1 Then Elisha H477 said, H559 Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD; H3068 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 To morrow H4279 about this time H6256 shall a measure H5429 of fine flour H5560 be sold for a shekel, H8255 and two measures H5429 of barley H8184 for a shekel, H8255 in the gate H8179 of Samaria. H8111
2 Then a lord H7991 on whose hand H3027 the king H4428 leaned H8172 answered H6030 the man H376 of God, H430 and said, H559 Behold, if the LORD H3068 would make H6213 windows H699 in heaven, H8064 might this thing H1697 be? And he said, H559 Behold, thou shalt see H7200 it with thine eyes, H5869 but shalt not eat H398 thereof.
3 And there were four H702 leprous H6879 men H582 at the entering in H6607 of the gate: H8179 and they said H559 one H376 to another, H7453 Why sit H3427 we here until we die? H4191
4 If we say, H559 We will enter H935 into the city, H5892 then the famine H7458 is in the city, H5892 and we shall die H4191 there: and if we sit still H3427 here, we die H4191 also. Now therefore come, H3212 and let us fall H5307 unto the host H4264 of the Syrians: H758 if they save us alive, H2421 we shall live; H2421 and if they kill H4191 us, we shall but die. H4191
5 And they rose up H6965 in the twilight, H5399 to go H935 unto the camp H4264 of the Syrians: H758 and when they were come H935 to the uttermost part H7097 of the camp H4264 of Syria, H758 behold, there was no man H376 there.
6 For the Lord H136 had made the host H4264 of the Syrians H758 to hear H8085 a noise H6963 of chariots, H7393 and a noise H6963 of horses, H5483 even the noise H6963 of a great H1419 host: H2428 and they said H559 one H376 to another, H251 Lo, the king H4428 of Israel H3478 hath hired H7936 against us the kings H4428 of the Hittites, H2850 and the kings H4428 of the Egyptians, H4714 to come H935 upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose H6965 and fled H5127 in the twilight, H5399 and left H5800 their tents, H168 and their horses, H5483 and their asses, H2543 even the camp H4264 as it was, and fled H5127 for their life. H5315
8 And when these lepers H6879 came H935 to the uttermost part H7097 of the camp, H4264 they went H935 into one H259 tent, H168 and did eat H398 and drink, H8354 and carried H5375 thence silver, H3701 and gold, H2091 and raiment, H899 and went H3212 and hid H2934 it; and came again, H7725 and entered H935 into another H312 tent, H168 and carried H5375 thence also, and went H3212 and hid H2934 it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 7
Commentary on 2 Kings 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
2Ki 7:1-16. Elisha Prophesies Incredible Plenty in Samaria.
1. Hear ye the word of the Lord—This prediction, though uttered first to the assembled elders, was intimated to the king's messengers, who reported it to Jehoram (2Ki 7:18).
To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, &c.—This may be estimated at a peck of fine flour for 2s. 6d., and two pecks of barley at the same price.
in the gate of Samaria—Vegetables, cattle, all sorts of country produce, are still sold every morning at the gates of towns in the East.
2. a lord on whose hand the king leaned—When an Eastern king walks or stands abroad in the open air, he always supports himself on the arm of the highest courtier present.
if the Lord would make windows in heaven—The scoffing infidelity of this remark, which was a sneer against not the prophet only, but the God he served, was justly and signally punished (see 2Ki 7:20).
3. there were four leprous men—The account of the sudden raising of the siege and the unexpected supply given to the famishing inhabitants of Samaria, is introduced by a narrative of the visit and discovery, by these poor creatures, of the extraordinary flight of the Syrians.
leprous men at the entering in of the gate—living, perhaps, in some lazar house there (Le 13:4-6; Nu 5:3).
5. they rose up in the twilight—that is, the evening twilight (2Ki 7:12).
the uttermost part of the camp of Syria—that is, the extremity nearest the city.
6, 7. the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots—This illusion of the sense of hearing, whereby the besiegers imagined the tramp of two armies from opposite quarters, was a great miracle which God wrought directly for the deliverance of His people.
8-11. these lepers … did eat and drink—After they had appeased their hunger and secreted as many valuables as they could carry, their consciences smote them for concealing the discovery and they hastened to publish it in the city.
10. horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were—The uniform arrangement of encampments in the East is to place the tents in the center, while the cattle are picketed all around, as an outer wall of defense; and hence the lepers describe the cattle as the first objects they saw.
12-15. the king … said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done—Similar stratagems have been so often resorted to in the ancient and modern wars of the East that there is no wonder Jehoram's suspicions were awakened. But the scouts, whom he despatched, soon found unmistakable signs of the panic that had struck the enemy and led to a most precipitate flight.
2Ki 7:17-20. The Unbelieving Lord Trodden to Death.
17. the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned,—&c. The news spread like lightning through the city, and was followed, as was natural, by a popular rush to the Syrian camp. To keep order at the gate, the king ordered his minister to keep guard; but the impetuosity of the famishing people could not be resisted. The lord was trodden to death, and Elisha's prophecy in all respects accomplished.