2 Kings 3 · Verse 15

2 Kings 3:15

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.
2 Kings 3:15, King James Version

2 Kings 3:15 in other translations

BSBBut now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
WEBBut now bring me a musician.” When the musician played, the LORD’s hand came on him.
ASVBut now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah came upon him.
YLTand now, bring to me a minstrel; and it hath been, at the playing of the minstrel, that the hand of Jehovah is on him,
DARBYAnd now fetch me a minstrel. And it came to pass when the minstrel played, that the hand of Jehovah was upon him.
BBEBut now, get me a player of music, and it will come about that while the man is playing, the hand of the Lord will come on me and I will give you the word of the Lord: and they got a player of music, and while the man was playing, the hand of the Lord was on him.
WebsterBut now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.

What does 2 Kings 3:15 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
15. bring me a minstrel--The effect of music in soothing the mind is much regarded in the East; and it appears that the ancient prophets, before entering their work, commonly resorted to it, as a preparative, by praise and prayer, to their receiving the prophetic afflatus. the hand of the Lord--a phrase significantly implying that the gift of prophecy was not a natural or inherent gift, but conferred by the power and grace of God.

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 15 Bring me a minstrel - A person who played on the harp. The rabbins, and many Christians, suppose that Elisha's mind was considerably irritated and grieved by the bad behavior of the young men at Beth-el, and their tragical end, and by the presence of the idolatrous king of Israel; and therefore called for Divine psalmody, that it might calm his spirits, and render him more susceptible of the prophetic influence. To be able to discern the voice of God, and the operation of his hand, it is necessary that the mind be calm, and the passions all in harmony, under the direction of reason; that reason may be under the influence of the Divine Spirit. The hand of the Lord came upon him - The playing of the harper had the desired effect; his mind was calmed, and the power of God descended upon him. This effect of music was generally acknowledged in every civilized nation. Cicero, in his Tusculan Questions, lib. iv., says, that "the Pythagoreans were accustomed to calm their minds, and soothe their passions, by singing and playing upon the harp." Pythagoraei mentes suas a cogitationum intentione cantu fidibusque ad tranquillitatem traducebant. I have spoken elsewhere of the heathen priests who endeavored to imitate the true prophets, and were as actually filled with the devil as the others were with the true God. The former were thrown into violent agitations and contortions by the influence of the demons which possessed them, while the latter were in a state of the utmost serenity and composure.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 3:6-19

The king of Israel laments their distress, and the danger they were in. He called these kings together, yet he charges it upon Providence. Thus the foolishness of man perverteth his way, and then his heart fretteth against the Lord, Pr 19:3. It was well that Jehoshaphat inquired of the Lord now, but it had been much better if he had done it before he engaged in this war. Good men sometimes neglect their duty, till…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 3:6-19 →

2 Kings 3:15 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וְעַתָּ֖הve.'a.Tahand nowH6258
קְחוּ\־ke.chu-fetchH3947
לִ֣יlifor me
מְנַגֵּ֑ןme.na.Gena musicianH5059
וְהָיָה֙ve.ha.Yahand it wasH1961
כְּנַגֵּ֣ןke.na.Genwhen playedH5059
הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ןham.na.Genthe musicianH5059
וַתְּהִ֥יva.te.Hiand it wasH1961
עָלָ֖יו'a.Lavon himH5921
יַד\־yad-[the] hand ofH3027
יְהוָֽה\׃Yah.wehYahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Kings 3:15

  • 1 Samuel 16:23

    And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

  • Ephesians 5:18-19

    And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

  • 1 Samuel 10:5

    After that thou shalt come to the hill of God, where is the garrison of the Philistines: and it shall come to pass, when thou art come thither to the city, that thou shalt meet a company of prophets coming down from the high place with a psaltery, and a tabret, and a pipe, and a harp, before them; and they shall prophesy:

  • Ezekiel 1:3

    The word of the Lord came expressly unto Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the river Chebar; and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.

  • 1 Kings 18:46

    And the hand of the Lord was on Elijah; and he girded up his loins, and ran before Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel.

  • Ezekiel 8:1

    And it came to pass in the sixth year, in the sixth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I sat in mine house, and the elders of Judah sat before me, that the hand of the Lord God fell there upon me.

  • 1 Chronicles 25:1-3

    Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals: and the number of the workmen according to their service was: Of the sons of Asaph; Zaccur, and Joseph, and Nethaniah, and Asarelah, the sons of Asaph under the hands of Asaph, which prophesied according to the order of the king. Of Jeduthun: the sons of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the Lord.

  • 1 Samuel 18:10

    And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand, as at other times: and there was a javelin in Saul’s hand.

  • Ezekiel 3:14

    So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me.

  • Acts 11:21

    And the hand of the Lord was with them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.

  • Ezekiel 3:22

    And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
bring me.This was evidently intended to soothe and tranquillize the prophet's mind, which had been agitated and discomposed with holy indignation by the presence of the idolatrous king, and the recollection of his abomination. The soothing influence of music is generally acknowledged in every civilized nation.
1Sa 10:5; 16:23; 18:10; 1Ch 25:2,3; Eph 5:18,19
the hand.
1Ki 18:46; Eze 1:3; 3:14,22; 8:1; Ac 11:21

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Kings 3:14

    And Elisha said, As the Lord of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look toward thee, nor see thee.

  • 2 Kings 3:15

    But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the Lord came upon him.

  • 2 Kings 3:16

    And he said, Thus saith the Lord, Make this valley full of ditches.

Read all of 2 Kings 3

2 Kings 3:15 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Mas ahora traedme un tañedor. Y mientras el tañedor tocaba, la mano de Jehová fué sobre Eliseo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et maintenant amenez-moi un joueur de harpe. Et il arriva, comme le joueur de harpe jouait, que la main de l’ Éternel fut sur Élisée.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und nun holet mir einen Saitenspieler. Und es geschah, als der Saitenspieler spielte, da kam die Hand Jehovas über ihn.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Nunc autem adducite mihi psaltem. Cumque caneret psaltes, facta est super eum manus Domini, et ait: