2 Kings 6:8-23
English Standard Version
Horses and Chariots of Fire
8 Once when the king of Syria was warring against Israel, he took counsel with his servants, saying, “At such and such a place shall be my camp.” 9 But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are going down there.” 10 And the king of Israel sent to the place about which the man of God told him. Thus he used to warn him, so that he saved himself there more than once or twice.
11 And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?” 12 And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” 13 And he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and seize him.” It was told him, “Behold, he is in (A)Dothan.” 14 So he sent there horses and chariots and a great army, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” 16 He said, “Do not be afraid, (B)for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please (C)open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of (D)horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 18 And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the Lord and said, “Please strike this people with blindness.” (E)So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. 19 And Elisha said to them, “This is not the way, and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.” And he led them to Samaria.
20 As soon as they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O Lord, (F)open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” So the Lord opened their eyes and they saw, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21 As soon as the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, (G)“My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?” 22 He answered, “You shall not strike them down. Would you strike down those whom you have taken captive (H)with your sword and with your bow? (I)Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” 23 So he prepared for them a great feast, and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the Syrians did not come again (J)on raids into the land of Israel.
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2 Kings 6:8-23
International Standard Version
The Arameans Attack
8 Eventually the king of Aram went to war against Israel, taking counsel with his advisors and concluding, “In such and such a place I’ll build my encampment.”
9 So the man of God sent a message[a] to the king of Israel, warning him, “Keep an eye on that area, because the Arameans are going to be there!” 10 The king of Israel confirmed the matter[b] about which the man of God had warned him. Having been forewarned, he was able to protect himself there on more than one or two occasions.
11 The king of Aram flew into a rage over this, so he called in his advisors and asked them, “Will you please tell me which of us has joined the king of Israel?”
12 “No, your majesty,” one of his servants said. “Elisha the prophet, who lives in Israel, tells the king of Israel what you talk about in your bedroom!”
13 So the king[c] ordered, “Go and discover where he is, so I may send men[d] to take him into custody.”
Later somebody told him, “Look! He’s in Dothan!”
14 So the king of Aram[e] sent out horses, chariots, and an elite force, and they arrived during the night and surrounded the city. 15 Meanwhile, the attendant to the man of God got up early in the morning and went outside, and there were the elite forces, surrounding the city, accompanied by horses and chariots! So Elisha’s attendant cried out to him, “Oh no! Master! What will we do!?”
16 Elisha[f] replied, “Stop being afraid, because there are more with us than with them!” 17 Then Elisha prayed, asking the Lord, “Please make him able to really see!” And so when the Lord enabled the young man to see, he looked, and there was the mountain, filled with horses and fiery chariots surrounding Elisha!
18 When the army approached him, Elisha spoke to the Lord, asking him, “Lord, I’m asking you please to afflict this group of people with blindness!” So he afflicted them with blindness, just as Elisha had asked.
19 Then Elisha told the army, “This isn’t the way, and this isn’t the city! Follow me, and I’ll bring you to the man you’re seeking.” Then he led them to Samaria. 20 When they arrived in Samaria, Elisha asked the Lord, “Enable them to see again.” So the Lord did so, and there they were—right in the middle of Samaria!
21 When the king of Israel saw Elisha, he asked him, “Shall I execute them, my father?”
22 But he replied, “No! You’re not to kill them! Would you execute those whom you’ve taken captive at the point of a sword or with your bow? Give them food and water so they can eat and drink. Then send them back to their master!” 23 So he prepared a large festival for them, and when they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them back to their master, and marauding gangs of Arameans never came into the territory of Israel again.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 2 Kings 6:9 The Heb. lacks a message
- 2 Kings 6:10 Lit. Israel sent
- 2 Kings 6:13 Lit. So he
- 2 Kings 6:13 The Heb. lacks men
- 2 Kings 6:14 Lit. So he
- 2 Kings 6:16 Lit. He
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