Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
the Week of Proper 11 / Ordinary 16
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Read the Bible

King James Version (1611 Edition)

2 Kings 6:5

But as one was felling a beame, the axe head fell into the water: and hee cryed, and sayd, Alas master, for it was borrowed.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ax;   Thompson Chain Reference - Axes;   Bible Stories for Children;   Borrowing;   Business Life;   Children;   Credit System;   Home;   Pleasant Sunday Afternoons;   Religion;   Stories for Children;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Iron;   Water;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Craft workers;   Elisha;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Axe;   Beam;   Iron;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Axe;   Iron (2);   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ax, Ax Head;   Elisha;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Log;   Minerals and Metals;   Sons of the Prophets;   Tools;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Beam;   Jehoram;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Samaria;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Joram;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Borrow, to;   Elisha ;   Miracles;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Elisha;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Ax (Axe);   Beam;   Disciple;   Elisha;   Head;   Jehoahaz;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Axe;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Iron;   Metals;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water, and he cried out, “Oh, my master, it was borrowed!”
Hebrew Names Version
But as one was felling a beam, the ax-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
King James Version
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
English Standard Version
But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water, and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."
New Century Version
As one man was cutting down a tree, the head of his ax fell into the water. He yelled, "Oh, my master! I borrowed that ax!"
New English Translation
As one of them was felling a log, the ax head dropped into the water. He shouted, "Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!"
Amplified Bible
But it happened that as one was cutting down a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Oh no, my master! It was borrowed!"
New American Standard Bible
But it happened that as one of them was cutting down a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Oh, my master! It was borrowed!"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And as one was felling of a tree, the yron fell into the water: then he cryed, and said, Alas master, it was but borowed.
Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."
Contemporary English Version
While one of the prophets was working, his ax head fell off and dropped into the water. "Oh!" he shouted. "Sir, I borrowed this ax."
Complete Jewish Bible
but as one was felling a tree trunk, the head of his axe fell in the water. "Oh, no!" he cried. "My master, it was a borrowed one!"
Darby Translation
And it came to pass as one was felling a beam, that the iron fell into the water; and he cried and said, Alas, master, and it was borrowed!
Easy-to-Read Version
But when one man was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head slipped from the handle and fell into the water. He shouted, "Oh, master! I borrowed that ax!"
George Lamsa Translation
But as one of them was felling a beam, the axehead fell into the water; and he cried and said, I beseech you, my lord! it was borrowed by your servant.
Good News Translation
As one of them was cutting down a tree, suddenly his iron ax head fell in the water. "What shall I do, sir?" he exclaimed to Elisha. "It was a borrowed ax!"
Lexham English Bible
It happened as the one was felling the log, that the iron ax fell into the water. He called out and said, "Oh, no! My master, it was borrowed!"
Literal Translation
And it happened that one was felling the log, and the iron fell into the water. And he cried out and said, Alas, my lord! For it was borrowed.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And as one was fellynge downe a tre, the yron fell in to the water, and he cried and sayde: Alas my lorde, & it is burowed.
American Standard Version
But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
Bible in Basic English
But one of them, while cutting a board, let the head of his axe go into the water; and he gave a cry, and said, This is a bad business, my master, for it is another's.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
But it fortuned, that as one was felling downe of a tree, the axe head fell into the water: And he cryed, and saide, Alas maister, it was lent me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said: 'Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.'
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And behold, one was cutting down a beam, and the axe head fell into the water: and he cried out, Alas! master: and it was hidden.
English Revised Version
But as one was felling a beam, the axe–head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
Berean Standard Bible
As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. "Oh, my master," he cried out, "it was borrowed!"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli it bifelde, that whanne `o man hadde kit doun mater, the yrun of the axe felde in to the watir; and he criede, and seide, Alas! alas! alas! my lord, and Y hadde take this same thing bi borewing.
Young's Literal Translation
and it cometh to pass, the one is felling the beam, and the iron hath fallen into the water, and he crieth and saith, `Alas! my lord, and it asked!'
Update Bible Version
But as one was felling a beam, the ax-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
Webster's Bible Translation
But as one was felling a beam, the ax head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
World English Bible
But as one was felling a beam, the ax-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said, Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.
New King James Version
But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, master! For it was borrowed."
New Living Translation
But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. "Oh, sir!" he cried. "It was a borrowed ax!"
New Life Bible
But as one of them was cutting a tree, the ax head fell into the water. The man cried out, "It is bad, sir! The ax belongs to another man, and I was to return it."
New Revised Standard
But as one was felling a log, his ax head fell into the water; he cried out, "Alas, master! It was borrowed."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And it came to pass, as one was felling a branch, that, the axe-head, fell into the water, so he made outcry and said - Alas! my lord, for, it, was borrowed!
Douay-Rheims Bible
And it happened, as one was felling some timber, that the head of the ax fell into the water: and he cried out, and said: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, for this same was borrowed.
Revised Standard Version
But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water; and he cried out, "Alas, my master! It was borrowed."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, "Alas, my master! For it was borrowed."

