2 Kings 7:3

3 Now there were four lepers seated at the doorway into the town: and they said to one another, Why are we waiting here for death?

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 Then Elisha said, Give ear to the word of the Lord: the Lord says, Tomorrow, about this time, a measure of good meal will be offered for the price of a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the market-place of Samaria.

2 Then the captain whose arm was supporting the king said to the man of God, Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, would such a thing be possible? And he said, Your eyes will see it, but you will not have a taste of the food.

3 Now there were four lepers seated at the doorway into the town: and they said to one another, Why are we waiting here for death?

4 If we say, We will go into the town, there is no food in the town, and we will come to our end there; and if we go on waiting here, death will come to us. Come then, let us give ourselves up to the army of Aram: if they let us go on living, then life will be ours; and if they put us to death, then death will be ours.

5 So in the half light they got up to go to the tents of Aram; but when they came to the outer line of tents, there was no one there.