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Monday, September 15th, 2025
the Week of Proper 19 / Ordinary 24
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Douay-Rheims Bible

2 Kings 3:15

But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, and he said:

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.
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.
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 Joram went out that day from Samaria, and mustered all Israel. 7 And he sent to Josaphat; king of Juda, saying: The king of Moab is revolted from me: come with me against him to battle. And he answered: I will come up: he that is mine, is thine: my people are thy people: and my horses, thy horses. 8 And he said: Which way shall we go up? But he answered: By the desert of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel, and the king of Juda, and the king of Edom, went, and they fetched a compass of seven days journey, and there was no water for the army, and for the beasts, that followed them. 10 And the king of Israel said: Alas, alas, alas, the Lord hath gathered us three kings together, to deliver us into the hands of Moab. 11 And Josaphat said: Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may beseech the Lord by him? And one of the servants of the king of Israel answered: Here is Eliseus, the son of Saphat, who poured water on the hands of Elias. 12 And Josaphat said: The word of the Lord is with him. And the king of Israel, and Josaphat, king of Juda, and the king of Edom, went down to him. 13 And Eliseus said to the king of Israel: What have I to do with thee? go to the prophets of thy father, and thy mother. And the king of Israel said to him: Why hath the Lord gathered together these three kings, to deliver them into the hands of Moab? 14 And Eliseus said to him: As the Lord of hosts liveth, in whose sight I stand, if I did not reverence the face of Josaphat, king of Juda, I would not have hearkened to thee, nor looked on thee. 15 But now bring me hither a minstrel. And when the minstrel played, the hand of the Lord came upon him, and he said:

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
Now the serpent was more subtle than any of the beasts of the earth which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman: Why hath God commanded you, that you should not eat of every tree of paradise?
Genesis 3:3
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of paradise, God hath commanded us that we should not eat; and that we should not touch it, lest perhaps we die.
Genesis 3:4
And the serpent said to the woman: No, you shall not die the death.
Genesis 3:6
And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat, and fair to the eyes, and delightful to behold: and she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave to her husband, who did eat.
Genesis 3:7
And the eyes of them both were opened: and when they perceived themselves to be naked, they sewed together fig leaves, and made themselves aprons.
Genesis 3:8
And when they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in paradise at the afternoon air, Adam and his wife hid themselves from the face of the Lord God, amidst the trees of paradise.
Genesis 3:10
And he said: I heard thy voice in paradise; and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.
Genesis 3:13
And the Lord God said to the woman: Why hast thou done this? And she answered: The serpent deceived me, and I did eat.
Genesis 3:14
And the Lord God said to the serpent: Because thou hast done this thing, thou art cursed among all cattle, and beasts of the earth: upon thy breast shalt thou go, and earth shalt thou eat all the days of thy life.
Genesis 3:15
I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel.

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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