Contextual Overview

1 And the sonnes of the Prophets saide vnto Elisha, Beholde now, the place where wee dwell with thee, is too strait for vs: 2 Let vs goe, wee pray thee, vnto Iordane, and take thence euery man a beame, and let vs make vs a place there where we may dwell. And hee answered, Goe ye. 3 And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and goe with thy seruants. And he answered, I will goe. 4 So hee went with them: and when they came to Iordane, they cut downe wood. 5 But as one was felling a beame, the axe head fell into the water: and hee cryed, and sayd, Alas master, for it was borrowed. 6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? and hee shewed him the place: and he cut downe a sticke, and cast it in thither, and the yron did swimme. 7 Therefore said he, Take it vp to thee: And hee put out his hand, and tooke it.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

ax head: Heb. iron, Ecclesiastes 10:10, Isaiah 10:34

master: 2 Kings 6:15, 2 Kings 3:10, Revelation 18:10, Revelation 18:16, Revelation 18:19

for it was borrowed: 2 Kings 4:7, Exodus 22:14, Exodus 22:15, Psalms 37:21

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 19:5 - head

Cross-References

Genesis 6:1
And it came to passe, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were borne vnto them:
Genesis 6:3
And the LORD said, My Spirit shall not alwayes striue with man; for that hee also is flesh: yet his dayes shalbe an hundred and twenty yeeres.
Genesis 6:4
There were Giants in the earth in those daies: and also after that, when the sonnes of God came in vnto the daughters of men, & they bare children to them; the same became mightie men, which were of old, men of renowme.
Genesis 6:9
These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a iust man, and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.
Genesis 6:19
And of euery liuing thing of all flesh, two of euery sort shalt thou bring into the Arke, to keepe them aliue with thee: they shall be male and female.
Genesis 6:20
Of fowles after their kinde, and of cattel after their kinde: of euery creeping thing of the earth after his kinde, two of euery sort shall come vnto thee, to keepe them aliue.
Genesis 6:21
And take thou vnto thee of all food that is eaten, and thou shalt gather it to thee; and it shall be for food, for thee, and for them.
Genesis 8:21
And the LORD smelled a sweete sauour, and the LORD said in his heart, I will not againe curse the ground any more for mans sake; for the imagination of mans heart is euil from his youth: neither will I againe smite any more euery thing liuing, as I haue done.
Genesis 13:13
But the men of Sodome were wicked, and sinners before the LORD exceedingly.
Deuteronomy 29:19
And it come to passe when he heareth the wordes of this curse, that hee blesse himselfe in his heart, saying, I shall haue peace, though I walke in the imagination of mine heart, to adde drunkennesse to thirst:

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But as one was felling a beam,.... Cutting down a tree, or a branch of it:

the axe head fell into the water: into the waters of Jordan; or "the iron" d, the iron part of it, with which the wood was cut; that flew off from the helve into the water:

and he cried, and said, alas, master! for it was borrowed: it grieved him to lose his axe, because he could do no more work, and the more because it was not his own, but he had borrowed it of his neighbour; and still more, because, as it seems, he was poor, and not able to pay for it, which, being of an honest disposition, gave him distress.

d הברזל "ferrum", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The ax head - literally, as in the margin. The Jews used iron for the heads of axes at a very early date (see Deuteronomy 19:5). They probably acquired a knowledge of the smelting process in Egypt, where iron was employed at least from the time of the third Rameses.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Kings 6:5. Alas, master! for it was borrowed. — אהה אדני והוא שאול ahah adonia, vehu shaul! Ah! ah, my master; and it has been sought. It has fallen in, and I have sought it in vain. Or, it was borrowed, and therefore I am the more afflicted for its loss; and Jarchi adds, I have nothing wherewith to repay it.


 
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