2 Kings 6

2 Kings · Chapter 6

2 Kings 6:31

1And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us.2Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye.3And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.4So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.5But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.6And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim.7Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.8Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp.9And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.10And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?12And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.13And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.14Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?16And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.17And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.18And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.19And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.20And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.21And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?22And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.23And 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.24And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.25And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.26And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.27And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?28And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.29So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.30And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.32But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?33And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
31Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.He announced, “May God punish me, and ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders through this day!”Then he said, God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and he saidוַיֹּ֕אמֶרvai-YO-merH0559
to say

אָמַר (a.mar) 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)

thusכֹּֽה־koh-H3541
thus

כֹּה (koh) 1) thus, here, in this manner 1a) thus, so 1b) here, here and there 1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

may he doיַעֲשֶׂה־ya-'a-seh-H6213A
to make: do

עָשָׂה (a.sah) : do/perform 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made

Godאֱלֹהִ֖ים'E-lo-HIMH0430G
God

אֱלֹהִים (e.lo.him) This name means "gods" (plural intensive-singular meaning), "God" Another name of ye.ho.vah (יהוה "LORD" H3068G)

and thusוְכֹ֣הve-KHOHH3541
thus

כֹּה (koh) 1) thus, here, in this manner 1a) thus, so 1b) here, here and there 1c) until now, until now...until then, meanwhile Aramaic equivalent: kah (כָּה "thus" H3542)

may he addיוֹסִ֑ףyo-SIFH3254H
to add: again

יָסַף (ya.saph) : again/continue/more[instances] 1) to add, increase, do again 1a) (Qal) to add, increase, do again 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to join, join oneself to 1b2) to be joined, be added to 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to cause to add, increase 1c2) to do more, do again

ifאִֽם־'im-H0518A
if

אִם (im) : if/whether_or/though 1) if 1a) conditional clauses 1a1) of possible situations 1a2) of impossible situations 1b) oath contexts 1b1) no, not 1c) if...if, whether...or, whether...or...or 1d) when, whenever 1e) since 1f) interrogative particle 1g) but rather

it will remain standingיַעֲמֹ֞דya-'a-MODH5975G
to stand: stand

עָמַד (a.mad) : stand/stop/establish 1) to stand, remain, endure, take one's stand 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to stand, take one's stand, be in a standing attitude, stand forth, take a stand, present oneself, attend upon, be or become servant of 1a2) to stand still, stop (moving or doing), cease 1a3) to tarry, delay, remain, continue, abide, endure, persist, be steadfast 1a4) to make a stand, hold one's ground 1a5) to stand upright, remain standing, stand up, rise, be erect, be upright 1a6) to arise, appear, come on the scene, stand forth, appear, rise up or against …

[the] head ofרֹ֣אשׁroshH7218A
head

רֵאשׁ (resh) 1) chief, head 1a) head (of man) 1b) head (as seat of visions) 1c) chief 1d) sum (essential content)

Elishaאֱלִישָׁ֧ע'e-li-SHA'H0477
Elisha

אֱלִישָׁע (e.li.sah) A prophet living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.19.16; son of: Shaphat (H8202H) Also named: Elissaios (Ἐλισσαῖος "Elisha" G1666) § Elisha = "God is salvation" the great prophet who succeeded Elijah

[the] son ofבֶּן־ben-H1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

Shaphatשָׁפָ֛טsha-FATH8202H
Shaphat

שָׁפָט (sha.phat) A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ki.19.16; father of: Elisha (H0477) § Shaphat = "judged" or "he hath judged" 1) son of Hori and the prince of Simeon chosen to spy out the promised land 2) father of the prophet Elisha 3) a Judaite, son of Shemaiah and descendant of Zerubbabel in the royal line of Judah 4) a chief of the tribe of Gad 5) son of Adlai and chief herdsman for David over the herds in the valleys

on himעָלָ֖יו'a-LAVH5921A
upon

עַל (al) prep 1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against 1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards 1b) above, beyond, over (of excess) 1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence) 1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition) 1e) over (of suspension or extension) …

this dayהַיּֽוֹם׃hai-YOMH3117L
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.