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Sunday, July 13th, 2025
the Week of Proper 10 / Ordinary 15
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Easy-to-Read Version

2 Kings 3:15

But now bring me someone who plays the harp." When the person played the harp, the Lord 's power came on Elisha.

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.
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But now bryng me a minstrell. And when the minstrell played, the hand of the Lorde came vpon 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 Then King Joram went out of Samaria and gathered together all the men of Israel. 7 Joram sent messengers to Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah. Joram said, "The king of Moab has broken away from my rule. Will you go with me to fight against Moab?" Jehoshaphat said, "Yes, I will go with you. We will join together as one army. My people will be like your people, and my horses will be like your horses." 8 Jehoshaphat asked Joram, "Which way should we go?" Joram answered, "We should go through the desert of Edom." 9 So the king of Israel went with the king of Judah and the king of Edom. They traveled around for seven days. There was not enough water for the army or for their animals. 10 Finally, the king of Israel said, "Oh, I think the Lord really brought us three kings together only to let the Moabites defeat us!" 11 But Jehoshaphat said, "Surely one of the Lord 's prophets is here. Let's ask the prophet what the Lord says we should do." One of the servants of the king of Israel said, "Elisha son of Shaphat is here. Elisha was Elijah's servant." 12 Jehoshaphat said, "The Lord 's word is with Elisha." So the king of Israel, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom went down to see Elisha. 13 Elisha said to the king of Israel, "What do you want from me? Go to the prophets of your father and mother." The king of Israel said to Elisha, "No, we have come to see you because the Lord called us three kings together to let the Moabites defeat us." 14 Elisha said, "I respect King Jehoshaphat of Judah, and I serve the Lord All-Powerful. As surely as he lives, I came here only because of Jehoshaphat. I tell you the truth, if he were not here, I would not pay any attention to you. I would ignore you completely. 15 But now bring me someone who plays the harp." When the person played the harp, the Lord 's power came on Elisha.

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
The snake was the most clever of all the wild animals that the Lord God had made. The snake spoke to the woman and said, "Woman, did God really tell you that you must not eat from any tree in the garden?"
Genesis 3:3
But there is one tree we must not eat from. God told us, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden. You must not even touch that tree, or you will die.'"
Genesis 3:4
But the snake said to the woman, "You will not die.
Genesis 3:6
The woman could see that the tree was beautiful and the fruit looked so good to eat. She also liked the idea that it would make her wise. So she took some of the fruit from the tree and ate it. Her husband was there with her, so she gave him some of the fruit, and he ate it.
Genesis 3:7
Then it was as if their eyes opened, and they saw things differently. They saw that they were naked. So they got some fig leaves, sewed them together, and wore them for clothes.
Genesis 3:8
During the cool part of the day, the Lord God was walking in the garden. The man and the woman heard him, and they hid among the trees in the garden.
Genesis 3:10
The man said, "I heard you walking in the garden, and I was afraid. I was naked, so I hid."
Genesis 3:13
Then the Lord God said to the woman, "What have you done?" She said, "The snake tricked me, so I ate the fruit."
Genesis 3:14
So the Lord God said to the snake, "You did this very bad thing, so bad things will happen to you. It will be worse for you than for any other animal. You must crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life.
Genesis 3:15
I will make you and the woman enemies to each other. Your children and her children will be enemies. You will bite her child's foot, but he will crush your head."

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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