2 Kings 6:21

Brenton's Septuagint

And the king of Israel said to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father?

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?

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

¹³ And he said, Go, see where this man is, and I will send and take him. And they sent word to him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothaim. ¹⁴ And he sent thither horses, and chariots, and a mighty host: and they came by night, and compassed about the city. ¹⁵ And the servant of Elisaie rose up early and went out; and, behold, a host compassed the city, and horses and chariots: and the servant said to him, O master, what shall we do? ¹⁶ And Elisaie said, Fear not, for they who are with us are more than they that are with them. ¹⁷ And Elisaie prayed, and said, Lord, open, I pray thee, the eyes of the servant, and let him see. And the Lord opened his eyes, and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses, and there were chariots of fire round about Elisaie. ¹⁸ And they came down to him; and he prayed to the Lord, and said, Smite, I pray thee, this people with blindness. And he smote them with blindness, according to the word of Elisaie. ¹⁹ And Elisaie said to them, This is not the city, and this is not the way: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. And he led them away to Samaria. ²⁰ And it came to pass when they entered into Samaria, that Elisaie said, Open, I pray thee, O Lord, their eyes, and let them 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 to Elisaie, when he saw them, Shall I not verily smite them, my father? ²² And he said, Thou shalt not smite them, unless thou wouldest smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow: set bread and water before them, and let them eat and drink, and depart to their master.

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
And who has prepared food for the raven? for its young ones wander and cry to the Lord, in search of food.

Job 40:20
But wilt thou catch the serpent with a hook, and put a halter about his nose?

Psalms 35:6
Let their way be dark and slippery, and an angel of the Lord persecuting them.

Psalms 136:25
Who gives food to all flesh; for his mercy endures for ever.

Psalms 145:16
Thou openest thine hands, and fillest every living thing with pleasure.

Psalms 147:9
and gives cattle their food, and to the young ravens that call upon him.

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.