2 Kings 7

Elisha Promises Food

1 Then Elisha said, "Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, '1Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.' "
2 2The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said, "Behold, 3if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could this thing be?" Then he said, "Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it."

Four Lepers Relate Arameans' Flight

3 Now there were four 4leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, "Why do we sit here until we die?
4 "If we say, 'We will enter the city,' then the famine is in the city and we will die there; and if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us go over to 5the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, we will but die."
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 no one there.
6 For 6the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses, even the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, "Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us 7the kings of the Hittites and 8the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us."
7 Therefore they 9arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys, even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life.
8 When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and 10carried from there silver and gold and clothes, and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them.
9 Then they said to one another, "We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent; if we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king's household."
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 no one there, nor the voice of man, only * the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were."
11 The gatekeepers called and told it within the king's household.
12 Then the king arose in the night and said to his servants, "I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that 11we are hungry; therefore they have gone from the camp 12to 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 servants said, "Please, let some men take five of the horses which remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send and see."
14 They took therefore two chariots with horses, and the king sent after the army of the Arameans, saying, "Go and see."

The Promise Fulfilled

15 They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.
16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, 13according to the word of the LORD.
17 Now the king appointed 14the royal officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate; but the people trampled on him at the gate, and he died just as the man of God had said, 15who spoke when the king came down to him.
18 It happened just as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, "16Two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, will be sold tomorrow about this time at the gate of Samaria."
19 Then the royal officer answered the man of God and said, "Now behold, 17if the LORD should make windows in heaven, could such a thing be?" And he said, "Behold, you will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat of it."
20 And so it happened to him, for the people trampled on him at the gate and he died.

2 Kings 7 Commentary

Chapter 7

Elisha prophesies plenty. (1,2) The flight of the Syrian army. (3-11) Samaria plentifully supplied. (12-20)

Verses 1-2 Man's extremity is God's opportunity of making his own power to be glorious: his time to appear for his people is when their strength is gone. Unbelief is a sin by which men greatly dishonour and displease God, and deprive themselves of the favours he designed for them. Such will be the portion of those that believe not the promise of eternal life; they shall see it at a distance, but shall never taste of it. But no temporal deliverances and mercies will in the end profit sinners, unless they are led to repentance by the goodness of God.

Verses 3-11 God can, when he pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. Providence ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians were fled. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. Natural humanity, and fear of punishment, are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others. From love to him, not from selfish feelings, they will gladly share their earthly good things with their brethren.

Verses 12-20 Here see the wants of Israel supplied in a way they little thought of, which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits. God's promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground. The nobleman that questioned the truth of Elisha's word, saw the plenty, to silence and shame his unbelief, and therein saw his own folly; but he did not eat of the plenty he saw. Justly do those find the world's promises fail them, who think that the promises of God will disappoint them. Learn how deeply God resents distrust of his power, providence, and promise: how uncertain life is, and the enjoyments of it: how certain God's threatenings are, and how sure to come on the guilty. May God help us to inquire whether we are exposed to his threatenings, or interested in his promises.

Cross References 17

  • 1. 2 Kings 7:18
  • 2. 2 Kings 5:18; 2 Kings 7:17, 19
  • 3. Genesis 7:11; Malachi 3:10
  • 4. Leviticus 13:45, 46; Numbers 5:2-4; Numbers 12:10-14
  • 5. 2 Kings 6:24
  • 6. 2 Samuel 5:24
  • 7. 1 Kings 10:29
  • 8. 2 Chronicles 12:2, 3; Isaiah 31:1; Isaiah 36:9
  • 9. Psalms 48:4-6; Proverbs 28:1
  • 10. Joshua 7:21
  • 11. 2 Kings 6:25-29
  • 12. Joshua 8:4-12
  • 13. 2 Kings 7:1
  • 14. 2 Kings 7:2
  • 15. 2 Kings 6:32
  • 16. 2 Kings 7:1
  • 17. 2 Kings 7:2

Footnotes 11

  • [a]. Heb "seah"
  • [b]. Lit "from there"
  • [c]. Lit "fall"
  • [d]. Lit "find"
  • [e]. Lit "in it"
  • [f]. Heb "seah;" i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts
  • [g]. Heb "seah;" i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts
  • [h]. Lit "over the gate"
  • [i]. Heb "seah;" i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts
  • [j]. Heb "seah;" i.e. one seah equals approx 11 qts
  • [k]. Lit "from there"

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 7

This chapter begins with a prophecy of great plenty in Samaria on the morrow, and of the death of an unbelieving lord, 2Ki 7:1,2, relates the case of four lepers, who that night went into the Syrian camp, which was deserted, occasioned by the noise of chariots, horses, and a host, which they fancied they heard, 2Ki 7:3-9, the report which the lepers made to the king's household of this affair, and the method the king's servants took to know the truth of it, 2Ki 7:10-15 which, when confirmed, the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians, whereby the prophecy of plenty was fulfilled, 2Ki 7:16, and the unbelieving lord having post at the gate of the city assigned him, was trod to death, and so the prediction concerning him had its accomplishment also, 2Ki 7:17-20.

2 Kings 7 Commentaries

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