· Translation: KJV

2 Kings 6:19Elisha said to them, "This is not the way, neither is this the city. Follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you seek." He led them to Samaria.

The setting

Near Dothan, Israel, ~850 BC. Elisha deliberately misdirects blinded Aramean soldiers who came to capture him, leading them 12 miles south to Samaria where they'll be completely surrounded by Israelite forces.

The emotion here: calm confidence despite being outnumbered

The original word

derek (דֶּרֶךְ) — the way, path, road; also means 'manner of life' or 'course of action'

Why it matters

Samaria was the heavily fortified capital of the Northern Kingdom, making this the perfect trap

Read with care

What most readers miss in 2 Kings 6:19

Elisha isn't lying — he's using wordplay. Technically he WILL bring them to 'the man they seek' (himself)

Common misconceptionPeople think Elisha is lying here, but he's being technically truthful while using divine strategy. This isn't deception — it's wisdom.

Bible Genome reading

2 Kings 6:19 — Bible Genome reading

SpeakerElisha
EraDivided Kingdom
Primary emotiondeciding
Literary typenarrative
MarkCommand

Emotional genome

Comfort power30%
Quotability40%
Memorability70%
Crisis relevance50%
Standalone30%
Themes:deceptionstrategic wisdomdivine plan

In context

No verse stands alone.

Read the conversation around it.

Open 2 Kings 6

2 Kings 6:19 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 30% and a tone that is conversational. It belongs to the narrative genre of biblical literature. Key themes include deception, strategic wisdom, divine plan. Notable phrases: this is not the way; follow me. This verse contains a command.

Your reflection

What does 2 Kings 6:19 mean to you, today?

A short note. A question. A prayer. Saved privately to your Soul Garden, dated, and tied to this verse forever.

Speak your heart →

Get 3 verses for "deciding"

Delivered to your inbox right now. Free.