2 Kings 6:5

2 Kings 6:5 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
• English Standard Version (ESV)But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."
• New King James Version (NKJV)But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”
• New Living Translation (NLT)But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”

Context of 2 Kings 6:5

3Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?” “I will,” Elisha replied. 4And he went with them. They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!” 6The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. 7“Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

2 Kings 6:5 word by word

וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקּוֹרָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• But as oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• was fellingנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fell(trees)H5307
• a beamקוֹרָהqôrâh qôrâh · beamH6982
• the axe headבַּרְזֶלbarzel · ironH1270
• into the waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• and he criedצָעַקtsâ‛aq · to cryH6817
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Alasאֲהָהּ'ăhâhh · alas!H162
• masterאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• for it was borrowedשָׁאַלshâ'al shâ'êl · to askH7592

Cross-references for 2 Kings 6:5

• Ecclesiastes 10:10If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.
• Isaiah 10:34He will cut down the forest thickets with an ax; Lebanon will fall before the Mighty One.
• 2 Kings 6:15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.
• 2 Kings 3:10“What!” exclaimed the king of Israel. “Has the Lord called us three kings together only to deliver us into the hands of Moab?”
• Revelation 18:10Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “ ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’
• 2 Kings 4:7She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”
• Exodus 22:14“If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution.
• Psalms 37:21The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous give generously;

Commentaries on 2 Kings 6:5

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 5Alas, master! for it was borrowed - שאול והוא אדני אהה ahah adonia, vehu shaul ! Ah! ah, my master; and it has been sought. It has fallen in, and I have sought it in vain. Or, it was borrowed, and therefore I am the more afflicted for its loss; and Jarchi adds, I have nothing wherewith to repay it.Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 5The ax head - literally, as in the margin. The Jews used iron for the heads of axes at a very early date (see Deuteronomy 19:5). They probably acquired a knowledge of the smelting process in Egypt, where iron was employed at least from the time of the third Rameses.Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 5The Hebrew text shows that the ax head was made of iron, which was valuable when few iron tools existed. Since it was borrowed, losing it was even more distressing.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 55. it was borrowed--literally, "begged." The scholar's distress arose from the consideration that it had been presented to him; and that, owing to his poverty, he could not procure another.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 6:5

• Ax

In the dictionaries

• Axe
• Band
• Beam
• Iron
• Send
• Ax (axe); Ax-Head
• Disciple
• Elisha
• Head
• Jehoahaz

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