2 Kings 6:25 NIV

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 6:8-33

Miracles of warning to Israel (6:8-8:15)The remaining stories of Elisha concentrate on his dealings with the rulers of Israel and Syria. God was going to use Syria to punish Israel for its sin during the period of the Omri dynasty, but first he had various lessons to teach the two nations.On one occasion when Israel and Syria were fighting each other, Elisha repeatedly warned the Israelite king of Syrian ambushes (8-10). The Syrian king was furious when he learnt why his ambushes failed, and... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - 2 Kings 6:25

famine. One of the thirteen recorded in Scripture. See note on Genesis 12:10 . ass's head. This was unclean food. Pieces. Supply Figure of speech Ellipsis ( App-6 ), "shekels" instead of "pieces". cab. Only occurrence. See App-51 . dove's dung. A Euphemism ( App-6 ) is included in official Massoretic lists as being substituted for this indelicate expression, the word meaning "decayed leaves". Whichever is the meaning, it was always highly valuable as manure, especially to force growth... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - 2 Kings 6:25

2 Kings 6:25. An ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, &c.— If we reckon these pieces of silver at fifteen pence a-piece, they come to five pounds sterling: a great price for that which had on it so little meat, and that too unclean, according to the law, Leviticus 11:26. In times of famine, however, and extreme necessity, the Jews themselves were absolved from the observation of the law; nor are there wanting instances in history, where other people, upon the same occasion,... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - 2 Kings 6:25

25. an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver—Though the ass was deemed unclean food, necessity might warrant their violation of a positive law when mothers, in their extremity, were found violating the law of nature. The head was the worst part of the animal. Eighty pieces of silver, equal to £5 5s. the fourth part of a cab—A cab was the smallest dry measure. The proportion here stated was nearly half a pint for 12s. 6d. dove's dung—is thought by BOCHART to be a kind of pulse or... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Kings 6:1-33

Elisha and the Siege of Samaria1. The place where we dwell] The mention of the Jordan (2 Kings 6:2) suggests that these sons of the prophets dwelt near Jericho: cp. 2 Kings 2:5. Probably Elisha did not permanently abide with them, but visited them occasionally for supervision and instruction. 6. The iron did swim] The prophet’s powers were exerted to help one who was honest enough to be the more concerned for his loss because the axe was not his own.8. The king of Syria] perhaps the Benhadad of... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - 2 Kings 6:25

(25) And there was.—There arose. In consequence of the siege.Besieged.—Were besieging.Fourscore pieces.—Eighty shekels—i.e., about £10. Ass’s flesh would not ordinarily be eaten at all, and the head of any animal would be the cheapest part. Plutarch mentions that during a famine among the Cadusians an ass’s head could hardly be got for sixty drachms (about £2. 10s.), though ordinarily the entire animal could be bought for about half that sum. And Pliny relates that when Hannibal was besieging... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - 2 Kings 6:1-33

The Invisible Realities of the Eternal World 2 Kings 6:16 The invisible realities at times are very real to some and very unreal to others. This incident is an excellent example of it. Danger menaces two men. Death itself seems in the cup for both. But one is a citizen only of the seen and temporal, while the other's spirit soars up to God and believes in God, and is as certain of the existence of God as that he is alive. Consider the fruits of this belief in the existence of the eternal... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 6:24-33

THE FAMINE AND THE SIEGE2 Kings 6:24-33; 2 Kings 7:1-20"‘Tis truly no flood plan when princes play The vulture among carrion; but when They play the carrion among vultures-that Is ten times worse."-LESSING, "Nathan the Wise, " Act I, Sc. 3IF the Benhadad, King of Syria, who reduced Samaria to the horrible straits recorded in this chapter, {; 2 Kings 6:1-33} was the same Benhadad whom Ahab had treated with such impolitic confidence, his hatred against Israel must indeed have burned hotly.... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - 2 Kings 6:1-33

5. Elisha and the Syrians CHAPTER 6 1. The lost axe-head recovered (2 Kings 6:1-7 ) 2. Elisha makes known Ben-hadad’s plans (2 Kings 6:8-12 ) 3. Elisha’s arrest planned (2 Kings 6:13-17 ) 4. The blinded Syrians led to Samaria (2 Kings 6:18-23 ) 5. Samaria besieged (2 Kings 6:24-30 ) 6. The king’s wrath against Elisha (2 Kings 6:31-33 ) It has been truly said that the miracle of the swimming axe-head reveals the condescension of divine power and the grace of benevolence. We see the... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - 2 Kings 6:25

6:25 And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was [sold] for fourscore [pieces] of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s {n} dung for five [pieces] of silver.(n) The Hebrews write, that they burned it in the seige for lack of wood. read more