2 Kings 6:18 kjv
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 nkjv
So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 niv
As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD, "Strike this army with blindness." So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.
2 Kings 6:18 esv
And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha.
2 Kings 6:18 nlt
As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, "O LORD, please make them blind." So the LORD struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked.
2 Kings 6 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gen 19:11 | And they struck with blindness the men who were at the entrance of the house, both small and great, so that they could not find the door. | God strikes Sodomites with blindness (sanverim), a parallel. |
| Ps 34:7 | The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. | Divine protection and deliverance. |
| Ps 91:1-2 | He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty... my God, in whom I trust. | Trust in God's protection. |
| Isa 54:17 | No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed... | God's nullification of enemy plans. |
| Jer 33:3 | Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you do not know. | God answers prayer, revealing hidden power. |
| Jas 5:16b | The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. | Elisha's effective prayer. |
| Mt 21:22 | And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith. | The power of faithful prayer. |
| Phil 4:6 | Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. | Prayer as a response to perceived threat. |
| 2 Ki 6:17 | Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man... | Preceding verse; contrast of spiritual sight and physical blindness. |
| 2 Chr 20:20-24 | ...when they began to sing and praise, the Lord set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir... | God fighting enemies supernaturally without human combat. |
| Isa 6:9-10 | And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand... and see, but do not perceive.’” | Theme of divine blinding and hardening of hearts. |
| Jn 9:39 | Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” | Spiritual sight vs. blindness as a judgment. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light... | Spiritual blindness induced by hostile powers. |
| Eph 4:18 | They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. | Describes spiritual blindness of unbelievers. |
| 2 Thes 2:11 | Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false. | God allowing or sending delusion as judgment. |
| Rom 1:28 | And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind... | God giving over individuals to impaired faculties. |
| Ex 14:4 | And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and he will pursue them, and I will get glory over Pharaoh and all his host... | God manipulating enemies for His glory. |
| Ps 76:10 | Surely the wrath of man shall praise you; the remainder of wrath you will restrain. | God's control over human hostility. |
| Prov 16:7 | When a man’s ways please the Lord, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him. | God’s ability to affect enemies’ actions towards His people. |
| Rom 8:31 | What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? | God's protection negates opposing forces. |
| Heb 13:6 | So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” | Reliance on God’s help against human threats. |
| Isa 30:7 | Egypt's help is worthless and empty... | Contrast of human/worldly help versus divine intervention. |
2 Kings 6 verses
2 Kings 6 18 Meaning
2 Kings 6:18 describes a moment of profound divine intervention where the prophet Elisha, facing an overwhelming Aramean army sent to capture him, prays to the Lord. In response to his prayer, God strikes the entire Aramean army with a bewildering blindness, rendering them disoriented and unable to recognize their target, thereby protecting Elisha and demonstrating God's sovereign power over human sight and plans.
2 Kings 6 18 Context
The verses preceding 2 Kings 6:18 detail the Aramean king's frustration. Elisha had repeatedly revealed the Aramean king's ambush plans to the king of Israel, foiling the Arameans' efforts (2 Ki 6:8-12). Incensed, the Aramean king learned of Elisha's presence in Dothan and dispatched a formidable army, complete with horses and chariots, to surround the city and capture the prophet (2 Ki 6:13-14). Elisha's servant became terrified upon seeing the vast hostile force, prompting Elisha to pray for the servant's eyes to be supernaturally opened, revealing an even greater heavenly army of chariots and horses of fire surrounding Elisha (2 Ki 6:15-17). Immediately after this, as the Aramean army "came down to him," Elisha prayed the prayer for their blindness recorded in verse 18. This act serves as a miraculous non-violent disarming of the enemy before they could physically harm Elisha. The narrative continues with Elisha leading the blinded army into Samaria, the capital of Israel, only then praying for their eyes to be opened (2 Ki 6:19-20). This entire episode demonstrates God's unique ways of protecting His prophet and Israel during a period of ongoing conflict between the two nations, where the king of Aram was Ben-Hadad and the king of Israel was Jehoram.
2 Kings 6 18 Word analysis
- When they came down: Implies the Aramean army, descending upon Dothan where Elisha was. This phrase highlights the imminent threat and their physical approach, emphasizing the urgency of the moment and the scale of the confrontation. It signifies an overwhelming military presence about to engage.
- to him: Refers directly to Elisha. The target of their operation was the prophet, underscoring God's personal intervention for His servant.
