2Ki 6:31-33 | TNotes | STEP | 6:31 separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders: Decapitation of one’s enemy was frequent (10:6-8 ; 1 Sam 17:51 ; 31:9 ; 2 Sam 4:7-8 , 12 ; 20:22 ; Matt 14:11 ) in the ancient Near East. Joram reasoned that the situation stemmed from Elisha’s earlier sparing of Ben-hadad’s troops (2 Kgs 6:22-23 ). Moreover, Ben-hadad had been after Elisha (6:13 ), so the prophet’s presence had endangered the whole city.

a6:31►

b10:6-8►

c1 Sam 17:51►

d31:9►

e2 Sam 4:7-8►

f12►

g20:22►

hMatt 14:11►

i2 Kgs 6:22-23►

j6:13►

k6:32►

l6:33►

‏ 2 Kings 6:31-33

6:31 ^a separate Elisha’s head from his shoulders: Decapitation of one’s enemy was frequent (10:6-8 ^b; 1 Sam 17:51 ^c; 31:9 ^d; 2 Sam 4:7-8 ^e, 12 ^f; 20:22 ^g; Matt 14:11 ^h) in the ancient Near East. Joram reasoned that the situation stemmed from Elisha’s earlier sparing of Ben-hadad’s troops (2 Kgs 6:22-23 ⁱ). Moreover, Ben-hadad had been after Elisha (6:13 ^j), so the prophet’s presence had endangered the whole city.
6:32 ^k Elisha was aware that Joram was sending a messenger to assassinate him and that the king was not far behind.
6:33 ^l And the king said: Literally And he said. The messenger might have been delivering the king’s words verbatim.

• Because the misery of the siege appeared to be from the Lord, Joram felt that further prayer for rescue was useless.