Definition: And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of raiment.
Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this verse from 2 Kings 5:5. It’s a bit complex at first, but here's the gist: Basically, it means: “The king of Syria sent a letter to the king of Israel, and he went with a HUGE amount of treasure – ten talents of silver, six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of clothing.” Let’s unpack it piece by piece: "The king of Syria said..." : This tells us who is sending the letter. It's the king of Syria, a ruler in that region. "...Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel." : He’s essentially saying, “I need to deliver this message.” The word "to" is crucial – it's not just sending a letter; he’s sending a letter to the King of Israel. "...And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver..." : “Ten talents” was a unit of weight in ancient times – think of it as a really big amount of money! He left with 10 talents of silver. This is a significant amount of wealth. "...and six thousand pieces of gold..." : He brought 6,000 pieces of gold. That's a huge amount of precious metal! "...and ten changes of raiment." : He also took ten changes of clothing – meaning he had several sets of clothes ready to go. What’s the significance? This is a pretty dramatic event in the Bible. It suggests: A big deal is happening: The king of Syria is sending a message that's important and potentially consequential. Wealth and Power: This demonstrates the king's considerable wealth and power. He’s taking significant assets to send across a large distance. In short, it’s a story about a king sending a massive amount of treasure. --- Do you want me to: Explain a specific part in more detail? Connect this verse to a larger story or theme (like conflict, trade, or ambition)?