The Meaning of 2 Kings 6:14 Explained

2 Kings 6:14

KJV: Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

YLT: And he sendeth thither horses and chariot, and a heavy force, and they come in by night, and go round against the city.

Darby: And he sent thither horses and chariots, and a great host, and they came by night and surrounded the city.

ASV: Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Therefore sent  he thither horses,  and chariots,  and a great  host:  and they came  by night,  and compassed  the city  about. 

What does 2 Kings 6:14 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 6:14-23 - Opened Eyes
This is an acted parable of extreme beauty and suggestiveness. First, the stroke of trouble-swift, unlooked for, and apparently insurmountable; then the vivid contrast between the despair of the man of this world and the undaunted faith of him to whom the unseen is as real as the visible, because he possesses the second-sight of faith. Faith visualizes the unseen and eternal. A good man's intercession will still obtain spiritual vision for those who are spiritually blind. For many whom we love we may breathe Elisha's prayer, 2 Kings 6:17. Notice that the last sentence of 2 Kings 6:19 in the r.v. begins with and. The objective of the Syrian army was the king of Israel, and Elisha led them to him.
The lesson of this narrative is the proximity of God's guardian hosts. They are a cordon of protection to His children. The mountain is full of them. Elisha had seen them convoy his master home; he never expected that he would have the honor of their care. We do not need more help than is already within reach, but we do need grace to see the things that are freely given to us of God, John 4:10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 6

1  Elisha, allowing the young prophets to enlarge dwellings, floats an axhead
8  He discloses the king of Syria's counsel
13  The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is blinded
19  Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace
24  The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children
30  The king sends to slay Elisha

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 6:14 mean?

Therefore he sent there horses and chariots and a army great and they came by night and surrounded on the city
וַיִּשְׁלַח־ שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־ הָעִֽיר

וַיִּשְׁלַח־  Therefore  he  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
סוּסִ֥ים  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
וְרֶ֖כֶב  and  chariots 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: רֶכֶב  
Sense: a team, chariot, chariotry, mill-stone, riders.
וְחַ֣יִל  and  a  army 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַיִל 
Sense: strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army.
כָּבֵ֑ד  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: heavy, great.
וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ  and  they  came 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: בֹּוא 
Sense: to go in, enter, come, go, come in.
לַ֔יְלָה  by  night 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לַיִל 
Sense: night.
וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ  and  surrounded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נָקַף 
Sense: to strike, strike off.
הָעִֽיר  the  city 
Parse: Article, Noun, feminine singular
Root: עִיר 
Sense: excitement, anguish.