2 Kings 6:23
in 2 Kings 6So the king prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean raiders did not come into the land of Israel again.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.
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.
⋯
This verse in 2 Kings 6
Commentary
13 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Jehoram 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 2Ki 5:2 ceased their incursions in consequence either of the miracle, or of the kind treatment which Elisha had recommended.
This site's exposition
My father, shall I smite them
on 2 Kings 6:21-23
The king of Israel, calling Elisha father as Elisha once called Elijah father at his departure, asks leave to kill a captured army inside his own capital. Elisha refuses on the ground of plain military custom rather than sentiment, wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow, men taken by no weapon of the king's own. He orders a feast instead of an execution, and the text records the result in one line, the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel, mercy accomplishing what the earlier warnings only interrupted.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers5 voices
Elsewhere, also, that is, in the books of Kings we read that Elisha was in Samaria, and suddenly an army of Syrians surrounded and set on him. Gehazi saw them and said to his master, "O master, what shall we do?" And Elisha the prophet said, "Do not fear, for there are more with us than with them." And he prayed that the Lord would open the eyes of Gehazi. And his eyes were opened, and he saw the mountain full of horses and chariots around Elisha. And Elisha prayed that God would strike them with blindness.
Thus, when the king of Syria wanted to capture holy Elisha the prophet and subject him to his power and had surrounded him with many warriors and troops, he was not terrified or disturbed but said to the servant who brought him the information: Do …
But, as many delight in warfare, which is the most glorious, to bring a battle to an end by the strength of a great army or by merits before God alone? Elisha rested in one place while the king of Syria waged a great war against the people of our ancestors, and was adding to its terrors by various treacherous plans and was endeavoring to catch them in an ambush. But the prophet found out all their preparations, and being by the grace of God present everywhere in mental vigor, he told the thoughts of their enemies to his countrymen and warned them of what places to beware. And when this was known to the king of Syria, he sent an army and shut in the prophet. Elisha prayed and caused all of them to be struck with blindness and made those who had come to besiege him enter Samaria as captives.
If, then, justice is binding, even in war, how much more ought we to observe it in time of peace. Such favor the prophet showed to those who came to seize him. We read that the king of Syria had sent his army to lie in wait for him, for he had learned that it was Elisha who had made known to all his plans and consultations. And Gehazi, the prophet's servant, seeing the army, began to fear that his life was in danger. But the prophet said to him, "Do not fear, for they who are with us are more than they who are with them." And when the prophet asked that the eyes of his servant might be opened, they were opened. Then Gehazi saw the whole mountain full of horse and chariots round about Elisha. As they came down to him the prophet says, "Strike, O God, the army of Syria with blindness." And this prayer being granted, he says to the Syrians, "Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." Then they saw Elisha, whom they were endeavoring to lay hold of, and seeing him they could not hold him fast. It is clear from this that faith and justice should be observed even in war; and that it could not but be a disgraceful thing if faith were violated.
Elisha prayed before the Lord and said, "strike this people with blindness." And he struck them with blindness according to the words of Elisha. Ben-hadad, king of the Arameans, sent a large army to surround the city of Dothan and ordered them to arrest Elisha, …
6 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
. [1.] It was the king's praise that he was so obsequious to the prophet, contrary to his inclination, and, as it seemed, to his interest, 1 Sam. xxiv.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation
), namely, upon this errand, to take Elisha; they saw it was to no purpose to attempt that, nor would any of their bands be persuaded to make an assault on so great and good a man. The most glorious victory over an enemy is to turn him into a friend.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
He acknowledges himself thereby disabled to help, unless God would help them. Note, Creatures are helpless things without God, for every creature is that, all that, and only that, which he makes it to be. However, though he cannot help her, he is willing to hear her (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
And he prepared great provision for them,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
This was humane advice; it was contrary to the usage of war to put war captives to death in cold blood, even when taken by the point of the sword, much more those whom the miraculous power and providence of God had unexpectedly placed at his disposal.
He 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 than a year afterwards.
The words behind it
18 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה | vaiyikhreh | and he gave a feast | H3739 → | |
| לָהֶ֜ם | lahem | for them | ||
| כֵּרָ֣ה | kerah | a feast | H3740 → | |
| גְדוֹלָ֗ה | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
| וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ | vaiyokhelu | and they ate | H398 → | 810 times |
| וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ | vaiyishtu | and they drank | H8354 → | 217 times |
| וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם | vayshalechem | and he let go them | H7971 → | 845 times |
| וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ | vaiyelekhu | and they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם | ʾadoneihem | master<s> their | H113 → | 333 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| יָ֤סְפוּ | yasefu | they repeated | H3254 → | 212 times |
| עוֹד֙ | ʾod | again | H5750 → | 490 times |
| גְּדוּדֵ֣י | gedudei | [the] marauding bands of | H1416 → | 33 times |
| אֲרָ֔ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| לָב֖וֹא | lavo' | to come | H935 → | 2568 times |
| בְּאֶ֥רֶץ | beeretz | in [the] land of | H776 → | 2504 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פ | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
וַיִּכְרֶ֨הand he gave a feast
vaiyikhrehH3739 →
לָהֶ֜םfor them
lahem
כֵּרָ֣הa feast
kerahH3740 →
גְדוֹלָ֗הgreat
gedolahH1419 →526 times
וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙and they ate
vaiyokheluH398 →810 times
וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּand they drank
vaiyishtuH8354 →217 times
וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔םand he let go them
vayshalechemH7971 →845 times
וַיֵּלְכ֖וּand they went
vaiyelekhuH1980 →1546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑םmaster<s> their
ʾadoneihemH113 →333 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
יָ֤סְפוּthey repeated
yasefuH3254 →212 times
עוֹד֙again
ʾodH5750 →490 times
גְּדוּדֵ֣י[the] marauding bands of
gedudeiH1416 →33 times
אֲרָ֔םAram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
לָב֖וֹאto come
lavo'H935 →2568 times
בְּאֶ֥רֶץin [the] land of
beeretzH776 →2504 times
יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ פIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Luke 6:35But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them, expecting nothing in return. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He is…
it leads to
- Matthew 5:44–45
But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
- John 13:35
By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
- Proverbs 19:17
Kindness to the poor is a loan to the LORD, and He will repay the lender.
- Romans 5:8–10
But God proves His love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
- Psalms 145:9
The LORD is good to all; His compassion rests on all He has made.
- Matthew 5:44–45
Through
2 Kings 24:2And the LORD sent Chaldean, Aramean, Moabite, and Ammonite raiders against Jehoiakim in order to destroy Judah, according to the word that the LORD had spoken through His servants the prophets.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 35:11
So when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon marched into the land, we said: ‘Come, let us go into Jerusalem to escape the armies of the Chaldeans and the Arameans.’ So we have remained in Jerusalem.”
- 2 Kings 23:27
For the LORD had said, “I will remove Judah from My sight, just as I removed Israel. I will reject this city Jerusalem, which I chose, and the temple of which I said, ‘My…
- 2 Kings 21:12–14
this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Behold, I am bringing such calamity upon Jerusalem and Judah that the news will reverberate in the ears of all who hear it.
- Jeremiah 35:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings
This page draws on 11 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ambrose of Milan, ON THE DEATH OF THEODOSIUS 10; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 3.1.5; Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy 1.29.140; Ephrem the Syrian, ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 6:18; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Maximus of Turin, Commentary (church-history corpus).