2 Kings 6

There are all sorts of little difficulties here. Some of the stems are not 'big' enough to carry yet another English gloss. קצב for example, occurs only 5 times. What action against wood is it? And what did that piece of wood do? Make the ax swim?

And was it blindness that the nation was struck with, or bewilderment? Depends on the stem of סנורים. The same word is in Genesis 19:11. There is a common stem for blind, עור. This is the same stem as skin. They are homonyms in Hebrew. (Given the outcome, blindness and bewilderment are close.)

I try to avoid using the same stem in English for two different Hebrew stems, though I have no problem with the other way round. I have only compromised reverse-translation with a few words, all related to common actions come, go, bring, set, put, etc and a few hundred exceptions for literary reasons or for English homophones. But for rare actions, I think overlapping English to multiple Hebrew stems is potentially destroying information. But there is really no solution to this. I destroy and create information with this reading also.

The word נער is lad or young man. KJV has servant quite frequently, like a batman. In this passage, KJV uses both, perhaps intending to show the flexibility of the Hebrew. It would work if the reader knew, but it fails because the KJV also uses servant for עבד. So who could know what the stem was, even if with a glossary?

Another compromise. I have used striking off (נקף) as a phrase 4 times. This is of course the same English stem used for נכה which I have rendered as strike rather than the archaic smite. I may review this. In this chapter, the subtle difference between strike and make a circuit is important.

Translation and reading would be a lot easier for me if I felt free to cross-map stems. But it would not serve my purpose which, besides sketching potential lyrics for the music of the accents in English, is to find out what is really going on in the text and in the history of its translation, a translation that has produced so much of the theological bias of the western world. It's fine to believe in G-d, but one must keep guard as Qohelet 4:17 warns us.

Keep your footing as you are walking to the house of God, and approach more to hear than to give an offering among the dullards,
for they haven't a clue that what they do is evil.

If we are to speak, let's make clear what our premise is, and what is actually in our holy text. Then maybe, besides listening, we might be given an opportunity to speak something sensible.

