Melachim Bais 7:2

2 Then an officer on whose arm HaMelech leaned answered the Ish HaElohim, and said, Hinei, even if Hashem would make windows in Shomayim, could this thing happen? And he said, Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

Melachim Bais 7:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 7:2

Then a lord, on whose hand the king leaned
Not figuratively, in whom the king confided, but literally, on whose hand he rested, and by whom he was supported, being a form and matter of state, while he and Elisha were talking together, or on whom he leaned as he came to him; this was a principal lord, the third to the king, as his title seems to denote; the word by which the Septuagint renders it is by Suidas ^F21 interpreted of such that held three spears in the hand together; and this was an honourable post, for a king to lean on him; such state was used by the king of Syria, ( 2 Kings 5:18 ) and by the kings and queens of Persia; so Gorionides ^F23 says of Esther, that on the third day; she put on her beautiful garments and glorious ornaments, and took two of her maidens with her, and put her right hand on one of them, and leaned upon her in a royal manner, or as was the manner of kings: the same

answered the man of God;
the prophet of the Lord, as the Targum:

and said, behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this
thing be?
it is impossible it should be, if he was to open the windows of heaven as at the flood, and let down showers of wheat and barley, in like manner as he rained manna in the wilderness:

and he said;
the prophet in reply to him:

behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof;
wheat and barley sold at the above price, but should not taste of it, as a punishment of his unbelief.

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FOOTNOTES:

F21 In voce (tristatai) .
F23 Heb. Hist. l. 2. c. 4.

Melachim Bais 7:2 In-Context

1 Then Elishah said, Hear ye the Devar Hashem; Thus saith Hashem, Machar (tomorrow) about this time shall a se’ah of solet (fine flour) be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of se’orim for a shekel, at the Sha’ar Shomron.

2 Then an officer on whose arm HaMelech leaned answered the Ish HaElohim, and said, Hinei, even if Hashem would make windows in Shomayim, could this thing happen? And he said, Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were arba’ah anashim that were metzora’im at the petach haSha’ar (city gate); and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the Ir, then the ra’av (famine) is in the Ir, and we shall die there; and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us throw ourselves unto the Machaneh Aram (Syrian Camp); if they spare us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall die.

5 And they rose up at neshef (twilight, dusk) to go unto the Machaneh Aram; and when they were come to the edge of the Machaneh Aram, hinei, there was no ish there.