2 Kings 6:18When they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yahweh, and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
The setting
Dothan, Israel, ~850 BC. The Aramean army descends to capture Elisha. Instead of fleeing, the prophet prays for their blindness — and leads them 12 miles to Samaria. Modern route from Dothan to Nablus, West Bank.
The emotion here: strategic trust in God's power over violence
The original word
sanwerim (סַנְוֵרִים) — dazzling blindness, being overwhelmed by light
Why it matters
This is the same type of blindness that struck the men of Sodom in Genesis
Read with care
What most readers miss in 2 Kings 6:18
Elisha didn't ask God to destroy them — just to confuse them so he could show mercy
Common misconceptionThis seems harsh, but Elisha is actually showing incredible mercy. He could have asked God to kill them. Instead, he blinds them temporarily to lead them to safety and demonstrate God's power through kindness.
The thread continues
Verses that echo 2 Kings 6:18
Bible Genome reading
2 Kings 6:18 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
2 Kings 6:18 comes from the book of 2 Kings, written during the Divided Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Elisha. The dominant emotion in this verse is deciding, with a comfort power of 40% and a tone that is commanding. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include divine power, strategic prayer, miracles. Notable phrases: strike this people with blindness. This verse is a prayer.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same deciding
“"You shall have no other gods before me.”
— Deuteronomy 5:7
“"You shall not murder.”
— Exodus 20:13
“Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Matthew 23:12
“For God didn't give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control.”
— 2 Timothy 1:7
“But Peter said, "Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!"”
— Acts 3:6
Your reflection
What does 2 Kings 6:18 mean to you, today?
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