2 Kings 6:1-2

Elisha Makes an Ax Head Float

6:1 Some of the prophets ¹  said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you ²  is too cramped ³  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.”

2 Kings 6:6

6:6 The prophet ⁴  asked, “Where did it drop in?” When he showed him the spot, Elisha ⁵  cut off a branch, threw it in at that spot, and made the ax head float.

2 Kings 6:8-10

Elisha Defeats an Army

6:8 Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade ⁶  at such and such ⁷  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 ⁸  to be on its guard. This happened on several occasions. ⁹ 

2 Kings 18:25

18:25 Furthermore it was by the command of the Lord that I marched up against this place to destroy it. The Lord told me, ‘March ¹⁰  up against this land and destroy it.’”’” ¹¹ 

2 Kings 22:17

22:17 This will happen because they have abandoned me and offered sacrifices ¹²  to other gods, angering me with all the idols they have made. ¹³  My anger will ignite against this place and will not be extinguished!’”

[6:1]  ¹ tn Heb “the sons of the prophets.”

[6:1]  ² tn Heb “sit before you.”

[6:1]  ³ tn Heb “narrow, tight.”

[6:6]  ⁴ tn Heb “man of God” (also in v. 9).

[6:6]  ⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Elisha) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:8]  ⁷ tc The verb form used here is difficult to analyze. On the basis of the form נְחִתִּים (nÿkhitim) in v. 9 from the root נָחַת (nakhat), it is probably best to emend the verb to תִּנְחְתוּ (tinkhÿtu; a Qal imperfect form from the same root). The verb נָחַת in at least two other instances carries the nuance “go down, descend” in a military context. For a defense of this view, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 72.

[6:8]  ⁸ sn The advisers would have mentioned a specific location, but the details are not significant to the narrator’s purpose, so he simply paraphrases here.

[6:10]  ¹⁰ tn The vav + perfect here indicates action contemporary with the preceding main verb (“sent”). See IBHS 533-34 §32.2.3e.

[6:10]  ¹¹ tn Heb “and the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God spoke to him, and he warned it and he guarded himself there, not once and not twice.”

[18:25]  ¹³ tn Heb “Go.”

[18:25]  ¹⁴ sn In v. 25 the chief adviser develops further the argument begun in v. 22. He claims that Hezekiah has offended the Lord and that the Lord has commissioned Assyria as his instrument of discipline and judgment.

[22:17]  ¹⁶ tn Or “burned incense.”

[22:17]  ¹⁷ tn Heb “angering me with all the work of their hands.” The translation assumes that this refers to idols they have manufactured (note the preceding reference to “other gods,” as well as 19:18). However, it is possible that this is a general reference to their sinful practices, in which case one might translate, “angering me by all the things they do.”