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Commentary on 2 Kings 6 verses 1–7
Several things may be observed here,
I. Concerning the sons of the prophets, and their condition and character. The college here spoken of seems to be that at Gilgal, for there Elisha was (Kg2 4:38), and it was near Jordan; and, probably, wherever Elisha resided as many as could of the sons of the prophets flocked to him for the advantage of his instructions, counsels, and prayers. Every one would covet to dwell with him and be near him. Those that would be teachers should lay out themselves to get the best advantages for learning. Now observe,
1.Their number increased so that they wanted room: The place is too strait for us (Kg2 6:1) - a good hearing, for it is a sign many are added to them. Elisha's miracles doubtless drew in many. Perhaps they increased the more now that Gehazi was cashiered, and, it is likely, an honester man put in his room, to take care of their provisions; for it should seem (by that instance, Kg2 4:43) that Naaman's case was not the only one in which he grudged his master's generosity.
2.They were humble men and did not affect that which was gay or great. When they wanted room they did not speak of sending for cedars, and marble stones, and curious artificers, but only of getting every man a beam, to run up a plain hut or cottage with. It becomes the sons of the prophets, who profess to look for great things in the other world, to be content with mean things in this.
3.They were poor men, and men that had no interest in great ones It was a sign that Joram was king, and Jezebel ruled too, or the sons of the prophets, when they wanted room, would have needed only to apply to the government, not to consult among themselves about the enlargement of their buildings. God's prophets have seldom been the world's favourites. Nay, so poor were they that they had not wherewithal to hire workmen (but must leave their studies, and work for themselves), no, nor to buy tools, but must borrow of their neighbours. Poverty then is no bar to prophecy.
4.They were industrious men, and willing to take pains. They desired not to live, like idle drones (idle monks, I might have said), upon the labours of others, but only desired leave of their president to work for themselves. As the sons of the prophets must not be so taken up with contemplation as to render themselves unfit for action, so much less must they so indulge themselves in their ease as to be averse to labour. He that must eat or die must work or starve, Th2 3:8, Th2 3:10. Let no man think an honest employment either a burden or disparagement.
5.They were men that had a great value and veneration for Elisha; though they were themselves prophets, they paid much deference to him. (1.) They would not go about to build at all without his leave, Kg2 6:2. It is good for us all to be suspicious of our own judgment, even when we think we have most reason for it, and to be desirous of the advice of those who are wiser and more experienced; and it is especially commendable in the sons of the prophets to take their fathers along with them, and to act in all things of moment under their direction, permissu superiorum - by permission of their superiors. (2.) They would not willingly go to fell timber without his company: "Go with thy servants (Kg2 6:3), not only to advise us in any exigence, but to keep good order among us, that, being under they eye, we may behave as becomes us." Good disciples desire to be always under good discipline.
6.They were honest men, and men that were in care to give all men their own. When one of them, accidentally fetching too fierce a stroke (as those that work seldom are apt to be violent), threw off his axe-head into the water, he did not say, "It was a mischance, and who can help it? It was the fault of the helve, and the owner deserved to stand to the loss." No, he cries out with deep concern, Alas, master! For it was borrowed, Kg2 6:5. Had the axe been his own, it would only have troubled him that he could not be further serviceable to his brethren; but now, besides that, it troubles him that he cannot be just to the owner, to whom he ought to be not only just but grateful. Note, We ought to be as careful of that which is borrowed as of that which is our own, that it receives no damage, because we must love our neighbour as ourselves and do as we would be done by. It is likely this prophet was poor, and had not wherewithal to pay for the axe, which made the loss of it so much the greater trouble. To those that have an honest mind the sorest grievance of poverty is not so much their own want or disgrace as their being by it rendered unable to pay their just debts.
II. Concerning the father of the prophets, Elisha. 1. That he was a man of great condescension and compassion; he went with the sons of the prophets to the woods, when they desired his company, Kg2 6:3. Let no man, especially no minister, think himself to great to stoop to do good, but be tender to all. 2. That he was a man of great power; he could make iron to swim, contrary to its nature (Kg2 6:6), for the God of nature is not tied up to its laws. He did not throw the helve after the hatchet, but cut down a new stick, and cast it into the river. We need not double the miracle by supposing that the stick sunk to fetch up the iron, it was enough that it was a signal of the divine summons to the iron to rise. God's grace can thus raise the stony iron heart which has sunk into the mud of this world, and raise up affections naturally earthly, to things above.
