2 Kings 6

1 Now the sons [children, descendants] of the prophets [those who speak for God] said to Elisha [God is salvation], “Please [we pray, I ask] take note that the place [location, dwelling] where we meet [dwell, gather] with you is too [very, exceedingly] small [narrow, strait] for us [for our needs, for our comfort]. word study 2 Please [we pray, I implore] let us go [walk, move] to the Jordan [river, a key location], where each of us can get [take, obtain] a log [beam, rafter] so we can build [make, construct] ourselves a place [location, dwelling] to live [dwell, reside] there [in that location].” “Go [walk, proceed],” said [spoken, uttered] Elisha. word study 3 Then one [a certain individual, a single person] of them said, “Please [be willing, I pray] come with [accompany, near] your servants [those who serve, attendants].” “I [emphatically, myself] will come,” he replied [said, spoke]. word study 4 So Elisha went [to walk, to move from one place to another] with them [in close relationship, near], and when they came [to enter, to approach] to the Jordan [the river, a key location], they began [to start, to initiate] to cut down [to divide, to separate] some trees [wood, a strong and firm object]. word study 5 As one [a certain individual, a single person] of them was cutting down a tree [a beam, a wooden rafter], the iron [strong metal] axe head [the metal part of the axe] fell [to come down, to drop] into the water [a liquid, a source of refreshment]. “Oh [alas, a cry of distress], my master [lord, one in authority],” he cried out [to cry, to shout], “it was borrowed [lent, not his own]!” word study 6 “Where [in what location, at what point] did it fall [come down, be dropped]?” asked the man [a male person, an individual] of God [Elohim, the supreme Being]. And when he showed him the place [location, spot], the man of God cut [to shear, to sever] a stick [a tree, a wooden branch], threw [to cast, to toss] it there [in that spot, at that point], and made the iron [a strong metal] float [to swim, to be buoyant]. word study 7 “Lift it out [take it up to thee, raise to thee],” he said [to speak, to command], and the man reached out his hand [an open hand; strength, a side or share] and took it [to get, to receive, to take possession]. word study 8 Now the king [ruler, monarch] of Aram [Syria, a region] was at war [fighting, battling] against Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, his descendants]. After consulting [taking counsel, advising] with his servants [slaves, attendants], he said, “My camp [encampment, military base] will be in such and such a place [a specific location, somewhere].” word study 9 Then the man [a prophet, God’s messenger] of God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] sent word [a message, warning] to the king [a ruler, monarch] of Israel [the descendants of Jacob]: “Be careful [watchful, cautious] passing by [crossing over, transitioning] this place [a location, region], for the Arameans [the people of Aram, Syria] are going down [descending, coming] there [to that location].” word study 10 So the king [ruler, monarch] of Israel [the symbolic name of Jacob, also referring to his descendants] sent word [a message, a warning] to the place [location, region] the man [a male person, a prophet] of God [Elohim, the one supreme God] had pointed out [indicated, shown]. Time and again [repeatedly, not once nor twice] Elisha warned [cautioned, enlightened] the king, so that he was on his guard [protected, watched over] in such places [locations, areas]. word study 11 For this reason [because of this thing, on account of this] the king [ruler, monarch] of Aram [Syria, the Arameans] became enraged [sore troubled, greatly disturbed] and called [summoned, gathered] his servants [attendants, officials] to demand [ask, inquire] of them, “Tell me [declare to me, inform me], which one [who, which person] of us [among us, in our midst] is on the side [for, loyal to] of the king [ruler, monarch] of Israel [the people of God, the descendants of Jacob]?” word study 12 But one [a single, unique] of his servants [attendants, slaves] replied, “No one [none, not one], my lord [master, ruler] the king [sovereign, monarch]. For Elisha [God is salvation], the prophet [one who speaks for God] in Israel [the chosen people, descendants of Jacob], tells [declares, reveals] the king [ruler, leader] of Israel [the nation, the people] the very words [things, matters] you speak [utter, communicate] in your bedroom [private chamber, innermost room].” word study 13 So the king said, “Go [to spy out, to