(8) While the king of Aram was waging war against Israel, he took counsel with his officers and said, “I will encamp in such and such a place.”
(9) But the man of God sent word to the king of Israel, “Take care not to pass through that place, for the Arameans are encamped there.” (10) So the king of Israel sent word to the place of which the man of God had told him. Time and again he alerted such a place and took precautions there. (11) Greatly agitated about this matter, the king of Aram summoned his officers and said to them, “Tell me! Who of us is on the side of the king of Israel?” (12) “No one, my lord king,” said one of the officers. “Elisha, that prophet in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (13) “Go find out where he is,” he said, “so that I can have him seized.” It was reported to him that [Elisha] was in Dothan; (14) so he sent horses and chariots there and a strong force. They arrived at night and encircled the town.
ויאמר, ומלך ארם רצה לקחת אותו ודרש לדעת איפה הוא, ויפלא מאד אחר שנודע לו שהנביא יודע הכל גם מה שאינו נוגע לו כ''ש שידע שישלח לקחתו וישמר מפניו, וכפי זה נראה שלא רצה לקחתו להרע לו רק להיטיב עמו ולהרבות לו מתן וגדולה כדי שישכון אצלו וחשב שהנביא יתרצה בכך, ועל זה אמר לכו וראו איכה הוא שכולל גם כן שידעו איך הוא מעמדו, שאם הוא עני בנקל יותר שיצא אליו, ואם הוא עשיר יצטרך להרבות לו מתנות עד יתרצה אליו, ומה ששלח חיל כבד היה להגן על הנביא אם לא יניחהו חיל המלך לצאת מאתם:
The king of Aram has been informed that the prophet knows everything, including that which relates to him. Consequently, Elisha will certainly be fully aware the Aram is coming to arrest him and will protect himself. Thus it would seem that he didn't wish to capture him to have him harmed but rather he thought that he could shower him with wealth and prestige so that he would reside with him in Aram, and he thought that the prophet would acquiesce...The armed guard was for Elisha's protection in case the king of Israel would prevent his leaving the kingdom.
(15) When the attendant of the man of God rose early and went outside, he saw a force, with horses and chariots, surrounding the town. “Alas, master, what shall we do?” his servant asked him. (16) “Have no fear,” he replied. “There are more on our side than on theirs.” (17) Then Elisha prayed: “LORD, open his eyes and let him see.” And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes and he saw the hills all around Elisha covered with horses and chariots of fire.
(5) but God knows that as soon as you eat of it your eyes will be opened and you will be like divine beings who know good and bad.” (6) When the woman saw that the tree was good for eating and a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable as a source of wisdom, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave some to her husband, and he ate. (7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened and they perceived that they were naked; and they sewed together fig leaves and made themselves loincloths.
(19) Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. She went and filled the skin with water, and let the boy drink.
(31) Then the LORD uncovered Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, his drawn sword in his hand; thereupon he bowed right down to the ground.
(18) [The Arameans] came down against him, and Elisha prayed to the LORD: “Please strike this people with a blinding light.” And He struck them with a blinding light, as Elisha had asked.
(11) And the people who were at the entrance of the house, young and old, they struck with blinding light, so that they were helpless to find the entrance.
(19) Elisha said to them, “This is not the road, and that is not the town; follow me, and I will lead you to the man you want.” And he led them to Samaria. (20) When they entered Samaria, Elisha said, “O LORD, open the eyes of these men so that they may see.” The LORD opened their eyes and they saw that they were inside Samaria. (21) When the king of Israel saw them, he said to Elisha, “Father, shall I strike them down?”
(30) The survivors fled to Aphek, inside the town, and the wall fell on the 27,000 survivors. Ben-hadad also fled and took refuge inside the town, in an inner chamber. (31) His ministers said to him, “We have heard that the kings of the House of Israel are magnanimous kings. Let us put sackcloth on our loins and ropes on our heads, and surrender to the king of Israel; perhaps he will spare your life.” (32) So they girded sackcloth on their loins and wound ropes around their heads, and came to the king of Israel and said, “Your servant Ben-hadad says, ‘I beg you, spare my life.’” He replied, “Is he still alive? He is my brother.” (33) The men divined his meaning and quickly caught the word from him, saying, “Yes, Ben-hadad is your brother.” “Go, bring him,” he said. Ben-hadad came out to him, and he invited him into his chariot. (34) Ben-hadad said to him, “I will give back the towns that my father took from your father, and you may set up bazaars for yourself in Damascus as my father did in Samaria.” “And I, for my part,” [said Ahab,] “will let you go home under these terms.” So he made a treaty with him and dismissed him. (35) A certain man, a disciple of the prophets, said to another, at the word of the LORD, “Strike me”; but the man refused to strike him. (36) He said to him, “Because you have not obeyed the LORD, a lion will strike you dead as soon as you leave me.” And when he left, a lion came upon him and killed him.
(22) “No, do not,” he replied. “Did you take them captive with your sword and bow that you would strike them down? Rather, set food and drink before them, and let them eat and drink and return to their master.”
האשר שבית. האם הם אשר שבית אתה, לשתכה בהם, הלא בנס הובאו, ומה לך להם:
They were brought to you by a miracle. What rights do have over them?
הַאֲשֶׁר שָׁבִיתָ וְגוֹ'. וְכִי דַּרְכְּךָ לַהֲרֹג אוֹתָם שֶׁאַתָּה מֵבִיא שִׁבְיָה.
האשר שבית בחרבך ובקשתך אתה מכה. ר''ל הנה אלו שביתי ונהגתי בכח גבורת השם יתברך ולמה תכה אותם האם תכה האנשים אשר תנהג בשבי בחרבך ובקשתך אין זה ראוי וכל שכן שאין ראוי זה באשר שבה אותם הש''י:
Would you kill prisoners whom you have captured with your sword and bow? It is inappropriate! And it is all the more objectionable when God has taken them captive.
(23) So he prepared a lavish feast for them and, after they had eaten and drunk, he let them go, and they returned to their master. And the Aramean bands stopped invading the land of Israel.
(21) If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat; If he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
הרי הוא אומר (קהלת ט) טובה חכמה מכלי קרב גדול פיסטון שעשה אלישע יותר מכל המלחמות שעשה יורם בן אחאב שנאמר (מלכים ב ו) ויאמר מלך ישראל אל אלישע כראותו אותם האכה אכה אבי ויאמר לא תכה וגו' ויכרה להם כרה גדולה ויאכלו וישתו וישלחם וגו' ולא יספו עוד גדודי ארם לבא בארץ ישראל הא למדת שגדול פיסטון שעשה אלישע יותר מכל המלחמות שעשה יורם לכך נאמר טובה חכמה מכלי קרב.
It says in Proverbs, "Wisdom is better than the tools of war". The feast that Elisha made was more effective than all of the wars of Yehoram ben Achav, as the verse states, "The king of Israel said to Elisha when he saw them, 'shall I slay them, father? And Elisha responded, 'Don't slay them', and he placed a great feast before them, and they ate and drank, and he sent them off and then the Aramean bands stopped coming to Israel. Thus we learn that the feast that Elisha made was more effective than all of the wars of Yehoram, and this is what the verse means when it says, "Wisdom is better than the tools of war.