2 Kings 7:3

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die ?

2 Kings 7:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 7:3

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate,
&c.] Of the city of Samaria; lepers, according to the law, being obliged to be without the city and camp, ( Leviticus 13:46 ) these might have a dwelling assigned them near the gate; or they might get as near to it as they could, partly to obtain relief from the city, and partly for fear of the Syrians; these, the Jews say ^F24, were Gehazi and his three sons, see ( 2 Kings 5:27 )

and they said one to another, why sit we here until we die?
being ready to perish with hunger.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 47. 1. & Sanhedrin, fol. 107. 2.

2 Kings 7:3 In-Context

1 Then Elisha said , Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said , Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said , Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die ?

4 If we say , We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come , and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive , we shall live ; and if they kill us, we shall but die .

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.