Bible Commentaries

strait = narrow.

one = the one: i.e. of 2 Kings 6:3.

cut down. Hebrew. nazar. Compare 2 Kings 6:6.

wood = logs.

axe head. Hebrew "iron", put by Fig; Metonymy (of Cause), App-6, for the axe head made of iron. Compare 2 Kings 6:6. where the Figure of speech is translated literally.

Alas. Figure of speech Ecphonesis. App-6.

man of God. See App-49.

cut down. Not same word as 2 Kings 6:3. Hebrew. kazab = to cut evenly: i.e. shape or size evenly. Occurs only here and Song of Solomon 4:2 ("even shorn").

a stick = a helve.

iron did swim = made him see the iron: by causing it to rise to the surface. Elisha's twelfth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15. The spiritual application is thus put by John Newton: "Not one concern of ours is small If we belong to Him; To teach us this, the Lord of all Once made the iron to swim".

king of Syria. Probably Ben-hadad of 2 Kings 6:24. 1 Kings 20:1.

king of Israel. Jehoram.

but = for: i.e. "[the fact is] that".

the servant = attendant.

his servant = young man. Hebrew. na"ar.

open his eyes. Elisha's thirteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15.

see . . . saw = see . . . saw clearly.

blindness. Elisha's fourteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15. One of nine instances of persons so afflicted. See note on Genesis 19:11.

I will bring. So he did.

But = And; or. So.

he led them to Samaria: where they found the man they sought: i.e. Elisha himself.

open. Elisha's fifteenth miracle. See note on 2 Kings 2:15.

bands = marauding bands.

gathered. This was organized war, in contrast with the freebooting irregular bands of 2 Kings 6:23.

famine. One of the thirteen recorded in Scripture. See note on Genesis 12:10.

ass's head. This was unclean food.

Pieces. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis (App-6), "shekels" instead of "pieces".

cab. Only occurrence. See App-51.

dove's dung. A Euphemism (App-6) is included in official Massoretic lists as being substituted for this indelicate expression, the word meaning "decayed leaves". Whichever is the meaning, it was always highly valuable as manure, especially to force growth during dearth.

If the LORD do not help thee. Hebrew reads "Let not Jehovah help thee", as in Authorized Version margin The Revised Version "Nay, let Jehovah help thee", is contrary to the normal sense of this negative. Ginsburg suggests that "al (not) is an abbreviation for "im lo, which is the exact equivalent for the Authorized Version text.

woman. One of the ten deaths occasioned by women. See note on Judges 4:21.

we boiled. Compare Deuteronomy 28:53.

hold him fast at the door: or, hold the door fast against him. App-6.

messenger. Hebrew. hammal"ak, without the "aleph ("a), as in Septuagint and Syriac. In 1 Samuel 11:4 the case is reversed. The Massorah informs us that the aleph was wrongly inserted, making it read messengers instead of "kings". The king must have followed on his heels, for Elisha addresses him directly in 2 Kings 7:1, 2 Kings 7:2. Compare 2 Kings 7:17.

what . . . ? = why? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6. These are the words of the king.