Bible Strands
2 Kings 6:7
“Lift it out,” he said, and the man reached out his hand and took it.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Elisha speaks to a prophet’s servant whose borrowed iron ax head fell into the Jordan. This occurs immediately after Elisha cuts a stick, throws it into the water, and causes the sunken iron to float.
The words — The Hebrew הָרֶם (ha.rem) commands “lift [it]” and וַיִּשְׁלַח יָדוֹ (va.yishlach yado) describes the man stretching out his hand to grasp the floating object. These terms emphasize direct physical action in response to a prophetic command.
The thread — The pattern of stretching out a hand to retrieve an object appears in Exodus 4:4 when Moses grabs the serpent, and in 2 Kings 4:36 when Gehazi is instructed to call the Shunammite woman. In each instance, a physical gesture follows a spoken directive to restore what was lost or inaccessible.
Why it lands — The text demands immediate compliance with a divine command that appears practically impossible. It requires the reader to recognize that obedience precedes the resolution of the crisis.
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
King James Version
Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
Cross-references
- 2 Kings 4:36 Elisha summoned Gehazi and said, “Call the Shunammite woman.” So he called her and she came. Then Elisha said, “Pick up your son.”
- Exodus 4:4 “Stretch out your hand and grab it by the tail,” the LORD said to Moses, who reached out his hand and caught the snake, and it turned back into a staff in his hand.
- 2 Kings 4:7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil, and pay your debt. Then you and your sons can live on the remainder.”
- Luke 7:15 And the dead man sat up and began to speak! Then Jesus gave him back to his mother.
- Acts 9:41 Peter took her by the hand and helped her up. Then he called the saints and widows and presented her to them alive.