Bible Commentaries
2 Kings 6

Verse 1

strait = narrow.

Verse 3

one = the one: i.e. of 2 Kings 6:3 .

Verse 4

cut down. Hebrew. nazar. Compare 2 Kings 6:6 .

wood = logs.

Verse 5

axe head. Hebrew "iron", put by Fig; Metonymy (of Cause), App-6 , for the axe head made of iron. Compare 2 Kings 6:6 . where the Figure of speech is translated literally.

Alas. Figure of speech Ecphonesis. App-6 .

Verse 6

man of God. See App-49 .

cut down. Not same word as 2 Kings 6:3 . Hebrew. kazab = to cut evenly: i.e. shape or size evenly. Occurs only here and Song of Solomon 4:2 ("even shorn").

a stick = a helve.

iron did swim = made him see the iron: by causing it to rise to the surface. Elisha's twelfth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15 . The spiritual application is thus put by John Newton: "Not one concern of ours is small If we belong to Him; To teach us this, the Lord of all Once made the iron to swim".

Verse 8

king of Syria. Probably Ben-hadad of 2 Kings 6:24 . 1 Kings 20:1 .

Verse 9

king of Israel. Jehoram.

Verse 12

but = for: i.e. "[the fact is] that".

Verse 15

the servant = attendant.

his servant = young man. Hebrew. na'ar.

Verse 17

open his eyes. Elisha's thirteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15 .

see . . . saw = see . . . saw clearly.

Verse 18

blindness. Elisha's fourteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15 . One of nine instances of persons so afflicted. See note on Genesis 19:11 .

Verse 19

I will bring. So he did.

But = And; or. So.

he led them to Samaria: where they found the man they sought: i.e. Elisha himself.

Verse 20

open. Elisha's fifteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15 .

Verse 23

bands = marauding bands.

Verse 24

gathered. This was organized war, in contrast with the freebooting irregular bands of 2 Kings 6:23 .

Verse 25

famine. One of the thirteen recorded in Scripture. See note on Genesis 12:10 .

ass's head. This was unclean food.

Pieces. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ), "shekels" instead of "pieces".

cab. Only occurrence. See App-51 .

dove's dung. A Euphemism ( App-6 ) is included in official Massoretic lists as being substituted for this indelicate expression, the word meaning "decayed leaves". Whichever is the meaning, it was always highly valuable as manure, especially to force growth during dearth.

Verse 27

If the LORD do not help thee. Hebrew reads "Let not Jehovah help thee", as in Authorized Version margin The Revised Version "Nay, let Jehovah help thee", is contrary to the normal sense of this negative. Ginsburg suggests that 'al (not) is an abbreviation for 'im lo, which is the exact equivalent for the Authorized Version text.

Verse 28

woman. One of the ten deaths occasioned by women. See note on Judges 4:21 .

Verse 29

we boiled . Compare Deuteronomy 28:53 .

Verse 32

hold him fast at the door: or, hold the door fast against him. App-6 .

Verse 33

messenger. Hebrew. hammal'ak, without the ' aleph ('a), as in Septuagint and Syriac. In 1 Samuel 11:4 the case is reversed. The Massorah informs us that the aleph was wrongly inserted, making it read messengers instead of "kings". The king must have followed on his heels, for Elisha addresses him directly in 2 Kings 7:1 , 2 Kings 7:2 . Compare 2 Kings 7:17 .

what . . . ? = why? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . These are the words of the king.