New King James Version
2 Kings 6:23
23Then 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.
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 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
21Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” 22But 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.” 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. 24And it happened after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria. 25And there was a great famine in Samaria; and indeed they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and one-fourth of a kab of dove 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 24:17Then he said to David: “You are more righteous than I; for you have rewarded me with good, whereas I have rewarded you with evil.
- 2 Chronicles 28:15Then the men who were designated by name rose up and took the captives, and from the spoil they clothed all who were naked among them, dressed them and gave them sandals, gave them food and drink, and anointed them; and they let all the feeble ones ride on donkeys. So they brought them to their brethren 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 your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?
- Luke 6:35But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.
- Luke 10:29But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
- 2 Kings 6:8Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.”
- 2 Kings 5:2And the Syrians had gone out on raids, and had brought back captive a young girl from the land of Israel. She waited on Naaman’s wife.
- 2 Kings 24:2And the Lord sent against him raiding bands of Chaldeans, bands of Syrians, bands of Moabites, and bands of the people of Ammon; He sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries