Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 6:6
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and the iron did swim.
6. He cut down a stick, and cast it in thither ] The account is extremely simple, and does not at all fit with the explanations of those who would represent Elisha as holding the stick and when he had put it into the hole for the handle, thus raising the iron from the bottom. The stick is cast on the surface of the water.
and the iron did swim ] R.V. and made the iron to swim. The voice of the Hebrew verb requires the rendering of R.V. The stick cast into the river was the outward symbol which the prophet used, as a sign of what was to be miraculously brought to pass. The iron was to float as the piece of wood did. In the same manner the salt at Jericho, and the meal at Gilgal, were signs the one of the purity, the other of the wholesomeness, which was to be wrought in the bad water, and the noxious pottage.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
No doubt there is something startling in the trivial character of this miracle, and of the few others which resemble it. But, inasmuch as we know very little as to the laws which govern the exercise of miraculous powers, it is possible that they may be so much under their possessors control that he can exercise them, or not exercise them, at pleasure. And it may depend on his discretion whether they are exercised in important cases only, or in trivial cases also. Elisha had evidently great kindness of heart. He could not see a grief without wishing to remedy it. And it seems as if he had sometimes used his miraculous power in pure good nature, when no natural way of remedying an evil presented itself.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 6. He cut down a stick] This had no natural tendency to raise the iron; it was only a sign or ceremony which the prophet chose to use on the occasion.
The iron did swim.] This was a real miracle; for the gravity of the metal must have for ever kept it at the bottom of the water,
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
6. cut down a stick, and cast it inthitherAlthough this means was used, it had no naturaladaptation to make the iron swim. Besides, the Jordan is at Jerichoso deep and rapid that there were one thousand chances to one againstthe stick falling into the hole of the axe-head. All attempts toaccount for the recovery of the lost implement on such a theory mustbe rejected.
the iron did swimonlyby the miraculous exertion of Elisha’s power.
2Ki6:8-17. DISCLOSES THEKING OF SYRIA’SCOUNSEL.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the man of God said, where fell it?…. For though endowed with a spirit of prophecy, he did not know all things, and at all times; and if he did know where it fell, he might ask this question to lead on to the performance of the miracle:
and he showed him the place; the exact place in the river into which it fell:
and he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; he did not take the old helve and throw in, but a new stick he cut off of a tree; some think he made of this another helve or handle, of the same size and measure with the other, and that this being cast in was miraculously directed and fixed in the hole of the iron at the bottom of the water, and brought it up with it; but, as Abarbinel observes, there is no need to suppose this; the wood was cast into the precise place where the iron fell, and was sent as it were to call it up to it:
and the iron did swim; it came up and appeared, and was bore on the surface of the waters; or, “and made the iron to swim” e; which some understand of the wood cast in, as if it had some peculiar virtue in it to draw up the iron; but it was not any particular chosen wood, but what first occurred to the prophet f; and the meaning is, that Elisha caused it to float, contrary to the nature of iron.
e “fecit supernatare”, Pagninus, Montanus, Vatablus; so Junius & Tremellius, Piscator. f Vid. Friese, Dissert. de Ferro Natante, sect. 7.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
When he showed Elisha, in answer to his inquiry, the place where it had fallen, the latter cut off a stick and threw it thither (into the water) and made the iron flow, i.e., float ( from , to flow, as in Deu 11:4); whereupon the prophets’ pupil picked the axe out of the water with his hand. The object of the miracle was similar to that of the stater in the fish’s mouth (Mat 17:27), or of the miraculous feeding, namely, to show how the Lord could relieve earthly want through the medium of His prophet. The natural interpretation of the miracle, which is repeated by Thenius, namely, that “Elisha struck the eye of the axe with the long stick which he thrust into the river, so that the iron was lifted by the wood,” needs no refutation, since the raising of an iron axe by a long stick, so as to make it float in the water, is impossible according to the laws of gravitation.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(6) Where.Whereintof? or, Where fell it in?
The iron did swim.He caused the iron to float. (Comp. Deu. 11:4 for the verb.) The iron ax-head did not swim, but simply rose to the surface. It had fallen in near the bank. Elishas throwing in the stick was a symbolical act, intended to help the witnesses to realise that the coming up of the iron was not a natural, but a supernatural, event, brought about through the instrumentality of the prophet. As in the case of the salt thrown into the spring at Jericho, the symbol was appropriate to the occasion. It indicated that iron could be made to float like wood by the sovereign power of Jehovah. The properties of material substances depend on His will for their fixity, and may be suspended or modified at His pleasure. The moral of this little story is that God helps in small personal troubles as well as in great ones of larger scope. His providence cares for the individual as well as the race.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
6. He cut down a stick According to Vatablus, he made a new handle, and threw it in the water so dexterously that it entered the hole or socket of the iron. This, however, has a tendency to explain away the miracle, and reduce the whole affair to a mere feat of dexterity. “Would,” says Keil, “that the expositors who believe this would only make the trial, in order to convince themselves, by practice, of the untenableness of their theory!”
