2 Kings 6:22 bbe — But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not tak…

Bible in Basic English

"But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not taken prisoner with your sword and your bow? put bread and water before them, so that they may have food and drink and go to their master."

— 2 Kings 6:22, Bible in Basic English

Read in Another Translation

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2 Kings 6:22 in Other Translations

3 versions All translations
  • KJV

    “And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.”

  • ASV

    “And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master. ”

  • WEB

    “He answered, "You shall not strike them. Would you strike those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."”

2 Kings 6 — Context

19

And Elisha said to them, This is not the way, and this is not the town: come after me so that I may take you to the man you are searching for. And he took them to Samaria.

20

And when they had come into Samaria, Elisha said, Lord, let the eyes of these men be open so that they may see. And the Lord made their eyes open, and they saw that they were in the middle of Samaria.

21

And the king of Israel, when he saw them, said to Elisha, My father, am I to put them to the sword?

22

But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not taken prisoner with your sword and your bow? put bread and water before them, so that they may have food and drink and go to their master.

23

So he made ready a great feast for them, and when they had had food and drink, he sent them away and they went back to their master. And no more bands of Aramaeans came into the land of Israel.

24

Now after this, Ben-hadad, king of Aram, got together all his army and went up to make an attack on Samaria, shutting the town in on all sides with his forces.

25

And they became very short of food in Samaria; for they kept it shut in till the price of an ass's head was eighty shekels of silver, and a small measure of doves' droppings was five shekels of silver.

2 Kings 6:22 — Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions
What does 2 Kings 6:22 say?
2 Kings 6:22 in the Bible in Basic English reads: “But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not taken prisoner with your sword and your bow? put bread and water before them, so that they may have food and drink and go to their master.”
Where is 2 Kings 6:22 in the Bible?
2 Kings 6:22 is found in the Old Testament, in the book of 2 Kings, chapter 6, verse 22.
Who wrote 2 Kings?
2 Kings is traditionally attributed to Anonymous (traditionally Jeremiah). It was written c. 561–538 BC.
What is the book of 2 Kings about?
2 Kings carries the divided kingdom from Elijah and Elisha through the fall of both Israel and Judah. Despite the prophets' warnings, both kingdoms decline through idolatry — the north into Assyrian captivity, the south into Babylonian exile — fulfilling the covenant curses.
What are the major themes of 2 Kings?
2 Kings explores themes including Judgment, Exile, Prophets, Covenant Curses, Remnant. These themes shape the meaning and context of 2 Kings 6:22.
What translation should I read 2 Kings 6:22 in?
2 Kings 6:22 is available on GodsGoodBook in the King James Version (KJV), American Standard Version (ASV), World English Bible (WEB), NET Bible, Young's Literal Translation, Darby Bible, Douay-Rheims Bible, and the Bible in Basic English. Each translation reflects different translation philosophies — use the translation picker on this page to compare them, or browse our full translations directory.
How can I memorize 2 Kings 6:22?
2 Kings 6:22 reads (BBE): “But he said in answer, You are not to put them to death; have you any right to put to death those whom you have not taken prisoner with your sword and your bow? put bread and water before them, so that they may have food and drink and go to their master.” Read it aloud, break it into short phrases, repeat each phrase three times before adding the next, then put the phrases together. Reading it in multiple translations (above) often helps the meaning settle.
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