While the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he took counsel with his officers and said, “I will encampaI will encamp Meaning of Heb. uncertain. in such and such a place.”
So the king of Israel sent word to the place of which the agent of God had told him. Time and againbTime and again Lit. “not once or twice.” he alerted such a placecsuch a place Heb. “it.” and took precautions there.
Greatly agitated about this matter, the king of Aram summoned his officers and said to them, “Tell me! Who of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”
When the attendant of the agent of God rose early and went outside, he saw a force, with horses and chariots, surrounding the town. “Alas, master, what shall we do?” his servant asked him.
Word-by-Word Analysis
וישכם
376
משרת
940
איש
311
האלהים
91
לקום
176
ויצא
107
והנהחיל
114
סובב
70
אתהעיר
686
וסוס
132
ורכב
228
ויאמר
257
נערו
326
אליו
47
אהה
11
אדני
65
איכה
36
נעשה
425
II Kings 6:16
Gematria: 3127
ויאמראלתיראכירביםאשראתנומאשראותם
“Have no fear,” he replied. “There are more on our side than on theirs.”
Then Elisha prayed: “ETERNAL One, open his eyes and let him see.” And GOD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw the hills all around Elisha covered with horses and chariots of fire.
[The Arameans] came down against him, and Elisha prayed to GOD: “Please strike this people with a blinding light.” And they were struck with a blinding light, as Elisha had asked.
When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O ETERNAL One, open the eyes of these men so that they may see.” GOD opened their eyes and they saw that they were inside Samaria.
Word-by-Word Analysis
ויהי
31
כבאם
63
שמרון
596
ויאמר
257
אלישע
411
יהוה
26
פקח
188
אתעיניאלה
577
ויראו
223
ויפקח
204
יהוה
26
אתעיניהם
586
ויראו
223
והנה
66
בתוך
428
שמרון
596
II Kings 6:21
Gematria: 2474
ויאמרמלךישראלאלאלישעכראתואותםהאכהאכהאבי
When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Father, shall I strike them down?”
“No, do not,” he replied. “Did you take them captive with your sword and bow that you would strike them down? Rather, set food and drink before them, and let them eat and drink and return to their master.”
So he prepared a lavish feast for them and, after they had eaten and drunk, he let them go, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean bands stopped invading the land of Israel.
There was a great famine in Samaria, and the siege continued until a donkey’s head sold for eighty [shekels] of silver and a quarter of a kab of doves’ dungddoves’ dung Apparently a popular term for “carob pods,” as in Akkadian. for five shekels.
But what troubles you?” the king asked her. The woman answered, “That woman said to me, ‘Give up your son and we will eat him today; and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’
When the king heard what the woman said, he rent his clothes; and as he walked along the wall, the people could see that he was wearing sackcloth underneath.
Now Elisha was sitting at home and the elders were sitting with him. The kingfThe king Heb. “He.” had sent one of his men ahead; but before that messenger arrived, ElishagElisha Heb. “he.” said to the elders, “Do you see—that murderer has sent someone to cut off my head! Watch when the messenger comes, and shut the door and hold the door fast against him. No doubt the sound of his master’s footsteps will follow.”
While he was still talking to them, the messengerhmessenger Emendation yields “king.” came to him and said, “This calamity is from GOD. What more can I hope for from GOD ?”