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There was a king who ruled over a people who were then called Assyrians (or Arameans). And there was another king who ruled over a people called Israelites, God’s special people and grandchildren of Abraham. The king of Israel dwelt in the capital city of Samaria.
Now, there was war between Assyria and Israel. The Assyrians were having an upper hand in this war. It so happened that the Assyrians at this time had a well-organised, trained and equipped army. Israel was the underdog in the war.
To achieve total victory over the Israelites, the Assyrian Tactical Command and Intelligence Agency spied out the schedules and itinerary of the king of Israel. With these details, the Assyrian High Command planned to ambush the Israelite king, kill him and determine the war once and for all.
This was a faultless strategy. They carefully selected men of the Special Force. They were all of proven integrity and competence. They infiltrated the Israeli royal staff, studied the Israelite’s king’s daily routines and itinerary and passed the information over to their colleagues in Assyria. These in turn would pour over the map of Israel, focusing on the routes the king of Israel takes in his tours. They took time to rehearse and at last were ready for the D-Day.
Moving cautiously, they passed over into the Israelite territory and with practised ease took up their positions on the route selected for the king to pass through. It was a very special job and demanded the best of brain and guts. They waited patiently. The intelligence they relied on was faultless. It had been checked and rechecked. The king would surely come this way.
They lay patiently in their camouflage dresses under the bush on both sides of the road. Their bows, arrows and spears were ready and drawn.
The hours dragged by. No king in sight. More hours. No sign of a royal passage. The environment remained bland and indifferent. The birds sang; the beasts went about their business. At intervals, unsuspecting and rural Israelites would pass by, totally unaware of the danger that lay on both sides of the way. The Special Force was not sent to kill fleas; so they let these commoners pass.
Hours. A day. Days! No royal stirring. Instead, the latest intelligence report showed the king had gone to his destination through another route. There was no chance he could pass by the place of the ambush even on his way back to Samaria.
The ambush was hastily dismantled. The Special Force went home disappointed.
What happened? Was the intelligence faulty? No! Another independent investigation had in fact confirmed that the king of Israel actually planned to pass through the road, but changed his mind abruptly at the last minute.
The Assyrian Royal War Council met over the development. After reviews, it was surmised that it was a coincidence that the Israelite king went another way. The surveillance resumed. The king’s itinerary was once again under close monitoring.
Soon another chance came. The king was going to another place were an ambush could operate. The squad was reassembled and their intelligence record rechecked. Each was sworn to an oath of secrecy and loyalty.
Off they went and soon took their positions. Another waiting began. From sunup to sundown, they waited. Once again, the singing birds mocked them and the rural traffic continued with no sign of the king. After a while, word came that the Israelite king had again changed his itinerary at short notice.
The ambush was once again called off. Money had been wasted and frustration was written over everybody’s face. Several times, the plan was hatched and as many times failed because the target would remain too far from the place of attack.
Something was wrong! But who knew what? The fact was all the while when the king of Assyria had perfected his plans against the people of God, God would summon His man, Elisha, and reveal every detail to him. Elisha was not a soldier. He was not schooled in intelligence gathering or analysis. But he knew the omniscient God—the creator of intelligence.
Once Elisha had received the intelligence briefing from God, he would despatch a trusted courier to the king of Israel whose intelligence network had been penetrated by the enemy counterespionage agency. With trembling and appreciation, the king would without hesitation change his movement at the last minute.
Those—and there were so many—who didn’t know what was happening marvelled at the king’s great intuition. The very few who knew marvelled at the level God could get involved when the fate of His people are at stake. Elisha, on his own part could only be humbled by the revelations.
After series of misses, the Assyrian king set up a high-level intelligence inquiry into the happenings. He personally headed the enquiry and interrogated each of his intelligence officers who were privy to the plans. One after the other, each officer swore by the gods of the Assyrians that he knew nothing about the leakage.
The king was getting more and more worked up when an officer appeared for his own turn of interrogation. This particular officer had been as puzzled as the rest. The difference was that while the others merely assumed internal leakage, he decided to explore the possibility of external cause.
He had contacts in Samaria, right up to the king’s topmost level of the Israel’s intelligence network. Quietly, his men began to study the files, visitors and other things. It was just when the king had commissioned the enquiry that his men sent him word as to what had been happening. The leakage was not due to any failings on the Assyrian intelligence. It was not even the superiority of their enemy’s intelligence agency. It was one man called Elisha, a prophet of Yahweh that did all the harm.
