The borrowed axe-head swims; the mountain is full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha at Dothan — 'they that are with us are more than they that are with them'; and the siege of Samaria brings famine to its horrors.
Tap any Hebrew word to reveal its root, value, and meanings.
And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha: ‘Behold now, the place where we dwell before you is too strait for us.
verse value 3121
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֛ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "sons·of·the·prophets" (בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים, 10 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "narrow" (צַ֥ר). 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "to·Elisha" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). First appearance of the root אנחנו ("we") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·Elisha', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 9 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ [and·they·said] (263) + בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים [sons·of·the·prophets] (180) + אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע [to·Elisha] (442) + הִנֵּה־נָ֣א [behold·now] (111) + הַמָּק֗וֹם [the·place] (191) + אֲשֶׁ֨ר [that] (501) + אֲנַ֜חְנוּ [we] (115) + יֹשְׁבִ֥ים [live] (362) + שָׁ֛ם [there] (340) + לְפָנֶ֖יךָ [to·your·face] (190) + צַ֥ר [narrow] (290) + מִמֶּֽנּוּ [from·him] (136) = 3121.
Rashi
And the sons of the prophets said. Miracles that were done for him in order and going, our Sages said (Sotah 47a): from here that Gehazi was pushing the students from before him, and when he was driven away many students came, and the place was cramped from them:
Radak
"Too cramped for us." [This means] they sat there in such cramped conditions because there were so many students. Our Sages of blessed memory said that when Gehazi was expelled from the presence of Elisha, the number of students increased, for Gehazi had been hostile toward them, and many were afraid to come before Elisha because of Gehazi's ill treatment, as he would rebuff them. But when Gehazi separated from him, the students multiplied to such an extent that the place in which they had originally been seated became too cramped for them.
Ralbag
"It is too cramped for us." This means that it is confining for us, and it appeared that for this reason the verse juxtaposes this statement with the matter of Gehazi, to elucidate that due to Gehazi's poor character, the number of students was not very great; but when Gehazi separated from Elisha, the number of students increased.
Metzudat David
The place. Their study hall:
"Too narrow for us." It [the place] is cramped, unable to hold all of us:
Malbim
And they said, "Behold, the place is narrow." The Sages of blessed memory explained that while Gehazi was still before him, he would turn away [prospective] disciples, but now they had increased in number. And they said to him that the place was too cramped for them, since he dwelt in Shomron, and dwelling in cities is difficult, and they could not find there lodging and their needs.
Let us go, we pray you, to the Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell.’ And he answered: ‘Go you.’
verse value 4507
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 59 letters. The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֛ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·let·us·make·for·us" (וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 340: there, there. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "let·us·go·now" (נֵלְכָה־נָּ֣א), "and·let·us·take" (וְנִקְחָ֤ה), "rafter" (קוֹרָ֣ה). The root שם appears 3 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·let·us·make·for·us" (root עשה, 142x in II Kings); "man" (root איש, 119x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'there', dividing the verse into phrases of 12 and 2 words. Full calculation: נֵלְכָה־נָּ֣א [let·us·go·now] (156) + עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן [until·Jordan] (343) + וְנִקְחָ֤ה [and·let·us·take] (169) + מִשָּׁם֙ [from·there] (380) + אִ֚ישׁ [man] (311) + קוֹרָ֣ה [rafter] (311) + אֶחָ֔ת [one] (409) + וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ [and·let·us·make·for·us] (517) + שָׁ֛ם [there] (340) + מָק֖וֹם [place] (186) + לָשֶׁ֣בֶת [to·dwell] (732) + שָׁ֑ם [there] (340) + וַיֹּ֖אמֶר [and·said] (257) + לֵֽכוּ [go] (56) = 4507.
Ralbag
"And let us make for ourselves there a place to dwell there." This means that they would construct from these beams a house or a tent, such that when they would make some of them into pillars, or build the walls from stone, they would roof the house with these beams.
Metzudat David
From there. From the forest adjacent to the Jordan:
Metzudat Zion
A beam. A thick piece of wood, so too (Song of Songs 1:17): the beams of our house are cedars:
And one said: ‘Be content, I pray you, and go with your servants.’ And he answered: ‘I will go.’
verse value 1300
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 36 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָאֶחָ֔ד) = 18, chai, 'life'. Verse gematria: 1300 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "please" (נָ֖א, 2 letters) and the longest is "your·servants" (אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 257: and·said, and·said. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "your·servants" (אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ), "these" (אֵלֵֽךְ). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·go" (root הלך, 98x in II Kings); "your·servants" (root עבד, 70x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'your·servants', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·said] (257) + הָאֶחָ֔ד [the·one] (18) + ה֥וֹאֶל [be·willing] (42) + נָ֖א [please] (51) + וְלֵ֣ךְ [and·go] (56) + אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ [your·servants] (507) + וַיֹּ֖אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֲנִ֥י [I] (61) + אֵלֵֽךְ [these] (51) = 1300.
Rashi
Be willing. Be pleased:
Ralbag
"Please be willing and go with your servants." This is stated so that he [Elisha] would be a help to them in what would newly happen to them there.
So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down wood.
verse value 1253
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 29 letters. The shortest word is "with·them" (אִתָּ֑ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "Jordan" (הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·they·cut" (וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ), "tree" (הָעֵצִֽים). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings); "and·went" (root הלך, 98x in II Kings). First appearance of the root עץ ("tree") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·them', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ [and·went] (66) + אִתָּ֑ם [with·them] (441) + וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ [and·they·came] (25) + הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה [Jordan] (274) + וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ [and·they·cut] (232) + הָעֵצִֽים [tree] (215) = 1253.
Metzudat Zion
And they cut. A matter of cutting, so too (I Kings 3:25): cut the child:
But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water; and he cried, and said: ‘Alas, my master! for it was borrowed.’
verse value 2426
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 59 letters. Notable word values: "the·one" (הָֽאֶחָד֙) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "fell" (נָפַ֣ל, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·the·iron" (וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 160: felling, fell. 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "felling" (מַפִּ֣יל), "rafter" (הַקּוֹרָ֔ה), "and·the·iron" (וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל). The root נפל appears 2 times in this verse. 12 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·the·waters" (root איל, 153x in II Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·the·waters', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיְהִ֤י [and·it·was] (31) + הָֽאֶחָד֙ [the·one] (18) + מַפִּ֣יל [felling] (160) + הַקּוֹרָ֔ה [rafter] (316) + וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל [and·the·iron] (651) + נָפַ֣ל [fell] (160) + אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם [to·the·waters] (126) + וַיִּצְעַ֥ק [and·cried] (276) + וַיֹּ֛אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אֲהָ֥הּ [alas!] (11) + אֲדֹנִ֖י [my·lord] (65) + וְה֥וּא [and·he] (18) + שָׁאֽוּל [Saul] (337) = 2426.
Rashi
"And the iron." The ax head:
And it was borrowed. I borrowed it, and I have nothing with which to pay:
Radak
"And the iron fell into the water." The word *et* does not fall upon the verb, as many have supposed; rather, its meaning is: "and the iron," i.e., together with the iron, the beam along with the iron fell into the water.
"And it was borrowed." If it were mine, I would not worry so much; but I borrowed it, and it is upon me to repay it.
Ralbag
And it came to pass that one of them was felling the beam, and the iron fell into the water. The meaning is that when he was striking it with the axe to fell the beam, the iron head slipped from the axe handle and fell into the waters of the Jordan. He cried out and said, “Alas, my lord! This axe was not mine; I borrowed it from someone else.”
Metzudat David
"Causing the beam to fall." Into the Jordan, so that it may be floated to the desired location.
"And the iron." The beam fell into the water together with the iron—which is the axe head.
