C. F. Keil and Franz Delitzsch on 2 Kings 6:5

2Ki 6:5

In the felling of the beams, the iron, i.e., the axe, of one of the pupils of the prophets fell into the water, at which he exclaimed with lamentation: “Alas, my lord (i.e., Elisha), and it was begged!” The sorrowful exclamation implied a petition for help. ואת־הבּרזל: “and as for the iron, it fell into the water;” so that even here את does not stand before the nominative, but serves to place the noun in subjection to the clause (cf. Ewald, §277, a.). שׁאוּל does not mean borrowed, but begged. The meaning to borrow is attributed to שׁאל from a misinterpretation of particular passages (see the Comm. on Exo 3:22). The prophets’ pupil had begged the axe, because from his poverty he was unable to buy one, and hence the loss was so painful to him.