2 Kings 6:21

When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Should I kill them, should I kill them, my father?” The king of Yisra'el said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them? And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? 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?" When the king of Israel saw the Aramean army, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Should I strike them down, my master?" When the king of Israel (Jehoram) saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" And the King of Israel sayde vnto Elisha when he sawe them, My father, shall I smite them, shall I smite them? Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I strike them down? Shall I strike them down?" The king of Israel saw them and asked Elisha, "Should I kill them, sir?" When the king of Isra'el saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, should I attack them? Should I attack them?" And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite? shall I smite [them]? The king of Israel saw the Aramean army and said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" And the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them? When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, sir? Shall I kill them?" Then the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, "Shall I kill them? Shall I kill, my father?" And when he saw them, the king of Israel said to Elisha, Shall I strike? Shall I strike, my father? And whan the kynge of Israel sawe them, he saide vnto Eliseus: My father, shal I smyte the? And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And the king of Israel, when he saw them, said to Elisha, My father, am I to put them to the sword? And the king of Israel sayde vnto Elisa when he sawe them: My father, shall I smyte them, shall I smyte them? And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: 'My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?' And the king of Israel saide vnto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father? And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father; shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" And the kyng of Israel, whanne he hadde seyn hem, seide to Elisee, My fadir, whether Y schal smyte hem? And the king of Israel saith unto Elisha, at his seeing them, `Do I smite -- do I smite -- my father?' And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite [them]? shall I smite [them]? The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them? Now when the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?" Then said the king of Israel unto Elisha, when he saw them, - Shall I smite - shall I smite, my father? And the king of Israel said to Eliseus, when he saw them: My father, shall I kill them? When the king of Israel saw them he said to Eli'sha, "My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?" And the king of Israel says to Elisha at his seeing them, "My father, do I strike, do I strike?" When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I massacre the lot?" Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Should I kill them, should I kill them, my father?”

Hebrew Names Version
The king of Yisra'el said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike them?

King James Version
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite 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?"

New Century Version
When the king of Israel saw the Aramean army, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?"

New English Translation
When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "Should I strike them down, my master?"

Amplified Bible
When the king of Israel (Jehoram) 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?"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And the King of Israel sayde vnto Elisha when he sawe them, My father, shall I smite them, shall I smite 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?"

Contemporary English Version
The king of Israel saw them and asked Elisha, "Should I kill them, sir?"

Complete Jewish Bible
When the king of Isra'el saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, should I attack them? Should I attack them?"

Darby Translation
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite? shall I smite [them]?

Easy-to-Read Version
The king of Israel saw the Aramean army and said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?"

George Lamsa Translation
And the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?

Good News Translation
When the king of Israel saw the Syrians, he asked Elisha, "Shall I kill them, sir? Shall I kill them?"

Lexham English Bible
Then the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, "Shall I kill them? Shall I kill, my father?"

Literal Translation
And when he saw them, the king of Israel said to Elisha, Shall I strike? Shall I strike, my father?

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And whan the kynge of Israel sawe them, he saide vnto Eliseus: My father, shal I smyte the?

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?

Bible in Basic English
And the king of Israel, when he saw them, said to Elisha, My father, am I to put them to the sword?

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the king of Israel sayde vnto Elisa when he sawe them: My father, shall I smyte them, shall I smyte them?

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: 'My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?'

King James Version (1611)
And the king of Israel saide vnto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father?

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?

Berean Standard Bible
And when the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the kyng of Israel, whanne he hadde seyn hem, seide to Elisee, My fadir, whether Y schal smyte hem?

Young's Literal Translation
And the king of Israel saith unto Elisha, at his seeing them, `Do I smite -- do I smite -- my father?'

Update Bible Version
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite 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]?

World English Bible
The king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I strike them? shall I strike 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 Living Translation
When the king of Israel saw them, he shouted to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?"

New Life Bible
When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?"

New Revised Standard
When the king of Israel saw them he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said the king of Israel unto Elisha, when he saw them, - Shall I smite - shall I smite, my father?

Douay-Rheims Bible
And the king of Israel said to Eliseus, when he saw them: My father, shall I kill them?

Revised Standard Version
When the king of Israel saw them he said to Eli'sha, "My father, shall I slay them? Shall I slay them?"

THE MESSAGE
When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, "Father, shall I massacre the lot?"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then the king of Israel when he saw them, said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

Contextual Overview

¹³So the king said, “Go and see where he is, so I can send men to capture him.” ¹³ He said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him. It was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dotan. ¹³ And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. 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 Dothan." ¹³ The king said, "Go and find him so I can send men and catch him." The servants came back and reported, "He is in Dothan." ¹³ The king ordered, "Go, find out where he is, so I can send some men to capture him." The king was told, "He is in Dothan." ¹³So he said, "Go and see where he is, so that I may send [men] and seize him." And he was told, "He is in Dothan." ¹³ So he said, "Go and see where he is, so that I may send men and take him." And it was told to him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan." ¹³ And he said, Goe, and espie where he is, that I may sende and fetch him. And one tolde him, saying, Beholde, he is in Dothan. ¹³So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and take him." And it was told to him, saying, "Behold, he is in Dothan."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

My father: This was dastardly: the utmost he ought to have done with these men, when thus brought into his hand, was to make them prisoners of war. 2 Kings 2:12, 2 Kings 5:13, 2 Kings 8:9, 2 Kings 13:14

shall: 1 Samuel 24:4, 1 Samuel 24:19, 1 Samuel 26:8, Luke 9:54-56, Luke 22:49

Reciprocal: Judges 17:10 - a father Judges 18:19 - a father Matthew 23:9 - call Mark 6:20 - feared

Cross-References

Job 38:41
Who provides the raven’s foodwhen its young cry out to Godand wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry to God, And wander for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven its prey, when its young ones cry to God for help, and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who gives food to the birds when their young cry out to God and wander about without food?

Job 38:41
Who prepares prey for the raven, when its young cry out to God and wander about for lack of food?

Job 38:41
"Who provides prey for the raven When its young cry to God And wander about without food?

Job 38:41
"Who prepares feed for the raven When its young cry to God, And wander about without food?

Job 38:41
Who provides for the raven his prey, When his young ones cry to God, And wander for lack of food?

Job 38:41
Who prepareth for the rauen his meate, when his birdes crie vnto God, wandering for lacke of meate?

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them,.... The Syrian army thus in his hands:

my father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them? he speaks with great reverence and respect to the prophet, whom at other times he neglected and despised; and the repetition of his words shows the eagerness of his mind to fall upon his enemy when they where at a disadvantage.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

My father - A term of respect used by Jehoram in his joy at seeing an army of Syrians delivered up to him by the prophet. That the king’s character was not changed appears from 2 Kings 6:31-32.

Shall I smite them? shall I smite them? - The repetition of the words mean, “Shall I utterly smite them?” Compare similar repetitions with similar meanings in Genesis 22:17; Luke 22:15.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 6:21. My father, shall I smite — This was dastardly; the utmost he could have done with these men, when thus brought into his hand, was to make them prisoners of war.