2 Kings 7:13

13 respondit autem unus servorum eius tollamus quinque equos qui remanserunt in urbe quia ipsi tantum sunt in universa multitudine Israhel alii enim consumpti sunt et mittentes explorare poterimus

2 Kings 7:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 7:13

And one of his servants answered and said, let some take, I
pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city,
&c.] Not having died through the famine as the rest:

behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it;
behold, I say, they are even as the multitude of Israel that are
consumed;
signifying, there was a like consumption among the horses as among the people, and they that remained were starving as they were; so that should those horses, and the men, fall into the hands of the Syrians, and perish, it would be no great matter; the loss would not be much, since they must perish if they continue in the city: according to the Vulgate Latin version, these five horses were all that were left:

and let us send and see;
whether the report of the lepers is true or not.

2 Kings 7:13 In-Context

11 ierunt ergo portarii et nuntiaverunt in palatio regis intrinsecus

12 qui surrexit nocte et ait ad servos suos dico vobis quid fecerint nobis Syri sciunt quia fame laboramus et idcirco egressi sunt de castris et latitant in agris dicentes cum egressi fuerint de civitate capiemus eos viventes et tunc civitatem ingredi poterimus

13 respondit autem unus servorum eius tollamus quinque equos qui remanserunt in urbe quia ipsi tantum sunt in universa multitudine Israhel alii enim consumpti sunt et mittentes explorare poterimus

14 adduxerunt ergo duos equos misitque rex ad castra Syrorum dicens ite videte

15 qui abierunt post eos usque ad Iordanem ecce autem omnis via plena erat vestibus et vasis quae proiecerant Syri cum turbarentur reversique nuntii indicaverunt regi