2 Kings 6
Overview
6:1 Elisha, giving leave to the young prophets to enlarge their dwellings, causes iron to swim;
6:8 He discloses the king of Syria's counsel;
6:13 The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is smitten with blindness;
6:19 Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace;
6:24 The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children;
6:30 The king sends to slay Elisha. Verse 1the sons2 Kings 2:3, 4:1; 1 Kings 20:35 the place2 Kings 4:38; 1 Samuel 19:20 too strait for usJoshua 17:14, 19:47; Job 36:16; Isaiah 49:19, 49:20, 54:2, 54:3Reciprocal1 Samuel 10:5 - a company; 2 Kings 2:15 - bowed; 9:1 - the children; Amos 2:11 - I raised; 7:14 - neither; John 21:3 - I go Verse 2and take thenceJohn 21:3; Acts 18:3, 20:34, 20:35; 1 Corinthians 9:6; 1 Thessalonians 2:9; 2 Thessalonians 3:8; 1 Timothy 6:6

Verse 3Be content2 Kings 5:23; Judges 19:6; Job 6:28 go with thyJudges 4:8

Verse 4they cut down woodDeuteronomy 19:5, 29:11

Verse 5ax headHeb. iron, Ecclesiastes 10:10; Isaiah 10:34 master2 Kings 6:15, 3:10; Revelation 18:10, 18:16, 18:19 for it was borrowed2 Kings 4:7; Exodus 22:14, 22:15; Psalm 37:21ReciprocalDeuteronomy 19:5 - head Verse 6he cut downThis could have no natural tendency to raise the iron and cause it to swim: it was only a sign, or ceremony, which the prophet chose to employ on the occasion. 2 Kings 2:21, 4:41; Exodus 15:25; Mark 7:33, 7:34, 8:23-25; John 9:6, 9:7 the ironThis was the real miracle; for the gravity of the metal must otherwise still have kept it at the bottom of the river.Reciprocal1 Samuel 9:6 - city; 2 Kings 8:4 - all the great Verse 7Take it up2 Kings 4:7, 4:36; Luke 7:15; Acts 9:41 put outExodus 4:4

Verse 8the king2 Kings 6:24; 1 Kings 20:1, 20:34, 22:31 took20:23; Job 5:12, 5:13; Proverbs 20:18, 21:30; Isaiah 7:5-7, 8:10 campor, encampingReciprocal1 Kings 14:5 - the Lord; 20:13 - Hast thou; 2 Kings 6:23 - So the bands; Daniel 2:19 - was; John 15:15 - all; Acts 13:11 - thou; 14:6 - were Verse 9Beware2 Kings 3:17-19; 1 Kings 20:13, 20:28 thither the Syrians2 Kings 4:27; Amos 3:7; Revelation 1:1Reciprocal2 Kings 6:12 - telleth; 6:23 - So the bands; 8:4 - all the great; 13:19 - the man of God; Jeremiah 11:18 - the Lord; Acts 27:10 - I perceive Verse 10sent to the placeTo see if it were so. But the Vulgate renders, misit rex Israel ad locum, et preoccupavit eum; "the king of Israel sent to the place, and pre-occupied it;" which is very likely, though not expressed in the Hebrew Text. 2 Kings 5:14; Exodus 9:20, 9:21; 1 Kings 20:15; Proverbs 27:12; Matthew 24:15-17 warned himEzekiel 3:18-21; Matthew 2:12, 3:7; Habakkuk 3:1 saved2 Kings 2:12, 13:14; 2 Chronicles 20:20; Amos 7:1-6; Acts 27:24Reciprocal2 Kings 6:12 - telleth; Job 33:29 - oftentimes; 40:5 - twice; Jeremiah 11:18 - the Lord; 35:4 - a man; Ezekiel 33:5 - But; Acts 27:10 - I perceive; 27:11 - believed; 2 Peter 1:21 - in old time Verse 11Therefore1 Samuel 28:21; Job 18:7-11; Psalm 48:4, 48:5; Isaiah 57:20, 57:21; Matthew 2:3-12 Will ye not1 Samuel 22:8

Verse 12NoneHeb. NoElisha2 Kings 5:3, 5:8, 5:13-15; Amos 3:7 telleth2 Kings 6:9, 6:10; Isaiah 29:15; Jeremiah 23:23, 23:24; Daniel 2:22, 2:23, 2:28-30, 2:47, 4:9-18, thy bed chamber, Psalm 139:1-4; Ecclesiastes 10:20Reciprocal1 Kings 20:22 - the prophet; 2 Kings 4:27 - hid it from me; 5:26 - Went; 6:32 - ere the messenger; 8:5 - My lord; 8:7 - The man of God; Job 12:22 - discovereth; Psalm 139:2 - knowest; John 4:19 - I perceive Verse 13spy where1 Samuel 23:22, 23:23; Psalm 10:8-10, 37:12-14, 37:32, 37:33; Jeremiah 36:26; Matthew 2:4-8; John 11:47-53; Acts 23:12-27 DothanThis is supposed to be the same place where Joseph was sold by his brethren; and it is placed by Eusebius 12 miles north of Samaria. Genesis 37:17Reciprocal2 Kings 1:9 - sent unto Verse 14sent he thither horsesIt is strange the Syrian monarch did not think, that he who could penetrate his secrets with respect to the Israelitish army, could inform himself of all the machinations against his own life. 2 Kings 1:9-13; 1 Samuel 23:26, 24:2; Matthew 26:47, 26:55; John 18:3-6 greatHeb. heavy, 2 Kings 18:17 *marg.ReciprocalJeremiah 11:18 - the Lord; Zechariah 12:4 - I will smite Verse 15servantor, minister, 2 Kings 3:11, 5:20, 5:27; Exodus 24:13; 1 Kings 19:21; Matthew 20:26-28; Acts 13:5 Alas2 Kings 6:5; 2 Chronicles 20:12; Psalm 53:5; Matthew 8:26ReciprocalLeviticus 25:20 - General; 2 Samuel 24:14 - I am in; 1 Chronicles 21:13 - I am in; Psalm 3:6 - I will; 27:3 - host; Matthew 14:30 - when; Luke 11:34 - but; 2 Peter 1:21 - in old time; Revelation 20:9 - and compassed Verse 16Fear notExodus 14:13; Psalm 3:6, 11:1, 27:3, 118:11, 118:12; Isaiah 8:12, 8:13, 41:10-14; Mark 16:6; Acts 18:9, 18:10; Philippians 1:28 they that be2 Chronicles 16:9, 32:7, 32:8; Psalm 46:7, 46:11, 55:18; Isaiah 8:10; Matthew 26:53; Romans 8:31; 1 John 4:4Reciprocal1 Kings 17:13 - Fear not; 2 Kings 19:6 - Be not afraid; Psalm 68:17 - chariots; 91:11 - For; Matthew 18:10 - their; Acts 27:24 - Fear not; Habakkuk 3:1 - escaped; Revelation 5:11 - many Verse 17prayedPsalm 91:15; James 5:16-18 open his eyes2 Kings 6:18-20; Psalm 119:18; Isaiah 42:7; Acts 26:18; Ephesians 1:18; Revelation 3:7 full of horses2 Kings 2:11; Psalm 34:7, 68:17, 91:11, 104:3; Ezekiel 1:13-16; Zechariah 1:8, 6:1-7; Matthew 26:53; Habakkuk 1:14; Revelation 19:11, 19:14ReciprocalGenesis 21:19 - General; 32:2 - God's; Numbers 22:23 - the ass saw; 22:31 - opened; 2 Kings 4:33 - prayed; 6:20 - open the eyes; 8:4 - all the great; 1 Chronicles 21:16 - saw the angel; 2 Chronicles 20:22 - to sing and to; Psalm 104:4 - ministers; Song of Songs 3:7 - threescore; Daniel 10:7 - alone; Hosea 9:8 - with; Matthew 18:10 - their; Acts 9:8 - he saw; Habakkuk 1:7 - Who Verse 18Smite this peopleConfound their sight, so that they may not know what they see; and so mistake one place for another. The word sanverim, rendered blindness, occurs only