Ahah. This is the matter of the language of a cry of lamentation:
"And it was borrowed." The axe is borrowed, in my possession, and I have no means to pay its price.
And the man of God said: ‘Where fell it?’ And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither, and made the iron to swim.
verse value 3204
Insights
Verse structure: 10 words, 57 letters. Verse gematria: 3204 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "where?" (אָ֣נָה, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·man·of·God" (אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים, 9 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "the·place" (אֶת־הַמָּק֔וֹם), "and·cut·down·a·stick" (וַיִּקְצׇב־עֵץ֙), "and·cast·there" (וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה). 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "the·man·of·God" (root איש, 119x in II Kings); "and·he·showed·him" (root ראה, 66x in II Kings). First appearance of the root צפה ("and·made·float") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'he·fell', dividing the verse into phrases of 4 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֥אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים [the·man·of·God] (402) + אָ֣נָה [where?] (56) + נָפָ֑ל [he·fell] (160) + וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ [and·he·showed·him] (228) + אֶת־הַמָּק֔וֹם [the·place] (592) + וַיִּקְצׇב־עֵץ֙ [and·cut·down·a·stick] (368) + וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה [and·cast·there] (711) + וַיָּ֖צֶף [and·made·float] (186) + הַבַּרְזֶֽל [iron] (244) = 3204.
Rashi
And it floated. It floated on the waters:
Radak
"And he cut a piece of wood." Why did he not simply throw in a piece of wood that had been the handle of the iron [axe head] from the start — why was it necessary to cut [a new] piece of wood? It appears that miracles are performed through something new, just as with a new flask. So he cut a piece of wood to serve as the handle for the iron [axe head] that had fallen, and the wood entered the socket of the iron into which the handle used to enter, and the iron floated up together with its handle. Therefore it says "he cut," which means cutting the wood to the necessary measure, like [the words] "a measure" and "a cut/allotment."
"And it floated." ויצף is an intransitive verb, whereas [in the phrase] "caused the waters of the Sea of Reeds to surge" it is a transitive verb. One may also interpret ויצף as a transitive verb, meaning that the prophet caused it [the iron] to float.
Ralbag
"And he cut a piece of wood and cast it there, and the iron floated." The meaning is that he had already cut a piece of wood and shaped it to a measure such that it could enter the hole of the iron [axe-head], so that it would serve as a handle for it. And behold, the miracle in this matter was that when he threw it there, it entered the hole of the iron, and the iron became fixed to it. And since it has already been established regarding the matter of miracles, both from the perspective of rational inquiry and from the words of our Sages of blessed memory, as we explained in the sixth book of the Wars of the Lord, that nothing entirely new occurs in them — as if one were to say that the iron rises upward in the water, it being iron, or that the wood sinks downward in the water, it being wood not fit to sink in water — behold, the intent of his saying "and he cast it there" is that he had thrown the wood there with force, so that it would descend on account of this forced motion. And the wood was of such a measure that its lightness could overcome the heaviness of the iron, and cause it to float together with it upon the water. For this reason it was necessary that the wood be large, and a piece of wood merely the size of the iron's socket would not have sufficed for him to throw there; he therefore cut a large piece of wood for this reason. But the miracle was, as we have mentioned, that it entered the hole of the iron when he threw it into the water.
Metzudat David
"Where did it fall?" – [Meaning:] Where is the place that it fell in?
"And he cut off." He cut off a piece of wood:
Metzudat Zion
And chopped. A matter of cutting and felling, so too (Song of Songs 4:2): like shorn ewes:
And it floated. Swam above, so too (Deuteronomy 11:4): which He caused to overflow:
Malbim
“And he cut off a stick” – this teaches that it is within the prophet’s power to reverse natural laws: the wood and the iron exchanged their natures, with the wood sinking in the mighty waters like lead, and the iron floating above like light wood. The Ralbag sought natural explanations for this, as is his custom, but his words are nonsense. This was the twelfth miracle in the count of his wonders.
And he said: ‘Take it up to you.’ So he put out his hand, and took it.
verse value 1061
Insights
Verse structure: 6 words, 24 letters. The shortest word is "to·you" (לָ֑ךְ, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·he·took·him" (וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ, 6 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "lift·up" (הָ֣רֶם), "and·he·took·him" (וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ). 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·he·took·him" (root לקח, 72x in II Kings); "and·he·sent" (root שלח, 67x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֖אמֶר [and·said] (257) + הָ֣רֶם [lift·up] (245) + לָ֑ךְ [to·you] (50) + וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח [and·he·sent] (354) + יָד֖וֹ [his·hand] (20) + וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ [and·he·took·him] (135) = 1061.
Metzudat David
“Lift it up for yourself.” – “Elevate for yourself the iron.”
Now the king of Aram warred against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying: ‘In such and such a place shall be my camp.’
verse value 2990
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 56 letters. Verse gematria: 2990 is divisible by 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "Aram" (אֲרָ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·his·servants" (אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·he·took·counsel" (וַיִּוָּעַץ֙), "to·standing place" (אֶל־מְק֛וֹם), "a certain one" (פְּלֹנִ֥י). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·king·of" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·his·servants" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'in·Israel', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וּמֶ֣לֶךְ [and·king·of] (96) + אֲרָ֔ם [Aram] (241) + הָיָ֥ה [was] (20) + נִלְחָ֖ם [is·fighting] (128) + בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל [in·Israel] (543) + וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ [and·he·took·counsel] (182) + אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו [to·his·servants] (123) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + אֶל־מְק֛וֹם [to·standing place] (217) + פְּלֹנִ֥י [a certain one] (170) + אַלְמֹנִ֖י [someone] (131) + תַּחֲנֹתִֽי [my·encampment] (868) = 2990.
Rashi
"Ploni Almoni." Covered and hidden. "Ploni" is a term, [as in] (Deuteronomy 17:18):
"When it is concealed, it is covered" – that is, anonymous. Without a name, because he did not wish to reveal himself.
"Tachanotai [My encamping]." There I will encamp, and I will ambush the King of Israel or his troops passing through that place to plunder in my land.
Radak
"To a certain place, an unknown one, are my resting places." As its Targum renders: "To a hidden and concealed site shall be my dwelling place."
Ralbag
"To a certain place, a hidden one, is my encampment." The meaning is that he had already camped in a concealed place so that the king of Israel would not guard the crossing there and capture him. And "Ploni" (a certain one) is from the root of "palui" (hidden), which is a matter of concealment and secrecy. And "Almoni" is also from the matter of concealment and hiding, and it is derived from muteness [silence], as if to say that nothing should be spoken about this at all, so that no person would know. Or perhaps, regarding this very matter, the letter aleph in "Almoni" in this place serves in place of the letter ayin, like "Almoni" [with an ayin], and it is a matter of being hidden. And such we have found regarding the usage of letters from this side in this manner.
Metzudat David
“To a certain place, so-and-so, are my stations.” This means: We will encamp in a concealed and hidden place, and he did not wish to reveal it before everyone, and this was in order to lie in wait for the king of Israel.
Metzudat Zion
An anonymous. Covered [nameless]:
A nameless. From the word mute, for he is not spoken of, so too (I Samuel 21:3): and the young men I have appointed to such and such a place:
Malbim
(8-9) And the king of Aram further recounted wondrous things from the greatness of Elisha: 1. That the Divine Spirit rested upon him all day long, so that he knew everything that was happening in the land. Since the king of Aram was then at war with Israel, he consulted with his servants that their camp should be in a hidden and remarkable place, where the king of Israel would pass by, and they would lie in wait for him and capture him. And the matter was known each time to the prophet, who warned the king. And this happened several times, from which it is clear that the Divine Spirit dwelled upon him constantly. And “nechatim” [going down] means that they were encamped there on a slope.
