4
If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine
is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we stay here, we shall die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians; if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5
And they rose up at the beginning of the night, to go unto the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold,
there was no man there.
6
For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and a noise of horses,
even the noise of a great host; and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7
Therefore they had arisen and fled at the beginning of the night and had left their tents and their horses and their asses, even the camp as it
was, and had fled for their lives.
8
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank and took silver and gold and raiment and went and hid
it and came again and entered into another tent and took from there
also and went and hid
it.
9
Then they said one to another, We do not well; this day
is a day to
give good tidings, and we are silent; if we tarry until the morning light, we shall be taken in the iniquity. Now, therefore, come, that we may enter in and give the news in the king’s house.
10
So they came and called unto the porter of the city, and they told them, saying, We went to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold,
there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied and asses tied, and the tents as they
were.
11
And the porters cried out and told
it inside and in the king’s house.
12
And the king arose in the night and said unto his slaves, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we
are hungry; therefore, they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and get into the city.
13
Then one of his slaves answered and said, Let
some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city (for they
are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; they
are also as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed) and let us send and see.
14
They took, therefore, two chariot horses; and the king sent after the camp of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.