2 Kings 6:18

And when they came down to him As the words stand, -they" must refer to the Syrian troops, and to understand the sentence we must suppose that Elisha and his servant, the latter encouraged by the heavenly vision, had come forth from the city and been able to pass the gate. After this the Syrians followed them, and on their approach Elisha prayed that they might be smitten with blindness. Some have however thought that -to him" is an error for -to them", and have referred the verb to Elisha and his servant. Thus the sense would be: -When Elisha and his servant came down to the enemy, as they were emboldened to do, then Elisha prayed &c." But there is no such great difficulty in understanding the existing text, as to warrant us in accepting a conjecture which seems only supported by one, the Syriac, version. It was quite in the character of Elisha to go forth with his now courageous servant, and the Syrians at first would let them pass out so far that they might be surrounded directly by the waiting troops.

Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness What seems to have been sent upon the men was an illusion which prevented them from seeing correctly what was before them. Josephus explains it as a mist (ἀχλὺς) whereby they were prevented from recognising Elisha. The word, which is plural in form, occurs only here and in Genesis 19:11. It denotes the seeing of something unreal instead of the true image. Thus these men could go with Elisha to Samaria, not knowing to what place he was leading them.