Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” New Living Translation When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?” English Standard Version As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” Berean Standard Bible And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” King James Bible And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? New King James Version Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” New American Standard Bible Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” NASB 1995 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” NASB 1977 Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” Legacy Standard Bible Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, “My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” Amplified Bible When the king of Israel (Jehoram) saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” Christian Standard Bible When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Should I kill them, should I kill them, my father? ” Holman Christian Standard Bible When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “My father, should I kill them? I will kill them.” American Standard Version And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? Contemporary English Version The king of Israel saw them and asked Elisha, "Should I kill them, sir?" English Revised Version And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father; shall I smite them? shall I smite them? GOD'S WORD® Translation When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Master, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" Good News Translation When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, sir? Shall I kill them?" International Standard Version When the king of Israel saw Elisha, he asked him, "Shall I execute them, my father?" NET Bible When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Should I strike them down, my master?" New Heart English Bible The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, "My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?" Webster's Bible Translation And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleAnd when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” World English Bible The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, “My father, shall I strike them? Shall I strike them?” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionAnd the king of Israel says to Elisha at his seeing them, “My father, do I strike, do I strike?” Young's Literal Translation And the king of Israel saith unto Elisha, at his seeing them, 'Do I smite -- do I smite -- my father?' Smith's Literal Translation And the king of Israel will say to Elisha when he saw them, Shall I strike? shall I strike, my father? Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd the king of Israel said to Eliseus, when he saw them: My father, shall I kill them? Catholic Public Domain Version And the king of Israel, when he had seen them, said to Elisha, “My father, should I not strike them?” New American Bible When the king of Israel saw them, he asked, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” New Revised Standard Version When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, “Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleAnd the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them? Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And the King of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them: “Shall I strike them, my father?” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: 'My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?' Brenton Septuagint Translation And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father? Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Elisha Captures the Blinded Arameans…20When they had entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Then the LORD opened their eyes, and they looked around and discovered that they were in Samaria. 21And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” 22“Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”… Cross References Romans 12:20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.” Proverbs 25:21-22 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. / For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Luke 6:27-28 But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, / bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. 1 Samuel 24:19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him go away unharmed? May the LORD reward you with good for what you have done for me this day. 1 Samuel 26:8-9 Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hand. Now, therefore, please let me thrust the spear through him into the ground with one stroke. I will not need to strike him twice!” / But David said to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can extend a hand against the LORD’s anointed and be guiltless?” 2 Chronicles 28:9-15 But a prophet of the LORD named Oded was there, and he went out to meet the army that returned to Samaria. “Look,” he said to them, “because of His wrath against Judah, the LORD, the God of your fathers, has delivered them into your hand. But you have slaughtered them in a rage that reaches up to heaven. / And now you intend to reduce to slavery the men and women of Judah and Jerusalem. But are you not also guilty before the LORD your God? / Now therefore, listen to me and return the captives you took from your kinsmen, for the fierce anger of the LORD is upon you.” ... Exodus 23:4-5 If you encounter your enemy’s stray ox or donkey, you must return it to him. / If you see the donkey of one who hates you fallen under its load, do not leave it there; you must help him with it. 1 Kings 20:32-34 So with sackcloth around their waists and ropes around their heads, they went to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘Please spare my life.’” And the king answered, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” / Now the men were looking for a sign of hope, and they quickly grasped at this word and replied, “Yes, your brother Ben-hadad.” “Go and get him!” said the king. Then Ben-hadad came