The Meaning of 2 Kings 6:9 Explained

2 Kings 6:9

KJV: And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down.

YLT: And the man of God sendeth unto the king of Israel, saying, 'Take heed of passing by this place, for thither are the Aramaeans coming down;

Darby: And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place, for thither the Syrians are come down.

ASV: And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are coming down.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the man  of God  sent  unto the king  of Israel,  saying,  Beware  that thou pass  not such  a place;  for thither the Syrians  are come down. 

What does 2 Kings 6:9 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 6:1-13 - The Servant Of The Lord Of Battles
To us, the first of these miracles may appear somewhat trivial, but we must remember the value of an iron axe-head at that time, the inconvenience and delay caused to the builders, and the slur accruing to religion if it were irreparably lost. The story shows how keen was the sympathy of the great prophet for a poor man overtaken by an ordinary trouble, and how ready Elisha was to seek the help of God to redress the mischief. See John 2:1-14. It is right to go to God about matters of this kind, as well as greater issues. What wonders faith can do! Hearts may be as heavy as lead at the bottom of the stream, but when a splinter of the Cross of Calvary is inserted, they rise to the surface and swim.
The king believed that Elisha could wield superhuman power and knowledge, yet he thought to secure him with chariots and horses. He acknowledged that Elisha was a servant of the Most High God, yet he expected to take him captive, by sending a mighty host! To such folly men descend when they begin to fight against the Most High! [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 6

1  Elisha, allowing the young prophets to enlarge dwellings, floats an axhead
8  He discloses the king of Syria's counsel
13  The army which was sent to Dothan to apprehend Elisha, is blinded
19  Being brought into Samaria, they are dismissed in peace
24  The famine in Samaria causes women to eat their own children
30  The king sends to slay Elisha

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 6:9 mean?

And sent the man of God to the king of Israel saying Beware that you do not pass place this for there Syria is coming down
וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח אִ֣ישׁ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים אֶל־ מֶ֤לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר הִשָּׁ֕מֶר מֵעֲבֹ֖ר הַמָּק֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־ שָׁ֖ם אֲרָ֥ם נְחִתִּֽים

וַיִּשְׁלַ֞ח  And  sent 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁלַח  
Sense: to send, send away, let go, stretch out.
אִ֣ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים  of  God 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
מֶ֤לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
יִשְׂרָאֵל֙  of  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לֵאמֹ֔ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
הִשָּׁ֕מֶר  Beware 
Parse: Verb, Nifal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַר  
Sense: to keep, guard, observe, give heed.
מֵעֲבֹ֖ר  that  you  do  not  pass 
Parse: Preposition-m, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
הַמָּק֣וֹם  place 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מָקֹום  
Sense: standing place, place.
הַזֶּ֑ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
אֲרָ֥ם  Syria 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרָם 
Sense: Aram or Syria the nation.
נְחִתִּֽים  is  coming  down 
Parse: Adjective, masculine plural
Root: נָחַת  
Sense: to go down, descend.