2 Kings 6		Fn		Min	Max	Syll
וַיֹּאמְר֥וּ בְנֵֽי־הַנְּבִיאִ֖ים אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֑ע הִנֵּֽה־נָ֣א הַמָּק֗וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנַ֜חְנוּ יֹשְׁבִ֥ים שָׁ֛ם לְפָנֶ֖יךָ צַ֥ר מִמֶּֽנּוּ	1		And the children of the prophets said to Elisha, Behold, if you will, the place where we have settled before you is too strait for us.	3d	4B	12 22
נֵֽלְכָה־נָּ֣א עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּ֗ן וְנִקְחָ֤ה מִשָּׁם֙ אִ֚ישׁ קוֹרָ֣ה אֶחָ֔ת וְנַעֲשֶׂה־לָּ֥נוּ שָׁ֛ם מָק֖וֹם לָשֶׁ֣בֶת שָׁ֑ם וַיֹּ֖אמֶר לֵֽכוּ	2		Let us go, please, to the Jordan, and let us each take from there one rafter. And let us make for ourselves there a place to inhabit there. And he said go.	3d	4C	30 5
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ הָֽאֶחָ֔ד ה֥וֹאֶל נָ֖א וְלֵ֣ךְ אֶת־עֲבָדֶ֑יךָ וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אֲנִ֥י אֵלֵֽךְ	3		And the one said, Be humoured, if you will, and come with your servants. And he said, I will go.	3e	4B	16 7
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ אִתָּ֑ם וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ הַיַּרְדֵּ֔נָה וַֽיִּגְזְר֖וּ הָעֵצִֽים	4		And he went with them. And they came to the Jordan, and they parted the trees.	3e	4A	5 14
וַיְהִ֤י הָֽאֶחָד֙ מַפִּ֣יל הַקּוֹרָ֔ה וְאֶת־הַבַּרְזֶ֖ל נָפַ֣ל אֶל־הַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיֹּ֛אמֶר אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י וְה֥וּא שָׁאֽוּל	5		And it was the one falling the rafter, and the iron fell into the water, and he cried out and said, Aye yai yai, my lord, and this was begged.	3d	4C	21 15
וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֖ים אָ֣נָה נָפָ֑ל וַיַּרְאֵ֙הוּ֙ אֶת־הַמָּק֔וֹם וַיִּקְצָב־עֵץ֙ וַיַּשְׁלֶךְ־שָׁ֔מָּה וַיָּ֖צֶף הַבַּרְזֶֽל	6		And the man of God said, Where did it fall? And he showed him the place, and he sized a tree that he flung there, and it overlaid the iron.	3e	4B	12 23
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר הָ֣רֶם לָ֑ךְ וַיִּשְׁלַ֥ח יָד֖וֹ וַיִּקָּחֵֽהוּ	7		And he said, Lift high for yourself. And he extended his hand, and took it.	3e	4B	6 10
וּמֶ֣לֶךְ אֲרָ֔ם הָיָ֥ה נִלְחָ֖ם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַיִּוָּעַץ֙ אֶל־עֲבָדָ֣יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אֶל־מְק֛וֹם פְּלֹנִ֥י אַלְמֹנִ֖י תַּחֲנֹתִֽי	8		And the king of Aram was fighting against Israel. And he took counsel with his servants, saying, In a suitable appropriate place I will encamp.	3d	4B	13 23
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים	9		And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Keep from passing through this place, for there Aram has penetrated.	3e	4C	27 7
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל אֶֽל־הַמָּק֞וֹם אֲשֶׁ֨ר אָֽמַר־ל֧וֹ אִישׁ־הָאֱלֹהִ֛ים וְהִזְהִיר֖וֹ וְנִשְׁמַ֣ר שָׁ֑ם לֹ֥א אַחַ֖ת וְלֹ֥א שְׁתָּֽיִם	10		And the king of Israel sent to the place that the man of God had indicated to him, and he admonished him, and he was guarded there, not once and not twice.	3c	4B	30 8
וַיִּסָּעֵר֙ לֵ֣ב מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֔ם עַל־הַדָּבָ֖ר הַזֶּ֑ה וַיִּקְרָ֤א אֶל־עֲבָדָיו֙ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם הֲלוֹא֙ תַּגִּ֣ידוּ לִ֔י מִ֥י מִשֶּׁלָּ֖נוּ אֶל־מֶ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	11		And the heart of the king of Aram was storm-tossed concerning this matter. And he called to his servants, and he said to them, Will you not make clear to me who that is of us is for the king of Israel?	3e	4C	15 30
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַחַ֣ד מֵֽעֲבָדָ֔יו ל֖וֹא אֲדֹנִ֣י הַמֶּ֑לֶךְ כִּֽי־אֱלִישָׁ֤ע הַנָּבִיא֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל יַגִּיד֙ לְמֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֶת־הַ֨דְּבָרִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר תְּדַבֵּ֖ר בַּחֲדַ֥ר מִשְׁכָּבֶֽךָ	12		And one of his servants said, No one, my lord the king, for Elisha the prophet that is in Israel tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in the inner room when you are lying down.	3e	4C	16 36
