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Texts -- 2 Kings 6:1-33 (NET)

Context
Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float
6:1 Some of the prophets said to Elisha , “Look , the place where we meet with you is too cramped for us. 6:2 Let’s go to the Jordan . Each of us will get a log from there and we will build a meeting place for ourselves there .” He said , “Go .” 6:3 One of them said , “Please come along with your servants .” He replied , “All right, I’ll come .” 6:4 So he went with them. When they arrived at the Jordan , they started cutting down trees . 6:5 As one of them was felling a log , the ax head dropped into the water . He shouted , “Oh no , my master ! It was borrowed !” 6:6 The prophet asked , “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot , Elisha cut off a branch , threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float . 6:7 He said , “Lift it out.” So he reached out his hand and grabbed it.
Elisha Defeats an Army
6:8 Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel . He consulted his advisers , who said , “Invade at such and such a place .” 6:9 But the prophet sent this message to the king of Israel , “Make sure you don’t pass through this place because Syria is invading there .” 6:10 So the king of Israel sent a message to the place the prophet had pointed out , warning it to be on its guard . This happened on several occasions . 6:11 This made the king of Syria upset . So he summoned his advisers and said to them, “One of us must be helping the king of Israel .” 6:12 One of his advisers said , “No , my master , O king . The prophet Elisha who lives in Israel keeps telling the king of Israel the things you say in your bedroom .” 6:13 The king ordered , “Go , find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him.” The king was told , “He is in Dothan .” 6:14 So he sent horses and chariots there , along with a good-sized army . They arrived during the night and surrounded the city . 6:15 The prophet’s attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city , along with horses and chariots . He said to Elisha, “Oh no, my master ! What will we do ?” 6:16 He replied , “Don’t be afraid , for our side outnumbers them.” 6:17 Then Elisha prayed , “O Lord , open his eyes so he can see .” The Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw that the hill was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha . 6:18 As they approached him, Elisha prayed to the Lord , “Strike these people with blindness .” The Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha requested . 6:19 Then 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 . 6:20 When 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 . 6:21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha , “Should I strike them down , my master ?” 6:22 He 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 .” 6:23 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 .
The Lord Saves Samaria
6:24 Later King Ben Hadad of Syria assembled his entire army and attacked and besieged Samaria . 6:25 Samaria’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 . 6:26 While the king of Israel was passing by on the city wall , a woman shouted to him, “Help us, my master , O king !” 6:27 He replied , “No , let the Lord help you. How can I help you? The threshing floor and winepress are empty.” 6:28 Then the king asked her, “What’s your problem?” She answered , “This woman said to me, ‘Hand over your son ; we’ll eat him today and then eat my son tomorrow .’ 6:29 So we boiled my son and ate him. Then I said to her the next day , ‘Hand over your son and we’ll eat him.’ But she hid her son !” 6:30 When the king heard what the woman said, he tore his clothes . As he was passing by on the wall , the people could see he was wearing sackcloth under his clothes . 6:31 Then he said , “May God judge me severely if Elisha son of Shaphat still has his head by the end of the day !” 6:32 Now Elisha was sitting in his house with the community leaders . The king sent a messenger on ahead , but before he arrived , Elisha said to the leaders , “Do you realize this assassin intends to cut off my head ?” Look , when the messenger arrives , shut the door and lean against it . His master will certainly be right behind him.” 6:33 He was still talking to them when the messenger approached and said , “Look , the Lord is responsible for this disaster ! Why should I continue to wait for the Lord to help?”

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Elisha

    [ebd] God his salvation, the son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah, who became the attendant and disciple of Elijah (1 Kings 19:16-19). His name first occurs in the command given to Elijah to anoint him as his successor (1 Kings 19:16). ...
    [isbe] ELISHA - e-li'-sha 'elisha`, "God is salvalion"; Septuagint Eleisaie; New Testament Elisaios, Eliseus, (Lk 4:27 the King James Version)): I. HIS CALL AND PREPARATION 1. His Call 2. His Preparation 3. The Parting Gift of Elij...
    [smith] (God his salvation), son of Shaphat of Abel-meholah; the attendant and disciple of Elijan, and subsequently his successor as prophet of the kingdom of Israel. The earliest mention of his name is in the command to Elijah in th...
    [nave] ELISHA, successor to the prophet Elijah. Elijah instructed to anoint, 1 Kin. 19:16. Called by Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:19. Ministers to Elijah, 1 Kin. 19:21. Witnesses Elijah's translation, receives a double portion of his spirit...

