Miracles of the Prophets Table

6:1 the sons of the prophets See note on 2:3.

6:6 the man of God Refers to Elisha. Compare note on 1:9.

6:8 at such and such a place The Hebrew phrase used here refers to both unnamed places (1 Sam 21:2) and people (Ruth 4:1). The author withholds this information either because he does not have it or because he wants to emphasize something other than historical data.

6:9 the man of God See 2 Kings 1:9 and note.

6:13 in Dothan Fourteen miles (22 kilometers) north of Shechem (modern-day Nablus). Dothan was situated near the mountain road that ran through the Jezreel Valley.

6:16 Don’t be afraid This Hebrew phrase functions as the opening to prophecies of salvation throughout the ot (e.g., Gen 15:1; Isa 41:10; Lam 3:57).

6:17 the mountain The Hebrew word used here, har, can be translated as “mountain” or “hill.” It most likely indicates the high point inside the city from which Elisha and the servant can see the opposing army (2 Kings 6:15).

horses and chariots of fire Fire is often association with the divine presence. Chariots and horses of fire appeared when Elijah was taken into heaven (2:11).

6:18 They came down to him The city of Dothan was built on high ground, so the army is coming down in a metaphorical, hostile sense (compare 1 Sam 17:8).

Elisha had spoken The Hebrew term devar means the “word” or “matter” of Elisha.

6:19 I will bring you to the man whom you seek Although the Syrian troops are commissioned to capture Elisha, he leads them instead to the king of Israel (compare 2 Kings 6:13–14).

to Samaria Capital city of Israel (the northern kingdom); located roughly 12 miles south of Dothan.

6:21 father In the ot, the Hebrew word used here, av, is sometimes applied to a leader (see 2:12 and note). By using it here, the king shows respect toward Elisha.

6:23 a great feast This seems to stand in tension with his command to give the captives bread; he didn’t say to have a feast.

did not come again into the land of Israel This story could have occurred chronologically after Israel’s later military conflicts with Aram (Syria; see note on vv. 8–23) or this line could refer to a short period of peace between Israel and Aram

Famines in the Bible Table

6:24 Ben-Hadad king of Aram Ben-hadad, meaning “son of [the god] Hadad,” was the name of more than one king. This section appears to reference the same person who was King Ahab of Israel’s enemy (1 Kgs 20) and the same person the narrative of 2 Kgs 8:7–15 is about.

Samaria Capital of the northern kingdom of Israel.

6:25 until the head of a donkey went for eighty The extreme survival measures taken by the residents of Samaria—paying exorbitant prices for things usually discarded—attest to the effectiveness of the siege.

6:26 called out The Hebrew word used here is a legal term of appeal to a chief arbiter (compare 2 Sam 14:4–5; 2 Kgs 8:3).

6:29 she had hidden her son The woman’s horrific story is characteristic of texts describing cities under siege in biblical and other ancient Near Eastern literature (compare Deut 28:52–57; Lam 2:20; 4:10; Ezek 5:10).

6:30 he tore his clothes A gesture of grief.

6:31 the head of Elisha The king blames Elisha for the siege.

6:32 the elders were sitting with him The Hebrew phrase used here implies that the city elders, like the prophets mentioned earlier, are learning from Elisha (2 Kgs 4:38; 6:1) or acting as his disciples (Ezek 8:1; 14:1; 20:1).

6:33 Why should I wait for Yahweh any longer? Expresses a lack of hope for Yahweh’s deliverance (compare Pss 42:11; 43:5; 130:5; Lam 3:21, 24).