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
Command H6680 the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 that they put out H7971 of the camp H4264 every leper, H6879 and every one that hath an issue, H2100 and whosoever is defiled H2931 by the dead: H5315 Both male H2145 and female H5347 shall ye put out, H7971 without H2351 the camp H4264 shall ye put H7971 them; that they defile H2930 not their camps, H4264 in the midst H8432 whereof H834 I dwell. H7931 And the children H1121 of Israel H3478 did so, H6213 and put them out H7971 without H2351 the camp: H4264 as the LORD H3068 spake H1696 unto Moses, H4872 so did H6213 the children H1121 of Israel. H3478
And the LORD H3068 said H559 unto Moses, H4872 If her father H1 had but H3417 spit H3417 in her face, H6440 should she not be ashamed H3637 seven H7651 days? H3117 let her be shut H5462 out H2351 from the camp H4264 seven H7651 days, H3117 and after H310 that let her be received H622 in again.
And the leper H6879 in whom the plague H5061 is, his clothes H899 shall be rent, H6533 and his head H7218 bare, H6544 and he shall put a covering H5844 upon his upper lip, H8222 and shall cry, H7121 Unclean, H2931 unclean. H2931 All the days H3117 wherein the plague H5061 shall be in him he shall be defiled; H2930 he is unclean: H2931 he shall dwell H3427 alone; H910 without H2351 the camp H4264 shall his habitation H4186 be.
Now Naaman, H5283 captain H8269 of the host H6635 of the king H4428 of Syria, H758 was a great H1419 man H376 with H6440 his master, H113 and honourable, H5375 because by him the LORD H3068 had given H5414 deliverance H8668 unto Syria: H758 he was also a mighty H1368 man H376 in valour, H2428 but he was a leper. H6879
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
Why do we sit still? H3427 assemble H622 yourselves, and let us enter H935 into the defenced H4013 cities, H5892 and let us be silent H1826 there: for the LORD H3068 our God H430 hath put us to silence, H1826 and given us water H4325 of gall H7219 to drink, H8248 because we have sinned H2398 against the LORD. H3068
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.