2 Kings 6:13

ยถ And he said, Go and spy where he [is], that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan.

And he said {H559}, Go {H3212} and spy {H7200} where {H351} he is, that I may send {H7971} and fetch {H3947} him. And it was told {H5046} him, saying {H559}, Behold, he is in Dothan {H1886}.

He said, "Go and see where he is, so that I can send and bring him here." They told him, "He's in Dotan."

So the king said, โ€œGo and see where he is, that I may send men to capture him.โ€ On receiving the report, โ€œElisha is in Dothan,โ€

And he said, Go and see where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan.

Commentary

2 Kings 6:13 introduces a pivotal moment in the ongoing conflict between the King of Syria and the prophet Elisha. After repeated failures to ambush the King of Israel, the Syrian monarch, often identified as Ben-Hadad, grows suspicious that one of his own servants is betraying his strategic plans. His servants, however, reveal that it is Elisha, the man of God, who supernaturally discerns the Syrian king's secret counsel and reveals it to the King of Israel (as seen in 2 Kings 6:12).

Context

This verse marks the Syrian king's desperate shift in strategy from ambushing the Israelite army to directly targeting the source of their intelligence: Elisha. Frustrated by his failed military campaigns, he asks his servants to pinpoint Elisha's exact location, intending to capture him and neutralize his prophetic influence. The response, "Behold, he is in Dothan," sets the stage for a dramatic confrontation. Dothan was an ancient city, strategically located in a valley, known historically from the story of Joseph (Genesis 37:17), making it a recognizable and significant setting for the narrative that follows.

Key Themes

  • Divine Omniscience: The passage highlights God's supreme knowledge, which Elisha channels, demonstrating that no human plan, however secret, is hidden from the Almighty. This theme assures believers that God is aware of all circumstances.
  • Spiritual Warfare: The Syrian king's attempt to capture Elisha is not merely a military maneuver but a direct spiritual attack against God's representative and, by extension, against God's purposes for Israel. It illustrates the unseen battle against forces that oppose divine will.
  • God's Protection: Even though Elisha's location is revealed, the subsequent verses will vividly show God's miraculous intervention to protect His prophet, underscoring the futility of human efforts against divine will and the unwavering care God has for His servants.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "where he [is]" with the bracketed "is" indicates that this word was supplied by the translators for clarity, as it is implied in the original Hebrew text. The Hebrew verb translated "spy" or "see" (ืจึธืึธื”, ra'ah) conveys the king's intent to precisely locate Elisha, not just generally, but with a view to actionโ€”to "fetch him," which implies capture.

Practical Application

For believers today, 2 Kings 6:13 offers a powerful reminder that God is aware of our circumstances and whereabouts, even when adversaries scheme against us. Just as God protected Elisha from the overwhelming Syrian army, He watches over His people. This verse reinforces the idea that even in times of vulnerability or perceived danger, God's watchful eye and protective hand are upon those who serve Him, assuring us that He preserves us from all evil and our "going out and coming in." It encourages trust in God's unseen power and divine strategy, which always triumphs over human opposition.

Note: Commentary was generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash, utilizing a prompt that emphasized Biblical fidelity over bias. We've found these insights to be consistently reliable, yet we always encourage prayerful discernment through the Holy Spirit.

Please remember that only the commentary section is AI-generated. The main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are sourced from trusted and verified materials.

Cross-References

  • Genesis 37:17

    And the man said, They are departed hence; for I heard them say, Let us go to Dothan. And Joseph went after his brethren, and found them in Dothan.

  • John 11:47

    Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles.

  • John 11:53

    Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.

  • Psalms 37:12

    The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

  • Psalms 37:14

    The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, [and] to slay such as be of upright conversation.

  • Psalms 10:8

    He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor.

  • Psalms 10:10

    He croucheth, [and] humbleth himself, that the poor may fall by his strong ones.
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