And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying: ‘Beware that you pass not such a place; for thither the Arameans are coming down.’
verse value 3873
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 56 letters. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֣ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "God" (הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים, 6 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "beware" (הִשָּׁ֕מֶר), "from·passing" (מֵעֲבֹ֖ר), "for·there" (כִּי־שָׁ֖ם). 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·king" (root איל, 153x in II Kings); "man" (root איש, 119x in II Kings). First appearance of the root שמר ("beware") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח [and·he·sent] (354) + אִ֣ישׁ [man] (311) + הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים [God] (91) + אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ [to·king] (121) + יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [Israel] (541) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + הִשָּׁ֕מֶר [beware] (545) + מֵעֲבֹ֖ר [from·passing] (312) + הַמָּק֣וֹם [the·place] (191) + הַזֶּ֑ה [this] (17) + כִּי־שָׁ֖ם [for·there] (370) + אֲרָ֥ם [Aram] (241) + נְחִתִּֽים [descending] (508) = 3873.
Rashi
From passing this place. From going there:
Encamped. Encamping:
Radak
"Nechatim." From [the phrase] "You have given Your mighty ones rest," and the Targum renders ירד [descend] as נחת; its meaning is: they descend and encamp there. And it says נחתים because they encamped in a low-lying place, to hide there. The dagesh in the tav of נחתים stands in place of a[n elided] letter, as with שרידים. And the Targum renders נחתים as כסן [hidden].
Ralbag
“Take heed that you do not pass through this place, for there the Arameans have encamped.” This means: You should guard yourself from passing through that place, because there the Arameans have encamped—namely, the king of Aram and his servants—since “there the Arameans have gone down” into a descent, which they established as a hiding place, so that you should not guard yourself against them. And behold, in the term “have encamped” [nechitim], it implies “going down and encamping,” as the Targum translates: “and he went down and encamped.” Or perhaps it is derived from the root “to rest” [nachat], and the final tav remains with a qibbuts, just as the tav remains with a qibbuts in the word “your bronze” [nechoshetech]. The meaning is that they are standing there in a state of rest, in such a manner that their presence there remains concealed. And indeed, Elisha would inform him in every place where the king of Aram and his servants were hiding, in order to capture him and to test whether the word of the prophet was true. The king of Israel would send to that very place from which he had been warned not to pass, and he would always find the prophet’s words to be true—not only once, nor only twice, but he tested this many times, until it became known to the king of Aram that the king of Israel knew the places where he would hide.
Metzudat Zion
Going down. A matter of descent, so too (Joel 4:11): Bring down, O LORD, Your mighty ones, for they went down to a low place to hide:
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of; and he guarded himself there, not once nor twice.
verse value 4788
Insights
Verse structure: 14 words, 63 letters. Verse gematria: 4788 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "there" (שָׁ֑ם, 2 letters) and the longest is "the·man·of·God" (אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·warned·him" (וְהִזְהִירֹ֖ה), "and·will·be·kept" (וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר). The root לא appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "said·to·him" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'there', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח [and·he·sent] (354) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל [Israel] (541) + אֶֽל־הַמָּק֞וֹם [to·the·place] (222) + אֲשֶׁ֨ר [that] (501) + אָמַר־ל֧וֹ [said·to·him] (277) + אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים [the·man·of·God] (402) + וְהִזְהִירֹ֖ה [and·warned·him] (238) + וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר [and·will·be·kept] (596) + שָׁ֑ם [there] (340) + לֹ֥א [not] (31) + אַחַ֖ת [one] (409) + וְלֹ֥א [and·not] (37) + שְׁתָּֽיִם [two] (750) = 4788.
Rashi
And the king of Israel sent. He was sending and seeing if it was true:
And he warned him. That the man of God warned from passing there:
Not once nor twice. He did so for him, but many times:
Radak
"And he warned him." [Written] with a heh, like [the heh in] אהלה [ohelah, "to his tent"].
"And he took precautions there." [Meaning:] and he kept away from there, just as the prophet had warned him.
"Not once and not twice." This means not one time alone, nor two times alone, but many times. And similar to this is [the verse], "and he, one man, did not perish alone in his iniquity" [Joshua 22:20], whose meaning is that he did not perish alone.
Metzudat David
"And he sent." He sent to the place that the prophet had told him, where the Arameans were hiding, and he [the prophet] warned him [the king] not to pass through it, and he sent there to ascertain whether the prophet's word was true.
"And he was on guard there." And the king was on guard from that place, when he saw that the matter was true.
"Not once." Not merely on a single occasion, etc., but rather the prophet warned him on many occasions, and he found them to be true, and he was on guard there.
And the heart of the king of Aram was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them: ‘Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?’
verse value 3463
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 72 letters. Notable word values: "to·them" (אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "heart·of" (לֵ֣ב, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·his·servants" (אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·was·stormed" (וַיִּסָּעֵר֙), "heart·of" (לֵ֣ב), "over·the·matter" (עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר). The root איל appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Aram" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·his·servants" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). First appearance of the root לב ("heart·of") in II Kings. First appearance of the root מי ("who?") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'this', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 11 words.
Rashi
Over this matter. Who is revealing his secret:
Radak
"And it raged." [The heart of the king of Aram] was raging over this matter: who was revealing his secrets?
Ralbag
"And the heart of the king of Aram was stirred." This means that storm and confusion seized him regarding this matter, leading him to think that one of his servants was revealing his secrets to the king of Israel.
Metzudat David
And [his heart] was stirred like a storm. Trembling seized him, like a storm wind; because of this:
"Who is one of ours? Who among our people will go to the king of Israel and reveal our secrets?"
Malbim
(11-12) And it is recounted that the king of Aram suspected that one of his servants was revealing his secret, and he was informed that it was not so, but rather that the prophet was able to reveal even what was spoken in the secrets of his chamber.
And one of his servants said: ‘Nay, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bed-chamber.’
verse value 5205
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 83 letters. Notable word values: "one" (אַחַ֣ד) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "one" (אַחַ֣ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "the·words" (אֶ֨ת־הַדְּבָרִ֔ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 501: that, that. 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "Lamed" (ל֖וֹא), "for·Elisha" (כִּֽי־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע), "tells" (יַגִּיד֙). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings). First appearance of the root חדר ("in·chamber·of") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'king', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 12 words.
Metzudat David
No. There is no one among our people who reveals what is concealed.
He will inform the king, for he knows through prophecy:
And he said: ‘Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him.’ And it was told him, saying: ‘Behold, he is in Dothan.’
verse value 1891
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 47 letters. Notable word values: "where?" (אֵיכֹ֣ה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "go" (לְכ֤וּ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·take·him" (וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·I·will·send" (וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח), "and·I·will·take·him" (וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ), "in·Dothan" (בְדֹתָֽן). The root אמר appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "go" (root הלך, 98x in II Kings); "and·I·will·take·him" (root לקח, 72x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·I·will·take·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֗אמֶר [and·said] (257) + לְכ֤וּ [go] (56) + וּרְאוּ֙ [and·see] (213) + אֵיכֹ֣ה [where?] (36) + ה֔וּא [he] (12) + וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח [and·I·will·send] (345) + וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ [and·I·will·take·him] (126) + וַיֻּגַּד־ל֥וֹ [and·it·was·told·to·him] (59) + לֵאמֹ֖ר [saying] (271) + הִנֵּ֥ה [they] (60) + בְדֹתָֽן [in·Dothan] (456) = 1891.
Rashi
Where. Where is he:
Radak
"Where is he." Like "where is he" [אנה הוא]. And similarly, [there is] "where do you pasture" [איכה תרעה] — except that that one has a qamats, and this one has a holam.
