Chapter 6
Melachim ב (Kings II (A Teachers' Guide
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Chapter 6
Verse 1:
ויאמרו בני הנביאים אל
אלישע הנה נא המקום אשר אנחנו יושבים שם לפניך צר ממנו
צר ממנו
It is apparent from the description of Geihazi's actions, that he did not encourage many students to come to Elisha, and many students actually distanced themselves from Elisha because of Geihazi's behavior. Once Geihazi had been banished, many more came to learn in Elisha's beit midrash, and it became too crowded for comfort. (Rashi, Radak)
The students can bring examples of the manifestations of Geihazi's personality from previous chapters (see 4:27, 31; 5:20-22).
Verse 2:
נלכה נא עד הירדן
ונקחה משם איש קורה אחת ונעשה לנו שם מקום לשבת שם ויאמר לכו
נלכה נא עד הירדן
They thought that the Jordan river was an appropriately holy place to build a beit midrash, since it was the site where Eliyahu had ascended to heaven. (Abarbanel)
ונקחה משם
They took the wood from a forest near Yericho. (Metzudat David)
Verse 3:
ויאמר האחד הואל נא ולך
את עבדיך ויאמר אני אלך
הואל
"Please". (Rashi)
Verse 5:
ויהי האחד מפיל הקורה
ואת הברזל נפל אל המים ויצעק ויאמר אהה אדוני והוא שאול
ואת הברזל נפל אל המים
Both the handle of the axe and the blade fell into the water. (Radak)
ויצעק ויאמר אהה
אדוני והוא שאול
Since the axe was borrowed, the borrower was upset, since he would not have the resources to make up the loss to the owner. (Radak)
* We learn from this story how poor the prophets - bnei
hanevi'im - were. This demonstrates even more clearly the greatness of
Elisha in refusing the gifts of Na'aman even though his students were in great
need of money. (Da'at Sofrim)
Verse 6:
ויאמר איש האלוקים אנה
נפל ויראהו את המקום ויקצוב עץ וישלך שמה ויצף הברזל
ויקצוב עץ
He cut off a branch from a tree. (Metzudat David)
וישלך שמה ויצף הברזל
This demonstrated that the prophet had the ability to change nature. The stick sank, and caused the axe to float to the top. (Abarbanel, Malbim)
* * *
Verse 8:
ומלך ארם היה נלחם
בישראל וייוועץ אל עבדיו לאמור אל מקום פלוני אלמוני תחנותי
ומלך ארם היה נלחם
בישראל
* The king pretended to be at peace with the kingdom of Israel, and so, instead of open battles, he conducted only small ambushes. (Me'am Lo'ez)
The students should note that this is hinted at in the verse: It says בישראל, and not בממלכת ישראל, or בעם ישראל.
אל מקום פלוני אלמוני
תחנותי
He spoke with his officers privately about a plan to ambush the Israelite troops from a secret place. (Metzudat David)
Verse 10:
וישלח מלך ישראל אל
המקום אשר אמר לו איש האלוקים והזהירה ונשמר שם לא אחת ולא שתיים
וישלח מלך ישראל אל
המקום אשר אמר לו איש האלוקים
The king of Israel sent soldiers to the places that the prophet indicated, to see if his warning was justified. (Metzudat David)
ונשמר משם
The king was careful not to travel through these places, realizing that there was, indeed, a threat of ambush there. (Metzudat David)
לא אחת ולא שתיים
This prophetic warning, preventing fatal encounters with Aram, reccurred many times. (Metzudat David)
Verse 11:
וייסער לב מלך ארם על
הדבר הזה ויקרא אל עבדיו ויאמר אליהם הלוא תגידו לי מי משלנו אל מלך ישראל
וייסער מלך ארם
A tremor overtook the king, similar to a stormy wind, because his plans were constantly being frustrated. (Metzudat David)
מי משלנו אל מלך
ישראל
He wanted to know who among his servants was spying for the king of Israel. (Metzudat David)
Verse 12:
ויאמר אחד מעבדיו לוא
אדוני המלך כי אלישע הנביא אשר בישראל יגיד למלך ישראל את הדברים אשר תדבר בחדר
משכבך
כי אלישע הנביא...