  • Ben-hadad

    [nave] BEN-HADAD 1. King of Syria, 1 Kin. 15:18-20; 2 Chr. 16:2-4. 2. A king of Syria, who reigned in the time of Ahab, son of Ben-hadad I, 1 Kin. 20; 2 Kin. 5; 6; 7; 8:7-15. 3. Son of Hazael and king of Syria, 2 Kin. 13:3, 24, 2...

  • JEHOAHAZ

    [isbe] JEHOAHAZ - je-ho'-a-haz, je-ho-a'-haz (yeho'achaz, "Yah has grasped"; Ioachas; 2 Ki 13:1-9): (1) Son of Jehu, and 11th king of Israel. He is stated to have reigned 17 years. 1. Chronology of Reign: Josephus was already aware...

  • Samaria

    [smith] (watch mountain). This city is situated 30 miles north of Jerusalem and about six miles to the northwest of Shechem, in a wide basin-shaped valley, six miles in diameter, encircled with high hills, almost on the edge of the g...
    [nave] SAMARIA 1. City of, built by Omri, 1 Kin. 16:24. Capital of the kingdom of the ten tribes, 1 Kin. 16:29; 22:51; 2 Kin. 13:1, 10; 15:8. Besieged by Ben-hadad, 1 Kin. 20; 2 Kin. 6:24-33; 7. The king of Syria is led into, by...

  • Israel

    [nave] ISRAEL 1. A name given to Jacob, Gen. 32:24-32; 2 Kin. 17:34; Hos. 12:3, 4. 2. A name of the Christ in prophecy, Isa. 49:3. 3. A name given to the descendants of Jacob, a nation. Called also Israelites, and Hebrews, Gen. 4...

  • BENHADAD

    [isbe] BENHADAD - ben-ha'-dad (ben-hadhadh; Septuagint huios Hader): The Name I. BENHADAD I 1. The Kingdom of Syria Founded 2. Syria and Judah 3. Shortsightedness of Asa II. BENHADAD II 1. Hadad-'idri of the Monuments 2. Expedition...

  • JEHOASH; JOASH

    [isbe] JEHOASH; JOASH - je-ho'-ash, the uncontracted form of (yeho'ash, yo'ash, "Yahweh has bestowed"; compare 2 Ki 11:2,21; 12:1,19; 2 Ch 24:1, etc.; Ioas): (1) The 9th king of Judah; son of Ahaziah and Zibiah, a woman of Beersheb...

  • Joram

    [nave] JORAM 1. A son of Toi, 2 Sam. 8:9, 10. Called Hadoram, 1 Chr. 18:10. 2. Called also Jehoram. King of Israel, 2 Kin. 1:17; 3:1. King of Syria sends Naaman to, that he may be healed of his leprosy, 2 Kin. 5:1-27. Has war w...

  • Armies

    [nave] ARMIES Who of the Israelites were subject to service in, Num. 1:2, 3; 26:2; 2 Chr. 25:5; who were exempt from service in, Num. 1:47-50; 2:33; Deut. 20:5-9; Judg. 7:3. Enumeration of Israel's military forces, Num. 1:2, 3; 26...

  • Jehoram

    [ebd] Jehovah-exalted. (1.) Son of Toi, king of Hamath, sent by his father to congratulate David on the occasion of his victory over Hadadezer (2 Sam. 8:10). (2.) A Levite of the family of Gershom (1 Chr. 26:25). (3.) A priest sen...

  • Famine

    [ebd] The first mentioned in Scripture was so grievous as to compel Abraham to go down to the land of Egypt (Gen. 26:1). Another is mentioned as having occurred in the days of Isaac, causing him to go to Gerar (Gen. 26:1, 17). But...
    [isbe] FAMINE - fam'-in (ra`abh; limos): 1. Natural Causes 2. Famines Mentioned 3. Divine Relations 4. Figurative Uses The common Old Testament word for "famine" is ra`abh; re`abhon also occurs (Gen 42:19,33; Ps 37:19), and kaphan ...
    [nave] FAMINE Pharaoh forewarned of, in dreams, Gen. 41. Described, Deut. 28:53-57; Isa. 5:13; 9:18-21; 17:11; Jer. 5:17; 14:1-6; 48:33; Lam. 1:11, 19; 2:11-22; 4:4-10; Joel 1:17-20. Sent as a judgment, Lev. 26:19-29; Deut. 28:23...

