KJV ORIGINAL
Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
Close to the original. Clear modern English.
✦ MADE SIMPLE
Then he said, 'May God punish me severely if Elisha son of Shaphat keeps his head on his shoulders by the end of today.'
⚡ THE BOTTOM LINE
The king is making a furious oath that he will have the prophet Elisha executed before the day is over.
📚 Historical Context
In the biblical account of the divided kingdom of Israel, the northern kingdom was under siege by the Arameans, resulting in a devastating famine in Samaria that left the people in desperation. The king, overwhelmed by the crisis, blamed the prophet Elisha for not intervening with God and rashly vowed to execute him. This episode highlights the tensions between earthly rulers and God's messengers during times of national hardship.
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