2 Kings 6:22
“And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Mercy toward captives breaks the cycle of vengeance and opens a path toward peace.
Context
Elisha's response is unambiguous: do not kill them. Instead, feed them. This is counterintuitive and costly, yet it works.
What Does 2 Kings 6:22 Mean?
Elisha's argument is elegant. 'Those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow'—they are prisoners of war, and prisoners of war are not executed in violation of their captive status. They are entitled to sustenance. But more than legal right, there is something deeper. Elisha is saying: 'Do not violate the bond between captor and captive. You have taken them alive; now you are bound to preserve their lives.' This places a moral weight on the king. To kill them now would be not victory but treachery. Instead, Elisha offers something radical: feed them. Feed your enemy. Give him bread and water. Then let him go, and let him return to his master alive. This is not weakness; it is the beginning of peace.
Christ's teaching is this made absolute. 'Love your enemies. Bless them that curse you. Do good to them that hate you.' Why? Because in feeding your enemy, you heap coals of fire upon his head—you awaken conscience, shame, and the possibility of conversion. The Syrians came to kill. They will leave having been fed. That meal is the gospel in action. It says: 'You are human. Your life is valuable. I will not take what I could take.' It breaks the wheel of retribution and starts the wheel of grace turning.
In the Original Language
lechem (לֶחֶם), 'bread' -- the staff of life, sustenance, the most basic form of care and communion
Application
Is there someone you are 'taking captive'—holding a grudge against, refusing to release from your judgment, keeping in a position of powerlessness? Elisha says: feed them. Invite them to your table. Speak kindness. Then let them go. This is not surrender; it is the hardest victory.