bow.”
• Joshua 24:12Then I sent the hornet before you and it drove out the two kings of the Amorites from you--not by your sword nor your bow.
• Psalms 44:6For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me.
• Hosea 1:7But I will take pity on the house of Judah and save them by the Lord their God, and will not save them by bow, sword, battle, horses, or horsemen.”
• Hosea 2:18On that day I will also make a covenant for them With the animals of the field, The birds of the sky, And the crawling things of the ground. And I will eliminate the bow, the sword, and war from the land, And will let them lie down in safety.
• 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 say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
• Romans 12:20“But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning 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

• Blindness
• Good for Evil
• Hospitality
• Israel
• Joram
• Malice
• Samaria

In the dictionaries

• Band
• Send
• Benhadad
• Captive
• Elisha
• Enemy
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoash; Joash
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of

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