2 Kings 7:12

12 It was still night, but the king got out of bed and said to his officials, "I'll tell you what the Syrians are planning! They know about the famine here, so they have left their camp to go and hide in the countryside. They think that we will leave the city to find food, and then they will take us alive and capture the city."

2 Kings 7:12 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 7:12

And the king arose in the night
Upon the report made to him:

and he said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians
have done to us;
taking it to be a stratagem of theirs to decoy them:

they know that we be hungry;
and would be glad to come out of the city to get some food:

therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the
field;
to make us believe that they have broke up the siege, and have deserted the camp, and are gone, when they only lie in ambush:

saying, when they come out of the city;
which they supposed they would do through hunger:

we shall catch them alive;
take them captive at once:

and get into the city;
being open to let them out, and receive them on their return.

2 Kings 7:12 In-Context

10 So they left the Syrian camp, went back to Samaria, and called out to the guards at the gates: "We went to the Syrian camp and didn't see or hear anybody; the horses and donkeys have not been untied, and the tents are just as the Syrians left them."

11 The guards announced the news, and it was reported in the palace.

12 It was still night, but the king got out of bed and said to his officials, "I'll tell you what the Syrians are planning! They know about the famine here, so they have left their camp to go and hide in the countryside. They think that we will leave the city to find food, and then they will take us alive and capture the city."

13 One of his officials said, "The people here in the city are doomed anyway, like those that have already died. So let's send some men with five of the horses that are left, so that we can find out what has happened."

14 They chose some men, and the king sent them in two chariots with instructions to go and find out what had happened to the Syrian army.