Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, August 27th, 2025
the Week of Proper 16 / Ordinary 21
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Douay-Rheims Bible

2 Kings 6:15

And the servant of the man of God, rising early went out, and saw an army round about the city, and horses and chariots: and he told him, saying: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, what shall we do?

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Clairvoyance;   Dothan;   Israel;   Joram;   Samaria;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;   Thompson Chain Reference - Elisha;   Host;   Righteous-Wicked;   Worldly;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Horses;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Elisha;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Dothan;   Servant;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Ben-Hadad;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Dothan;   Jehoram;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Samaria;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elisha;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Jehoash;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When the servant of the man of God got up early and went out, he discovered an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. So he asked Elisha, “Oh, my master, what are we to do?”
Hebrew Names Version
When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
King James Version
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
English Standard Version
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
New Century Version
Elisha's servant got up early, and when he went out, he saw an army with horses and chariots all around the city. The servant said to Elisha, "Oh, my master, what can we do?"
New English Translation
The prophet's attendant got up early in the morning. When he went outside there was an army surrounding the city, along with horses and chariots. He said to Elisha, "Oh no, my master! What will we do?"
Amplified Bible
The servant of the man of God got up early and went out, and behold, there was an army with horses and chariots encircling the city. Elisha's servant said to him, "Oh no, my master! What are we to do?"
New American Standard Bible
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "This is hopeless, my master! What are we to do?"
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the seruant of the man of God arose earely to goe out, beholde, an hoste compassed the citie with horses and charets. Then his seruant sayde vnto him, Alas master, howe shall we doe?
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the attendant of the man of God arose early and went out, and behold, a military force with horses and chariots was all around the city. And his young man said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
Contemporary English Version
When Elisha's servant got up the next morning, he saw that Syrian troops had the town surrounded. "Sir, what are we going to do?" he asked.
Complete Jewish Bible
The servant of the man of God got up early in the morning; on going outside, he saw an army with horses and chariots surrounding the city. His servant said to him, "Oh, my master, this is terrible! What are we going to do?"
Darby Translation
And when the attendant of the man of God rose early and went forth, behold, an army surrounded the city, with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
Easy-to-Read Version
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?"
George Lamsa Translation
And when the servant of the prophet of God arose early and went out, behold, an army surrounded the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! what shall we do?
Good News Translation
Early the next morning Elisha's servant got up, went out of the house, and saw the Syrian troops with their horses and chariots surrounding the town. He went back to Elisha and exclaimed, "We are doomed, sir! What shall we do?"
Lexham English Bible
The attendant of the man of God arose early and went out, and look, the army was surrounding the city with horses and chariots. His servant said to him, "Oh no, my master! What shall we do?"
Literal Translation
And the servant of the man of God rose up early and went out. And, behold, an army was surrounding the city, and horses and chariots. And his young man said to him, Alas, my lord! What shall we do?
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And the mynister of the ma of God arose early to get him vp. And as he wete forth, beholde, there laye an hoost of men aboute ye cite with horses and charettes. Then saide his childe vnto him: Alas syr, how wyll we now do?
American Standard Version
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
Bible in Basic English
Now the servant of the man of God, having got up early and gone out, saw an army with horses and carriages of war all round the town. And the servant said to him, O my master, what are we to do?
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the seruaunt of the man of God rose vp early to go out: beholde, there was an hoast rounde about the towne with horses & charets: And his seruaunt sayde vnto him, Alas maister, what shall we do?
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him: 'Alas, my master! how shall we do?'
King James Version (1611)
And when the seruant of the man of God was risen early and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the citie, both with horses and charets: and his seruant said vnto him, Alas my master, how shall we doe?
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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?
English Revised Version
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
Berean Standard Bible
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early in the morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. So he asked Elisha, "Oh, my master, what are we to do?"
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Sotheli the mynystre of the man of God roos eerli, and yede out, and he siy an oost in the cumpas of the citee, and horsis, and charis. And he telde to the man of God, and seide, Alas! alas! alas! my lord, what schulen we do?
Young's Literal Translation
And the servant of the man of God riseth early, and goeth out, and lo, a force is surrounding the city, and horse and chariot, and his young man saith unto him, `Alas! my lord, how do we do?'
Update Bible Version
And when the minister of the man of God had risen early, and gone forth, look, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And servant said to him, Alas, my master! what shall we do?
Webster's Bible Translation
And when the servant of the man of God had risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
World English Bible
When the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. His servant said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
New King James Version
And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
New Living Translation
When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. "Oh, sir, what will we do now?" the young man cried to Elisha.
New Life Bible
The servant of the man of God got up early and went out. And he saw an army with horses and war-wagons around the city. The servant said to Elisha, "It is bad, sir! What should we do?"
New Revised Standard
When an attendant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. His servant said, "Alas, master! What shall we do?"
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And, when the attendant of the man of God arose early and went forth, lo! a force surrounding the city, with horses and chariots. Then said his young man unto him - Alas! my lord, what shall we do?
Revised Standard Version
When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was round about the city. And the servant said, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"
THE MESSAGE
Early in the morning a servant of the Holy Man got up and went out. Surprise! Horses and chariots surrounding the city! The young man exclaimed, "Oh, master! What shall we do?"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?"

