2 Kings 6:18-28

18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said , Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

19 And Elisha said unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow * me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek . But he led them to Samaria.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said , LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see . And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw ; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered , Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink , and go to their master.

23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk , he sent them away , and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up , and besieged Samaria.

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung * for five pieces of silver.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying , Help , my lord, O king.

27 And he said , If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?

28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered , This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son to morrow.

2 Kings 6:18-28 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 6

In this chapter are recorded other wonders of Elisha, as causing iron to swim, 2Ki 6:1-7 having knowledge of the secret counsels of the king of Syria, which he disclosed to the king of Israel, 2Ki 6:8-12 smiting the Syrian army with blindness sent to take him, and which he led into the midst of Samaria, 2Ki 6:13-23, and the chapter is closed with an account of the siege of Samaria, and a sore famine in it, 2Ki 6:24-33.

Footnotes

• [a]. follow...: Heb. come ye after me