2 Kings 6

6:1-2 logs . . . new place for us to meet: The forest areas of the Jordan Valley near Jericho and Gilgal (see 2:1, 4) provided several types of wood for building.

6:5 The Hebrew text indicates that the ax head was made of iron, quite valuable in a time when few iron tools were available. Because it was . . . borrowed, the loss was even more acute.

6:8-10 Elisha’s ability to know the Aramean king’s raiding strategies allowed him to warn Joram of danger. Apparently, the healing of Naaman (5:1-19) had improved relations between Elisha and Joram (see 3:13-14).

6:11-14 When the king of Aram learned that Elisha had the ability to give advance warning to the king of Israel, he commanded his men to capture the prophet. • Dothan was situated about ten miles north of Samaria. Archaeological excavations have confirmed the city’s existence in this period.

6:15 The identity of Elisha’s alarmed servant is unknown. He was evidently the replacement of Gehazi (5:27).

6:16-17 Elisha asked the Lord to open the young man’s eyes, revealing an angelic force protecting the city. Angels are active in the affairs of the world (Ps 34:7; Dan 10:20–11:1; Heb 1:7).

6:21 My father: Elisha had used this term of respect when addressing Elijah (2:12), as had Naaman’s servant when speaking to his master (5:13).

6:23 great feast: The Israelites’ kind treatment had the result that the Arameans no longer raided Israel. However, it only provided a temporary suspension of hostilities.

6:24-25 So severe was this famine that normally unclean things were not only eaten but sold for an exorbitant price. Donkey meat, for example, was forbidden by the laws regarding unclean foods (Lev 11:1-7). Dove’s dung may be a variety of wild vegetable, but the consumption of dung is known from other sources describing siege conditions (Isa 36:12). The dove’s dung might also have been used for fuel.

6:26-29 Cannibalism under severe conditions was part of God’s curse for unfaithfulness and disobedience (Deut 28:53, 57). It also occurred during the siege that brought about the fall of Jerusalem (Lam 4:9-10).

6:30 When Joram learned of cannibalism in the city, he tore his clothes in despair. • wearing burlap under his robe next to his skin: Doing this was an outward sign of mourning.

6:31 separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders: Decapitation of one’s enemy was frequent (10:6-8; 1 Sam 17:51; 31:9; 2 Sam 4:7-8, 12; 20:22; Matt 14:11) in the ancient Near East. Joram reasoned that the situation stemmed from Elisha’s earlier sparing of Ben-hadad’s troops (2 Kgs 6:22-23). Moreover, Ben-hadad had been after Elisha (6:13), so the prophet’s presence had endangered the whole city.

6:32 Elisha was aware that Joram was sending a messenger to assassinate him and that the king was not far behind.

6:33 And the king said: Literally And he said. The messenger might have been delivering the king’s words verbatim. • Because the misery of the siege appeared to be from the Lord, Joram felt that further prayer for rescue was useless.