2 Kings 6:12

2Ki 6:12 And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that [is] in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.

Ver. 12. And one of his servants said.] This was Naaman, saith Abulensis; but that is not likely. Rather it was some one that had been with Naaman, or on some other occasion, in Israel.

The words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.] State secrets, Areana imperil, should not be blabbed or blazed abroad. The Romans for this, built a temple to Consus, the god of their counsels, sub tecto in Circo, in an open place, but under much covert; to show that counsels must be kept secret. {a} Metellus Macedonicus was wont to say, that if he thought his shirt were privy to his designs, he would tear it off and cast it away. And Peter, king of Arragon, answered in like manner Pope Martin IV, who sent to him to ask what he meant by the navy he was then rigging forth. Benhadad suspected his counsellors of treachery; but Elisha it was who disclosed his designs and frustrated them, by his prophetical spirit.

{a} Servius.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

There is nothing so secret that thou canst go about, but he knoweth it, and discovereth it unto his King.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(12) One of his servants.—The old interpreters thought of Naaman, but Elisha’s fame may have been otherwise known at Damascus.

None.—Nay.

The words.—The LXX. and Vulg.,”all the words.”

Telleth.—From time to time, as the Hebrew form denotes.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

12. Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel] This mention of Elisha points to such a knowledge of him as might have been gained through Naaman’s cure. It may however be that communications of other kinds passed between Syria and Israel, and that in some of these the precise nature of Elisha’s conduct was described. Nothing in the story of Naaman could suggest that Elisha gave information to the king of Israel.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And he said, go, and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him,.... But how could he expect to take him, who could give the king of Israel such intelligence of his designs against him, that he might escape his snares?

and it was told him, saying, behold, he is in Dothan; a city in the tribe of Manasseh, not far from Shechem; see Gen 37:17.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

In thy bedchamber - literally, “in the secret place of thy bedchamber,” i. e.,” in the greatest possible secrecy.” The seclusion of the harem must be taken into account for the full appreciation of the force of the phrase. Probably the Syrian lord who answered Benhadad had received his intelligence from some of the Israelites.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Chamber. It is difficult therefore for the saints in heaven to hear our prayers? though they have not such long ears as Calvin ridicules. (Haydock)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

12. One of his servants said — How knew this servant that Elisha gave the information? The fact was probably well known and much talked of in Israel, and from some Israelite this Syrian obtained his knowledge.

In thy bedchamber — A proverbial expression meaning the most secret and confidential plans and counsels of the king.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And one of his servants saidi.e. one of those interrogated, answeredNone, my lord, O king; literally, Nay, my lord, the king meaning, Think not so; it is not as thou supposest; there is no traitor in thy camp or in thy court; we are all true men. The explanation of the circumstances that surprise thee is quite different." But Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel compare "the man of God" (ver. 9); so much above the others, that he is spoken of as if there were no othertelleth the King of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber; literally, in the secret place of thy bedchamber. How the Syrian lord knew this, or whether he merely made a shrewd guess, we cannot say. Elisha"s miraculous gifts had, no doubt, become widely known to the Syrians through the cure of Naaman"s leprosy; and the lord, who may possibly have been Naaman himself, concluded that a man who could cure s leper could also read a king"s secret thoughts without difficulty.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then one of the servants answered, "No, my lord king," i.e., it is not we who disclose thy plans to the king of Israel, "but Elisha the prophet tells him what thou sayest in thy bed-chamber;" whereupon the king of Syria inquired where the prophet lived, and sent a powerful army to Dothan, with horses and chariots, to take him prisoner there. Dothan (see Gen 37:17), which according to the Onom. was twelve Roman miles to the north of Samaria, has been preserved under its old name in a Tell covered with ruins to the south-west of Jenin, on the caravan-road from Gilead to Egypt (see Rob. Bibl. Res. p. 158, and V. de Velde, Journey, i. pp. 273,274).

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

No

The servant is saying that none of the king's soldiers are giving information to the king of Israel. AT: "It is none of us" (See: Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

my master, king

This refers to the king of Aram.

the words that you speak in your own bedroom

"what you say in the privacy of your own bedroom"

I may send men and capture him

The king plans to send the men to capture Elisha for him. The king does not plan to capture him himself. AT: "I may send men to capture him" (See: Metonymy)

See

This word is used here to draw the king's attention to what is said next. AT: "Listen"

he is in Dothan

"Elisha is in Dothan"

Dothan

This is the name of a city. (See: How to Translate Names)

translationWords

lord

Elisha

prophet

word

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.