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Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Bishop's Bible

2 Kings 3:15

But now bryng me a minstrell. And when the minstrell played, the hand of the Lorde came vpon him:

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Moabites;   Prophets;   Thompson Chain Reference - Jehoshaphat;   Music;   Musicians;   Players on Instruments;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Music;   Prophets;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Mesha;   Music;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Moab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Hand, Right Hand;   Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Jehoram;   Jehoshaphat;   Minstrel;   Moabite Stone;   Music;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Dibon;   Hand;   Minstrel;   Music;   Prophet;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ecstasy;   Elisha;   Inquire of God;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Kir-Hareseth;   Mahol;   Mesha;   Oracles;   Power;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Edom, Edomites;   Elisha;   Holy Spirit;   Jehoshaphat;   Medeba;   Mesha;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Joram, Jehoram;   Mesha ;   Minstrel;   Moab, Moabites ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Kirharaseth;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Armor;   Arms;   Jehoshaphat;   Mesha;   Moab;   Samaria;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;   Minstrel;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - David;   Elisha;   Hand;   Mad;   Music;   Prophecy;   Revelation;   Saul;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Anger;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Now, bring me a musician.”
Hebrew Names Version
But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came on him.
King James Version
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
English Standard Version
But now bring me a musician." And when the musician played, the hand of the Lord came upon him.
New Century Version
Now bring me someone who plays the harp." While the harp was being played, the Lord gave Elisha power.
New English Translation
But now, get me a musician." When the musician played, the Lord energized him,
Amplified Bible
"But now bring me a musician." And it came about while the musician played, that the hand (power) of the LORD came upon Elisha.
New American Standard Bible
"But now bring me a musician." And it came about, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But nowe bring me a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came vpon him.
Legacy Standard Bible
So now bring me a musician." And it came about, when the musician played, that the hand of Yahweh came upon him.
Contemporary English Version
Then Elisha said, "Send for someone who can play the harp." The harpist began playing, and the Lord gave Elisha this message for Joram:
Complete Jewish Bible
But now, bring me a musician." As the musician played, the hand of Adonai fell on Elisha;
Darby Translation
And now fetch me a minstrel. And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah was upon him.
Easy-to-Read Version
But now bring me someone who plays the harp." When the person played the harp, the Lord 's power came on Elisha.
George Lamsa Translation
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Good News Translation
Now get me a musician." As the musician played his harp, the power of the Lord came on Elisha,
Lexham English Bible
But now, bring me a musician." It happened that at the moment the musician played, the hand of Yahweh came upon him.
Literal Translation
And now, bring a minstrel to me. And it happened when the minstrel played, the hand of Jehovah was on him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
So bringe me now a mynstrell. And whan the mynstrell played vpo the instrument, the hande of the LORDE came vpo him.
American Standard Version
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him.
Bible in Basic English
But now, get me a player of music, and it will come about that while the man is playing, the hand of the Lord will come on me and I will give you the word of the Lord: and they got a player of music, and while the man was playing, the hand of the Lord was on him.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But now bring me a minstrel.' And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
King James Version (1611)
But now bring me a minstrell. And it came to passe when the minstrell played, that the hand of the Lord came vpon him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And now fetch me a harper. And it came to pass, as the harper harped, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
English Revised Version
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
Berean Standard Bible
But now, bring me a harpist." And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Now forsothe brynge ye to me a sautrere. And whanne the sautrere song, the hond of the Lord was maad on hym, and he seide, The Lord seith these thingis,
Young's Literal Translation
and now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is on him,
Update Bible Version
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him.
Webster's Bible Translation
But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
World English Bible
But now bring me a minstrel. It happened, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Yahweh came on him.
New King James Version
But now bring me a musician." Then it happened, when the musician played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
New Living Translation
Now bring me someone who can play the harp." While the harp was being played, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha,
New Life Bible
But now bring me a man who plays music." And when the man played music, the power of the Lord came upon Elisha.
New Revised Standard
But get me a musician." And then, while the musician was playing, the power of the Lord came on him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But, now, bring me one that can touch the strings. For it used to be, when the player touched the strings, then would, the hand of Yahweh, be upon him.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, and he said:
Revised Standard Version
But now bring me a minstrel." And when the minstrel played, the power of the LORD came upon him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"But now bring me a minstrel." And it came about, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

Contextual Overview

6 And king Iehoram went out of Samaria the same season, and numbred all Israel: 7 And went, & sent to Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, saying: The king of Moab hath rebelled against me, wilt thou come with me against Moab in battell? He aunswered, I will come vp: for as I am, so art thou: and as my people be, so are thy people: & thy horses, as myne. 8 And he saide: What way shall we go vp? And he aunswered: The way through the wildernesse of Edom. 9 And so the king of Israel toke his iourney, and the king of Iuda, and the king of Edom: And when they had compassed the way seuen dayes, they had no water for the hoast, and for the cattayle that folowed them. 10 And the king of Israel saide: Alas, the Lorde hath called these three kinges together, to deliuer them ouer into the hande of Moab. 11 But Iehosaphat said: Is there not here a prophete of the Lorde, that we maye enquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israels seruauntes aunswered and saide: Here is Elisa the sonne of Saphat, which powred water on the handes of Elias. 12 And Iehosaphat saide: The word of the Lorde is with him. And so the king of Israel, & Iehosaphat, and the king of Edom went downe to him. 13 And Elias saide vnto the king of Israel: What haue I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophetes of thy father, & to the prophetes of thy mother. And the king of Israel saide vnto him, Oh naye: for the Lorde hath called these three kinges together, to deliuer them into the hand of Moab. 14 And Elias saide: As the Lorde of hoastes liueth, in whose sight I stande, and it were not that I regarde the presence of Iehosaphat the king of Iuda, I would not loke towarde thee, nor yet see thee. 15 But now bryng me a minstrell. And when the minstrell played, the hand of the Lorde came vpon him:

