New English Translation
2 Kings 6:23
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.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)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.
- 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.
Context of 2 Kings 6:23
21When 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.” So 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. 24Later King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled his entire army and attacked and besieged Samaria. 25Samaria’s food supply ran out. They laid siege to it so long that a donkey’s head was selling for eighty shekels of silver and a quarter of a kab of dove’s droppings 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 innocent than I, for you have treated me well, even though I have tried to harm you!
- 2 Chronicles 28:15Men were assigned to take the prisoners and find clothes among the plunder for those who were naked. So they clothed them, supplied them with sandals, gave them food and drink, and provided them with oil to rub on their skin. They put the ones who couldn’t walk on donkeys. They brought them back to their brothers at Jericho, the city of the date palm trees, and then returned to Samaria.
- Proverbs 25:21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink,
- Matthew 5:47And if you only greet your brothers, what more do you do? Even the Gentiles do the same, don’t they?
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to ungrateful and evil people.
- Luke 10:29But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
- 2 Kings 6:8Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade at such and such a place.”
- 2 Kings 5:2Raiding parties went out from Syria and took captive from the land of Israel a young girl, who became a servant to Naaman’s wife.
- 2 Kings 24:2The Lord sent against him Babylonian, Syrian, Moabite, and Ammonite raiding bands; he sent them to destroy Judah, as he had warned he would do through 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
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