יגיד למלך ישראל
Everything that Elisha told the king was based on information received through prophecy. (Metzudat David)
Verse 13:
ויאמר לכו וראו איכה
הוא ואשלח ואקחהו ויוגד לו לאמור הנה בדותן
איכה
The king of Aram wanted to know where Elisha lived. (Rashi)
ואשלח ואקחהו
* The king of Aram, who was aware of the great powers of the prophet, wanted to bring him to Aram, so that he could be his advisor. (Alsheikh Hakadosh, Malbim)
Verse 14:
וישלח שמה סוסים ורכב
וחיל כבד ויבואו לילה ויקיפו על העיר
וחיל כבד
* The army was sent to protect the prophet, in case the king of Israel would not allow him to leave the land of Israel. (Malbim)
Verse 15:
וישכם משרת איש
האלוקים לקום ויצא והנה חיל סובב את העיר וסוס ורכב ויאמר נערו אליו אהה אדוני
איכה נעשה
איכה נעשה
The servant was concerned how he and the prophet were going to escape from the large army that surrounded the city. (Metzudat David)
Verse 16:
ויאמר אל תירא כי רבים
אשר איתנו מאשר אותם
כי רבים אשר איתנו
מאשר אותם
Elisha reassured the servant that the forces protecting them were larger than the army they were looking at. (Metzudat David)
Verse 17:
ויתפלל אלישע ויאמר ה'
פקח נא את עיניו ויראה ויפקח ה' את עיני הנער וירא והנה ההר מלא סוסים ורכב אש
סביבות אלישע
פקח נא את עיניו
ויראה
1. The servant's eyes needed to be opened, so that he would be able to see something spiritual. (Metzudat David)
2.* Elisha was asking that the servant be able to see something that did not exist in the physical world. (Abarbanel)
והנה ההר מלא סוסים
Although there was no need to use this spiritual force, it was shown to the servant so that he would not call out and awaken the entire city, giving away the fact that Elisha was there. (Ralbag)
Verse 18:
וירדו אליו ויתפלל
אלישע אל ה' ויאמר הך נא את הגוי הזה בסנוורים ויכם בסנוורים כדבר אלישע
וירדו אליו
The army of Aram came down to Elisha. (Metzudat David)
ויאמר הך נא את הגוי
הזה
* Elisha does not mention Hashem's name here. This is because the Name is used only in connection with something beneficial, such as a blessing. And, indeed, when Elisha requested the opening of the eyes of his servant and of the soldiers, he did turn to Hashem by name: ה', פקח נא (see verses 17, 20). (Rashi)
בסנוורים
Their blindness was not physical: they could see, but they could not understand what they were seeing. They were afflicted with confusion. (Rashi, Metzudat David)
See Bereishit 19:11 for a description of a similar situation with the people of Sdom.
This miracle is the opposite of the previous one of opening the eyes of the servant: The servant was enabled to see something that did not exist; in this case the people were unable to recognize what was right in front of them. (Malbim)
This is another case in which the prophet is capable of changing nature, showing that Hashem has full control of the world.
The students should be able to give examples of this phenomenon from previous chapters.