  • Dothan

    [ebd] two wells, a famous pasture-ground where Joseph found his brethren watching their flocks. Here, at the suggestion of Judah, they sold him to the Ishmaelite merchants (Gen. 37:17). It is mentioned on monuments in B.C. 1600. I...
    [isbe] DOTHAN - do'-than (dothayin, dothan, "two wells," "double feast"; Dothaeim): A place to the North of Shechem whither Jacob's sons went for pasture for the flocks; where Joseph who followed them was sold to the Ishmaelites, a...
    [smith] (two wells), a place first mentioned (Genesis 37:17) in connection with the history of Joseph, and apparently as in the neighborhood of Shechem. It next appears as the residence of Elisha. (2 Kings 6:13) It was known to Eu...
    [nave] DOTHAN A district and town in Palestine, Gen. 37:17. Syrian army made blind at, 2 Kin. 6:13-19.

  • Siege

    [isbe] SIEGE - sej (matsor (Dt 28:52,53; 1 Ki 15:27; 2 Ki 25:2; Isa 29:3; Ezek 4:2); "to be besieged," "to suffer siege," ba-matsor bo' (Dt 20:19; 2 Ki 24:10; 25:2)): 1. In Early Hebrew History 2. In the Monarchy 3. Preliminaries t...
    [nave] SIEGE Offer of peace must be made to the city before begiing, Deut. 20:10-12. Conducted by erecting embankments parallel to the walls of the besieged city, Deut. 20:19, 20; Isa. 29:3; 37:33. Battering-rams used in, See: Ba...

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • Blindness

    [isbe] BLINDNESS - blind'-ness (`awar, and variants; tuphlos): The word blind is used as a verb, as Jn 12:40, usually in the sense of obscuring spiritual perception. In reference to physical blindness it is used as a noun frequentl...
    [nave] BLINDNESS Disqualified for priestly office, Lev. 21:18. Of animals, disqualified for a sacrifice, Lev. 22:22; Deut. 15:21; Mal. 1:8. Miraculously inflicted upon the Sodomites, Gen. 19:11; Syrians, 2 Kin. 6:18-23; Saul of T...

  • Prayer

    [nave] PRAYER. Index of Sub-topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Answer to, Promised; Answered, Instances of Answered; Confession in; Importunity in, Instances of Importunity in; Intercessor...

  • Miracles

    [nave] MIRACLES. Index of Sub-topics Catalog of, and Supernatural Events, Of Jesus, in Chronological Order, Of the Disciples of Jesus; Convincing Effect of; Design of; Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit; Miscellany of Minor Sub-...

  • BEAM

    [ebd] occurs in the Authorized Version as the rendering of various Hebrew words. In 1 Sam. 17:7, it means a weaver's frame or principal beam; in Hab. 2:11, a crossbeam or girder; 2 Kings 6:2, 5, a cross-piece or rafter of a house;...
    [isbe] BEAM - bem: The word is used to translate various Old Testament terms: (1) gebh (1 Ki 6:9), tsela`, "a rib" (1 Ki 7:3), qurah (2 Ch 3:7; 34:11; Song 1:17), all refer to constructional beams used in buildings for roofing and ...

  • Clairvoyance

    [nave] CLAIRVOYANCE, 1 Sam. 28:13, 14; 2 Kin. 6:15-17. See: Sorcery.

  • Chariot

    [ebd] a vehicle generally used for warlike purposes. Sometimes, though but rarely, it is spoken of as used for peaceful purposes. The first mention of the chariot is when Joseph, as a mark of distinction, was placed in Pharaoh's s...
    [nave] CHARIOT For war, Ex. 14:7, 9, 25; Josh. 11:4; 1 Sam. 13:5; 1 Kin. 20:1, 25; 2 Kin. 6:14; 2 Chr. 12:2, 3; Psa. 20:7; 46:9; Jer. 46:9; 47:3; 51:21; Joel 2:5; Nah. 2:3, 4; 3:2. Wheels of Pharaoh's, providentially taken off, Ex...
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  • [2Ki 6:17] Jerusalem