Elisha, by casting a stick into the river Jordan, recovered the iron part of the axe with which the sons of the prophets had gone to cut down trees to build the house in which they wished to read and study the law and commandments of God; even as our Christ, by being crucified on the tree, and by purifying us with water, has redeemed us, though plunged in the direst offences which we have committed, and has made us a house of prayer and adoration.
And accordingly Elisha, having taken “wood” and cast it into that place where the iron had been submerged, forthwith it rose and swam on the surface, and the “wood” sank, which the sons of the prophets recovered. Thus they understood that the spirit of Elijah was presently conferred on him. What is more manifest than the mystery of this wood: that the obduracy of this world had been sunk in the profundity of error and is freed in baptism by the wood of Christ, that is, of his passion, in order that what had formerly perished through the tree in Adam should be restored through the tree in Christ?
This is a symbol signifying the fall of Adam. For water represents the type of sin. Indeed, through water, sin was redeemed by the deluge at the time of Noah and at the fulfillment of times. It was washed in the water of holy baptism by our Lord when he was baptized in the Jordan by John, when he was received and ate with sinners and in his passion was counted among the reprobates. The wood descended, the iron has emerged, because Emmanuel died, was buried and went down to the infernal regions of earth, and from there he has come back, and in his ascension he has lifted up Adam from the deep towards the heights.
When the divine lesson was read now, dearly beloved, we heard that as blessed Elisha was going to the river Jordan with the sons of the prophets to cut some wood, an ax fell into the water, and the man from whose hand it slipped cried out to blessed Elisha, “Alas, my lord, for this was borrowed.” After this blessed Elisha threw a piece of wood into the place where the ax had fallen, and the iron swam. Elisha typified our Lord and Savior, dearly beloved, as we have frequently mentioned to your charity. Moreover, in the boy who was from the sons of the prophets and from whose hand the ax slipped, we not unfittingly understand Christ our Lord. That ax that fell seems to signify Adam or the whole human race. Therefore, the son of the prophets held the ax in his hand, because our Lord and Savior had in the hand of his power the human race, which he had created. Just as the ax fell out of the prophet’s hand into the water, so the human race through pride shook off itself free from the hand of almighty God, fell and plunged itself into the river of dissipation and the waters of every sin. So the ax lay in the water, because the human race had fallen into the abyss of all vices in miserable ruin. As it is written: “I am sunk in the abysmal swamp,” and again: “I have reached the watery depths; the flood overwhelms me.” That river where the ax fell signifies the pleasure or dissipation of this world, which is passing, fleeting and descending into the abyss. A river derives its name from the idea of flowing; since all sinners are said to flow along clinging to transitory pleasures, for this reason that ax lay sunk in the river and mud.At his coming Elisha threw in a piece of wood, and the iron swam. What does it mean to cast the piece of wood and bring the iron to light, except to ascend the gibbet of the cross, to lift up the human race from the depth of hell and to free it from the mud of all sins by the mystery of the cross? After the iron floated, the prophet put in his hand to recover it, and it returned to the useful service of its master. Thus it also happened to us, dearly beloved brothers. We who had fallen from the Lord’s hand through pride merited to return again to his hand and power through the wood of the cross. Therefore, with his help, let us strive as much as we can not to fall again from his hand through pride. Without any preceding good merits of ours we have been brought from darkness to light, recalled from death to life and brought back to the right path from many errors. For this reason let us run while we still possess the light of life and not neglect the passing times of salvation. Let not the unwholesomely sweet and exceedingly dangerous joy of this world delight us, lest we again fall away from good works and the path of justice as from the hand of the Lord and hasten to the wicked river of this world. Let us not be submerged again in the mud of all sins in unhappy destruction, but let us listen to the apostle say, “If you have risen with Christ, mind the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Seek the things that are above.” Why does he say “if you have risen,” unless because we had fallen? Elsewhere the same apostle says, “Awake, sleeper, and arise from among the dead, and Christ will enlighten you.” Does it not seem to you as though he is shouting to the ax, which is lying in the mud? Awake, he says, you who sleep in the deep waters, and Christ will enlighten you through the mystery of the cross. All these truths have already been fulfilled in us, beloved brothers, through the sacrament of baptism.
