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21 When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Shall I strike them down, my father? Shall I strike them down?”

22 He said, “Do not strike them down. Would you strike down a man you captured with your own sword and bow?[a] Set food and water before them so that they can eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he gave a great feast for them. They ate and drank. Then he sent them on their way, and they went to their master. The Aramean raiding parties did not come into the land of Israel anymore.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Kings 6:22 Or Isn’t it only those you take captive with your sword and bow that you strike down? Prisoners were, in fact, often executed.

21 When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father?(A) Shall I kill them?”

22 “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured(B) with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” 23 So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands(C) from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

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