The iron did swim Or, he made the iron flow; that is, float on the surface of the water, so that Elisha’s disciple could reach forth his hand and take it. It was, therefore, a real miracle which Elisha wrought on this occasion.
Many of the older expositors find in this miracle an allegory of sin and redemption. The falling of the axe head into the water, they tell us, is typical of man’s fall by sin. The new, living wood, by which it was raised, represents the wood of the cross, by which fallen humanity is raised from the depths of sin and restored to the service of God. This allegorical interpretation seems, however, to be too far-fetched. Better to view it in contrast with the miracle of Naaman’s cure, as showing how the providence and power of God extends to the relief of the poorest and most unknown of his worshippers, as well as to the nobles of the earth.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 6:6. He cut down a stick, and cast it in thither. &c. The calling in this stick could no more contribute to the performance of the present miracle, than the garment of Elijah to the division of the Jordan, or the clay put by our Lord upon the eyes of the blind man to the recovery of his sight. These inadequate means were employed upon these occasions only to set forth more fully the reality and greatness of the miracles. See Sturvius Colleg. Exper. p. 23 and Scheuchzer.
REFLECTIONS.Under Elisha’s care, the school of the prophets at Gilgal flourished; and such a resort was there to attend him, that the place was too small to contain them. Note; It is a good symptom both of a true prophet and a gracious people, when diligence to preach, and attention to hear, enlarges the auditory.
1. They propose building another seminary near the banks of Jordan; and with Elisha’s consent, and under his eye, they would without delay begin the work. As they were poor, they must be their own builders; and, though prophets sons, disdained not the mean employment to which their poverty reduced them, Note; (1.) The greatest of heaven’s blessings are usually bestowed on those who eat bread with the sweat of their brow. (2.) A minister of God must be content, if need be, to minister to his necessities by the labour of his own hands.
2. An accident happened to one of them, as they felled the timber, which gave them the greater uneasiness because the axe was borrowed, and perhaps he was unable to repay the loss, though small. Note; (1.) What is kindly lent us, we should be doubly careful of. (2.) They who are affluent, conceive not how great an affliction a seemingly inconsiderable loss is to those who are indigent.
3. Elisha pitied and relieved him, at the expence of a miracle. On throwing in a piece of wood at the place where it fell, he caused the iron to swim, and restored it to the thankful owner. Note; (1.) When we can make the poor mourner rejoice by a small relief, shall we refuse him the happiness which costs us so little? (2.) The heart most irrecoverably sunk, to human view, in the floods of ungodliness, and of earthly cares or pleasures, is not beyond the power of divine grace.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
2Ki 6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and the iron did swim.
Ver. 6. And cut down a stick. ] Which, cast in by the prophet, became as a lodestone to draw the iron to it; and, as the Hebrews say, a a helve or handle for the hatchet into the eye whereof it fell right, and so both, by a double miracle, came up together. Demersam fluvio relevavit virga securim, saith Tertullian.
And the iron did swim.
a R. Solomon.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
man of God. See App-49.
cut down. Not same word as 2Ki 6:3. Hebrew. kazab = to cut evenly: i.e. shape or size evenly. Occurs only here and Son 4:2 (“even shorn”).
a stick = a helve.
iron did swim = made him see the iron: by causing it to rise to the surface. Elisha’s twelfth miracle. See note on 2Ki 2:15. The spiritual application is thus put by John Newton: “Not one concern of ours is small If we belong to Him; To teach us this, the Lord of all Once made the iron to swim”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
he cut down: This could have no natural tendency to raise the iron and cause it to swim: it was only a sign, or ceremony, which the prophet chose to employ on the occasion. 2Ki 2:21, 2Ki 4:41, Exo 15:25, Mar 7:33, Mar 7:34, Mar 8:23-25, Joh 9:6, Joh 9:7
the iron: This was the real miracle; for the gravity of the metal must otherwise still have kept it at the bottom of the river.
Reciprocal: 1Sa 9:6 – city 2Ki 8:4 – all the great
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 6:6. He cut down a stick, and cast it in thither This was undoubtedly done with no other design than to raise the attention of the beholders, and make it more evident that the iron was made to swim by the divine power alone; for the casting in of the stick could contribute no more to it than his casting salt into the springs at Jericho to the healing of the waters, the mantle of Elijah to the division of Jordan, or the clay, put by Jesus Christ upon the eyes of the blind man, to the recovery of his sight. These inadequate means were employed on these occasions only to set forth more fully the reality and greatness of the miracles.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
6:6 And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and the iron did {b} swim.
(b) God wrought this miraculously to confirm the authority of Elisha, to whom he had given such abundance of his Spirit.