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SUMMARY
The narrative in 2 Kings 6:6 recounts a remarkable miracle performed by the prophet Elisha, wherein a borrowed iron axe head, having fallen into the Jordan River, is supernaturally made to float to the surface. This concise yet profound incident serves as a powerful testament to God's absolute sovereignty over the natural order, His meticulous and compassionate care for the practical needs and anxieties of His servants, and the authentic validation of Elisha's prophetic ministry as a direct instrument of divine power. It underscores the profound theological truth that no detail of human life, however seemingly insignificant, is too small for the Creator's attentive notice and miraculous intervention.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: This miracle is strategically placed within a broader series of narratives that highlight Elisha's prophetic ministry, directly following the expansion efforts of the "sons of the prophets" (2 Kings 6:1-5). The preceding verses establish the immediate setting: a burgeoning community of prophets requiring more space, their collective decision to build near the Jordan River, and the practical challenges inherent in acquiring building materials. The loss of the axe head, a valuable and borrowed tool, precipitates a moment of genuine distress for one of the young prophets, underscoring the community's reliance on such implements for their labor and their commitment to integrity regarding borrowed property. This incident is not an isolated wonder but an integral part of a continuous narrative illustrating God's active and intimate involvement in the daily lives of His covenant people through His chosen prophet, often addressing practical, mundane needs rather than solely grand political or military crises.
Historical & Cultural Context: In ancient Israel, iron tools were highly valued and indispensable for various activities, including construction, agriculture, and daily domestic life. Iron was significantly less common and more difficult to work with than bronze, rendering an axe head a substantial and costly asset. The "sons of the prophets" likely constituted a formal community or school of prophets, a recognized and respected institution in Israel, akin to those previously associated with Elijah. Their communal living and engagement in manual labor (such as felling timber) reflect a disciplined and practical lifestyle. The Jordan River, particularly known for its swift currents and varying depths, would have made the recovery of a sunken iron object virtually impossible through natural means. Elisha, identified as the "man of God," operated within a cultural framework where prophets were perceived as direct intermediaries between God and humanity, performing signs and wonders that authenticated their divine commission and revealed God's character and power.
Key Themes: The central and most prominent theme illuminated by this miracle is Divine Sovereignty and Power over Creation. Iron, by its inherent natural properties, is designed to sink in water; yet, God's command, mediated through Elisha, suspends this natural law, causing the heavy object to float. This serves as an undeniable testament to God's absolute authority over all physical realities, powerfully reminding the audience that His power is limitless and not constrained by human understanding or scientific principles. This echoes earlier demonstrations of divine control over nature, such as the miraculous parting of the Red Sea for Israel's escape or the stopping of the Jordan River for their entry into the Promised Land. Another significant theme is God's Meticulous Care and Provision for His People, even in matters that appear trivial. The loss of an axe head might seem insignificant in the grand scope of biblical history, yet God intervenes, demonstrating His profound attentiveness to the daily struggles and anxieties of His faithful servants—a truth powerfully reiterated in the New Testament, where believers are encouraged to cast all their anxieties on Him. Finally, the miracle robustly reinforces Elisha's Authenticated Prophetic Authority. As the "man of God," Elisha functions as the divinely appointed channel through which God's power flows, his actions consistently validating his role as God's chosen representative and successor to Elijah, performing miracles that address both national crises and individual needs, thereby building faith and trust in God's active and present involvement among His people.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The narrative of the floating axe head is a masterful example of Narrative Economy, swiftly moving from the problem's presentation to its miraculous resolution with minimal descriptive embellishment, thereby highlighting the directness and efficiency of divine power. The central and most overt device is, of course, the Miracle itself—a supernatural intervention that defies established natural laws, serving primarily to authenticate Elisha's prophetic ministry and to reveal God's omnipotence. The Symbolism of the stick is particularly profound: a humble piece of wood, naturally buoyant, is cast into the water where heavy iron has sunk. While not explicitly stated as a magical conduit, it serves as a simple, humble instrument through which God chooses to act, contrasting sharply with the weight of the iron and underscoring that the power is entirely divine, not inherent in the stick or in Elisha himself. The entire episode functions as a Theophany in Miniature, a localized yet powerful manifestation of God's presence and power, demonstrating His direct Divine Intervention in the seemingly mundane affairs of His covenant people.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The miracle of the floating axe head, though modest in scale when compared to other biblical wonders, carries immense theological weight and profound implications. It profoundly illustrates God's active, intimate, and compassionate involvement in the lives of His people, affirming His character as a God who is both omnipotent in power and meticulously caring in His providence. It teaches the vital truth that no concern, however seemingly trivial or insignificant, is beneath His notice or beyond His infinite capacity to address. This event powerfully underscores the principle of divine providence, where God orchestrates circumstances and intervenes directly to provide for and protect His servants, demonstrating His unwavering faithfulness to those who serve Him. It also reinforces the concept of prophetic mediation, where God chooses to work through human agents, empowering them to perform acts that reveal His glory and meet the pressing needs of His covenant community.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The timeless story of the floating axe head offers profound and enduring encouragement for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful reminder that our God is not a distant, detached, or unconcerned deity, but rather one who is intimately involved in every facet of our lives, from the grandest, most overwhelming crises to the most mundane and seemingly insignificant anxieties. Just as the young prophet was genuinely distressed over a lost tool that represented a significant burden, we too often encounter "axe head" moments in our lives—small, seemingly minor problems that nevertheless cause us genuine stress, financial strain, emotional burden, or even a sense of shame. This narrative assures us that we can confidently bring all our concerns, without reservation, to God, trusting implicitly in His limitless power and His boundless, compassionate care. It challenges us to cultivate a robust faith that believes God can and will intervene in the "impossible," even when the solution seems illogical or requires a simple, obedient act on our part, much like Elisha casting a mere stick into the water. Ultimately, it calls us to relinquish our anxieties to Him, knowing with certainty that His provision is not limited by natural laws or by the confines of our finite human understanding.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did God care about a lost axe head?
