Melachim Bais 6:18

18 And when they made their descent unto him, Elishah davened unto Hashem, and said, Strike now hagoy hazeh, with blindness. And He struck them with blindness according to the davar Elishah.

Melachim Bais 6:18 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 6:18

And when they came down to him
The Syrian army, from the hill on which they were first seen, who came down from thence to the bottom of the hill on which the city stood; and whither Elisha came out, in order both to meet them, and proceed on his journey to Samaria:

Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, smite this people, I pray thee,
with blindness;
or "blindnesses" ^F7; with great blindness, such as the men of Sodom were smitten with; the same word is here used as of them, ( Genesis 19:11 )

and he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisha;
not in such manner that they could discern no object, for then they could not have followed Elisha; but their sight was so altered, that they knew not the objects they saw; they appeared quite otherwise to them than they were; they saw the city, but knew it not to be the same, and Elisha, but knew him not to be the man of God, though they might have some in the host that knew him personally.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (Myrwnob) "in caecitatibus", Pagninus, Montanus

Melachim Bais 6:18 In-Context

16 And he answered, Fear not; for they that be with us are rabbim (many) more than they that be with them.

17 And Elishah davened, and said, Hashem, now, open his eyes, that he may see. And Hashem opened the eyes of the na’ar and he saw; and, hinei, the har was full of susim and merkavot of eish all around Elishah.

18 And when they made their descent unto him, Elishah davened unto Hashem, and said, Strike now hagoy hazeh, with blindness. And He struck them with blindness according to the davar Elishah.

19 And Elishah said unto them, This is not the derech, neither is this the ir; follow me, and I will lead you to the ish whom ye seek. But he led them to Shomron.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Shomron, that Elishah said, Hashem, open the eyes of these, that they may see. And Hashem opened their eyes, and they saw; and, hinei, they were in the midst of Shomron.