explore] and see [to look, to observe, to discover] where he is [in what location, at what place], that I may send [to dispatch, to commission] men [soldiers, messengers] to capture [to seize, to take] him.” On receiving the report [being informed, having news], “Elisha is in Dothan [a city in northern Palestine, about 12 miles north of Samaria],” word study 14 the king [ruler, sovereign] of Aram sent [dispatched, commissioned] horses [chariot horses, cavalry], chariots [vehicles, teams of horses], and a great [large, mighty] army [host, military force]. They went [came, approached] there [to that place, thither] by night [in the darkness, under cover of darkness] and surrounded [encircled, compassed] the city [town, urban settlement]. word study 15 When the servant [young man, attendant] of the man of God [Elisha, prophet of the Lord] got up [rose early, to rise like loading a burden] and went out [came out, to go out] early in the morning, an army [host, multitude] with horses [cavalry, chariot horses] and chariots [vehicles, teams of horses] had surrounded [compassed, turned around] the city [town, settlement]. So he asked Elisha, “Oh [alas, a cry of sadness], my master [lord, leader], what are we to do [how shall we act, what shall we make happen]?” word study 16 “Do not [by no means, fear not] be afraid [to fear, revere],” Elisha answered [said, spoke], “for those who are with [near, accompanying] us are more [greater in number, abundant] than those who are with [supporting, allied to] them [our enemies, adversaries].” word study 17 Then Elisha [the prophet of God] prayed, “O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], please [I pray, I beseech] open his eyes [the ability to see and understand spiritual truth] that he may see [perceive, discern, and comprehend].” And the LORD [the sovereign God] opened the eyes of the young man [the youth, a servant of Elisha], and he saw [beheld, looked upon, and understood] that the hills [the mountains] were full [filled, complete, and abundant] of horses [swallow] and chariots [vehicles, teams of horses, and cavalry] of fire [burning, flame] all around [surrounding, encompassing, and encircling] Elisha [God is salvation, the prophet]. word study 18 As the Arameans [Syrians, enemies of Israel] came down [descended, approached] against him, Elisha [God is salvation, prophet of the Lord] prayed [interceded, petitioned] to the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God], “Please [I pray, I beseech] strike [smite, inflict] these people [this nation, the Gentiles] with blindness [lack of sight, spiritual darkness].” So He struck [smote, afflicted] them with blindness [spiritual confusion, inability to see], according to the word [command, promise] of Elisha. word study 19 And Elisha told them, “This [not the right path] is not the way [road or journey], and this [not the desired destination] is not the city [place of dwelling]. Follow me [come after], and I will take you to the man [individual, person] you are seeking [searching for, looking to find].” And he led them to Samaria [the capital city, watch mountain]. word study 20 When they had entered [come into, arrived at] Samaria, Elisha [God is salvation, a prophet] said, “O LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God], open [to make visible, reveal] the eyes [the ability to see, perceive] of these men [soldiers, warriors] that they may see [look, behold, understand].” Then the LORD [the supreme God, Yehovah] opened [to make visible, reveal] their eyes, and they looked around [saw, observed] and discovered [saw, realized] that they were in [within, surrounded by] Samaria [the capital city, watch mountain]. word study 21 And when the king [ruler, monarch] of Israel [Jacob’s descendants, God’s chosen people] saw them, he asked Elisha [God’s salvation, prophet], “My father [abba, paternal figure], shall I kill [smite, strike down] them? Shall I kill [strike, destroy] them?” word study 22 “Do not [refrain from, abstain] kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill [strike down, slay] those you have captured [taken prisoner, seized] with your own sword [weapon, instrument of war] or bow [instrument of battle]? Set [place, put] food [bread, nourishment] and water [refreshment, sustenance] before them, that they may eat [devour, consume] and drink [receive, take in] and then return [go back, depart] to their master [lord, ruler].” word study 23 So the king prepared a great [large, abundant] feast [banquet, celebration] for them, and after they had finished eating [consuming food] and drinking [partaking of