Bible Strands

2 Kings 6:3

Then one of them said, “Please come with your servants.” “I will come,” he replied.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — One of the sons of the prophets addresses Elisha immediately after the group requests his presence for their Jordan expedition. Elisha responds directly to the invitation with immediate consent.

The words — The request employs ה֥וֹאֶל (Ho.'el) meaning “be willing” paired with נָ֖א (na') for “please,” followed by וְ/לֵ֣ךְ (ve./Lekh) “and go” and עֲבָדֶ֑י/ךָ ('a.va.Dei./kha) “your servants.” Elisha’s reply merely repeats וַ/יֹּ֖אמֶר (va/i.Yo.mer) “and he said” to confirm his movement.

The thread — This pattern of conditional or insistent presence appears in Judges 4:8 when Barak ties his compliance to Deborah’s accompaniment, and in Judges 19:6 where a host presses a guest to stay. The same pleading structure recurs in 2 Kings 5:23 as Naaman urges Gehazi to accept payment.

Why it lands — The text records a straightforward exchange of invitation and acceptance without elaboration. A reader notes that prophetic authority operates through direct, unadorned verbal agreement rather than rhetorical persuasion.

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 saidהָֽאֶחָ֔דha./'e.Chadthe/ oneה֥וֹאֶלHo.'elbe willingנָ֖אna'pleaseוְלֵ֣ךְve./Lekhand/ goאֶת־'et-withעֲבָדֶ֑יךָ'a.va.Dei./khaservants/ yourוַיֹּ֖אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he saidאֲנִ֥י'a.NiIאֵלֵֽךְ׃'e.LekhI will go

King James Version

And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.

Cross-references