4 Kings 6:15
And the servant of the man of God rising early, went out, and saw an army round about the city, and horses and chariots: and he told him, saying: Alas, alas, alas, my lord, what shall we do?
Open 4 Kings 6:15 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Consurgens autem diluculo minister viri Dei, egressus vidit exercitum in circuitu civitatis, et equos et currus : nuntiavitque ei, dicens : Heu ! heu ! heu ! domine mi : quid faciemus ?
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ὤρθρισεν ὁ λειτουργὸς Ἐλεισαῖε ἀναστῆναι καὶ ἐξῆλθεν, καὶ ἰδοὺ δύναμις κυκλοῦσα τὴν πόλιν καὶ ἵππος καὶ ἅρμα· καὶ εἶπεν τὸ παιδάριον πρὸς αὐτόν Ὤ, κύριε· πῶς ποιήσωμεν;
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַ֠יַּשְׁכֵּם מְשָׁרֵ֨ת אִ֥ישׁ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֮ לָקוּם֒ וַיֵּצֵ֕א וְהִנֵּה חַ֛יִל סוֹבֵ֥ב אֶת הָעִ֖יר וְס֣וּס וָרָ֑כֶב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נַעֲר֥וֹ אֵלָ֛יו אֲהָ֥הּ אֲדֹנִ֖י אֵיכָ֥ה נַֽעֲשֶֽׂה
Haydock's commentary
Servant, Giezi; as his leprosy is placed too soon. (Salien) (Menochius)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St John Chrysostom The Commentary and Homilies of St. John Chrysostom on Galatians and Ephesians, Ephesians 4:1-3
Now Elisha had a disciple as yet only on the threshold of prophecy, ( 2 Kings vi. 13ff .) as yet far from being judged worthy of revelations of this kind. The king’s soldiers arrived at the spot, as intending to bind the man, or rather the prophet. Again I am falling upon bonds, so entirely is this discourse interwoven with them. And when the disciple saw the host of soldiers, he was affrighted, and ran full of trembling to his master, and told him the calamity, as he thought, and informed him of the inevitable peril. The prophet smiled at him for fearing things not worthy to be feared, and bade him be of good cheer. The disciple, however, being as yet imperfect, did not listen to him, but being still amazed at the sight, remained in fear. …
St Ambrose On the Duties of the Clergy, Chapter XXIX. Justice should be observed even in war and with enemies. This is proved by the example of Moses and Elisha. The ancient writers learnt in turn from the Hebrews to call their enemies by a gentler term. Lastly, the foundation of justice rests on faith, and its symmetry is perfect in the Church
140. If, then, justice is binding, even in war, how much more ought we to observe it in time of peace. Such favour the prophet showed to those who came to seize him. We read that the king of Syria had sent his army to lie in wait for him, for he had learnt that it was Elisha who had made known to all his plans and consultations. And Gehazi the prophet’s servant, seeing the army, began to fear that his life was in danger. But the prophet said to him: “Fear not, for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.” And when the prophet asked that the eyes of his servant might be opened, they were opened. Then Gehazi saw the whole mountain full of horses and chariots round about Elisha. …