2 Kings 6:22

“Do not kill them,” he replied. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them, that they may eat and drink and then return to their master.”

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — The king of Israel asks Elisha whether he should execute the captured Aramean forces. Elisha responds to the king, directing him to feed the captives and release them rather than slaughter them.

The words — The Hebrew phrase לֹא תַכֶּ֔ה (lo ta.keh) literally commands "do not strike them down." It is immediately linked to הַ/אֲשֶׁ֥ר שָבִ֛יתָ (ha.'a.Sher sha.Vi.ta), meaning "those whom you have taken captive."

The thread — The text's instruction to provision captives aligns with Deuteronomy 20:11 regarding post-conflict treatment of conquered populations. The same operational principle of feeding an enemy appears in Romans 12:20.

Why it lands — The passage requires the reader to replace immediate retaliation with deliberate provision, treating captured enemies as recipients of sustenance rather than targets of violence.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙va/i.Yo.merand/ he said לֹ֣אlo'not תַכֶּ֔הta.Kehyou must strike [them] down הַאֲשֶׁ֥רha./'a.Sher¿/ [those] whom שָׁבִ֛יתָsha.Vi.tayou have taken captive בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥be./char.be./Khaby/ sword/ your וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖u./ve./kash.te./Chaand/ by/ bow/ your אַתָּ֣ה'a.Tah[are] you מַכֶּ֑הma.Kehabout to strike down שִׂים֩simput לֶ֨חֶםLe.chemfood וָמַ֜יִםva./Ma.yimand/ water לִפְנֵיהֶ֗םli/f.nei./Hem<to>/ before/ them וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ve./yo.khe.Luso/ they may eat וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּve./yish.Tuand/ they may drink וְיֵלְכ֖וּve./ye.le.Khuand/ they may go אֶל־'el-to אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם׃'a.do.nei./Hemmaster<s>/ their

King James Version

And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

Cross-references

Genesis 48:22 And to you, as one who is above your brothers, I give the ridge of land that I took from the Amorites with my sword and bow.”
Romans 12:20 On the contrary, “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink. For in so doing, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
Deuteronomy 20:11 If they accept your offer of peace and open their gates, all the people there will become forced laborers to serve you.
2 Chronicles 28:8 Then the Israelites took 200,000 captives from their kinsmen—women, sons, and daughters. They also carried off a great deal of plunder and brought it to Samaria.
Hosea 2:18 On that day I will make a covenant for them with the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the creatures that crawl on the ground. And I will abolish bow and sword and battle in the land, and will make them lie down in safety.
Joshua 24:12 I sent the hornet ahead of you, and it drove out the two Amorite kings before you, but not by your own sword or bow.
Psalms 44:6 For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.
Proverbs 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
Hosea 1:7 Yet I will have compassion on the house of Judah, and I will save them—not by bow or sword or war, not by horses and cavalry, but by the LORD their God.”
Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,