2 Kings 6:18-23

6:18 As they approached him, ¹  Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike these people ²  with blindness.” ³  The Lord ⁴  struck them with blindness as Elisha requested. ⁵  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 

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. ⁷  6:21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down, ⁸  my master?” ⁹  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? ¹⁰  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 ¹¹  for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back ¹²  to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.

[6:18]  ¹ tn Heb “and they came down to him.”

[6:18]  ² tn Or “this nation,” perhaps emphasizing the strength of the Syrian army.

[6:18]  ³ tn On the basis of the Akkadian etymology of the word, M. Cogan and H. Tadmor (II Kings [AB], 74) translate “blinding light.” HALOT 761 s.v. סַנְוֵרִים suggests the glosses “dazzling, deception.”

[6:18]  ⁴ tn Heb “he”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[6:18]  ⁵ tn Heb “according to the word of Elisha.”

[6:19]  ⁶ map For location see Map2 B1; Map4 D3; Map5 E2; Map6 A4; Map7 C1.

[6:20]  ⁷ tn Heb “and they saw, and look, [they were] in the middle of Samaria.”

[6:21]  ⁸ tn Heb “Should I strike them down? I will strike them down.” In the Hebrew text the first person imperfect form is repeated; the first form has the interrogative he prefixed to it; the second does not. It is likely that the second form should be omitted as dittographic or that the first should be emended to an infinitive absolute.

[6:21]  ⁹ tn Heb “my father.” The king addresses the prophet in this way to indicate his respect. See 2 Kgs 2:12.

[6:22]  ¹⁰ tn Heb “Are [they] ones you captured with your sword or your bow (that) you can strike (them) down?”

[6:23]  ¹¹ tn Or “held a great feast.”

[6:23]  ¹² tn Heb “they went back.”