The Meaning of 2 Kings 6:24 Explained

2 Kings 6:24

KJV: And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

YLT: And it cometh to pass afterwards, that Ben-Hadad king of Aram gathereth all his camp, and goeth up, and layeth siege to Samaria,

Darby: And it came to pass after this that Ben-Hadad king of Syria gathered all his army, and went up and besieged Samaria.

ASV: And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And it came to pass after this,  that Benhadad  king  of Syria  gathered  all his host,  and went up,  and besieged  Samaria. 

What does 2 Kings 6:24 Mean?

Verse Meaning

Aram"s cessation of hostilities ended after some time ( 2 Kings 6:1-213; cf. 2 Kings 6:23), perhaps between845,841 B.C. [1] The famine in Samaria, and the siege that caused it, were punishments from the Lord for Israel"s apostasy (cf. Leviticus 26:27-29; Deuteronomy 28:52-53; Deuteronomy 28:57; 2 Kings 6:17-203). "Dove"s dung" ( 2 Kings 6:25) is probably a better translation of the Hebrew word hiryyownim than "seed pods" (NIV). [2] The two mothers who approached King Jehoram recall the two mothers who asked King Solomon for justice ( 1 Kings 3:16-28), but now the situation was more serious. Individuals could always appeal directly to the king. [3] Yahweh forced Jehoram to acknowledge His superiority over him ( 2 Kings 6:27), but the king did not submit to God"s authority. The Mosaic Law had warned of the extreme distress the Israelites were experiencing ( 2 Kings 6:29; cf. Leviticus 26:29; Deuteronomy 28:53). The sackcloth Jehoram wore represented repentance, but that repentance was very superficial ( 2 Kings 6:30; cf. 2 Kings 6:31; 2 Kings 6:33). As Jezebel had threatened to kill Elijah, her son now threatened Elisha ( 2 Kings 6:31; cf. 1 Kings 19:2).
Jehoram planned to murder Elisha as his father Ahab had murdered Naboth ( 2 Kings 6:32; cf. 1 Kings 21:1-16). He also grew impatient with the Lord, as Saul had grown impatient with Samuel ( 2 Kings 6:33; cf. 1 Samuel 15:11). We see the king"s real wickedness in his behavior.
Jehoram"s officer did not believe Yahweh could, much less would, do what Elisha predicted ( 2 Kings 7:1-2). In this he represented many others in Israel who had abandoned Yahweh for Baal. A "measure" (Heb. seah) of flour amounted to about seven quarts.
The four lepers likewise represented many in Israel whose hopeless destiny was death because of their uncleanness ( 2 Kings 6:3). They were, however, the undeserving recipients of God"s grace. They became the source of blessing (life) to others when they reported what God had graciously provided for all the hopeless Samaritans ( 2 Kings 6:9-10). Understandably many preachers have used them as examples of sinners saved by grace.
God dispersed the besieging Aramean army supernaturally ( 2 Kings 6:6; cf. 2 Kings 2:11; 2 Kings 6:17). He accomplished this deliverance through no work of those whom He saved.
Rather than asking Elisha what was going on ( 2 Kings 6:12; cf. 2 Kings 6:21) Jehoram relied on his own Wisdom of Solomon , but that gave him no comfort. The writer concluded this story by emphasizing the judgment the royal officer experienced for his unbelief ( 1711656932_93). His fate, as God had previously announced, happened exactly as predicted ( 2 Kings 6:17-18). Such would be the destiny of all in Israel who refused to believe what God had said in His Law and through His prophets.
Chapter7 is one of many sections in Scripture composed in a chiastic literary structure that stresses a particular point in the story. We could outline this story as follows.
AThe royal officer"s unbelief 1711656932_3 aBElisha"s prediction of relief 2 Kings 6:2 bCThe lepers" decision 2 Kings 6:3-5DYahweh"s salvation 2 Kings 6:6C"The leper"s deliverance 2 Kings 6:7-10B"The fulfillment of Elisha"s prediction 2 Kings 6:11-15A"The royal officer"s judgment 2 Kings 6:16-20
This structure emphasizes the central element, Yahweh"s salvation, and teaches other lessons in concentric circles of significance. These points include the role of the lepers in bringing news of deliverance to the doomed Samaritans. They were evangelists in the truest sense: heralds of good news. The value of God"s revelation is another lesson, as is the folly of rejecting that revelation.

Context Summary

2 Kings 6:24-33 - The Dire Straits Of Those Who Forsake God
This siege was the result of Ahab's foolish and misplaced leniency. See 1 Kings 20:42. The children are often called to suffer for the misdeeds and follies of their parents. Let us bear this in mind. "No man liveth to himself." Conduct yourself so that none may be offended through long years after you have passed from earth.
Apparently Elisha had counseled the king not to surrender, with the further assurance of deliverance on condition of his repentance. Jehoram therefore assumed the signs of penitence and contrition without the reality; and when the promised deliverance was not forthcoming, he put the blame of Israel's calamities on the prophet, and vowed vengeance against his life. The elders were gathered with Elisha, perhaps for prayer, when Elisha apprised them of the advent of the king's messenger, with his announcement of the royal determination not to wait for God any longer. The trial of our patience is more precious than of gold, but how few of us can endure it! [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 6:24 mean?

And it came to pass after this that gathered in Ben-hadad king of Syria - all his army and went up and besieged on Samaria
וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־ כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־ הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־ אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־ כָּל־ מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן

וַֽיְהִי֙  And  it  came  to  pass 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
אַחֲרֵי־  after 
Parse: Preposition
Root: אַחַר 
Sense: after the following part, behind (of place), hinder, afterwards (of time).
כֵ֔ן  this 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֵּן 
Sense: so, therefore, thus.
וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ  that  gathered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָבַץ  
Sense: to gather, assemble.
הֲדַ֥ד  Ben-hadad 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֶּן־הֲדַד  
Sense: the king of Syria, contemporary with Asa of Judah.
מֶֽלֶךְ־  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲרָ֖ם  of  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ  his  army 
Parse: Noun, common singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
וַיַּ֕עַל  and  went  up 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
וַיָּ֖צַר  and  besieged 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: צוּר 
Sense: to bind, besiege, confine, cramp.
שֹׁמְרֽוֹן  Samaria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: שֹׁמְרֹון  
Sense: the region of northern Palestine associated with the northern kingdom of the 0 tribes of Israel which split from the kingdom after the death of Solomon during the reign of his son Rehoboam and were ruled by Jeroboam.