2 Raja-raja 6:8

Elisha Defeats an Army

6:8 Now the king of Syria was at war with Israel. He consulted his advisers, who said, “Invade ¹  at such and such ²  a place.”

2 Raja-raja 9:19

9:19 So he sent a second horseman out to them ³  and he said, “This is what the king says, ‘Is everything all right?’” ⁴  Jehu replied, “None of your business! Follow me.”

2 Raja-raja 18:23

18:23 Now make a deal ⁵  with my master the king of Assyria, and I will give you two thousand horses, provided you can find enough riders for them.

[6:8]  ¹ tc The verb form used here is difficult to analyze. On the basis of the form נְחִתִּים (nÿkhitim) in v. 9 from the root נָחַת (nakhat), it is probably best to emend the verb to תִּנְחְתוּ (tinkhÿtu; a Qal imperfect form from the same root). The verb נָחַת in at least two other instances carries the nuance “go down, descend” in a military context. For a defense of this view, see M. Cogan and H. Tadmor, II Kings (AB), 72.

[6:8]  ² sn The advisers would have mentioned a specific location, but the details are not significant to the narrator’s purpose, so he simply paraphrases here.

[9:19]  ³ tn Heb “and he came to them.”

[9:19]  ⁴ tc The MT has simply “peace,” omitting the prefixed interrogative particle. It is likely that the particle has been accidentally omitted; several ancient witnesses include it or assume its presence.

[18:23]  ⁵ tn Heb “exchange pledges.”