Contextual Overview

13 And he said to them: Go, and see where he is: that I may send and take him. And they told him: saying: Behold he is in Dothan. 14 Therefore, he sent thither horses, and chariots, and the strength of an army: and they came by night, and beset the city. 15 And the servant of the man of God, rising early went out, and saw an army round about the city, and horses and chariots: and he told him, saying: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, what shall we do? 16 But he answered: Fear not: for there are more with us than with them. 17 And Eliseus prayed, and said: Lord, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the servant, and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses, and chariots of fire round about Eliseus. 18 And the enemies came down to him: but Eliseus prayed to the Lord, saying: Strike, I beseech thee, this people with blindness: and the Lord struck them with blindness, according to the word of Eliseus. 19 And Eliseus said to them: This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will shew you the man whom you seek. So he led them into Samaria. 20 And when they were come into Samaria, Eliseus said: Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw themselves to be in the midst of Samaria. 21 And the king of Israel said to Eliseus, when he saw them: My father, shall I kill them? 22 And he said: Thou shalt not kill them: for thou didst not take them with thy sword, or thy bow, that thou mayst kill them: but set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

servant: or, minister, 2 Kings 3:11, 2 Kings 5:20, 2 Kings 5:27, Exodus 24:13, 1 Kings 19:21, Matthew 20:26-28, Acts 13:5

Alas: 2 Kings 6:5, 2 Chronicles 20:12, Psalms 53:5, Matthew 8:26

Reciprocal: Leviticus 25:20 - General 2 Samuel 24:14 - I am in 1 Chronicles 21:13 - I am in Psalms 3:6 - I will Psalms 27:3 - host Matthew 14:30 - when Luke 11:34 - but 2 Peter 1:21 - in old time Revelation 20:9 - and compassed

Cross-References

Genesis 7:20
The water was fifteen cubits higher than the mountains which it covered.
Deuteronomy 3:11
For only Og king of Basan remained of the race of the giants. His bed of iron is shewn, which is in Rabbath of the children of Ammon, being nine cubits long, and four broad after the measure of the cubit of a man’s hand.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth,.... Either out of his master's house, or out of the city upon some business to be done early in the morning; this was not Gehazi, but a new servant:

behold, an host compassed the city, both with horses and chariots; which he could see at the door of his master's house, the city being built upon an eminence; or which he perceived, as soon as he came out of the gates of the city, or was about so to do:

and his servant said unto him; Elisha being with him; or else he returned to his master on the sight of such an army, and not being able to go forward:

alas, my master! how shall we do? to get out of the city, and through this host, and proceed on our intended journey; and if he understood that the intention of this formidable host was to take his master, his concern might be the greater; and the more as he was a new servant, and not so well acquainted with his master's being possessed of a power of doing miracles.


 
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