out, and Ahab had him come up into his chariot. / Ben-hadad said to him, “I will restore the cities my father took from your father; you may set up your own marketplaces in Damascus, as my father did in Samaria.” “By this treaty I release you,” Ahab replied. So he made a treaty with him and sent him away. Genesis 45:4-5 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Please come near me.” And they did so. “I am Joseph, your brother,” he said, “the one you sold into Egypt! / And now, do not be distressed or angry with yourselves that you sold me into this place, because it was to save lives that God sent me before you. Genesis 50:19-21 But Joseph replied, “Do not be afraid. Am I in the place of God? / As for you, what you intended against me for evil, God intended for good, in order to accomplish a day like this—to preserve the lives of many people. / Therefore do not be afraid. I will provide for you and your little ones.” So Joseph reassured his brothers and spoke kindly to them. Matthew 5:39-42 But I tell you not to resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also; / if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well; / and if someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ... Luke 23:34 Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots. Acts 7:60 Falling on his knees, he cried out in a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep. 1 Peter 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. Treasury of Scripture And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 2 Kings 2:12 And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. 2 Kings 5:13 And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? 2 Kings 8:9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels' burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Benhadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease? shall 1 Samuel 24:4,19 And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily… 1 Samuel 26:8 Then said Abishai to David, God hath delivered thine enemy into thine hand this day: now therefore let me smite him, I pray thee, with the spear even to the earth at once, and I will not smite him the second time. Luke 9:54-56 And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? … Jump to Previous Elisha Eli'sha Israel Kill Slay Smite Strike SwordJump to Next Elisha Eli'sha Israel Kill Slay Smite Strike Sword2 Kings 6 1. Elisha, allowing the young prophets to enlarge dwellings, floats an axhead8. He discloses the king of Syria's counsel 13. The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is blinded 19. Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace 24. The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children 30. The king sends to slay Elisha And when the king of Israel saw them The king of Israel at this time is likely Joram (or Jehoram), the son of Ahab. This event occurs during a period of frequent conflict between Israel and Aram (Syria). The Aramean army, which had been blinded and led to Samaria by Elisha, is now in the presence of the king. This moment highlights the tension and uncertainty in the king's response to the unexpected situation. The king's reaction is significant as it reflects the political and military pressures of the time, as well as the influence of prophetic authority in Israel. he asked Elisha “My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?” Persons / Places / Events 1. The King of IsraelLikely King Jehoram, son of Ahab, who ruled the northern kingdom of Israel. He is depicted here as seeking guidance from Elisha regarding the captured Aramean soldiers. 2. Elisha A prophet of God, successor to Elijah, known for his miracles and guidance to the kings of Israel. He plays a central role in advising the king on how to handle the captured enemy soldiers. 3. The Arameans The enemy soldiers who were miraculously blinded and led into Samaria by Elisha. They represent the threat against Israel but are now at the mercy of the king. 4. Samaria The capital of the northern kingdom of Israel, where the captured Aramean soldiers were brought. 5. The Event The miraculous capture of the Aramean army, which was blinded by God at Elisha's request, leading to a situation where the king of Israel must decide their fate. Teaching Points Mercy Over JudgmentElisha's response to the king highlights the importance of showing mercy rather than seeking vengeance. This reflects God's character and calls us to act with compassion even towards our enemies. Seeking Godly Counsel The king's inquiry to Elisha underscores the value of seeking wisdom from godly leaders. In our lives, we should seek guidance from Scripture and mature believers when faced with difficult decisions. God's Sovereignty in Conflict The miraculous blinding of the Arameans demonstrates God's control over situations that seem insurmountable. Trusting in God's sovereignty can bring peace in times of conflict. Transformative Power of Kindness By choosing to feed the enemy rather than kill them, the king of Israel, following Elisha's advice, exemplifies how acts of kindness can transform relationships and potentially turn enemies into allies. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of 2 Kings 6:21?2. How does Elisha's response in 2 Kings 6:21 demonstrate God's mercy over vengeance? 3. What can we learn about God's character from Elisha's decision in 2 Kings 6:21? 4. How does 2 Kings 6:21 connect with Jesus' teachings on loving enemies? 5. How can we apply Elisha's example of mercy in our daily conflicts? 6. What does 2 Kings 6:21 teach about trusting God's plan over human instincts? 7. Why did Elisha prevent the king from killing the Arameans in 2 Kings 6:21? 8. How does 2 Kings 6:21 reflect God's perspective on mercy versus justice? 9. What does 2 Kings 6:21 teach about the treatment of enemies? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from 2 Kings 6? 11. 2 Kings 6:18–20: How could Elisha strike an entire enemy force with blindness and then restore their sight? 12. Do the child sacrifices mentioned in 2 Kings 21:6 have credible historical evidence, or is the text relying on theological polemics? 