We learn in this episode of the king of Syria’s repeated plans for secret border raids against Israel, but Elisha supernaturally overhears even the king’s private bedroom conversations and warns the king of Israel, foiling every attack. Enraged, the Syrian king sends a massive army of horses and chariots by night to capture Elisha, whose servant panics at the sight of the surrounding troops, but Elisha calmly assures him, then prays for the young man’s eyes to be opened—revealing the mountains filled with far greater heavenly horses and chariots of fire encircling and protecting them. Elisha then prays for the Syrian army to be struck blind, leads the sightless soldiers into Samaria, restores their vision, and—showing mercy instead of retaliation—instructs the king of Israel to feed them a banquet and send them home unharmed; the result is that the Syrian raids cease, as Elisha “killed” Israel’s enemies with kindness.