2 Kings 7:3

3 Now there were four lepers, at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another: What mean we to stay here till 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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

2 Kings 7:3 In-Context

1 And Eliseus said: Hear ye the word of the Lord: Thus saith the Lord: Tomorrow, about this time, a bushel of fine flour shall be sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then one of the lords, upon whose hand the king leaned, answering the man of God, said: If the Lord should make flood-gates in heaven, can that possibly be which thou sayest? And he said: Thou shalt see it with thy eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 Now there were four lepers, at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another: What mean we to stay here till we die?

4 If we will enter into the city, we shall die with the famine: and if we will remain here, we must also die: come therefore, and let us run over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare us, we shall live: but if they kill us, we shall but die.

5 So they arose in the evening, to go to the Syrian camp. And when they were come to the first part of the camp of the Syrians, they found no man there.