Ralbag
How is he? That is, what is his situation? The intent is to ascertain whether he is in a fortified city with a large army accompanying him, or what his circumstances are, for based on this information, I will devise a strategy to bring an army against him and capture him.
Metzudat Zion
Where is he. Where is he, so too (Song of Songs 1:7): where will you pasture, and even [meaning: despite] it has a cholam:
Malbim
The questions: After it became known to him that the prophet knows all mysteries, all the more so he should have known that he intends to take him and should have guarded himself against him — why did he say “eichoh hu” [a word meaning “how,” used here for “where”] when he ought to have said “eifoh hu,” the ordinary word for “where”?
And it is said, “And the king of Aram desired to take him,” meaning that he sought to ascertain where he was. And he was greatly astonished, for once it became known to him that the prophet knew everything—even matters that did not concern him—how much more so would he know that he would send messengers to take him, and thus he would guard himself against him. According to this, it appears that he did not wish to take him in order to harm him, but rather to do him good and to increase his gifts and honor, so that he might dwell with him. He thought that the prophet would be pleased with this. Regarding this, he said, “Go and see where he is,” which also includes the intent that they should know what his status is: if he is poor, it will be easier for him to come out to him; but if he is rich, he will need to increase his gifts until he agrees to come to him. And the reason he sent a heavy force was to protect the prophet, in case the king’s army would not allow him to leave their presence.
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host; and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
verse value 1870
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 44 letters. Notable word values: "heavy" (כָּבֵ֑ד) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "heavy" (כָּבֵ֑ד, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·sent·there" (וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה, 8 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·he·sent·there" (וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה), "and·valor" (וְחַ֣יִל), "and·they·surrounded" (וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·they·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings); "and·he·sent·there" (root שלח, 67x in II Kings); "upon·the·city" (root עיר, 61x in II Kings). First appearance of the root כבד ("heavy") in II Kings. First appearance of the root ליל ("night") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'heavy', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה [and·he·sent·there] (699) + סוּסִ֥ים [horses] (176) + וְרֶ֖כֶב [and·chariot] (228) + וְחַ֣יִל [and·valor] (54) + כָּבֵ֑ד [heavy] (26) + וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ [and·they·came] (25) + לַ֔יְלָה [night] (75) + וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ [and·they·surrounded] (202) + עַל־הָעִֽיר [upon·the·city] (385) = 1870.
Ralbag
And behold, the army set out at night so that Elisha would not hear of this matter and gather more men with him.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, a host with horses and chariots was round about the city. And his servant said to him: ‘Alas, my master! how shall we do?’
verse value 4398
Insights
Verse structure: 18 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "where?" (אֵיכָ֥ה) = 36, double chai. The shortest word is "man" (אִ֥ישׁ, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·behold·strength" (וְהִנֵּה־חַ֛יִל, 7 letters). 6 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·rose·early" (וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּ֠ם), "juice" (מְשָׁרֵ֨ת), "to·rise" (לָקוּם֒). 18 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "we·will·do" (root עשה, 142x in II Kings); "man" (root איש, 119x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upper·millstone', dividing the verse into phrases of 11 and 7 words.
Metzudat David
"How shall we do? How shall we act to escape?"
Malbim
The questions: Regarding what is stated, “How shall we do?”—it should have said, “What shall we do?”
“And there arose early in the morning” – this servant was under divine providence, for he rose before anyone else in the city and went outside the city until he saw the camp. For if another person had risen early and seen it, there would have been commotion in the city, and the Arameans would have known where the prophet was. And it can be said that Elisha woke him to rise. And he said, etc., “how shall we do?” – the expression “eichah” [how] indicates that he knew that Elisha had the power to save them, and he asked how the rescue would be brought about and in what manner.
And he answered: ‘Fear not: for they that are with us are more than they that are with them.’
verse value 3127
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 32 letters. The shortest word is "for" (כִּ֤י, 2 letters) and the longest is "do·not·fear" (אַל־תִּירָ֑א, 6 letters). 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "many" (רַבִּים֙), "with·us" (אִתָּ֔נוּ), "from·Asher" (מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר). The root אשר appears 2 times in this verse. 6 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "do·not·fear" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). First appearance of the root רב ("many") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'do·not·fear', dividing the verse into phrases of 2 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֖אמֶר [and·said] (257) + אַל־תִּירָ֑א [do·not·fear] (642) + כִּ֤י [for] (30) + רַבִּים֙ [many] (252) + אֲשֶׁ֣ר [that] (501) + אִתָּ֔נוּ [with·us] (457) + מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר [from·Asher] (541) + אוֹתָֽם [them] (447) = 3127.
Rashi
That is with us. In our help:
Metzudat David
"For many are they." The chariot force that is helping us—they are more numerous than those who are with them.
And Elisha prayed, and said: ‘Hashem, I pray You, open his eyes, that he may see.’ And Hashem opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
verse value 5508
Insights
Verse structure: 20 words, 91 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֕ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. Verse gematria: 5508 is divisible by 18, the value of chai ('life'). The shortest word is "fire" (אֵ֖שׁ, 2 letters) and the longest is "his·eyes" (אֶת־עֵינָ֖יו, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 411: Elisha, Elisha. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "open·now" (פְּקַח־נָ֥א), "eyes·of" (אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י), "around" (סְבִיבֹ֥ת). The root אלישע appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "and·will·see" (root ראה, 66x in II Kings). First appearance of the root סביב ("around") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·will·see', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 13 words.
Radak
"Surrounding Elisha." But was not Elisha in the city, while the horses and chariots of fire were outside the city, on the mountain? Rather, He showed this to the young man: just as they were surrounding Elisha, so too did God show him this to strengthen his heart, so that he would not fear.
Ralbag
“Horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” Behold, even though Elisha did not derive assistance from them, there was utility in showing them to his servant, to guard him from fear, so that he would not cry out of fear, and this would be a cause for all the inhabitants of the city to be frightened, and their fear would assist in what they intended to do, for then they would recognize that Elisha was there.
Metzudat David
Open, I pray You, to see a spiritual matter:
"And behold the mountain, etc." And even though he was not helped by this except by their being struck with blindness, nevertheless it served to silence the youth from his crying out, for the crying out would have been a cause for the Arameans to notice that Elisha was here.
Metzudat Zion
Open. Open:
Na. Now:
Malbim
“Open, I pray, his eyes,” for the Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and camps of angels surround the man of God to guard him, as it is stated in the Midrash. And the angels who were now prepared to deliver him came in the form of a chariot of fire and horses of fire, just as the camp of Aram came with chariots and horses, and he was therefore required to pray. For it would have been a very great miracle for one who is not prepared for prophecy to see the spiritual beings, and it would have been a creation of something from nothing, as it is stated in another place.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Hashem, and said: ‘Smite this people, I pray You, with blindness.’ And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
verse value 3521
Insights
Verse structure: 13 words, 71 letters. The shortest word is "to·him" (אֵלָיו֒, 4 letters) and the longest is "this·nation" (אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 411: Elisha, Elisha. 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "smite·now" (הַךְ־נָ֥א), "this·nation" (אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה). The root אלישע appears 2 times in this verse. 10 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·he·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "as·word·of" (root דבר, 147x in II Kings). First appearance of the root גוי ("this·nation") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·blindness', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 4 words. Full calculation: וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ [and·they·came·down] (226) + אֵלָיו֒ [to·him] (47) + וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל [and·he·prayed] (556) + אֱלִישָׁ֤ע [Elisha] (411) + אֶל־יְהֹוָה֙ [to·Hashem] (57) + וַיֹּאמַ֔ר [and·he·said] (257) + הַךְ־נָ֥א [smite·now] (76) + אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה [this·nation] (442) + בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים [with·blindness] (368) + וַיַּכֵּ֥ם [and·struck·them] (76) + בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים [with·blindness] (368) + כִּדְבַ֥ר [as·word·of] (226) + אֱלִישָֽׁע [Elisha] (411) = 3521.
