New English Translation
2 Kings 6:21
21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, my master?”
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?”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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?"
- 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?”
Context of 2 Kings 6:21
19Then Elisha said to them, “This is not the right road or city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you’re looking for.” He led them to Samaria. 20When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, open their eyes, so they can see.” The Lord opened their eyes and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria. When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, my master?” 22He replied, “Do not strike them down! You did not capture them with your sword or bow, so what gives you the right to strike them down? Give them some food and water, so they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23So he threw a big banquet for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded 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 2:12While Elisha was watching, he was crying out, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!” Then he could no longer see him. He grabbed his clothes and tore them in two.
- 2 Kings 5:13His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.”
- 2 Kings 8:9So Hazael went to visit Elisha. He took along a gift, as well as forty camel loads of all the fine things of Damascus. When he arrived, he stood before him and said, “Your son, King Ben Hadad of Syria, has sent me to you with this question, ‘Will I recover from this sickness?’”
- 2 Kings 13:14Now Elisha had a terminal illness. King Joash of Israel went down to visit him. He wept before him and said, “My father, my father! The chariot and horsemen of Israel!”
- 1 Samuel 24:4David’s men said to him, “This is the day about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hand, and you can do to him whatever seems appropriate to you.’” So David got up and quietly cut off an edge of Saul’s robe.
- 1 Samuel 26:8Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me drive the spear right through him into the ground with one swift jab! A second jab won’t be necessary!”
- Luke 9:54Now when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?”
- Luke 22:49When those who were around him saw what was about to happen, they said, “Lord, should we use our swords?”
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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