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לְכ֤וּ וּרְאוּ֙ אֵיכֹ֣ה ה֔וּא וְאֶשְׁלַ֖ח וְאֶקָּחֵ֑הוּ וַיֻּגַּד־ל֥וֹ לֵאמֹ֖ר הִנֵּ֥ה בְדֹתָֽן	13		And he said, Go and see where he is that I may send and take him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, in Dothan.	3e	4C	18 11
וַיִּשְׁלַח־שָׁ֛מָּה סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֖כֶב וְחַ֣יִל כָּבֵ֑ד וַיָּבֹ֣אוּ לַ֔יְלָה וַיַּקִּ֖פוּ עַל־הָעִֽיר	14		And he sent there horses, and chariot, and heavy force. And they came by night and made a circuit against the city.	3d	4B	15 12
וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה־חַ֛יִל סוֹבֵ֥ב אֶת־הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲר֥וֹ אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה	15	~	And the minister of the man of God rose up early. He arose and went out, and behold a force surrounding the city, both horse and chariot. And the lad said to him, Aye yai yai, my Lord, how will we do?	3d	4B	31 18
וַיֹּ֖אמֶר אַל־תִּירָ֑א כִּ֤י רַבִּים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר אִתָּ֔נוּ מֵאֲשֶׁ֖ר אוֹתָֽם	16		And he said, Do not fear, for with us are many more than are with them.	3e	4C	6 13
וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤ל אֱלִישָׁע֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַח־נָ֥א אֶת־עֵינָ֖יו וְיִרְאֶ֑ה וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י הַנַּ֔עַר וַיַּ֗רְא וְהִנֵּ֨ה הָהָ֜ר מָלֵ֨א סוּסִ֥ים וְרֶ֛כֶב אֵ֖שׁ סְבִיבֹ֥ת אֱלִישָֽׁע	17		And Elisha prayed and he said, Yahweh, give sight, please, to his eyes, that he may see. And Yahweh gave sight to the eyes of the lad, and he stared, and behold, the hill was full of horses and chariot of fire surrounding Elisha.	3d	4C	21 32
וַיֵּרְדוּ֮ אֵלָיו֒ וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֨ל אֱלִישָׁ֤ע אֶל־יְהוָה֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר הַךְ־נָ֥א אֶת־הַגּוֹי־הַזֶּ֖ה בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֑ים וַיַּכֵּ֥ם בַּסַּנְוֵרִ֖ים כִּדְבַ֥ר אֱלִישָֽׁע	18		And they descended upon him, and Elisha prayed to Yahweh and he said, Strike please this nation with bewilderment. And they struck them with bewilderment according to the word of Elisha.	3e	4C	29 12
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֜ם אֱלִישָׁ֗ע לֹ֣א זֶ֣ה הַדֶּרֶךְ֮ וְלֹ֣א זֹ֣ה הָעִיר֒ לְכ֣וּ אַחֲרַ֔י וְאוֹלִ֣יכָה אֶתְכֶ֔ם אֶל־הָאִ֖ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֣ר תְּבַקֵּשׁ֑וּן וַיֹּ֥לֶךְ אוֹתָ֖ם שֹׁמְרֽוֹנָה	19		And Elisha said to them, This is not the way and this is not the city. Come after me and I will usher you to the man that you seek. And he ushered them to Samaria.	3e	4B	39 8
וַיְהִי֮ כְּבֹאָ֣ם שֹׁמְרוֹן֒ וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֱלִישָׁ֔ע יְהוָ֕ה פְּקַ֥ח אֶת־עֵינֵֽי־אֵ֖לֶּה וְיִרְא֑וּ וַיִּפְקַ֤ח יְהוָה֙ אֶת־עֵ֣ינֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּרְא֕וּ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בְּת֥וֹךְ שֹׁמְרֽוֹן	20		And it happened as they entered Samaria that Elisha said, Yahweh, give sight to the eyes of these that they may see. And Yahweh gave sight to their eyes and they saw, and behold, in the midst of Samaria.	3e	4C	24 19
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֶֽלֶךְ־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֶל־אֱלִישָׁ֔ע כִּרְאֹת֖וֹ אוֹתָ֑ם הַאַכֶּ֥ה אַכֶּ֖ה אָבִֽי	21		And the king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, Will I strike? Will I strike, O my father?	3e	4C	17 7
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ לֹ֣א תַכֶּ֔ה הַאֲשֶׁ֥ר שָׁבִ֛יתָ בְּחַרְבְּךָ֥ וּֽבְקַשְׁתְּךָ֖ אַתָּ֣ה מַכֶּ֑ה שִׂים֩ לֶ֨חֶם וָמַ֜יִם לִפְנֵיהֶ֗ם וְיֹֽאכְלוּ֙ וְיִשְׁתּ֔וּ וְיֵלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹנֵיהֶֽם	22		And he said, You not will strike. Whom you have captured with your sword and with your bow, would you strike? Set bread and water before them, and let them eat, and imbibe, and let them go to their masters.	3d	4B	24 22
