2nd Kings Chapter 7
From The Open Bible Project
7:1 Elisha said, "Hear the word of Yahweh. Thus says Yahweh, 'Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.'"
- (a) The godly are always assured of God’s help in their necessity, but the times and hours are only revealed by God’s Spirit.
7:2 Then the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, "Behold, if Yahweh made windows in heaven, could this thing be?" He said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."
- (b) To whom the king gave the charge and oversight of things as in (2 Kings 7:17).
- (c) He mocked at the prophets words saying, that if God rained down corn from heaven, yet this could not come to pass.
- (d) Your infidelity will be punished in this when you see this miracle, and yet not partake of it.
7:3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said one to another, "Why do we sit here until we die?
- (e) For it was commanded in the law that they should dwell apart, and not among their brethren, (Leviticus 13:46).
7:4 If we say, 'We will enter into the city,' then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. If we sit still here, we also die. Now therefore come, and let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they save us alive, we will live; and if they kill us, we will only die."
7:5 They rose up in the twilight, to go to the camp of the Syrians. When they had come to the outermost part of the camp of the Syrians, behold, there was no man there.
7:6 For the [3] Lord [See 2nd Kings Footnotes 3] had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great army: and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come on us.
- (f) Thus God needs no great preparation to destroy the wicked. Though they are many he can scatter them with a small noise, or shaking of a leaf.
7:7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
- (g) The wicked need no greater enemy than their own conscience to pursue them.
7:8 When these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went and hid it. Then they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it.
7:9 Then they said one to another, "We aren't doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we keep silent. If we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household."
7:10 So they came and called to the porter of the city; and they told them, saying, "We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as they were."
7:11 He called the porters; and they told it to the king's household within.
7:12 The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, "I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.'"
- (h) He mistrusted the prophets words, and therefore could believe nothing, as they who are more prudent than godly always cast more doubt than is needed.
7:13 One of his servants answered, "Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it. Behold, they are like all the multitude of Israel who are consumed. Let us send and see."
- (i) There are no more left, but they, or the rest are consumed by the famine, as the rest of the people.
7:14 They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the king sent after the army of the Syrians, saying, "Go and see."
7:15 They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.
7:16 The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
- (k) Which he spoke by the mouth of Elisha, (2 Kings 7:1).
7:17 The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to be in charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he died as the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him.
- (l) As the people pressed out of the gate to run to the Syrian’s tents, where they had heard meat and great spoil was left.
7:18 It happened, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria;"
7:19 and that captain answered the man of God, and said, "Now, behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be?" and he said, "Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it."
7:20 It happened like that to him; for the people trod on him in the gate, and he died.
