The Meaning of 2 Kings 6:22 Explained

2 Kings 6:22

KJV: And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

YLT: And he saith, 'Thou dost not smite; those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow art thou smiting? set bread and water before them, and they eat, and drink, and go unto their lord.'

Darby: And he said, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

ASV: And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And he answered,  Thou shalt not smite  [them]: wouldest thou smite  those whom thou hast taken captive  with thy sword  and with thy bow?  set  bread  and water  before  them, that they may eat  and drink,  and go  to their master. 

What does 2 Kings 6:22 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 6:22 mean?

but he answered not You shall kill [them] would those whom you have taken captive with your sword and your bow you kill Set food and water before them that they may eat and drink and go to their master
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ ؟ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־ אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙  but  he  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
תַכֶּ֔ה  You  shall  kill  [them] 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר  would  those  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׁבִ֛יתָ  you  have  taken  captive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: שָׁבָה  
Sense: to take captive.
בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥  with  your  sword 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: חֶרֶב  
Sense: sword, knife.
؟ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖  and  your  bow 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קֶשֶׁת  
Sense: bow.
מַכֶּ֑ה  kill 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Participle, masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
שִׂים֩  Set 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שׂוּמָה 
Sense: to put, place, set, appoint, make.
לֶ֨חֶם  food 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
וָמַ֜יִם  and  water 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם  before  them 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙  that  they  may  eat 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָכַל  
Sense: to eat, devour, burn up, feed.
וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ  and  drink 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁתָה  
Sense: to drink.
וְיֵלְכ֖וּ  and  go 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם  their  master 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אָדֹון  
Sense: firm, strong, lord, master.