Rashi
And he said strike, please, and so on. On the curse he did not mention the Name, but on the opening he mentioned the Name on both of them, on that of the youth and on that of the host:
Blindness. A sickness of bewilderment: he sees and does not know what he sees:
Ralbag
"And they came down to him, and Elisha prayed." This means that at the time when they were descending to Elisha to seize him, Elisha prayed to the Lord to strike them with blindness, in such a way that they would not see clearly. And in this manner, the city to which they had gone seemed to them not to be the city they were seeking. This was possible according to their reasoning, because they had gone there at night, and it is conceivable that upon arriving at Elisha, they asked him whether the city in which they were was Dothan, and he answered them, "No, you have erred in the way; this is not the city in which Elisha is, for he has already gone to another city." Or the meaning is: "No, this city is not Dothan." The first explanation is more accurate.
Metzudat David
"And they came down." The Arameans came down to Elisha.
“b’sanorim.” This refers to the lack of true sight and recognition. Similarly, it is stated concerning Sodom (Genesis 19:11): “They struck them with blindness, etc., and they were weary to find the door.”
Malbim
"Strike the people" – this miracle was the opposite of the first one. In the first instance, he opened [the eyes] of the youth through prophecy, so that he would see things hidden from physical sight. But now, he prayed to close the eye of physical sight from the eyes of those who see, and to lead them astray into confusion, so that they would not find the way.
And Elisha said to them: ‘This is not the way, neither is this the city; follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek.’ And he led them to Samaria.
verse value 4984
Insights
Verse structure: 19 words, 78 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "and·I·will·lead" (וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 12: this, this. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·I·will·lead" (וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה), "to·the·man" (אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ), "you·seek" (תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן). The root הלך appears 3 times in this verse. 14 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "that" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "to·the·man" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'you·seek', dividing the verse into phrases of 16 and 3 words.
Rashi
And not this city. In which the prophet is within her, and truly he said to them, that already he went out from her:
Metzudat David
This is not the way. He means to say: You went astray on the way when you were going to Dothan, and this is not the city of Dothan.
"to the man" – this refers to the prophet:
Malbim
"This is not the way" means to say: If you know the prophet's location and you are going there by way of here, then "this is not the way." And because you think that the prophet is in this city, regarding that He said, "This is not the city."
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said: ‘Hashem, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.’ And Hashem opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.
verse value 4501
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 79 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֕ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "seeing" (פְּקַ֥ח, 3 letters) and the longest is "eyes·of·these" (אֶת־עֵֽינֵי־אֵ֖לֶּה, 9 letters). Words sharing gematria 596: Samaria, Samaria. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "when·they·came" (כְּבֹאָ֣ם), "eyes·of·these" (אֶת־עֵֽינֵי־אֵ֖לֶּה), "their·eyes" (אֶת־עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם). The root שמרון appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "when·they·came" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·they·may·see', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Radak
"When they came." With a kaf.
Metzudat David
"Pakach" [Open]. He means to say: the affliction of blindness will be removed from them.
Malbim
“Open, I pray Thee, their eyes.” The Guide of the Perplexed (Part I, Chapter 2) has already written that the language of “opening of the eyes” comes only in reference to the exile of knowledge. And it is clear that the “blinding” [sanverim] mentioned is not physical blindness, but rather a confusion of the faculty of recognition. And when their recognition returned, it became known to them that they were within Samaria.
And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them: ‘My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?’
verse value 2474
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 39 letters. Notable word values: "shall·I·strike" (אַכֶּ֖ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "shall·I·strike" (אַכֶּ֖ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "king·Israel" (מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙, 8 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "shall·I·strike" (הַאַכֶּ֥ה), "shall·I·strike" (אַכֶּ֖ה). The root נכה appears 2 times in this verse. 7 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Israel" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·Elisha" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'them', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֤אמֶר [and·said] (257) + מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ [king·Israel] (631) + אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע [to·Elisha] (442) + כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ [when·he·saw] (627) + אוֹתָ֑ם [them] (447) + הַאַכֶּ֥ה [shall·I·strike] (31) + אַכֶּ֖ה [shall·I·strike] (26) + אָבִֽי [my·father] (13) = 2474.
Radak
As it is written: "When He saw." With a kaf:
Metzudat David
"Ha'akeh." In a question he said, "Shall I strike them?"
And he answered: ‘You shall not smite them; have you taken captive with your sword and with your bow those whom you would smite? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.’
verse value 5209
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 75 letters. The shortest word is "not" (לֹ֣א, 2 letters) and the longest is "to·their·master" (אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם, 8 letters). 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "those·whom" (הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר), "You·have·taken·captive" (שָׁבִ֛יתָ), "in·your·sword" (בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥). The root נכה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "those·whom" (root אשר, 318x in II Kings); "to·their·master" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). First appearance of the root קשת ("and·in·your·bow") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'beating', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 8 words.
Rashi
That which you took captive, and so on. And is it your way to kill, those whom you bring captive (and you make captive):
Radak
"Which you took captive." What right do you have over them, that you should strike them? Did you take them captive with your sword and your bow?
Ralbag
“Those whom you have subdued with your sword and your bow, you strike.” The meaning is: Behold, these are the ones whom I subdued and governed by the might of the Holy Name, blessed be He. Why, then, do you strike them? Will you strike men whom you have governed in subjugation by your sword and your bow? This is not fitting, and all the more so is it not fitting, since it was God, blessed be He, who subdued them.
Metzudat David
"Those whom you took captive." Are these the ones whom you took captive, for you to strike them? Were they not brought [here] by a miracle? What do you have to do with them?
Metzudat Zion
That. With the hey of amazement:
Malbim
“The one you took captive” — for what is permitted to the kings of the lands to kill their enemies is only in the course of war, and particularly since they did not come to do evil to the prophet, but rather to do him good according to their understanding.
And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Aram came no more into the land of Israel.
verse value 3405
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 77 letters. The shortest word is "to·them" (לָהֶ֜ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·their·master" (אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 241: and·dug, Aram. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·dug" (וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה), "feast" (כֵּרָ֣ה), "and·they·did·not·add" (וְלֹא־יָ֤סְפוּ). The root כרה appears 2 times in this verse. 15 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "to·their·master" (root איל, 153x in II Kings); "to·come" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings); "Israel" (root ישראל, 101x in II Kings). First appearance of the root יסף ("and·they·did·not·add") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·their·master', dividing the verse into phrases of 9 and 7 words.
Rashi
And he made them a feast. The language of preparing a feast:
Radak
"And he prepared a feast for them." He arranged a great meal for them, and similarly, "companions arrange a feast for him." However, "vayichreh" [ויכרה] governs two objects, while "yichru" [יכרו] governs one object.
"And they shall add no more." The term "no more" does not mean "forever," for it is stated, "And it came to pass afterward that Ben-Hadad gathered..." Rather, the meaning of "no more" is "at that time." Similarly, "And the king of Egypt added no more to go out of his land," and yet it is stated in Jeremiah, "The army of Pharaoh went out from Egypt, and the Chaldeans heard." Likewise, "You shall add no more to go up," and likewise, "And their labor shall no longer be remembered"—meaning, for as long as that period lasted.
Ralbag
“And he made for them a great feast.” This means that he prepared for them a great banquet.
"And the bands of Aram shall not add to come again." The meaning is that they shall not add to come there in this manner in which they used to come at first, stealthily, for they were afraid of what they had seen from the prophet. However, when they desired to wage war against Israel, the king of Aram gathered all his army and did not send [a detachment] there as he had been sending at first.
