Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Kings 6:20
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these [men], that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, [they were] in the midst of Samaria.
20. open the eyes of these men ] i.e. give them again the true perception of what is round about them. The prayer has been twice used by Elisha in this narrative, but for two different kinds of illumination. His servant was enabled to look beyond material surroundings and to recognise that there is a spiritual world in close proximity to the natural, that God and His ministers are not far from every one of us. To these Syrian soldiers natural sight was restored, after their eyes had been for a time holden (cf. Luk 24:16) that they might be brought into the power of the king of Israel. God has brought the enemy of His prophet into a snare.
behold, they were in the midst of Samaria ] Apparently, as Josephus says, brought where the king of Israel, with his troops, might fall upon them, and slay them, had it been permitted. At once they would see that they were prisoners, instead of making a prisoner; and their minds would be as full of the expectation of death, as Jehoram’s was of eagerness to kill them.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 20. Open the eyes of these men] Take away their confusion of vision, that they may discern things as they are, and distinguish where they are.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see,…. So as to know where they were:
and the Lord opened their eyes, and they saw, and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria; the gates being thrown open for them, and they led into the very heart of the city; for, no doubt, Elisha sent his servant before, to acquaint the king of Israel with what he was doing; who got a sufficient number of armed men to enclose them, and fall upon them, when put into his hands, as appears by what follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(20) Behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.Michaelis wonders how such a host could be led into the city without putting themselves on their guard. He overlooks the supernatural bewilderment which had fallen upon them. When their eyes were opened, and they realised their whereabouts, dismay and astonishment would paralyse their energies.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
20. The Lord opened their eyes To them, long blinded and groping in darkness, and led through an enemy’s country they knew not whither, it was a relief to see once more.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Ki 6:20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these [men], that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, [they were] in the midst of Samaria.
Ver. 20. They were in the midst of Samaria. ] Where they were “almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly,” as he saith in Pro 5:14 . See Ecc 9:12 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
open. Elisha’s fifteenth miracle. See note on 2Ki 2:15.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
2Ki 6:20-23
2Ki 6:20-23
THE BAND OF MARAUDERS HAD A BANQUET AND WERE SENT HOME
“And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Jehovah, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And Jehovah opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? Shall I smite them? And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with they sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. And the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.”
The last sentence here is a reference to the type of warfare by roving bands of marauders; and following the utter failure of such raids to give Syria any advantage over Israel, they abandoned for some considerable time altogether that type of warfare. The next time they attacked Israel it was upon a much larger scale.
E.M. Zerr:
2Ki 6:20-23. Much of this paragraph was commented on above. Had the king of Israel been allowed to carry out his suggestion against these captives, he would have become a “war criminal.” The treatment accorded them had the desired effect, by putting a stop to the inroads of the Syrians for the present.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
open the eyes: 2Ki 6:17, Luk 24:31
opened: Jdg 20:40-42, Luk 16:23
Reciprocal: Gen 3:7 – And the 2Ki 4:33 – prayed
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Ki 6:20. The Lord opened their eyes, and behold, they were in the midst of Samaria To their great astonishment and terror, no doubt, there being a standing force there sufficient to cut them all off, or make them prisoners of war. Thus when God has opened the eyes of those whom Satan had blinded, and deluded to their ruin, they see themselves in the midst of their enemies, captives to Satan, and in danger of hell, although before they thought their condition good. And thus, when the enemies of God and his church, like this Syrian host encompassing Elijah and Dothan, fancy themselves ready to triumph, they will, to their amazement and confusion, find themselves conquered and triumphed over.