- Elisha prayed to the Lord: Hebrew vayitpallel YHWH (וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל יְהוָה). Vayitpallel conveys a fervent and specific act of intercession, characteristic of Elisha's direct communication with God. YHWH (the LORD) indicates the covenant God of Israel, highlighting His unique relationship with Elisha and His sovereign power over nations and nature. This prayer is pivotal; it's the direct catalyst for the miracle.
- “O Lord, please strike this people with blindness!”: Hebrew hakkēh-nā’ et-haqqārôm bassānwērîm (הַכֵּה־נָא אֶת־הַגּוֹי הַזֶּה בַּסַּנְוֵרִים).
- "strike this people": The word hakkēh-nā’ suggests a request for a powerful, decisive act of affliction or judgment. It's not a suggestion but a plea for divine action.
- "with blindness": The specific Hebrew term used here is bassānwērîm (בַּסַּנְוֵרִים), translated as a dazzling or bewildering blindness. This unique word appears only one other time in the Old Testament, in Genesis 19:11, describing the men of Sodom being struck by blindness so they couldn't find Lot's door. It suggests a disorienting, temporary blindness that incapacitates their sense of direction and purpose, rather than a permanent physical affliction. It’s a divine act designed to confuse and render ineffective, impacting perception and spatial awareness.
- So He struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha: This phrase emphasizes God's immediate and direct response to Elisha's prayer. The He refers to the Lord, affirming divine agency. This direct causation ("in accordance with") showcases God's faithfulness to His prophet and the immense power of intercessory prayer. It confirms that the event was a specific answer to Elisha’s petition, highlighting divine responsiveness.
- Words-group analysis:
- "When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord": This sequence juxtaposes human aggression with divine intervention initiated by humble prayer. It sets the stage for a spiritual victory over physical might, highlighting Elisha’s calmness in the face of peril.
- "strike this people with blindness": This is not a prayer for destruction or death but for a unique, bewildering affliction that disarms the enemy without total annihilation. It reflects God’s methods that often serve to teach or display power without unnecessary violence, opening the door for mercy later.
- "So He struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha": This directly links Elisha's plea to God's immediate action, showcasing the efficacy and power of a righteous person's prayer (Jas 5:16). It also establishes divine sovereignty and control over human senses and military might.
2 Kings 6 18 Bonus section
- Polemics Against Pagan Beliefs: This event served as a potent polemic against the Aramean king's reliance on his gods and military power. The Arameans likely worshipped gods associated with war and sky phenomena (e.g., Hadad, their storm god). Here, YHWH, the God of Israel, demonstrated complete superiority, not only revealing the Arameans' secret plans (2 Ki 6:8-12) but also physically manipulating their very senses, rendering their powerful army helpless against Him. This was a clear message that no earthly power or pagan deity could stand against the God of Elisha.
- The Nature of Sanverim: The choice of the term sanverim for blindness is significant. Unlike general blindness, sanverim in its two biblical occurrences (Gen 19:11 and 2 Ki 6:18) implies a supernatural, confounding disorientation. The victims lose their bearings, purpose, and direction, becoming easily led and manipulated. This points to a deeper spiritual reality where those opposed to God may lose their spiritual vision and walk in delusion, unable to discern truth or their path (cf. 2 Cor 4:4).
- Divine Restraint and Mercy: Instead of annihilation, God chose disarming and disorientation. This act of "blindness" ultimately allowed for the Aramean army to be led to Samaria and fed, demonstrating an element of divine mercy even towards enemies (2 Ki 6:22-23). God's judgment here served not destruction but humiliation and an object lesson, preserving life while demonstrating power.
2 Kings 6 18 Commentary
2 Kings 6:18 profoundly illustrates God's sovereign control over seemingly insurmountable odds. Faced with a massive Aramean army, Elisha did not resort to human might or fear, but to fervent prayer. The unique "blindness" (Hebrew: sanverim) inflicted upon the Aramean soldiers was a divine act of disorientation, not merely physical sight loss, rendering them utterly ineffective and vulnerable. This specific form of blinding underscores God's ability to manipulate human perception and judgment, showcasing a strategic intervention that disarms without outright destruction. It magnifies the power of YHWH as supreme, demonstrating His immediate response to Elisha's faith-filled request and affirming His direct involvement in protecting His prophet and nation. This miracle served to humble the arrogant Arameans, reinforce Israel's trust in God, and demonstrate that God’s methods are far superior and often unconventional compared to human warfare strategies. It also highlights Elisha's distinct and powerful relationship with the Lord, as his prayer immediately and specifically brought forth divine action.