Metzudat David
And he made a feast. He prepared for them a great feast:
"And they did not add, etc." – They did not come again in this manner to lie in wait for them, upon seeing that the prophet reveals their secret.
Metzudat Zion
He banqueted. He made a feast, so too (Job 40:30): friends make a feast over him:
Malbim
The questions: What is stated, that the bands of Aram would no longer enter the land of Israel, is contradicted by what is stated immediately afterward, that Ben-Hadad gathered his army.
“Vayikareh lahem” – the term “kareh” is used regarding a meal: when one goes to great lengths to prepare a feast for the purpose of establishing a covenant and peace. From this usage come [the phrases] “partners will bargain over him” [Job 40:30] and “pastures, wells for shepherds” [Zephaniah 2:6]. Similarly, the Yalkut states: “Wisdom is better than weapons of war,” referring to the great [resolution of] peace that Elisha achieved with Israel, greater than all the weapons of war and battles that Jehoram son of Ahab had — as it is said: “You shall not strike,” and “he prepared (vayikareh) for them a great feast (kareh gedolah),” and “kareh” is nothing other than a term for peace. There is a distinction between “gdud” (raiding band) and other terms such as “tzava” (army) and “machaneh” (camp), and the like, for a “gdud” is a portion of the camp that falls upon the land by way of ambush. Until now, raiding bands (gdudim) were falling upon the land, band by band, not in the manner of warfare, but rather in the manner of murder and plunder, and this has now ceased. This is not the case with what is stated, “And it came to pass after this, that he gathered all his camp,” for this was in the manner of warfare.
And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Aram gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.
verse value 2602
Insights
Verse structure: 9 words, 50 letters. The shortest word is "and·it·was" (וַֽיְהִי֙, 4 letters) and the longest is "all·encampment" (אֶת־כׇּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ, 9 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "after·thus" (אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן), "all·encampment" (אֶת־כׇּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ). 9 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king·Aram" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings); "against·Samaria" (root על, 116x in II Kings). First appearance of the root צור ("and·bound") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'all·encampment', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + אַֽחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן [after·thus] (289) + וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ [and·he·gathered] (208) + בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד [son·of·Hadad] (65) + מֶלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם [king·Aram] (331) + אֶת־כׇּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ [all·encampment] (560) + וַיַּ֕עַל [and·went·up] (116) + וַיָּ֖צַר [and·bound] (306) + עַל־שֹׁמְרֽוֹן [against·Samaria] (696) = 2602.
Ralbag
"And he went up and besieged Samaria." This means that he built a siege around it in such a manner that no person could exit from the city. And it appears that he also placed many towns of Israel under siege, and they were destroying the crops of the entire land, in such a way that the famine was severe in the land. And this is what Elisha said to the Shunammite woman: "For the Lord has called for a famine, and it has come upon the land for seven years." And it is possible that other causes gathered together during the famine, as if one were to say, a lack of grain. And it appears that the time of the siege was very long. And for this reason, the matter in Samaria reached such a point due to the severity of the famine there, that the head of a donkey was worth eighty shekels of silver, and they were eating it because of the famine, for the Torah states, "And they shall live by them," and not that they should die by them.
Metzudat David
"And he gathered." To come in a revealed and public manner, and for this purpose he gathered all his people.
And there was a great famine in Samaria; and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
verse value 4557
Insights
Verse structure: 17 words, 76 letters. The shortest word is "until" (עַ֣ד, 2 letters) and the longest is "in·five·silver" (בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף, 8 letters). 9 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "famine" (רָעָ֤ב), "to·be" (הֱי֤וֹת), "head·ass" (רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר֙). The root היה appears 2 times in this verse. 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings); "on" (root על, 116x in II Kings); "in·Samaria" (root שמרון, 41x in II Kings). First appearance of the root חמור ("head·ass") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'on', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 10 words.
Rashi
Dove-dung. The dung that flows from the doves:
Radak
"Head of a donkey." According to its plain meaning, for [people] were eating unclean animals and detestable creatures because of the famine; and so too Targum Yonatan [renders]: "the head of a donkey." And some interpret it as being like a tenth of a chomer [a dry measure], but this is far-fetched.
"Chiryonim." Thus it is written [Ketiv], and the Qere is "divyonim"; its meaning is "the excrement of doves." The written form indicates what comes out of the hole (chor) of the doves, whereas the Qere employs a more refined term: what flows from the doves. And it is translated "ziv dov"; and per Targum Yonatan: "dezavel mafeket yonaya" [what the doves discharge]. They used to kindle fire with dove droppings, because they had no wood, for due to the siege they were unable to leave the city to cut wood in the forest. My father, of blessed memory, explained that "divyonim" refers to what was in the crop of the doves, for the doves would go out and eat the grain, and enter the city, and the people of the city would take what was in the crop of the doves and eat it, for due to the siege there was famine.
Ralbag
"And a quarter of a kav of dove's dung." Explanation: this refers to the excrement of pigeons, for it comes out from their anus; and similar to this is the phrase "to eat their own dung" [cf. Isaiah 36:12]. And I cannot fathom what use they would have made of pigeon dung in a time of famine. And it is possible that, due to the great devastation the enemies wrought upon the produce of the land, the grains of seed were found scattered abundantly outside, and the pigeons ate from them to their fill; and because of their great consumption of them, some of those seeds were found undigested in their droppings, for they could not digest that whole quantity.
Metzudat David
"And behold, there were besiegers." This implies that, in addition to the famine caused by the shortage of grain, there was an added famine because they were besieging it, and they did not allow food to be brought into the city.
"Until it came to pass": The famine became so severe that a donkey's head was sold for eighty silver shekels.
Metzudat Zion
Dove-dung. The excrement that flows from doves, for [that] which flows (Leviticus 15:25) — its Targum is: 'ari yiduv' [that it flows] — and with it they used to kindle the fire, due to lack of wood on account of the siege:
Malbim
“And there was a great famine.” This event took place during the seven years of famine that occurred in the days of Elisha (as stated in Chapter 8). Therefore, there was no grain prepared for the time of the siege, and the famine intensified to this extent.
And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying: ‘Help, my lord, O king.’
verse value 2543
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 51 letters. The shortest word is "king" (מֶ֣לֶךְ, 3 letters) and the longest is "upon·the·wall" (עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה, 6 letters). 1 word in this verse appears nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "save" (הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה). The root מלך appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "saying" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "and·it·was" (root היה, 119x in II Kings). First appearance of the root ישע ("save") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·wall', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 7 words. Full calculation: וַֽיְהִי֙ [and·it·was] (31) + מֶ֣לֶךְ [king] (90) + יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל [Israel] (541) + עֹבֵ֖ר [crossing] (272) + עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה [upon·the·wall] (158) + וְאִשָּׁ֗ה [and·wife] (312) + צָעֲקָ֤ה [she·cried·out] (265) + אֵלָיו֙ [to·him] (47) + לֵאמֹ֔ר [saying] (271) + הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה [save] (396) + אֲדֹנִ֥י [my·lord] (65) + הַמֶּֽלֶךְ [king] (95) = 2543.
Rashi
Save, please, my lord the king. He assumed she was asking for food:
And he said: ‘If Hashem do not help you, whence shall I help you? out of the threshingfloor, or out of the winepress?’
verse value 1795
Insights
Verse structure: 8 words, 41 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "or" (א֥וֹ, 2 letters) and the longest is "may·not·save·you" (אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "may·not·save·you" (אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ), "shall·I·save·you" (אוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ), "is·it·from·the·threshing-floor" (הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן). 8 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "may·not·save·you" (root איל, 153x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'shall·I·save·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 3 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ [and·said] (257) + אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ [may·not·save·you] (437) + יְהֹוָ֔ה [Hashem] (26) + מֵאַ֖יִן [from·where] (101) + אוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ [shall·I·save·you] (407) + הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן [is·it·from·the·threshing-floor] (353) + א֥וֹ [or] (7) + מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב [from·the·winepress] (207) = 1795.