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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • 5:13-15 "Despite Joshua's long military experience he had never led an attack on a fortified city that was prepared for a long siege. In fact, of all the walled cities in Palestine, Jericho was probably the most invincible. T...
  • The gate of cities like Bethlehem was the place where people transacted official business (cf. Gen. 19:1; 2 Sam. 15:2-6; 1 Kings 22:10; Amos 5:10, 12, 15)."In ancient cities the gate' was a short passageway through the thick ...
  • Keilah was about three miles southeast of Adullam in the Shephelah, the foothills between the coastal plain on the west and the hill country of Judah on the east. The Philistines were plundering the threshing floors there. Th...
  • An angelic messenger from God again brought death to many people throughout all Israel (cf. Exod. 12:23). The Angel of the Lord may have been the preincarnate Christ, but he could have simply been an angelic messenger whom Go...
  • Hadad hated Solomon because of Joab's severe treatment of the Edomites. He may have been a relation of Solomon's by marriage. Pharaoh Siamun apparently gave his daughter to Solomon in marriage and his sister-in-law to Hadad (...
  • (Continued from notes on 1 Kings)3. Ahaziah's evil reign in Israel -1 Kings 22:51-2 Kings 1:184. Jehoram's evil reign in Israel 2:1-8:155. Jehoram's evil reign in Judah 8:16-246. Ahaziah's evil reign in Judah 8:25-9:29C. The ...
  • The Gilgal in view may have been the one between Jericho and the Jordan, or it may have been one about seven miles north of Bethel since Elijah and Elisha went down to Bethel (v. 2).10This account presupposes previous revelat...
  • The king of Aram was probably Ben-Hadad II though the writer did not mention him by name (v. 8). Perhaps since he only identified Elisha and Yahweh by name, he wished to focus attention on them as the main characters in this ...
  • Aram's cessation of hostilities resumed after some time (v. 24; cf. v. 23), perhaps between 845 and 841 B.C.43The famine in Samaria resulted from the siege that was a punishment from the Lord for Israel's apostasy (cf. Lev. 2...
  • Several details in this incident hinge on timing that God supernaturally controlled to bring blessing on the woman as God had promised. God directed her away from the famine before it came on Israel for the nation's apostasy ...
  • Hazael was the governor of Damascus.50The Gentile King of Aram had more interest in inquiring of Yahweh than Jehoram's predecessor did (v. 8; cf. 1:2). It was customary in the Near East to make a great show of giving gifts. I...
  • Jehoash (Joash) had respect and affection for Elisha. He anticipated the loss that the death of God's spiritual warrior would be to Israel (v. 14). He recognized that Israel's real defense lay in Yahweh's angelic army and in ...
  • How would the Judeans respond to this blasphemous challenge? How they did determined their destiny not only at that moment but for years to come.36:21 The people listening to this invitation did not respond out loud because H...
  • This pericope contains one of Jeremiah's "confessions,"a self-revelation of the prophet's own struggles to cope with God's actions (cf. 10:23-24; 15:10-12, 15-21; 17:9-11, 14-18; 18:18-23; and 20:7-18).219The heart of this on...
  • This message to the people involved another symbolic act (cf. 13:1-11). This incident may have occurred between 609 and 605 B.C.19:1 Yahweh told Jeremiah to take some of Judah's elders and senior priests and to go and purchas...
  • 31:15 The Lord described the Israelite mothers, under the figure of Rachel, weeping for their children who had died because of the Assyrian invasion.404Rachel was the mother of Joseph, the father of Ephraim and Manasseh, and ...
  • This last pericope is a prayer to the Lord.2:20 Jeremiah responded to this call to prayer by asking the Lord to consider who was suffering so greatly that women were cannibalizing their own newborn children to stay alive in t...
  • This section of the poem consists of two parallel parts (vv. 1-6, 7-11). The Judahites had become despised (vv. 1-2, 7-8), and both children and adults (everyone) suffered (vv. 3-5, 9-10). This calamity was the result of Yahw...
  • Evidently Ezekiel's verbal explanation of this drama came at the very end of the drama, at the time of the real destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel was no longer silent then.5:5-6 The Lord explained that the center of the drama...
  • This pericope contains a call to the nations to prepare for war (vv. 9-11), a statement by the Lord (vv. 12-13), and a description of the battle site (vv. 14-16).3:9-11 The Lord issued a call to war. The nations should prepar...
  • 7:14 Amos replied that he was not a prophet by his own choosing; he did not decide to pursue prophesying as a career. Neither had he become a prophet because his father had been one. In Amos' culture it was common and expecte...
  • 21:8 The people where acknowledging Jesus as a King by spreading their garments on the road before Him (cf. 2 Kings 9:13). Likewise throwing small branches before Him symbolized the same thing (cf. 1 Macc. 13:51; 2 Macc. 10:7...
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