Lectionary Calendar
Saturday, June 21st, 2025
the Week of Proper 6 / Ordinary 11
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Easy-to-Read Version

2 Kings 6:21

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

13 The king of Aram said, "Find Elisha, and I will send men to catch him." The servants told the king of Aram, "Elisha is in Dothan." 14 Then the king of Aram sent horses, chariots, and a large army to Dothan. They arrived at night and surrounded the city. 15 Elisha's servant got up early that morning. When he went outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, "Oh, my master, what can we do?" 16 Elisha said, "Don't be afraid. The army that fights for us is larger than the army that fights for Aram." 17 Then Elisha prayed and said, " Lord , I ask you, open my servant's eyes so that he can see." The Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and the servant saw the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire. They were all around Elisha. 18 These horses and chariots of fire came down to Elisha. He prayed to the Lord and said, "I pray that you will cause these people to become blind." So God did what Elisha asked. He caused the Aramean army to become blind. 19 Elisha said to the Aramean army, "This is not the right way. This is not the right city. Follow me. I will lead you to the man you are looking for." Then Elisha led them to Samaria. 20 When they arrived at Samaria, Elisha said, " Lord , open the eyes of these men so that they can see." Then the Lord opened their eyes, and the Aramean army saw they were in the city of Samaria! 21 The king of Israel saw the Aramean army and said to Elisha, "My father, should I kill them? Should I kill them?" 22 Elisha answered, "No, don't kill them. They are not soldiers you captured in battle. Give them some bread and water. Let them eat and drink. Then let them go home to their leader."

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 feeds the ravens when their babies cry out to God and wander around without food?
Job 40:20
He eats the grass that grows on the hills where the wild animals play.
Psalms 35:6
Make their road dark and slippery. Let the Lord 's angel chase them.
Psalms 136:25
He provides food for all living things. His faithful love will last forever.
Psalms 145:16
You open your hands and give every living thing all that it needs.
Psalms 147:9
He gives food to the animals. He feeds the young birds that cry out.
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds. They don't plant, harvest, or save food in barns, but your heavenly Father feeds them. Don't you know you are worth much more than they are?

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.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile