Go get him! That was pretty much the command voiced by Aram’s king. Target: Elisha.
15 When the servant of the man of God rose early in the morning and went out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was all around the city. And the servant said, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (2 Kings 6:15–ESV)
If you’ve forgotten the background here, the king of Aram was miffed over the intel Elisha was giving Israel’s King Joram. The only plausible explanation for Israel’s awareness of Aram’s carefully planned cross-border raids was a traitor. Being unable to accept this he conferred with his officers one of whom reported that Elisha, Israel’s prophet, was the source. Later they found out this prophet was at Dothan1. “Men, go get him! Select strong, capable men from your platoons. You will be near the capital city so it will have to be efficient. Take a force big enough to capture him, fend off the army and return.”
If their incursion began at the Jordan River they faced a 4-6 hour 15-mile night-march. Going well they have arrived and surrounded the sleeping administrative Dothan. They posted the watch, readied their messengers, aligned the attack group, and probably took a breather. When the sun began its slow climb over their eastern homeland they would attack.
I like thinking about the normal things that were happening just before the abnormal took front and center. The night bugs, birds, and animals were wending their way back to their dens. The day birds and people down in Dothan were opening their eyes and getting to their feet. It may have been normal for the animals but was about to be very different for those colliding, God-managed, middle-eastern peoples.
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