Verse 19:
ויאמר אליהם אלישע לא
זה הדרך ולא זֹה העיר לכו אחרי ואוליכה אתכם אל האיש אשר תבקשון. ויולך אותם
שומרונה
לא זה הדרך ולא זה
העיר
He explained to them that they had not reached Dotan, but a different city. (Metzudat David)
They believed him because they had traveled at night and could easily have lost their sense of direction. (Abarbanel)
ויולך אותם שומרונה
1. He brought them to Shomron, the capital, to show the king of Israel another example of the power of Hashem, hoping to influence him to repent. (Alsheikh Hakadosh)
2.* He knew that these soldiers did not mean to harm him, so he wanted to treat them with great respect. He therefore brought them to the king, who would be able to honor them in the greatest way possible. This was also a chance for these soldiers to experience the greatness of Hashem. (Alsheikh Hakadosh)
Verse 21:
ויאמר מלך ישראל אל
אלישע כראותו אותם האכה אכה אבי
האכה אכה
The king of Israel was asking the prophet if he is allowed to massacre these soldiers. (Metzudat David)
Verse 22:
ויאמר לא תכה האשר
שָבִיתָ בחרבך ובקשתך אתה מכה שים לחם ומים לפניהם ויאכלו וישתו וילכו אל אדוניהם
האשר שבית בחרבך
ובקשתך אתה מכה
1. The prophet was reminding the king that these were prisoners of war, and it is not the usual custom to kill them. (Rashi)
2.* The prophet was asking the king what right he has to kill these men - he didn't even capture them himself. (Radak)
The first view understands שבית as those who were already taken captive. The second view understands it as the act of taking them captive.
Verse 23:
ויכרה להם כרה גדולה
ויאכלו וישתו וישלחם וילכו אל אדוניהם ולא יספו עוד גדודי ארם לבוא בארץ ישראל
ויכרה להם כרה גדולה
They prepared a great feast for them (Metzudat David).
ולא יספו עוד גדודי
ארם לבוא בארץ ישראל
1. Aram did not come to attack anymore for a while. However, later they did come and try to invade, as demonstrated in the next verse. (Radak)
2. Aram no longer attacked in a secretive manner; rather, they attacked with their whole army, openly. (Ralbag, Metzudat David)
Verses 24-25:
ויהי אחרי כן ויקבוץ
בן הדד מלך ארם את כל מחנהו ויעל ויצר על שומרון. ויהי רעב גדול בשומרון והנה צרים
עליה עד היות ראש חמור בשמונים כסף ורובע הקב דביונים (קרי)/חרייונים (כתיב) בחמישה כסף
ויהי רעב גדול
בשומרון והנה צרים עליה
There were two reasons for the lack of food in the city: There was a country-wide famine, and the siege prevented any food at all from being brought into the city. (Metzudat David)
ראש חמור בשמונים כסף
This statement reflects the severity of the famine on two levels: The hunger was so intense that they were forced to eat non-kosher animals (Radak), and even that non-kosher food was extremely expensive. (Metzudat David)
דביונים (קרי) /
חרייונים (כתיב)
* The ktiv is more explicit - "that which comes from the hole of the dove"; the kri is stating it more euphemistically - "that which flows from the dove. (Radak)
Verses 26-27:
ויהי מלך ישראל עובר
על החומה ואשה צעקה אליו לאמור הושיעה אדוני המלך. ויאמר אל יושיעך ה' מאין אושיעך
המן הגורן או מן היקב
ויאמר אל, יושיעך ה'
מאין אושיעך
The king responded to the woman's plea, that if Hashem, who has the ability to save you, is not saving you, how can I, as a king of limited power, save you? (Metzudat David)
המן הגורן או מן היקב
The king mistook her plea as a request for food. (Rashi)
The goren - barn - symbolizes bread, while the yekev - winery - symbolizes wine - both of them staples at that time.
