2 Kings 7:17

17 Forsooth the king ordained at the gate that duke, in whose hand the king leaned; whom the company trode with their feet, and he was dead, by the word, which the man of God spake, when the king came down to him. (And the king ordered that leader, on whose hand he had leaned, to go to the city gate; and the people then trode upon him with their feet, and he died, according to the word, which the man of God spoke, when the king had come down to him.)

2 Kings 7:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 7:17

And the king appointed the lord, on whose hand he leaned, to
have the charge of the gate
Not to keep out the enemy, of which there was no danger; but to prevent disorders and tumults among the people, and that they might go out in an orderly and regular manner:

and the people trod upon him in the gate;
being eager to get out for food; and he endeavouring to keep order among them, they pressed upon him, and threw him down, and trampled him under foot; or he was placed here to regulate the market, that everyone might be supplied in course, but through the people's pressing to get provisions, he was overborne, and trod upon:

and died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down
to him;
so that he saw the plenty, but partook not of it, as he said, see ( 2 Kings 7:2 ) .

2 Kings 7:17 In-Context

15 The which went after them unto (the) Jordan; lo! forsooth all the way was full of clothes, and of vessels, which the men of Syria (had) casted forth, when they were troubled. And the messengers turned again, and showed it to the king (And the messengers returned, and reported to the king about all these things).
16 And the people went out, and ravished the castles of Syria (And the people went out, and spoiled the tents, or the camp, of the Syrians); and a bushel of tried flour was made sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, by the word of the Lord.
17 Forsooth the king ordained at the gate that duke, in whose hand the king leaned; whom the company trode with their feet, and he was dead, by the word, which the man of God spake, when the king came down to him. (And the king ordered that leader, on whose hand he had leaned, to go to the city gate; and the people then trode upon him with their feet, and he died, according to the word, which the man of God spoke, when the king had come down to him.)
18 And (so) it was done by the word of the man of God, that he [had] said to the king, when he said, Two bushels of barley shall be sold for a stater, and a bushel of tried wheat flour for a stater, in this same time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria;
19 when that duke answered to the man of God, and said, Yea, though the Lord shall make the gutters in heaven to be opened, whether this that thou speakest may be? and the man of God said, Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, and thou shalt not eat thereof. (when that leader had answered the man of God, and said, Even if the Lord shall make the gutters of the heavens to open up, what thou sayest could not be true! and the man of God said, Thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not eat any of it.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.