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21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Should I strike them down,[a] my master?”[b] 22 He replied, “Do not strike them down! You did not capture them with your sword or bow, so what gives you the right to strike them down?[c] Give them some food and water, so they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he threw a big banquet[d] for them and they ate and drank. Then he sent them back[e] to their master. After that no Syrian raiding parties again invaded the land of Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:21 tn Heb “Should I strike them down? I will strike them down.” In the Hebrew text the first person imperfect form is repeated; the first form has the interrogative he prefixed to it; the second does not. It is likely that the second form should be omitted as dittographic or that the first should be emended to an infinitive absolute.
  2. 2 Kings 6:21 tn Heb “my father.” The king addresses the prophet in this way to indicate his respect. See 2 Kgs 2:12.
  3. 2 Kings 6:22 tn Heb “Are [they] ones you captured with your sword or your bow (that) you can strike (them) down?”
  4. 2 Kings 6:23 tn Or “held a great feast.”
  5. 2 Kings 6:23 tn Heb “they went back.”