here and in Genesis 19:11 - see note. Deuteronomy 28:28; Job 5:14; Zechariah 12:4; John 9:39, 12:40; Acts 13:11; Romans 11:7Reciprocal1 Kings 13:4 - his hand; 2 Kings 3:23 - This is blood; 4:33 - prayed; 6:17 - open his eyes; Job 38:15 - from; Jeremiah 36:26 - but; Hosea 9:8 - with; Luke 24:16 - General; John 8:59 - but Verse 19follow meHeb. come ye after me, Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23 I will bring2 Samuel 16:18, 16:19; Luke 24:16ReciprocalGenesis 37:15 - What; Joshua 2:4 - General; Judges 4:18 - Jael; Jeremiah 38:27 - and he told Verse 20open the eyes2 Kings 6:17; Luke 24:31 openedJudges 20:40-42; Luke 16:23ReciprocalGenesis 3:7 - And the; 2 Kings 4:33 - prayed Verse 21My fatherThis was dastardly: the utmost he ought to have done with these men, when thus brought into his hand, was to make them prisoners of war. 2 Kings 2:12, 5:13, 8:9, 13:14 shall1 Samuel 24:4, 24:19, 26:8; Luke 9:54-56, 22:49ReciprocalJudges 17:10 - a father; 18:19 - a father; Matthew 23:9 - call; Mark 6:20 - feared Verse 22wouldestDeuteronomy 20:11-16; 2 Chronicles 28:8-13 thy swordGenesis 48:22; Joshua 24:12; Psalm 44:6; Hosea 1:7, 2:18 set breadProverbs 25:21, 25:22; Matthew 5:44; Romans 12:20, 12:21ReciprocalDeuteronomy 9:9 - I neither; 1 Kings 18:4 - fed them; 2 Chronicles 28:15 - gave them Verse 23he prepared1 Samuel 24:17, 24:18; 2 Chronicles 28:15; Proverbs 25:21, 25:22; Matthew 5:47; Luke 6:35, 10:29-37 So the bandsThat is, for a considerable time. What is mentioned in the next verse was more than a year afterwards. See note on 2 Kings 6:8, 6:9, 5:2, 24:2Reciprocal2 Samuel 4:2 - captains; 1 Kings 18:4 - fed them; 2 Kings 13:20 - the bands Verse 24gathered2 Kings 17:5, 18:9, 25:1; Deuteronomy 28:52; 1 Kings 20:1, 22:31; Ecclesiastes 9:14Reciprocal1 Kings 16:17 - besieged Tirzah; 20:42 - thy life shall go; 2 Kings 6:8 - the king; 8:7 - Benhadad; Amos 1:4 - Benhadad Verse 25a great famine2 Kings 6:28, 6:29, 7:4, 25:3; 1 Kings 18:2; Jeremiah 14:13-15, 14:18, 32:24, 52:6 an ass's headIf the pieces of silver were drachms, the whole would amount to about 2d 9s; which was a great price for so mean a part of this unclean animal. Ezekiel 4:13-16 dove's dungThis probably denotes, as Bochart, Scheuchzer, and others suppose, a kind of pulse, or vetches, which the Arabs still call pigeon's dung. "They never," says Dr. Shaw - Travels, p. 140
"constitute a dish by themselves, but are strewed singly as a garnish over cuscasowe, pillowe, and other dishes. They are besides in the greatest repute after they are parched in pans and ovens; then assuming the name leblebby; " and he thinks they were so called from being pointed at one end, and acquiring an ash colour in parching.ReciprocalGenesis 12:10 - was a; 41:55 - famished; 2 Samuel 21:1 - a famine; 1 Kings 8:37 - in the land famine; 16:17 - besieged Tirzah; 2 Kings 7:1 - a measure of fine flour; 18:27 - eat; 2 Chronicles 6:28 - if there be dearth; Psalm 59:15 - for meat; Isaiah 36:12 - that they may; Lamentations 1:11 - seek; Ezekiel 5:16 - and will; Amos 4:6 - and want
