5
They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans, behold, there was noonethere.
6
For 1the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a greatarmy, so that they said to oneanother, "Behold, the king of Israel has hiredagainst us 2the kings of the Hittites and 3the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us."
7
Therefore they 4arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the campjust as it was, and fled for their life.
8
When theseleperscame to the outskirts of the camp, they enteredonetent and ate and drank, and 5carried from theresilver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and enteredanothertent and carried from there also, and went and hid them.
9
Then they said to oneanother, "We are not doingright. Thisday is a day of good news, but we are keepingsilent; if we waituntilmorninglight, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king'shousehold."
10
So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and they told them, saying, "We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was noonethere, nor the voice of man, only* the horsestied and the donkeystied, and the tentsjust as they were."
11
The gatekeeperscalled and told it within the king'shousehold.
12
Then the kingarose in the night and said to his servants, "I will nowtell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that 6we are hungry; therefore they have gone from the camp7to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.' "
13
One of his servantssaid, "Please, let some men takefive of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israelwho are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israelwho have already perished, so let us send and see."
14
They took therefore twochariots with horses, and the kingsentafter the army of the Arameans, saying, "Go and see."
The Promise Fulfilled
15 They wentafter them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipmentwhich the Arameans had thrownaway in their haste. Then the messengersreturned and told the king.