As this officer relayed this matter to the king, he was still amazed. If he had not commissioned the very best of his men to investigate the matter, he would not have believed it. But undisputable evidence showed that Elisha was the man who played this devastating role of counterespionage.
The king was at first unbelieving, but as the officer insisted, he checked out the claim and saw the evidence. Gradually, he came to believe. In believing, a new anger seized him. A man? An ant! To waste his efforts and cause so much pain! A man. Just a man. That man must pay with his life!
The order was issued to mobilise. Thousands of infantry and cavalry set out under crack officers with just one command: Capture Elisha, dead or alive. That was a simple task, the soldiers thought, as they departed for Israel in high spirits. They were used to manhunt and to make assurance double sure, platoons of the Special Force accompanied the division for the assignment. Now that the leakage had been discovered the next thing was to take care of it. Then, the king of Israel would see pepper!
As they prepared for the manhunt, God once again rang up Elisha. In worship and great humility, Elisha listened as Heaven informed him of the price tag placed on his head by the dreaded Assyrian king.
Elisha was calm. “What should I do?” he asked the LORD, not in fear, but confidence.
“Relax! I will tell you when the time comes. Meanwhile, my invisible army has taken up positions around you.”
Elisha’s heart melted with gratitude. The love of God for His chosen people awed Elisha. Such faithfulness! Such mercy; and such steadfast love! Oh that the people of God would reciprocate this unmerited love! Oh that they would give their hearts to the Lord and fear and serve Him!
Elisha knew that God used him not because he was the most righteous. It was sovereign election based on grace once again. He was determined not to disappoint this great trust the LORD had in him.
Soon, the outraged army from Assyria got to their destination at Dothan and took up their positions. They surrounded the hill where Elisha had been traced to by the reconnaissance squad. They took up their positions at night, and began a methodical search for the man of God. They shouted, sang and turned over every leaf, even the dust, in search of Elisha.
Elisha’s personal assistant watched all this with his heart in his mouth. “The dreaded Assyrians are here at last! And where is the king of Israel for whom the man of God had taken this risk?”
Yes, he knew it. He knew it would come to this. In his personal opinion, Elisha had gone a little too far in this thing. What were they going to do now? He thought of his family and future. His fear was not only dying so young, but being caught alive by the Assyrians in the company of this Elisha.
Unable to conceal his fright any longer, he spoke up. “Man of God,” he called, “I don’t think you have seen the number of troops or horses surrounding us.”
“I have seen them. They are in thousands, perhaps tens of thousands.”
“Then,” the assistant fulminated, “do something about us for, God’s name sake!”
“Sssh!” Elisha hushed him down. “Don’t be afraid. You should know that the LORD will never abandon His own.” And then the man of God prayed a simple prayer: “O LORD, open his eyes so he may see.”
Heaven obliged. The assistant’s eyes were immediately opened to see in the realm of the spirit. Surrounding Elisha and his assistant was a fierce and fiery army kitted with devastating weapons and ready to vanquish any force on earth. In comparison to the army of the LORD he had just seen, the approaching enemy force seemed like cockroaches charging at lions.
As the assistant relished the thought and sight, the shouting and scouring division drew near to their target.
Then Elisha prayed another short prayer: “Strike these people with blindness, oh Lord!”
Again the LORD answered him. All of a sudden, the entire army went blind! The generals went blind. The officers went blind and the other rank went blind. The frontline went blind and the rearguard went blind. The foot soldiers went blind and the cavalry went blind. The chargers went blind and the reserve went blind. Everybody went blind at the same time.
Panic broke loose. Some cursed, others shouted and the rest cried. Those on horses fell down and those on foot crawled on their knees. Officers tried to give shaky orders; subordinates countered them. It was bedlam.
“Shouldn’t we just turn back?” one shouted.
“We can’t for two reasons,” another answered. “Firstly, we can’t find our way. Secondly, we would all face the bullet. This has become a suicide mission!”
That was the moment for Elisha to take over! He approached the disorganised army, cleared his throat and bellowed out in a non-combative paternal tone: “Hey! Listen, all of you!”
The voice was serene and amiable. It was the only confident and optimistic voice they had heard since the commotion caused by the blindness began. A hush fell on the blind army.
“You are looking for Elisha, isn’t it?”
They grunted their “yes”.
“Then, just follow my voice. This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for. Hold each of you his neighbour’s dress. I will lead one column and my assistant will lead the other.”
