2 Kings 6:21
“And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Even in victory, the king looks to the man of God for moral counsel on how to treat a defeated enemy.
Context
The king of Israel, seeing the Syrian army now in his city and helpless, asks Elisha twice whether he should kill them. The repetition shows urgency and the weight of the question.
What Does 2 Kings 6:21 Mean?
The king's first instinct is vengeance. He calls Elisha 'my father,' acknowledging him as a spiritual authority, and asks not once but twice: 'Shall I smite them?' This is the question of every ruler at every moment when power meets mercy. The repetition shows that this is not merely curiosity; it is a genuine wrestling with what is right. In the ancient Near East, when an enemy army was within your walls, their destruction was not only permitted but expected. Yet the king hesitates. He looks to Elisha. He wants moral permission, not just military license.
Jesus faced this question too. When Peter cut off the servant's ear in the garden, what did Jesus say? 'Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword.' He redirected Peter's instinct toward mercy. The king of Israel did not have that voice at Gethsemane. But he had Elisha, and he asked. We too have that voice now—the Spirit speaking through Scripture and conscience. When we hold power over someone, when our enemy is at our mercy, we must ask not 'Can I strike?' but 'Should I?' And listen for the answer.
In the Original Language
nakah (נָכָה), 'smite' -- to strike, to wound mortally, the verb of judgment carried out with finality
Application
When you have power over someone—a child disobeys, a rival falters, an enemy is revealed—pause before you strike. Ask the question the king asked: 'Should I?' Listen for wisdom from beyond yourself. There is almost always a mercy available that we do not see in our anger.