Ralbag
“May the Lord not save you.” This means: Behold, it is the Lord who does not save you, for He is the one who brought upon us this severe famine; but as for me, I bear no guilt for your lack of salvation.
"From the threshing floor or from the winepress." And he said this because they were unable to gather for themselves the produce of the threshing floor and the produce of the winepress.
Metzudat David
“May the Lord not save you.” He assumed that she was asking about food, and he said to her: “The Lord is not your savior,” meaning that although He has the power to save you, from where can I save you? Do I have grain from the threshing floor or wine from the winepress? No, I do not have these. This implies that one should not call “there is no savior” except for the One who has the power to save, and not for any other.
Metzudat Zion
The winepress. The wine vat:
Malbim
(27-28) The questions: After he said, "From where shall I save you?"—which indicates that he knows what her request is and that he has no power to save her—how did he ask, "What troubles you?"
"May the Lord not save you" – this implies that the king is appointed to execute justice and righteousness. He says: If you desire righteousness so that you may be sustained during famine, [then consider:] if the Lord does not save you, from where shall I save you? This means that there is nothing in my power; it is only in the hand of the Lord. And if He does not save, there is no hope.
And the king said to her: ‘What ails you?’ And she answered: ‘This woman said to me: Give your son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.
verse value 4115
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 67 letters. The shortest word is "to·me" (אֵלַ֗י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·he·said·to·her" (וַיֹּאמֶר־לָ֥הּ, 7 letters). Words sharing gematria 95: king, what·to·you. 3 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·he·said·to·her" (וַיֹּאמֶר־לָ֥הּ), "said" (אָמְרָ֣ה), "we·will·eat" (נֹאכַ֥ל). The root אמר appears 3 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "and·he·said·to·her" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·me" (root אל, 113x in II Kings). First appearance of the root מחר ("tomorrow") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'what·to·you', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 12 words.
Metzudat David
And he said. The king returned to the question, [asking] what is your request, for he again thought that perhaps her request was about a different matter.
Malbim
However, regarding the aspect that she [the plaintiff] wanted judgment against the wrong done to her, the king said, "What troubles you?" From the word "this" ["this woman"], it is clear that even the accused woman was present at the scene and did not deny the matter — only that according to Torah law she [the plaintiff] could not win her case, for it is impossible for one to become obligated to have her son killed, and no legal transaction (kinyan) takes effect in such a matter. Therefore she came to the king so that he would render judgment according to the law of the kingdom, which takes into account the time, place, and circumstances — especially since she had a claim that the other woman had incited her to do this, as it is stated, "This woman said to me, 'Give up your son.'"
So we boiled my son, and did eat him; and I said to her on the next day: Give your son, that we may eat him; and she has hid her son.’
verse value 3505
Insights
Verse structure: 12 words, 58 letters. The shortest word is "give" (תְּנִ֤י, 3 letters) and the longest is "and·we·ate·him" (וַנֹּאכְלֵ֑הוּ, 7 letters). 5 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "and·we·boiled" (וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל), "and·we·ate·him" (וַנֹּאכְלֵ֑הוּ), "and·I·said" (וָאֹמַ֨ר). The root אכל appears 2 times in this verse. 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·I·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·her" (root אל, 113x in II Kings); "in·the·day" (root יום, 79x in II Kings). First appearance of the root בני ("the·sons·of") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'and·we·ate·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 3 and 9 words. Full calculation: וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל [and·we·boiled] (388) + אֶת־בְּנִ֖י [the·sons·of] (463) + וַנֹּאכְלֵ֑הוּ [and·we·ate·him] (118) + וָאֹמַ֨ר [and·I·said] (247) + אֵלֶ֜יהָ [to·her] (46) + בַּיּ֣וֹם [in·the·day] (58) + הָאַחֵ֗ר [another] (214) + תְּנִ֤י [give] (460) + אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ [son] (473) + וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ [and·we·will·eat·him] (163) + וַתַּחְבִּ֖א [and·she·hid] (417) + אֶת־בְּנָֽהּ [her·son] (458) = 3505.
Rashi
And she hid her son. He died, and she wished to eat him alone (Yalkut Shimoni Remez 231):
Radak
"And she hid her son." [This teaches that] she would eat him alone, or she would have compassion on him in order to keep him alive.
Ralbag
“And she hid her son.” This means that she concealed him in order to save him from being eaten, for perhaps she would find deliverance from another source.
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes—now he was passing by upon the wall—and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.
verse value 4607
Insights
Verse structure: 16 words, 71 letters. Notable word values: "and·he" (וְה֖וּא) = 18, chai, 'life'. The shortest word is "crossing" (עֹבֵ֣ר, 3 letters) and the longest is "his·garments" (אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו, 7 letters). 2 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "the·sackcloth" (הַשַּׂ֛ק), "upon·flesh" (עַל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ). 16 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "king" (root מלך, 407x in II Kings); "words·of" (root דבר, 147x in II Kings); "from·the·house·of" (root בית, 141x in II Kings). First appearance of the root שק ("the·sackcloth") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'upon·the·wall', dividing the verse into phrases of 10 and 6 words.
Rashi
And the people saw. Through the tear, the sackcloth beneath his garments:
Radak
"Underneath." On the inside.
Metzudat David
"Within." [I.e.,] from within his garments, and they saw it through the tear.
Malbim
And he tore his garments: although he was walking along the wall, by which he was weakening the hands of the men of war, for he had already become despondent, and the people saw that sackcloth was upon his flesh, which indicates utter despair. Until now he had been hoping for the mercy of the Lord, and therefore he had donned sackcloth for repentance and prayer. But now that they had reached the point of utter destruction, hope was lost from his heart, and he sought to kill the prophet for not having prayed to turn back the wrath.
Then he said: ‘God do so to me, and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.’
verse value 2675
Insights
Verse structure: 11 words, 52 letters. Notable word values: "God" (אֱלֹהִ֖ים) = 86, equal to Elohim. The shortest word is "and·thus" (וְכֹ֣ה, 3 letters) and the longest is "so·may·do·to·me" (כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י, 8 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "so·may·do·to·me" (כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י), "and·thus" (וְכֹ֣ה), "will·be·again" (יוֹסִ֑ף). 11 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "so·may·do·to·me" (root עשה, 142x in II Kings); "upon·him" (root על, 116x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'will·be·again', dividing the verse into phrases of 5 and 6 words. Full calculation: וַיֹּ֕אמֶר [and·said] (257) + כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י [so·may·do·to·me] (450) + אֱלֹהִ֖ים [God] (86) + וְכֹ֣ה [and·thus] (31) + יוֹסִ֑ף [will·be·again] (156) + אִֽם־יַעֲמֹ֞ד [if·it·shall·stand] (165) + רֹ֣אשׁ [head] (501) + אֱלִישָׁ֧ע [Elisha] (411) + בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ט [son·of·Shaphat] (441) + עָלָ֖יו [upon·him] (116) + הַיּֽוֹם [day] (61) = 2675.
Rashi
If the head of Elisha stands. That the ability is in his hand to request mercy:
Radak
"If the head of Elisha remains [attached to him, i.e. on his own shoulders]. For he was obligated to supplicate for mercy, yet he does not supplicate."
