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Thursday, July 17th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Amplified Bible

2 Kings 6:21

When the king of Israel (Jehoram) saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Blindness;   Israel;   Joram;   Malice;   Samaria;   Thompson Chain Reference - Jehoram, or Joram;   Joram or Jehoram;   Meekness-Retaliation;   Vindictiveness;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Mercy;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Father;   Mercy;   War;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Devote, Devoted;   War, Holy War;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Father;   War;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jehoram;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Samaria;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Abba ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elisha;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Father;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Captive;   Elisha;  

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?"
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 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." 14So he sent horses and chariots and a powerful army there. They came by night and surrounded the city. 15The servant of the man of God got up early and went out, and behold, there was an army with horses and chariots encircling the city. Elisha's servant said to him, "Oh no, my master! What are we to do?" 16Elisha answered, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." 17Then Elisha prayed and said, "LORD, please, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servants eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire surrounding Elisha. 18When the Arameans came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Please strike this people (nation) with blindness." And God struck them with blindness, in accordance with Elisha's request. 19Then Elisha said to the Arameans, "This is not the way, nor is this the city. Follow me and I will lead you to the man whom you are seeking." And he led them to Samaria. 20When they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, "LORD, open the eyes of these men, so that they may see." And the LORD opened their eyes and they saw. Behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. 21When the king of Israel (Jehoram) saw them, he said to Elisha, "My father, shall I kill them? Shall I kill them?"22Elisha answered, "You shall not kill them. Would you kill those you have taken captive with your sword and bow? Serve them bread and water, so that they may eat and drink, and go back to their master [King Ben-hadad]."

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 prey for the raven When its young cry to God And wander about without food?
Job 40:20
"Surely the mountains bring him food, And all the wild animals play there.
Psalms 35:6
Let their way be dark and slippery, With the angel of the LORD pursuing and harassing them.
Psalms 136:25
Who gives food to all flesh, For His lovingkindness endures forever;
Psalms 145:16
You open Your hand And satisfy the desire of every living thing.
Psalms 147:9
He gives to the beast its food, And to the young ravens that for which they cry.
Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow [seed] nor reap [the harvest] nor gather [the crops] into barns, and yet your heavenly Father keeps feeding them. Are you not worth much more than they?

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.


 
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