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

bring me: This was evidently intended to soothe and tranquillize the prophet's mind, which had been agitated and discomposed with holy indignation by the presence of the idolatrous king, and the recollection of his abomination. The soothing influence of music is generally acknowledged in every civilized nation. 1 Samuel 10:5, 1 Samuel 16:23, 1 Samuel 18:10, 1 Chronicles 25:2, 1 Chronicles 25:3, Ephesians 5:18, Ephesians 5:19

the hand: 1 Kings 18:46, Ezekiel 1:3, Ezekiel 3:14, Ezekiel 3:22, Ezekiel 8:1, Acts 11:21

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 16:16 - play 2 Samuel 6:5 - David 2 Kings 4:13 - to the king 1 Chronicles 13:8 - David 1 Chronicles 25:1 - prophesy Hosea 9:8 - with

Cross-References

Genesis 3:1
And the serpent was suttiller then euery beast of the fielde which ye lord God hadde made, and he sayde vnto the woman: yea, hath God saide, ye shall not eate of euery tree of the garden?
Genesis 3:3
But as for the fruite of the tree which is in the myddes of the garden, God hath sayde, ye shall not eate of it, neither shal ye touche of it, lest peraduenture ye dye.
Genesis 3:4
And the serpent sayde vnto the woman: ye shall not dye the death.
Genesis 3:6
And so the woman, seing that the same tree was good to eate of, and pleasaunt to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, toke of the fruite therof, and dyd eate, and gaue also vnto her husbande beyng with her, and he dyd eate.
Genesis 3:7
Then the eyes of them both were opened, and they knewe that they were naked, and they sowed fygge leaues together, & made them selues apernes.
Genesis 3:8
And they heard the voyce of the Lord God, walkyng in the garden in ye coole of the day: and Adam and his wyfe hyd themselues from the presence of the lord God amongst ye trees of the garden.
Genesis 3:10
Which sayde: I hearde thy voyce in the garden, and was afrayde because I was naked, and hyd my selfe.
Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God sayd vnto the woman: Why hast thou done this? And the woman sayde: the serpent begyled me, and I dyd eate.
Genesis 3:14
And the lord god said vnto ye serpent: Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed aboue all cattel, and aboue euery beast of the fielde: vpon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eate all the dayes of thy lyfe.
Genesis 3:15
I wyll also put enmitie betweene thee & the woman, betweene thy seede and her seede: and it shall treade downe thy head, and thou shalt treade vpon his heele.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But now bring me a minstrel,.... A piper, a man that knows how to play upon the harp, as the Targum; according to Procopius Gazaeus, this was one of the Levites he ordered to be fetched, who was used to the spiritual melody of David, and could play on musical instruments as he directed. This he did to allay his passion, and compose his spirits, ruffled at the sight of Jehoram, and to fit him to receive prophetic inspiration, which sometimes came upon the Lord's prophets when thus employed, see 1 Samuel 10:5. Some think h the music the prophet called for is that sort the Greeks call "harmony", which is the gravest and saddest, and settles the affections:

and it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him; the spirit of prophecy, as the Targum, which came by the power of God, and as a gift from his hand.

h Weemse's Christ. Synagog. l. 1. c. 6. sect. 4. p. 143.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Music seems to have been a regular accompaniment of prophecy in the “schools of the prophets” (marginal reference), and an occasional accompaniment of it elsewhere Exodus 15:20.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 3:15. Bring me a minstrel. — A person who played on the harp. The rabbins, and many Christians, suppose that Elisha's mind was considerably irritated and grieved by the bad behaviour of the young men at Beth-el, and their tragical end, and by the presence of the idolatrous king of Israel; and therefore called for Divine psalmody, that it might calm his spirits, and render him more susceptible of the prophetic influence. To be able to discern the voice of God, and the operation of his hand, it is necessary that the mind be calm, and the passions all in harmony, under the direction of reason; that reason may be under the influence of the Divine Spirit.

The hand of the Lord came upon him. — The playing of the harper had the desired effect; his mind was calmed, and the power of God descended upon him. This effect of music was generally acknowledged in every civilized nation. Cicero, in his Tusculan Questions, lib. iv., says, that "the Pythagoreans were accustomed to calm their minds, and soothe their passions, by singing and playing upon the harp." Pythagoraei mentes suas a cogitationum intentione cantu fidibusque ad tranquillitatem traducebant. I have spoken elsewhere of the heathen priests who endeavoured to imitate the true prophets, and were as actually filled with the devil as the others were with the true God. The former were thrown into violent agitations and contortions by the influence of the demons which possessed them, while the latter were in a state of the utmost serenity and composure.


 
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