Ralbag
"If the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on him today." It would seem that when Elisha rebuked him, he told him that there would be a famine, but did not tell him that it would last only seven years, as Elijah had said, "If there be dew or rain these years, except by my word" — and also did not tell him that it would end in the third year. For this reason the king became angry with him and said to put him to death, because he saw that the famine had already reached such severity that they were eating the flesh of their children.
Metzudat David
"As he shall do, etc." This refers to the matter of an oath, and he spoke in a vague, unspecified manner, without stating [what]:
"If he stands, etc." For his imprisonment is because he has the power to pray to God to remove the famine, and he does not care.
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him; but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders: ‘See you how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold the door fast against him; is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him?’
verse value 9747
Insights
Verse structure: 35 words, 159 letters. Notable word values: "will·go·in" (יָבֹא֩) = 13, the value of echad ('one') and ahavah ('love'). The shortest word is "dwelling" (יֹשֵׁ֣ב, 3 letters) and the longest is "to·the·elders" (אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים, 8 letters). Words sharing gematria 407: with·him, him. 7 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "to·the·elders" (אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים), "you·saw" (הַרְּאִיתֶם֙), "that·he·sent" (כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֞ח). The root ישב appears 2 times in this verse. 28 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "to·the·elders" (root איל, 153x in II Kings); "will·go·in" (root בוא, 146x in II Kings). First appearance of the root לחץ ("and·you·will·squeeze") in II Kings. The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'with·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 6 and 29 words.
Rashi
And he sent a man before him. The king sent to kill him, and before that messenger came to Elisha, and he was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit, and he said to the elders: and behold the messenger is coming down to him and the king after him:
Radak
And he sent a man. The king sent a man before him to remove the head of Elisha:
“Before.” It is written defectively, lacking a vav, whereas the vav is superfluous in the word “and he said.” The matter of the verse is similar: “The king sent a man from before him to Elisha. And before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders...” For the king sent a man to cut off his head, as it was told to him through prophetic inspiration.
"Have you seen." With a dagesh in the resh. And similarly, "Have you seen him whom the LORD has chosen."
"The son of the murderer." The son of Ahab, who murdered Naboth; thus he desires to murder me as well.
“Is it not the voice? You shall hear the voice of his master’s footsteps coming after him.”
Ralbag
"Son of the murderer." He is called "son of Ahab, son of the murderer," because he consented to the murder of Naboth and to the murder of the prophets of the Lord through Jezebel.
Metzudat David
"And he sent." The king sent to Elisha before his arrival there, to guard him so that he would not flee until the king himself arrived, and to kill him in his presence.
Before. Until the envoy had not yet arrived, Elisha said to the elders: “Have you seen?” meaning: Do you pay attention to this matter, that the son of the murderer has sent [a message] to remove my head, for it was said to him in prophecy:
"Son of the murderer." The verse calls Ahab "the murderer" because all the prophets that Jezebel killed, she did so with Ahab's consent.
"See, etc." – Look now at the coming of the messenger to the entrance, and then close the door, and push him out with the door.
"Is it not the sound..." He was still speaking with them when he said: "Is it not that I now hear, by prophecy, the sound of the footsteps of his master the king, who is walking after the messenger whom he sent?"
Metzudat Zion
Have you seen? With the interrogative hey:
And you shall press. A matter of pressure:
Malbim
The Questions: According to the interpretation of the commentators that the king sent a man, it should have said, “And before the messenger arrived,” and similarly it should have said, “He said,” without the conjunction vav.
And Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting before him. At that time, he was not in his study hall with the sons of the prophets; rather, he sat in his house with the Sanhedrin, and they were judging the people. And he sent away a man: the explanation is that when he perceived this through his Holy Spirit, he sent away every man from before him, so that only the elders would remain there, for he did not want this matter to become public among the masses. And he said to the elders, etc., meaning that it was not within the king’s power to put a man to death without guilt, as a murderer does, but only through a legal trial, as is evident in the case of Naboth, where he was required to be judged by the elders of the city. Therefore, he said to the elders that they should oppose his hand, for they had the power to do so, since he came to remove his head through murder. And lest they fear that the king’s officer would prevail with force and strength, he said that they should not be concerned, for “the sound of his master’s feet is behind him.”
And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him; and [the king] said: ‘Behold, this evil is of Hashem; why should I wait for Hashem any longer?’
verse value 2663
Insights
Verse structure: 15 words, 65 letters. Notable word values: "Hashem" (יְהֹוָ֔ה) = 26, the value of the divine name Hashem. The shortest word is "with" (עִמָּ֔ם, 3 letters) and the longest is "why?·shall·I·wait" (מָה־אוֹחִ֥יל, 7 letters). 4 words in this verse appear nowhere else in II Kings. Unique to this verse in II Kings (hapax): "still·he" (עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙), "with" (עִמָּ֔ם), "behold·this" (הִנֵּה־זֹ֤את). The root עוד appears 2 times in this verse. 13 unique roots are used. Frequent roots: "and·said" (root אמר, 342x in II Kings); "Hashem" (root יהוה, 276x in II Kings); "speaking" (root דבר, 147x in II Kings). The etnachta (major mid-verse pause) falls on 'to·him', dividing the verse into phrases of 7 and 8 words.
Rashi
And he said. The king:
Behold this evil is from the Lord. This is one of the curses that he cursed by means of Moses (Deuteronomy 28:53): and you shall eat the fruit of your belly in siege and in strait and so on:
What more can I hope for from the Lord? To be saved — but it will not help:
Radak
"And he said." The king, who arrived after the messenger, said: "Behold, this calamity is from the Lord, to the point that women eat the flesh of their sons."
"What more can I hope for from the Lord?" That is to say, "What more can I hope for from the Lord, and what hope can I place in Him? What benefit will there be for me after this calamity?" And Targum Yonatan renders it "What is there with me?" [מה אצלי] — he renders אוחיל as if from אחלה ["acholah," i.e., to entreat].
Ralbag
And behold, the angel descended to him and said, "Behold, this evil is from the Lord; what more can I hope for from the Lord?" It appears that the angel who descended to him said to Elisha that he had come to kill him on account of the famine, by the king's command. And Elisha said to him that this is not the way to escape the famine, but rather that they should pray to the Lord. And the angel answered that since this evil is from the Lord, it would be in vain to pray to Him further. And he thought that prayer alone would be effective to save them from the evil that another would do, but not from the evil that the Lord Himself would do. And therefore Elisha answered that the Name would save them from that evil, to the extent that already tomorrow a seah of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria. And it is possible that the intent here is that the angel, who had already said that he came to kill Elisha, as if repenting of having come to kill him, said: "Behold, this evil has come upon us from the Lord because of our sins; what more sin shall I commit, and bring upon myself anguish and trouble on top of this trouble, so that the Lord will be angry with me?" And this is of the matter of "My bowels, my bowels, I am in anguish" (Jeremiah 4:19).
Metzudat David
He descends to him. To Elisha, into the house, for upon hearing that even the king would come, they ceased from closing the door out of respect for the royal dignity.
"And he said." Just as the king arrived, the messenger said to the king: "Behold, the evil of the famine has come from the Lord, as full recompense for the sins. And if I were to add to the transgression by stretching out my hand against His prophet, then what hope could I possibly still have in the Lord? Would He not cease to show mercy because of this sin?" And for the sake of the honor of the monarchy, he attributed the matter to himself.
Metzudat Zion
I will hope. I will expect, so too (Lamentations 3:21): therefore I will wait for Him:
Malbim
"And he said": this was said by the king — "Behold, this calamity is from the LORD" — meaning that in the order of the curses in the Rebuke, this is the final one, the last of the curses. And since this calamity is from the LORD, and it is the culmination of [His] wrath, "what more should I hope for from the LORD," and until when shall we be silent and hope for Him?
Rashi
Radak
Ralbag
Metzudat David
Malbim