Verse 26my lord2 Samuel 14:4; Isaiah 10:3; Luke 18:3; Acts 21:28ReciprocalGenesis 47:18 - General; 2 Kings 4:2 - What shall I; 8:3 - General; 8:5 - My lord; Job 21:4 - if it were; Psalm 107:12 - and there; Jeremiah 19:9 - eat the; Lamentations 4:3 - the daughter; 4:10 - hands Verse 27If the Lordetc. or, Let not the Lord save theewhencePsalm 60:11, 62:8, 118:8, 118:9, 124:1-3, 127:1, 146:3; Isaiah 2:2; Jeremiah 17:5ReciprocalGenesis 41:16 - It is not; Numbers 18:27 - the corn; Deuteronomy 28:8 - storehouses; 1 Samuel 28:16 - Wherefore; 2 Kings 4:2 - What shall I; Job 21:4 - if it were; Psalm 107:12 - and there; Ecclesiastes 10:13 - beginning Verse 28What aileth theeGenesis 21:17; Judges 18:23; 1 Samuel 1:8; 2 Samuel 14:5; Psalm 114:5; Isaiah 22:1 Give thy sonLeviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53-57; Isaiah 9:20, 9:21, 49:15; Lamentations 4:10; Ezekiel 5:10; Matthew 24:18-21; Luke 23:29Reciprocal2 Kings 6:25 - a great famine; Job 39:16 - as; Lamentations 2:20 - Shall the women Verse 29nextHeb. othershe hath hid1 Kings 3:26; Isaiah 49:15, 66:13ReciprocalLeviticus 26:29 - General; Deuteronomy 28:53 - the fruit; 2 Kings 6:25 - a great famine; Job 39:16 - as; Lamentations 2:20 - Shall the women; 4:10 - in; Ezekiel 5:10 - the fathers Verse 30he rent his clothes2 Kings 5:7, 19:1; 1 Kings 21:27; Isaiah 58:5-7ReciprocalEcclesiastes 3:7 - time to rend; Isaiah 15:3 - their streets; Jeremiah 48:37 - upon the loins; Joel 2:13 - your garments Verse 31God do soRuth 1:17; 1 Samuel 3:17, 14:44, 25:22; 2 Samuel 3:9, 3:35, 19:13; 1 Kings 2:23 if the head18:17, 19:2, 22:8; Jeremiah 37:15, 37:16, 38:4; John 11:50; Acts 23:12, 23:13ReciprocalLeviticus 5:4 - to do evil; 2 Kings 3:2 - wrought; 5:20 - as the Lord liveth; Proverbs 16:14 - messengers; Ecclesiastes 10:13 - beginning; Jeremiah 32:3 - Zedekiah; Matthew 14:9 - the oath's; Mark 6:23 - he; Luke 6:23 - for in Verse 32the eldersEzekiel 8:1, 14:1, 20:1, 33:31 ere the messenger2 Kings 6:12, 5:26 See ye howLuke 13:32 son of a murderer1 Kings 18:4, 18:13, 18:14, 21:10 the sound14:6ReciprocalExodus 7:1 - See; 2 Kings 3:2 - wrought; 5:9 - General; 7:18 - as the man; 8:4 - all the great; Jeremiah 32:3 - Zedekiah; Lamentations 3:39 - a man; Acts 5:9 - the feet; Habakkuk 3:1 - escaped Verse 33this evil is of the LordGenesis 4:13; Exodus 16:6-8; 1 Samuel 28:6-8, 31:4; Job 1:11, 1:21, 2:5, 2:9; Proverbs 19:3; Isaiah 8:21; Jeremiah 2:25; Ezekiel 33:10; Matthew 27:4, 27:5; 2 Corinthians 2:7, 2:11; Revelation 16:9-11 wait for thePsalm 27:14, 37:7, 37:9, 62:5; Isaiah 8:17, 26:3, 50:10; Lamentations 3:25, 3:26; Habakkuk 2:3; Luke 18:1ReciprocalJudges 14:4 - it was of the Lord; 1 Samuel 28:7 - Seek me; 2 Kings 3:10 - the Lord; 7:1 - Elisha said; 7:13 - they are even; Job 15:22 - He believeth not; Psalm 107:12 - and there; Jeremiah 18:12 - There; Amos 6:10 - Hold