Answer: God cared deeply about the lost axe head because He cares profoundly for His people and their practical needs, no matter how seemingly small or insignificant they may appear to us. For the "sons of the prophets," this was not merely a tool but a valuable, borrowed implement essential for their communal work and livelihood. Its loss represented a tangible financial burden and a potential breach of trust with the lender. This miracle powerfully demonstrates God's meticulous providence, showing that His concern extends to the daily struggles, anxieties, and even the smallest inconveniences of His faithful servants. It affirms the profound truth that no detail of our lives is too insignificant for His attentive notice and compassionate intervention, underscoring His character as a caring and attentive Father who provides for His children.
What is the significance of Elisha cutting down and casting a stick into the water?
Answer: The stick itself held no inherent magical power; it was a simple, common object readily available. Its significance lies primarily in its role as a point of contact or a symbolic act of faith on Elisha's part, and a visible sign preceding an invisible divine act. By cutting down and casting the stick, Elisha was not performing magic or a ritualistic incantation, but rather demonstrating his obedience and unwavering faith in God's power. The profound simplicity of the act highlights that the miracle's power came solely from God, not from any elaborate human technique or Elisha's personal ability. It serves as a powerful visual contrast to the heavy iron, emphasizing the supernatural reversal of natural laws. Furthermore, it teaches us that God can use the most humble and ordinary means to accomplish extraordinary things, and often requires a simple act of obedience or faith from us to initiate His miraculous work.
Is this miracle unique in the Bible?
Answer: While the specific miracle of an axe head floating is unique in its precise details, the underlying principle of God supernaturally intervening to suspend or reverse natural laws is a recurring and consistent theme throughout the entire biblical narrative. From the dramatic parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and the miraculous provision of manna from heaven (Exodus 16) in the Old Testament, to Jesus walking on water (e.g., Matthew 14:25) and miraculously multiplying loaves and fish (e.g., John 6:11) in the New Testament, the Bible consistently portrays God as absolutely sovereign over all creation. This miracle in 2 Kings 6:6 fits seamlessly within this broader biblical pattern, demonstrating God's consistent power and His unwavering willingness to intervene in the natural world for the benefit of His people and to display His glory to all.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The miracle of the floating axe head in 2 Kings 6:6, while an Old Testament event, resonates with profound Christ-centered fulfillment and rich typological significance. Elisha, as the "man of God" through whom divine power flows, prefigures Christ in His ultimate role as the Prophet who perfectly mediates divine power and flawlessly demonstrates God's intimate and compassionate care for humanity. Just as Elisha brought life and provision in seemingly impossible situations, Jesus, the ultimate Prophet and the very Son of God, consistently displayed absolute and inherent authority over all creation. His dramatic calming of the storm (e.g., Matthew 8:26) and His miraculous walking on water (e.g., John 6:19) are far grander and more direct demonstrations of power over nature, revealing Him not merely as an agent of God, but as the Creator incarnate. Furthermore, the concern for a lost and valuable item—the axe head—powerfully foreshadows Christ's divine mission to seek and save that which was lost (e.g., Luke 19:10). The axe head, once lost and sinking into the depths, is miraculously restored to usefulness, much like humanity, lost in the depths of sin and sinking under its crushing weight, is redeemed, rescued, and restored to purpose and life through the atoning sacrifice of Christ on the cross. The seemingly insignificant nature of the problem, yet God's profound and immediate intervention, powerfully illustrates that no human need, struggle, or anxiety is too small for the compassionate and attentive heart of our Savior, who lovingly invites us to cast all our anxieties on Him because He deeply cares for us. In Christ, God's meticulous care, sovereign power, and redemptive purpose find their ultimate, perfect, and glorious embodiment.