beverages], he sent them away [dismissed, released], and they returned [went back, came again] to their master [lord, ruler]. And the Aramean [Syrian, from Aram] raiders [bands, troops] did not come [enter, invade] into the land [territory, region] of Israel [God’s chosen people] again [any more, a second time]. word study 24 Some time [after this, afterwards] later, Ben-hadad [son of the false god Hadad] king [ruler, monarch] of Aram [also known as Syria] assembled [gathered, called up] his entire [all, every] army [camp, host] and marched up [went up, ascended] to besiege [confine, surround] Samaria [watch mountain, the capital city of the northern kingdom of Israel]. word study 25 So there was a great [severe, intense] famine [hunger, lack of food] in Samaria [watch mountain, the capital city of Israel]. Indeed, they besieged [confined, laid siege to] the city so long that a donkey’s [male ass, beast of burden] head sold for eighty [a large quantity] shekels of silver [money, payment], and a quarter [fourth part, a small portion] cab [an ancient unit of measurement] of dove’s [pigeon’s, a type of bird] dung [waste, excrement, used as fertilizer] sold for five [a small number, a few] shekels of silver [valuable metal, used for trade]. word study 26 As the king [ruler, monarch] of Israel [God’s chosen people] was passing by [crossing over, walking on] on the wall [barrier, fortification], a woman [female, wife] cried out [shouted, appealed] to him, “Help [save, rescue] me, my lord [master, sovereign] the king [monarch, ruler]!” word study 27 He answered, “If the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] does not help [save, deliver] you, where [from what source] can I find help [salvation, rescue] for you? From the threshing floor [the place of grain separation] or the winepress [the container for crushing grapes]?” word study 28 Then the king [ruler, monarch] asked her, “What [matters of concern, troubles] is the matter [troubling you, happening to you]?” And she answered, “This [specific, particular] woman [female, wife] said to me, ‘Give up [surrender, hand over] your son [child, descendant], that we may eat [consume, devour] him, and tomorrow [the next day, a future time] we will eat [consume, devour] my son [child, descendant].’ word study 29 So we boiled [cooked, prepared as food] my son and ate [devoured, consumed] him, and the next [following, subsequent] day I said to her, ‘Give up [surrender, hand over] your son, that we may eat [consume, devour] him.’ But she had hidden [concealed, secreted away] her son.” word study 30 When the king [ruler, monarch] heard [listened to, gave attention to] the words [message, utterance] of the woman [female, wife], he tore [rent, ripped apart] his clothes [garments, robes]. And as he passed by [crossed over, walked] on the wall [barrier, fortification], the people [nation, crowd] saw [looked, gazed] the sackcloth [coarse cloth, mourning attire] under [beneath, next to] his clothes [garments, robes] next to [near, adjacent to] his skin [flesh, body]. word study 31 He announced, “May God [Elohim, the supreme Judge] punish me, and ever so severely [with utmost vengeance], if the head [the topmost part of the body] of Elisha [God is salvation] son of Shaphat [judge, ruler] remains on his shoulders [in his position of authority] through this day [this very time, today]!” word study 32 Now Elisha [the prophet of God] was sitting [dwelling, remaining] in his house [place of residence], and the elders [old, experienced men] were sitting [dwelling, remaining] with him [in his presence, near him]. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived [came, went to], Elisha said to the elders, “Do you see [look, perceive] how this [son of a] murderer [one who kills, destroyer] has sent someone to cut off [remove, take away] my head [the topmost part of the body]? Look, when the messenger comes [arrives, enters], shut [close, fasten] the door [entrance, gate] to keep him out [exclude, prevent entry]. Is not the sound [voice, noise] of his master’s [lord, ruler] footsteps [feet, path] behind him [following, after]?” word study 33 While Elisha was still [yet, continuing to] speaking with them, the messenger [an ambassador, an envoy] came down [descended, went down] to him. And the king said, “This calamity [evil, disaster, suffering] is from the LORD [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] [a result of His judgment or sovereignty]. Why should I wait [be patient, hope] for the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God] any longer [still, any further]?” word study