What is the meaning of 2 Kings 6:19? And Elisha told them • Moments earlier, the LORD had answered Elisha’s prayer and struck the Aramean raiders with blindness (2 Kings 6:18). • Elisha speaks confidently because he knows the heavenly armies surrounding him (2 Kings 6:16–17) and trusts God’s immediate guidance, echoing the composure Moses showed before Pharaoh (Exodus 14:13). This is not the way • Elisha addresses soldiers who can no longer see the road. Their chosen path—an attack on God’s prophet—has literally and spiritually become “not the way.” • Scripture often highlights the contrast between the wrong way and the right way (Proverbs 14:12; Isaiah 30:21). Elisha’s words remind us that pursuing violence against God’s people leads nowhere. and this is not the city • The soldiers think they are outside Dothan, yet blindness removes certainty. Elisha points out that their assumptions are false. • God sometimes confounds enemies by overturning their plans (Psalm 33:10; 1 Corinthians 1:27). Here, their dependence on sight is exposed; only the prophet can now guide them. Follow me, and I will take you to the man you are seeking • Elisha is the very man they seek, yet he offers to lead them—demonstrating both wit and mercy. • Like Joseph revealing himself later to his brothers (Genesis 45:4), Elisha will unveil the truth at the right moment. • Jesus later uses similar language—“Follow Me” (Matthew 4:19)—showing that true leadership guides even enemies toward revelation rather than destruction. And he led them to Samaria • Samaria, Israel’s fortified capital, is miles south of Dothan. The prophet escorts a helpless army straight into the king’s stronghold, fulfilling God’s promise of deliverance without Israel lifting a sword (2 Kings 6:20). • Once their eyes are opened, instead of execution they receive a feast (2 Kings 6:22–23), paralleling Proverbs 25:21–22 and Romans 12:20: overcoming evil with good. • The redirected army departs in peace, and the raids cease for a time—showing that God’s creative salvation can end conflict through grace rather than bloodshed. summary Elisha’s brief statement redirects a hostile force, exposes the futility of their plans, and showcases God’s power to save through wisdom and mercy. Each phrase moves the soldiers—from blindness to guidance, from error to truth, from aggression to unexpected kindness—illustrating that God can disarm enemies and transform situations when His people act in faith. |
    |