Stupefied for words, and bereft of anything better to say or do, they all obeyed and the march to Samaria began. Trudging behind Elisha, the army entered the walled city of Samaria right into the barracks, where the King dwelled. When Elisha knew that the gate had been securely shut and they were completely surrounded by the Israelite army, he prayed yet another simple prayer: “LORD, open the eyes of these men so they can see.”
The LORD granted his request and each soldier’s sight was restored in full.
Another panic, greater than the first, broke out. Inside the feared Samarian city walls! Outnumbered by fresh, enraged and battle-ready Israelite soldiers, the king personally commanding! Some of the Syrians must have preferred to become blind again to avoid seeing their fate.
By now, the king of Israel had become a ‘deputy’ to Elisha. He took orders from the man of God. So he asked, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”
His soldiers were ready to strike as their swords glistened in the hot sun. The Assyrians, hungry, fagged out and disoriented were waiting to be slaughtered.
But Elisha answered: “Kill who? Do not kill them. Would you kill men you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.”
The king was flabbergasted; the ready-to-hack-down solders, hands clasping their shiny swords were nonplussed. Snipers sneered and bow shooters whistled in anger. How could one have one’s enemy at such close quarters and then not only let him go, but entertain him with food and drink? Oh men of God! Why would they always have something queer to say or do?
But the king had no option. It is true; he didn’t capture them in battle. They were the LORD’s prisoners of war, and He reserved the right to dictate how they would be treated. And this Yahweh! He was throwing a feast for the enemy of His people!
The Assyrian soldiers sent to operate within enemy territory couldn’t believe their ears. Or their eyes either. The command was issued and the royal kitchen became busy. The great banquette hall was feverishly set in order for the feast. Musicians quickly assembled and rehearsed. Ordinary Israelites asked what was afoot. They were told that the king had a feast. When they asked for whom, the answer they got made them dizzy. “For his enemies!”
The hall was set in order and food and drinks made available in abundance. The captured soldiers were ushered into the banquette hall with music and fanfare. They walked on, not knowing whether to march, dance or crawl. They took their seats and the king and his men took theirs.
The feast began. Food and drink. More food and drink. Music and worship. Yes, even a word of exhortation from the dreaded prophet. The LORD God of Israel is kind to all—including His enemies. He is loving and forgiving. He is slow to anger and quick to pardon. The God of Israel is willing to be the God of the Assyrians. He could be the God of the soldiers now enjoying the feast. Just repent. Confess your sins. Ask Him to be your Lord. He will. And you will become, despite your background and past sins, his special child.
I believe that an altar call was made. I can see the entire soldiers, dazed and amazed by the love and mercy shown by the LORD God through the prophet they came to kill and the king. I can see them right now, comparing this love and mercy with the blood-sucking lusts of the gods of Assyria who demanded that even innocent children be sacrificed to them. Right now, as I tell this story, I can see the soldiers, the toughest men of their time, break down and weep in sorrow and repentance as they trooped to the altar to pledge their allegiance to Yahweh.
And I can see the love of God come over them like showers as their tears of sorrow turned to tears of joy. Oh, how bright their faces became as they came into union with YAHWEH, who was so willing to receive them.
As the feast ended, they went home as ambassadors of the LORD to Assyria. I can see each of them forgive his enemy as he got home. I can see them humbled, happy and peaceful. I can hear them sing the song of Yahweh they learnt during the feast as they went on their way.
How wonderful are the Scriptures! It says to us:
19 Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. 20 On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, FEED HIM; if he is thirsty, GIVE HIM SOMETHING TO DRINK. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." 21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Romans 12:19-21 NIV)
Let us together imagine what further happened when they got home. The news of their capture, no doubt had spread round their home country. Their safe arrival must have been greeted with mixed feelings. Some would have counselled their withdrawal from the army after debriefing. Others would ask that they be retained. The returnees, I am sure, couldn’t care a whit. Their encounter with the loving God of Israel compensated far above the fate they would face.
Whatever the decision of the Assyrian Commission on the Returnees might have been, we might never know. We know something however: “…the bands from Aram [Assyria] stopped raiding Israel's territory” (2 Kings 6:25) from then on.
What a way to end hostilities!
O the depth of the RICHES both of the WISDOM and KNOWLEDGE of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:33-34 KJV)
Elisha was not a military strategist or an intelligence officer. He was just acting on the instructions of God when he asked for a feast for the king’s enemy. He did not presume to find out the unsearchable ways and judgment of God, or to be His counsellor. He declared what he was told, and the king did what the prophet said.
And the feast ended the fight.

Literal account contained in 2 Kings 6:8-23

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