Verse 28:
ויאמר לה המלך מה לך
ותאמר האשה הזאת אמרה אלי תני את בנך ונאכלנו היום ואת בני נאכל מחר
ויאמר לה המלך מה לך
The king thought that perhaps her request was for something other than food, and therefore asked how he could help her. (Metzudat David)
Verse 29:
ונבשל את בני ונאכלהו
ואומר אליה ביום האחר תני את בנך ונאכלנו ותחביא את בנה
ותחביא את בנה
The other woman either kept her son alive, hiding him, or else she killed her son, but wanted to eat him all by herself. (Radak)
Verse 30:
ויהי כשמוע המלך את
דברי האשה ויקרע את בגדיו והוא עובר על החומה וירא העם והנה השק על בשרו מבית
ויקרע את בגדיו
The king tore his clothes in public view of the people, even though he knew this would weaken their morale even more. (Malbim)
והנה השק על בשרו
מבית
1. The sackcloth symbolized that the king had repented, done teshuva, but in deference to his position as king he wore other clothes over it. (Abarbanel)
Mibayit means that he had been wearing the sackcloth under his clothes, and it became visible only when he tore his outer clothes. (Metzudat David)
Verse 31:
ויאמר כה יעשה לי
אלוקים וכה יוסיף אם יעמוד ראש אלישע בן שפט עליו היום
אם יעמוד ראש אלישע
בן שפט עליו היום
1. The king held Elisha responsible for the troubles of the people, since he should have prayed for them - שהיה עליו לבקש רחמים. (Radak)
2.* The king was angry at Elisha for keeping the troops alive (see verses 21-23), and feeding them a great meal. Had he allowed the king to kill the troops, or had the food been given instead to the people, the famine would not have been so severe. (Alsheikh Hakadosh)
Verse 32:
ואלישע יושב בביתו
והזקנים יושבים איתו וישלח איש מלפניו בטרם יבוא המלאך אליו והוא אמר אל הזקנים
הראיתם כי שלח בן המרצח הזה להסיר את ראשי ראו כבוא המלאך סגרו הדלת ולחצתם אותו
בדלת הלוא קול רגלי אדוניו אחריו
וישלח איש מלפניו
1. The king sent a servant to kill Elisha. (Rashi)
2. The king sent a servant to guard Elisha, preventing his escape, so that the king could witness the execution. (Metzudat David)
3.* The king sent the messenger to kill Elisha, but if the prophet were to respond to the messenger's coming with good news, than the instructions would be not to kill him. The king followed his messenger quietly, to hear for himself what the prophet would say. (Abarbanel)
4.* The king regretted his decree, and followed his servant in order to save the prophet. (Alsheikh Hakadosh)
The commentators are trying to explain the purpose of this shaliach - messenger, and the necessity of the king's following him to the prophet's house. The last explanation mentioned strengthens the point that king had, indeed, repented, and did not want the prophet to be harmed.
בטרם יבוא המלאך אליו
Before the messenger reached the home of Elisha, the prophet received a prophecy that he was coming. (Rashi)
בן המרצח הזה
The "murderer" is Ahav, Yehoram's father, who was responsible for the death of Navot (see Melachim I 21:15-21). The prophet was hinting that Yehoram is following in his father's murderous ways. (Radak, Abarbanel)
הלוא קול רגלי אדוניו
אחריו
1. Elisha told the elders to keep the door shut until they hear the footsteps of the king, who was following the messenger. (Radak, Abarbanel)
2.* As he was speaking to the elders, he heard the footsteps of the king in prophecy, and was sharing this information with the elders. (Metzudat David)
Verse 33:
עודנו מדבר עמם והנה
המלאך יורד אליו ויאמר הנה זאת הרעה מאת ה' מה אוחיל לה' עוד
ויאמר הנה זאת הרעה
מאת ה' מה אוחיל לה' עוד
1. The king related to the prophet that since the situation was a direct curse from Hashem (see Devarim 28:13), there was no hope for any salvation. (Rashi, Abarbanel)
2.* The king admitted to the prophet that it was not his fault, but, rather, the decree of Hashem. However, he did not know what more he could do besides wearing the sackcloth and praying to Hashem. (Alsheikh Hakadosh)
3.* This is a statement of the messenger, as he turns to the king and explains that the hunger is in retribution for the people's sins. If the prophet is murdered there will be no further hope for salvation. (Metzudat David)
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