וַיִּכְרֶ֨ה לָהֶ֜ם כֵּרָ֣ה גְדוֹלָ֗ה וַיֹּֽאכְלוּ֙ וַיִּשְׁתּ֔וּ וַֽיְשַׁלְּחֵ֔ם וַיֵּלְכ֖וּ אֶל־אֲדֹֽנֵיהֶ֑ם וְלֹֽא־יָ֤סְפוּ עוֹד֙ גְּדוּדֵ֣י אֲרָ֔ם לָב֖וֹא בְּאֶ֥רֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל	23		And he dug up for them. He dug greatly, and they ate, and they imbibed. Then he sent them away, and they went to their masters. And raiding parties of Aram no longer repeatedly came into the land of Israel.	3e	4C	27 18
וַֽיְהִי֙ אַחֲרֵי־כֵ֔ן וַיִּקְבֹּ֛ץ בֶּן־הֲדַ֥ד מֶֽלֶךְ־אֲרָ֖ם אֶת־כָּל־מַחֲנֵ֑הוּ וַיַּ֕עַל וַיָּ֖צַר עַל־שֹׁמְרֽוֹן	24		And it was after such, that Benhadad, king of Aram, collected all his army. And he ascended and laid siege against Samaria.	3d	4A	22 9
וַיְהִ֨י רָעָ֤ב גָּדוֹל֙ בְּשֹׁ֣מְר֔וֹן וְהִנֵּ֖ה צָרִ֣ים עָלֶ֑יהָ עַ֣ד הֱי֤וֹת רֹאשׁ־חֲמוֹר֙ בִּשְׁמֹנִ֣ים כֶּ֔סֶף וְרֹ֛בַע הַקַּ֥ב דִּבְיוֹנִ֖ים בַּחֲמִשָּׁה־כָֽסֶף	25		And there was a great famine in Samaria and behold they besieged it, until the head of an ass was eighty pieces of silver and a fourth of a cab of seed-pods, five pieces of silver.	3d	4C	17 25
וַֽיְהִי֙ מֶ֣לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עֹבֵ֖ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וְאִשָּׁ֗ה צָעֲקָ֤ה אֵלָיו֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הוֹשִׁ֖יעָה אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּֽלֶךְ	26		And it happened that the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, and a woman cried out to him, saying, Save, my lord, O king.	3e	4C	13 19
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אַל־יוֹשִׁעֵ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה מֵאַ֖יִן אֽוֹשִׁיעֵ֑ךְ הֲמִן־הַגֹּ֖רֶן א֥וֹ מִן־הַיָּֽקֶב	27		And he said, Is not Yahweh saving you? From where would I save you? From the threshing-floor or from the wine-vat?	3e	4B	14 10
וַיֹּֽאמֶר־לָ֥הּ הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ מַה־לָּ֑ךְ וַתֹּ֗אמֶר הָאִשָּׁ֨ה הַזֹּ֜את אָמְרָ֣ה אֵלַ֗י תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹאכְלֶ֣נּוּ הַיּ֔וֹם וְאֶת־בְּנִ֖י נֹאכַ֥ל מָחָֽר	28		And the king said to her, What is it to you? And she said, This woman has said to me, Give your child that we may eat him today, and my child we will eat tomorrow.	3e	4C	9 31
וַנְּבַשֵּׁ֥ל אֶת־בְּנִ֖י וַנֹּֽאכְלֵ֑הוּ וָאֹמַ֨ר אֵלֶ֜יהָ בַּיּ֣וֹם הָאַחֵ֗ר תְּנִ֤י אֶת־בְּנֵךְ֙ וְנֹ֣אכְלֶ֔נּוּ וַתַּחְבִּ֖א אֶת־בְּנָֽהּ	29		And we boiled my child and we ate him. And I said to her on the following day, Give your child that we may eat him. And she has camouflaged her child.	3e	4C	10 26
וַיְהִי֩ כִשְׁמֹ֨עַ הַמֶּ֜לֶךְ אֶת־דִּבְרֵ֤י הָֽאִשָּׁה֙ וַיִּקְרַ֣ע אֶת־בְּגָדָ֔יו וְה֖וּא עֹבֵ֣ר עַל־הַחֹמָ֑ה וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַשַּׂ֛ק עַל־בְּשָׂר֖וֹ מִבָּֽיִת	30		And it happened as the king heard the words of the woman, that he ripped his garments, and he passed by on the wall. And the people saw, and behold, the sackcloth inside on his flesh.	3d	4C	29 16
וַיֹּ֕אמֶר כֹּֽה־יַעֲשֶׂה־לִּ֥י אֱלֹהִ֖ים וְכֹ֣ה יוֹסִ֑ף אִֽם־יַעֲמֹ֞ד רֹ֣אשׁ אֱלִישָׁ֧ע בֶּן־שָׁפָ֛ט עָלָ֖יו הַיּֽוֹם	31		And he said, Thus God do to me and thus add more, if the head of Elisha, child of Shaphat, will stand upon him today.	3c	4B	15 15
וֶאֱלִישָׁע֙ יֹשֵׁ֣ב בְּבֵית֔וֹ וְהַזְּקֵנִ֖ים יֹשְׁבִ֣ים אִתּ֑וֹ וַיִּשְׁלַ֨ח אִ֜ישׁ מִלְּפָנָ֗יו בְּטֶ֣רֶם יָבֹא֩ הַמַּלְאָ֨ךְ אֵלָ֜יו וְה֣וּא ׀ אָמַ֣ר אֶל־הַזְּקֵנִ֗ים הַרְּאִיתֶם֙ כִּֽי־שָׁלַ֞ח בֶּן־הַֽמְרַצֵּ֤חַ הַזֶּה֙ לְהָסִ֣יר אֶת־רֹאשִׁ֔י רְא֣וּ ׀ כְּבֹ֣א הַמַּלְאָ֗ךְ סִגְר֤וּ הַדֶּ֙לֶת֙ וּלְחַצְתֶּ֤ם אֹתוֹ֙ בַּדֶּ֔לֶת הֲל֗וֹא ק֛וֹל רַגְלֵ֥י אֲדֹנָ֖יו אַחֲרָֽיו	32		And Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. And he sent a man from his presence. Before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, You see that this child of a murderer sent to put aside my head. See, when the messenger comes, lock the gateway and restrict him in the gateway. Is not the shuffle of the feet of his master behind him?	3d	4C	17 74
עוֹדֶ֙נּוּ֙ מְדַבֵּ֣ר עִמָּ֔ם וְהִנֵּ֥ה הַמַּלְאָ֖ךְ יֹרֵ֣ד אֵלָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר הִנֵּֽה־זֹ֤את הָֽרָעָה֙ מֵאֵ֣ת יְהוָ֔ה מָֽה־אוֹחִ֥יל לַיהוָ֖ה עֽוֹד	33		And while he was speaking with them, behold the messenger came down to him. And he said, Behold this evil from Yahweh. Why should I wait in hope for Yahweh still?	3e	4C	18 19