13. How do we reconcile Ezekiel 6:8-9, which speaks of a repentant remnant, with other passages (e.g., 2 Kings 21:14) suggesting total destruction or exile? 14. In 2 Kings 8:16-19, how does Jehoram's reign fit with other biblical accounts that describe conflicting details about Judah's kings? What Does 2 Kings 6:21 Mean And when the king of Israel saw them• The “them” are the blinded Aramean soldiers whom Elisha has just led straight into Samaria (2 Kings 6:18-20). • Suddenly confronted with a helpless enemy force, King Jehoram is caught off guard. Similar surprise victories appear in Exodus 14:24-25 and 2 Chronicles 20:22-23, where the LORD intervenes supernaturally. • The scene proves—literally—that God can flip any battle in an instant, fulfilling promises like Deuteronomy 20:4: “For the LORD your God is He who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to give you the victory”. he asked Elisha • The king pauses before acting, recognizing that the prophet—not the throne—has God’s word for the moment. • Seeking divine counsel first echoes 1 Kings 22:5, where Jehoshaphat insists, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD”. • His inquiry also contrasts with Saul’s impulsiveness in 1 Samuel 14:24-32, highlighting the blessing that comes when leaders wait for God’s directive. “My father” • The title shows deep respect and dependence. Prophets were often called “father” as spiritual mentors (cf. 2 Kings 2:12; 13:14). • Jehoram’s deference underscores that real authority comes from God, not military might—mirroring Elisha’s earlier guidance to save Israel’s army in 2 Kings 3:14-18. shall I kill them? • The king’s instinct is immediate judgment. In wartime culture, executing captives seemed logical; see Judges 8:18-21. • Yet he pauses, seeking divine sanction. Proverbs 16:32 reminds us, “Better to be slow to anger than to be a mighty warrior”. • His question spotlights the tension between justice and mercy—a theme later elevated by Jesus in Matthew 5:44. Shall I kill them? • Repetition reveals urgency and uncertainty. The doubled plea parallels Peter’s thrice-asked question in John 21:15-17; hearts often repeat what burdens them most. • By asking twice, Jehoram submits entirely to the prophet’s verdict, preparing the ground for Elisha’s unexpected command to feed the captives (2 Kings 6:22-23). • Romans 12:20 echoes that directive—“If your enemy is hungry, feed him”—showing a timeless principle: God’s kindness can disarm hostility more powerfully than the sword. summary Elisha leads a blinded enemy into Israel’s capital, and King Jehoram instinctively seeks permission to execute them. His repeated question, framed with the respectful “My father,” displays both urgency and submission to God’s word. Scripture affirms—literally—that true victory and moral guidance come from the LORD, who often overturns human instincts of vengeance with commands of mercy. (21) My father.--Comp. 2Kings 2:12; 2Kings 8:9 ("Thy son Ben-hadad"), 2Kings 13:14.Shall I smite them,? shall I smite them?--Or, May I smite? may I smite, my father? The repetition expresses the king's eagerness to slay his powerless enemies. He asks the prophet's permission. (Comp. 2Kings 4:7.) Verse 21. - And the King of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father. In his joy at the deliverance of so large a force of the enemy into his hands, Jehoram forgets the coldness and estrangement which have hitherto characterized the relations between himself and the prophet (2 Kings 3:11-14; 2 Kings 5:8), and salutes him by the honorable title of "father," which implied respect, deference, submission. Compare the use of the same expression by Joash (2 Kings 13:14), and the employment of the correlative term "son" (2 Kings 8:9) by Berthadad. Shall I smite them? shall I smite them? The repetition marks extreme eagerness, while the interrogative form shows a certain amount of hesitation. It is certain that the Israelites were in the habit of putting to death their prisoners of war, not only when they were captured with arms in their hands, but even when they surrendered themselves. When a city or country was conquered, the whole male population of full age was commonly put to death (Numbers 31:7; 1 Samuel 15:8; 1 Kings 11:15; 1 Chronicles 20:3, etc.). When a third part was spared, it was from some consideration of relationship (2 Samuel 8:2). The Law distinctly allowed, if it did not even enjoin, the practice (Deuteronomy 20:13). Jehoram, therefore, no doubt, put his prisoners of war to death under ordinary circumstances. But he hesitates now. He feels that the case is an extraordinary one, and that the prophet, who has made the capture, is entitled to be consulted on the subject. Hence his question.Parallel Commentaries ... Hebrew And when the kingמֶֽלֶךְ־ (me·leḵ-) Noun - masculine singular construct Strong's 4428: A king of Israel יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ (yiś·rā·’êl) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 3478: Israel -- 'God strives', another name of Jacob and his desc saw כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ (kir·’ō·ṯōw) Preposition-k | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7200: To see them, אוֹתָ֑ם (’ō·w·ṯām) Direct object marker | third person masculine plural Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case he asked וַיֹּ֤אמֶר (way·yō·mer) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 559: To utter, say Elisha, אֱלִישָׁ֔ע (’ĕ·lî·šā‘) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 477: Elisha -- 'God is salvation', a well-known Israelite prophet “My father, אָבִֽי׃ (’ā·ḇî) Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Strong's 1: Father shall I kill [them]? אַכֶּ֖ה (’ak·keh) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 5221: To strike Shall I kill [them]?” הַאַכֶּ֥ה (ha·’ak·keh) Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular Strong's 5221: To strike Links 2 Kings 6:21 NIV2 Kings 6:21 NLT 2 Kings 6:21 ESV 2 Kings 6:21 NASB 2 Kings 6:21 KJV 2 Kings 6:21 BibleApps.com 2 Kings 6:21 Biblia Paralela 2 Kings 6:21 Chinese Bible 2 Kings 6:21 French Bible 2 Kings 6:21 Catholic Bible OT History: 2 Kings 6:21 The king of Israel said to Elisha (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg) |