1Elisha prophesieth an extraordinary plenty suddenly to take place in Samaria, and sheweth an unbelieving lord his unhappy doom. 3Four lepers venture into the camp of the Syrians, and bring tidings of their hasty flight. 12The king, fearing a stratagem, sendeth out spies, and finding the report true, spoileth the Syrian tents, which bringeth about the plenty foretold. 17The unbelieving lord hath the charge of the gate, and being trodden to death verifieth the prophet's prediction.
1THEN Elisha 1said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a 2measurea of fine flour be sold for a 3shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
1 Namely, to the elders, who were assembled with him, to the messenger who was sent by the king; and to the king himself, who immediately followed after his messenger. See the two last verses of the previous chapter, and below verses 17, 18.
2 Called with the Hebrews seah. See of this measure Gen. 18 on verse 6.
aOT dry volume: 1.25 pecks or 11 liters
3 The common shekel of silver, whereof mention is made here, was full out or a little more than a fourth part of a Ricks dollar. See Gen. 23 on verse 15.
2Then a 4lord on whose hand the king 5leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make 6windows in heaven, 7might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
4 This man is thought to have been the man who was sent out by the king to take off the prophet’s head, 2 Kings 6:32.
5 According to the custom of kings and great princes. See 2 Kings 5:18.
6 Namely, thereby to pour out flour or wheat as rain in great abundance. See of the Hebrew word, Gen. 7 on verse 11.
7 Thus he strongly denies that is was possible. See Gen. 18 on verse 17.
3¶And there were four leprous men atb the 8entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
b Lev. 13:46.
8 The lepers must not dwell in the camp nor in the cities, but outside those places, being separated from the society and company of men, Lev. 13:46. Now these had approached to the very gate of the city, having fled because of the army of the Syrians that was stationed before it.
4If we 9say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we 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.
9 That is, think, or determine within ourselves, to enter into the city. See Gen. 20 on verse 11.
5And they rose up in the 10twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the 11uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
10 The Hebrew word signifies the morning or evening time, when it is between light and dark. Here it is taken for the evening twilight, as appears by verse 9, just when the Syrians fled away, verse 7. Also Prov. 7:9. For the morning twilight it is taken Psalm 119:147. See also 1 Sam. 30 on verse 17.
11 Understand the foremost end of the camp that was situated nearest to the place where the lepers came. Also verse 8.
6For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a 12noisec of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said 13one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings 14of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
12 Which was either in their ears only, or also in the air, made by God by the ministry of His angels.
c Isa. 13:4.
13 Hebr. the man to his brother.
14 By these are understood, not the Hittites descended from Heth, Gen. 10:15, who were long before time destroyed, but (as some perceive) the kings of the islands, Cyprus, Crete, etc.
7Wherefore they arose and fled in the 15twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp 16as it was, and fled for their 17life.
15 Namely, just before the lepers were come to the camp. See on verse 5.
16 Namely, when they were in it before the flight, which came upon them so unawares and with such terror, that looking after nothing at all, they left all behind as it was, barely to save their lives. Compare herewith verse 10.
17 Hebr. soul. See Gen. 19 on verse 17.
8And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9Then they said 18one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some 19mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
18 Hebr. the man to his neighbour, or companion. Compare the annotation on verse 6 above.
19 That is, the punishment of sin will light upon us. For, sin is said to find us, not only when we are found and overtaken in it, but are also punished for it. See Num. 32:23 and the annotation thereon.
10So they came and called unto 20the porter of the city: and they told 21them, saying, We came 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.
20 Other, unto the porters.
21 Namely, the porter and those who kept watch with him at the gate.
11And 22he called 23the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
22 Namely, the city porter, who had the watch.
23 Namely, his fellows or companions, who kept guard with him at the gate; or, the porters of the king’s house. Other, the porters cried out.
12¶And the king arose in the night, and said unto his 24servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they 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.
24 That is, counselors, and most important officers. See Gen. 20 on verse 8.
13And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left 25in the city, (behold, 26they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
25 That is, in this city.
26 Intimating that these horses were no more to be esteemed than the besieged Israelites, who nevertheless must die, as well as the rest, who were already dead if no relief comes.
14They took therefore two 27chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
27 Hebr. two chariots of horses, that is, two horses of chariots: Understand which are wont to be fastened to the chariot. Other, two horsemen on horseback, namely, whom the king had commanded to view the camp of the Syrians, and to enquire how the case stood with them.
15And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and 28vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their 29haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
28 Or, tools.
29 The Hebrew word signifies properly such an hastening as is accompanied with fear of eminent danger. Compare 2 Sam. 4:4; Psalm 48:5.
16And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measured of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
d OT dry volume (Heb. seah): 1.25 pecks or 11 liters
17¶And the king appointed the lord 30on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the 31gate: and the 32people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
30 See on verse 2.
31 Through which they passed to the camp of the Syrians.
32 Namely, which in great multitude and haste sought to be out of the city, very greedy after food and prey, that were to be had in great abundance, both in the camp and out of it; and partly came in, laden with meat, drink, garments, arms, etc., and bringing many beasts and cattle along with them.
18And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, 33Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
33 See on verse 1.
19And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make 34windows in heaven, 35might such a thing be? And 36he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
34 See on verse 2.
35 Or, could also such a thing be done?
36 Namely, the prophet Elisha.
20And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.