But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
Parallel translations
- WEB But as one was cutting down a tree, the ax head fell into the water. Then he cried, and said, “Alas, my master! For it was borrowed.”
- BSB As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axe head fell into the water. “Oh, my master,” he cried out, “it was borrowed!”
- NKJV But as one was cutting down a tree, the iron ax head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Alas, master! For it was borrowed.”
- NASB But it happened that as one of them was cutting down a beam, the axe head fell into the water; and he cried out and said, “Oh, my master! It was borrowed!”
- NLT But as one of them was cutting a tree, his ax head fell into the river. “Oh, sir!” he cried. “It was a borrowed ax!”
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A borrowed ax-head flies off into the water, and the worker cries out in dismay. His distress reflects the burden of losing what was not his own.
Overview
The iron head was costly and, being borrowed, placed the man under obligation he could not easily repay in a poor prophetic community. His anguished 'Alas, my master!' shows both the seriousness of the loss and his trust that Elisha might help. The scene magnifies God's attentiveness to small troubles that weigh heavily on the faithful. It prepares for a miracle demonstrating that no concern of His servants is beneath His care.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Rev 18:10Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
- Eccl 10:10If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
- 2 Kgs 3:10And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!
- Ps 37:21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.
- 2 Kgs 6:15And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
- 2 Kgs 4:7Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the rest.
- Rev 18:19And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
- Rev 18:16And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
- Isa 10:34And he shall cut down the thickets of the forest with iron, and Lebanon shall fall by a mighty one.
- Exod 22:14–15And if a man borrow ought of his neighbour, and it be hurt, or die, the owner thereof being not with it, he shall surely make it good.
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Christ at the center
Amid the long decline toward exile, the promise to David's house refuses to die; the flickering lamp kept burning anticipates the coming King who will not fail or be cut off.
How 2 Kings 6:5 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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