2 Kings 6 · Verse 17

2 Kings 6:17

And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
2 Kings 6:17, King James Version

2 Kings 6:17 in other translations

BSBThen Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
WEBElisha prayed, and said, “LORD, please open his eyes, that he may see.” the LORD opened the young man’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.
ASVAnd Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
YLTAnd Elisha prayeth, and saith, ‘Jehovah, open, I pray Thee, his eyes, and he doth see;' and Jehovah openeth the eyes of the young man, and he seeth, and lo, the hill is full of horses and chariots of fire, round about Elisha.
DARBYAnd Elisha prayed and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw; and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
BBEThen Elisha made a prayer to the Lord, saying, Lord, let his eyes be open so that he may see. And the Lord made the young man's eyes open; and he saw that all the mountain was full of horses and carriages of fire round Elisha.
WebsterAnd Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire around Elisha.

What does 2 Kings 6:17 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
17. Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see--The invisible guard of angels that encompass and defend us (Psa 34:7). The opening of the eyes, which Elisha prayed for, were those of the Spirit, not of the body--the eye of faith sees the reality of the divine presence and protection where all is vacancy or darkness to the ordinary eye. The horses and chariots were symbols of the divine power (see on 2Ki 2:12); and their fiery nature denoted their supernatural origin; for fire, the most ethereal of earthly elements, is the most appropriate symbol of the Godhead [Keil]. 2Ki 6:18-23. His Army Smitten with Blindness.

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

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 17 Lord - open his eyes - Where is heaven? Is it not above, beneath, around us? And were our eyes open as were those of the prophet's servant, we should see the heavenly host in all directions. The horses and chariots of fire were there, before the eyes of Elisha's servant were opened.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Kings 6:13-23

What Elisha said to his servant is spoken to all the faithful servants of God, when without are fightings, and within are fears. Fear not, with that fear which has torment and amazement; for they that are with us, to protect us, are more than they that are against us, to destroy us. The eyes of his body were open, and with them he saw the danger. Lord, open the eyes of our faith, that with them we may see thy…

Read the full comment on 2 Kings 6:13-23 →

2 Kings 6:17 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.

וַיִּתְפַּלֵּ֤לvai.yit.pa.Leland he prayedH6419
אֱלִישָׁע֙'e.li.Sha'ElishaH477
וַיֹּאמַ֔רvai.yo.Marand he saidH559
יְהוָ֕הYah.wehO YahwehH3068
פְּקַח\־pe.kach-openH6491
נָ֥אna'pleaseH4994
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֵינָ֖יו'ei.Naveyes hisH5869
וְיִרְאֶ֑הve.yir.'Ehso he may seeH7200
וַיִּפְקַ֤חvai.yif.Kachand he openedH6491
יְהוָה֙Yah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
עֵינֵ֣י'ei.Nei[the] eyes ofH5869
הַנַּ֔עַרha.Na.'arthe servantH5288
וַיַּ֗רְאvai.Yar'and he sawH7200
וְהִנֵּ֨הve.hi.Nehand there!H2009
הָהָ֜רha.Harthe hillH2022
מָלֵ֨אma.Le'it was fullH4390
סוּסִ֥יםsu.SimhorsesH5483
וְרֶ֛כֶבve.Re.khevand chariotry ofH7393
אֵ֖שׁ'eshfireH784
סְבִיבֹ֥תse.vi.VotaroundH5439
אֱלִישָֽׁע\׃'e.li.Sha'ElishaH477

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

Cross references for 2 Kings 6:17

  • Psalms 68:17

    The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place.

  • Psalms 34:7

    The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.

  • Zechariah 6:1-7

    And I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came four chariots out from between two mountains; and the mountains were mountains of brass. In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot black horses; And in the third chariot white horses; and in the fourth chariot grisled and bay horses. Then I answered and said unto the angel that talked with me, What are these, my lord? …

  • Hebrews 1:14

    Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?

  • Acts 26:18

    To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

  • 2 Kings 2:11

    And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

  • Isaiah 42:7

    To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

  • Matthew 26:53

    Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?

  • Psalms 119:18

    Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

  • Psalms 91:11

    For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.

  • Revelation 19:14

    And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

  • Zechariah 1:8

    I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white.

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

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
prayed.
Ps 91:15; Jas 5:16-18
open his eyes.
18-20; Ps 119:18; Isa 42:7; Ac 26:18; Eph 1:18; Re 3:7
full of horses.
2:11; Ps 34:7; 68:17; 91:11; 104:3; Eze 1:13-16; Zec 1:8; 6:1-7
Mt 26:53; Heb 1:14; Re 19:11,14

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

Context

  • 2 Kings 6:16

    And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

  • 2 Kings 6:17

    And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

  • 2 Kings 6:18

    And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.

Read all of 2 Kings 6

2 Kings 6:17 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Y oró Eliseo, y dijo: Ruégote, oh Jehová, que abras sus ojos para que vea. Entonces Jehová abrió los ojos del mozo, y miró: y he aquí que el monte estaba lleno de gente de á caballo, y de carros de fuego alrededor de Eliseo.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et Élisée pria, et dit: Éternel, je te prie, ouvre ses yeux, afin qu’il voie. Et l’ Éternel ouvrit les yeux du jeune homme, et il vit: et voici la montagne était pleine de chevaux et de chars de feu autour d’Élisée.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Und Elisa betete und sprach: Jehova, öffne doch seine Augen, daß er sehe! Da öffnete Jehova die Augen des Knaben; und er sah: und siehe, der Berg war voll feuriger Rosse und Wagen, rings um Elisa her.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Cumque orasset Eliseus, ait: Domine, aperi oculos hujus, ut videat. Et aperuit Dominus oculos pueri, et vidit: et ecce mons plenus equorum et curruum igneorum in circuitu Elisei.