2 Kings 6:11 kjv
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?
2 Kings 6:11 nkjv
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?"
2 Kings 6:11 niv
This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, "Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?"
2 Kings 6:11 esv
And the mind of the king of Syria was greatly troubled because of this thing, and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me who of us is for the king of Israel?"
2 Kings 6:11 nlt
The king of Aram became very upset over this. He called his officers together and demanded, "Which of you is the traitor? Who has been informing the king of Israel of my plans?"
2 Kings 6 11 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 33:10-11 | The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the designs of the peoples. The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations. | God thwarts human plans. |
| Job 12:22 | He uncovers deep things out of darkness and brings the shadow of death to light. | God knows and reveals secrets. |
| Prov 15:3 | The eyes of the LORD are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good. | God's omnipresence and knowledge. |
| Isa 46:9-10 | ...I am God, and there is no other... Declaring the end from the beginning... saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose.' | God's foreknowledge and sovereign plan. |
| Dan 2:22 | He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. | God as the revealer of mysteries. |
| Matt 10:26 | For nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be known. | Ultimate revelation of hidden things. |
| Ps 42:5 | Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God... | Heart troubled/disquieted (internal turmoil). |
| Ps 77:3 | I remembered God, and was troubled; I complained, and my spirit was overwhelmed. Selah | Heart troubled (overwhelmed by thought). |
| Lam 1:20 | Look, O LORD, for I am in distress; My soul is troubled... | Inner distress and trouble. |
| Prov 21:30 | There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD. | Human plans futile against God. |
| Isa 8:9-10 | ...Associate yourselves, O you peoples, and be broken in pieces... Take counsel together, but it will come to nothing... For God is with us. | Nations plotting against God's people fail. |
| 1 Cor 1:19-20 | ...I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent... Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? | God's wisdom nullifying human wisdom. |
| 1 Sam 22:7-8 | Then Saul said to his servants... "None of you pities me, or has revealed to me that my son has made a covenant with the son of Jesse..." | King suspecting betrayal among servants. |
| Esth 6:13 | And Haman told Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened... Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish ancestry, you will not prevail against him but will surely fall before him." | Counsellors providing advice in court, recognizing divine opposition. |
| Jn 13:21-22 | When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified... "one of you will betray Me." Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. | Lord troubled by impending betrayal. |
| Ps 41:9 | Even my close friend in whom I trusted... has lifted his heel against me. | The pain of suspected or real treachery. |
| Jer 12:6 | For even your brothers, the house of your father, even they have dealt treacherously with you... | Treachery from one's own people. |
| Rom 1:21 | For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. | Futility of mind in denying God. |
| Num 22:12 | And God said to Balaam, "You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed." | God directly intervenes to prevent plots against His people. |
| Prov 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps. | God's ultimate control over human plans. |
| Eph 3:5 | ...which in other generations was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets... | God's revelation to prophets. |
2 Kings 6 verses
2 Kings 6 11 Meaning
Second Kings chapter 6 verse 11 describes the reaction of the Aramean king whose strategic plans against Israel were repeatedly thwarted. His inner being was deeply disturbed and agitated by the continuous failure of his secret ambushes. Driven by suspicion, he convened his trusted officials and confronted them, demanding to know which among them was secretly providing information to the king of Israel, believing there was a traitor within his inner circle.
2 Kings 6 11 Context
This verse is set during a time of ongoing conflict between the kingdom of Aram (Syria) and Israel. The Aramean king, whose name is generally understood to be Ben-Hadad from the broader narrative, was attempting to launch surprise military strikes against Israel. However, his repeated ambush attempts were inexplicably failing. Unbeknownst to him, the prophet Elisha was being divinely informed of the Aramean king's every secret move and was subsequently relaying these vital warnings to the king of Israel, thus allowing Israel to avoid disaster (2 Kgs 6:8-10). The Aramean king, frustrated by this consistent pattern of failure, cannot comprehend how his deeply hidden strategies are being exposed. He immediately dismisses the idea of divine intervention and instead resorts to a very human, politically charged conclusion: treachery within his own confidential circle. This context highlights the king's human limitation in discerning the true source of his predicament, preparing the narrative for Elisha's supernatural knowledge to be further revealed.
2 Kings 6 11 Word analysis
- Therefore (וַיֹּאמֶר - vayyō'mer - 'And he said' but implies 'and it came to pass', leading to this conclusion): This transitional word connects the king's actions directly to the preceding events of his thwarted plans. It signals a consequence, indicating that his mental state is a direct result of the frustrating military failures.
- his heart (לִבּוֹ - libbō - 'his heart'): In Hebrew thought, the "heart" (lev) is not merely a physical organ but the center of one's being, encompassing intellect, emotion, will, and conscience. Here, it signifies the king's inner state—his mind, feelings, and resolve. It speaks to a deep, internal disruption.
- was greatly troubled (נִבְהַל - niv'hal - 'was greatly troubled/dismayed/alarmed'): This verb conveys intense agitation, consternation, and distress. It suggests a state of profound shock or confusion. It's more than annoyance; it's a deep-seated disquiet that throws one's mental and emotional faculties into disorder.
- by this thing (עַל־הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה - `al-haddāvār hazzeh - 'upon this word/matter this'): "Davar" is a broad Hebrew term that can mean word, thing, matter, event, or deed. Here, it refers to the entire situation of his secret plans being continuously foiled, which is an astounding and perplexing "thing" to him.
- and he called (וַיִּקְרָא - vayyiqrā' - 'and he called/summoned'): This signifies a formal, authoritative summons, indicating the urgency and gravity with which the king regarded the situation. He brings together his most trusted officials.
- his servants (אֶל־עֲבָדָיו - 'el-`avādāv - 'to his servants/officials'): These "servants" were not mere domestic staff but likely high-ranking advisors, military commanders, and privy counselors—individuals with access to secret war plans. This underscores the severity of the suspected betrayal, as it implicated those closest to him.
- and said to them (וַיֹּאמֶר אֲלֵהֶם - vayyō'mer 'alêhem - 'and he said to them'): Introduces the direct interrogation and accusation from the king.
- Will you not show me (הֲלוֹא תַּגִּידוּ - hălō' taggîḏû - 'Will you not declare/tell/show?'): This rhetorical question is a strong, challenging demand, implying the king's expectation that someone must know the truth. It suggests exasperation and a command veiled as a question, implying a deep frustration.
- who among us (מִי מִשֶּׁלָּנוּ - mî miššelānû - 'who is from us'): The king immediately suspects internal treachery, not an external, supernaturally informed source. This indicates his blindness to the divine hand at play, focusing only on human agency within his own inner circle.
- is for the king of Israel (הוּא לְמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל - hû' lᵉmeleḵ Yiśrā'ēl - 'he is for the king of Israel'): This phrase refers to loyalty or allegiance. The king suspects that someone within his ranks is providing aid or information to his enemy, betraying their own nation's ruler.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Therefore his heart was greatly troubled by this thing": This phrase powerfully describes the psychological impact of repeated frustration. The king, accustomed to strategic success and control, is thrown into disarray by an unseen force, leading to mental and emotional turmoil. His human intellect is overwhelmed by a divine reality he cannot perceive.
- "and he called his servants and said to them": This action reveals the king's typical method of dealing with problems: assembly of his inner circle for counsel and information. It highlights his assumption that the problem lies within the realm of human treachery, rather than a supernatural intervention.
- "Will you not show me who among us is for the king of Israel?": This direct, accusatory question underscores the king's paranoia and his conviction that someone inside his own command structure is a mole. It expresses his demand for revelation, ironically unaware that the true "revelation" of his plans comes not from a human traitor but from God's prophet. The phrasing implicitly reveals the high stakes of allegiance in an ancient court.
2 Kings 6 11 Bonus section
- The scene demonstrates the invisible spiritual battle underpinning visible conflicts between nations. The "intelligence failure" of the Arameans was not due to poor human espionage, but to divine counter-intelligence.
- The king's immediate reaction reflects a common human tendency to attribute inexplicable events to malevolent human agency rather than acknowledging the possibility of divine intervention. This mirrors broader human resistance to recognizing God's active hand in the world.
- This verse indirectly sets up a "Who is it?" moment, building dramatic tension which is immediately resolved in the following verse by a truly astounding revelation from one of his own servants.
2 Kings 6 11 Commentary
The Aramean king's profound distress in 2 Kings 6:11 marks a critical turning point in the narrative. His "greatly troubled heart" speaks to the utter frustration and confusion that results when human schemes, no matter how cunning or secretive, are systematically overthrown by a higher power. This verse vividly illustrates the futility of human wisdom and strategy when it stands opposed to the divine will and foreknowledge. The king's immediate leap to suspicion of internal betrayal—"who among us is for the king of Israel?"—reveals a significant spiritual blindness. He fails to consider any possibility beyond human agency, utterly oblivious to the hand of the Lord working through Elisha. This natural, human-centric reaction to an inexplicable problem highlights the chasm between worldly understanding and spiritual discernment. It is a powerful testament to the sovereign power of God to frustrate the plans of those who oppose His people, even when those adversaries operate with the utmost secrecy and tactical advantage. The scene sets the stage for the true source of information—Elisha's prophetic insight—to be explicitly stated in the subsequent verse, magnifying the glory of God who reveals deep and secret things.