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2 Kings Chapter
Seven
New King James Version (NKJV)
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
2 Kings 7:1
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
2 Kings 7:3
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
2 Kings 7:10 which
when confirmed
the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians
whereby the prophecy of plenty was fulfilled
2 Kings 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
2 Kings 7:17.
2 Kings 7:1 Then
Elisha said
“Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: ‘Tomorrow
about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel
and two
seahs of barley for a shekel
at the gate of Samaria.’”
YLT
1And Elisha saith
`Hear ye
a word of Jehovah: thus said Jehovah
About this time to-morrow
a measure of
fine flour [is] at a shekel
and two measures of barley at a shekel
in the
gate of Samaria.'
Then Elisha said
hear the word of the Lord
.... This he said
to the king and those that were with him:
thus saith the Lord
tomorrow
about this time; which very
probably was the forenoon:
shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel; "a
seah"
the measure here spoken of
or "saturn"
according to
someF18Godwin
ut supra. (Moses & Aaron
B. 6. c. 9.)
was a
gallon and an half; but Bishop CumberlandF19Of Scripture Weights and
Measures
c. 3. p. 86. makes it two wine gallons and an half; and a shekel
according to his accurate computation
was two shillings and four pence
farthing
and near the eighth part of oneF20lb. c. 4. p. 104
105. :
and two measures of barley for a shekel
in the gate of Samaria; where the
market was kept; the same sort of measure and of money is here used as before;
and we learn from hence that a measure of wheat was equal to two of barley.
2 Kings 7:2 2 So an officer on whose
hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said
“Look
if the Lord would make
windows in heaven
could this thing be?” And he said
“In fact
you shall see it
with your eyes
but you shall not eat of it.”
YLT
2And the captain whom the
king hath
by whose hand he hath been supported
answereth the man of God and
saith
`Lo
Jehovah is making windows in the heavens -- shall this thing be?'
and he saith
`Lo
thou art seeing it with thine eyes
and thereof thou dost
not eat.'
Then a lord
on whose hand the king leaned
.... Not
figuratively
in whom the king confided
but literally
on whose hand he
rested
and by whom he was supported
being a form and matter of state
while
he and Elisha were talking together
or on whom he leaned as he came to him;
this was a principal lord
the third to the king
as his title seems to denote;
the word by which the Septuagint renders it is by SuidasF21In voce τρισταται. interpreted of such
that held three spears in the hand together; and this was an honourable post
for a king to lean on him; such state was used by the king of Syria
2 Kings 5:18 and by
the kings and queens of Persia; so GorionidesF23Heb. Hist. l. 2. c.
4. says of Esther
that on the third day; she put on her beautiful garments and
glorious ornaments
and took two of her maidens with her
and put her right hand
on one of them
and leaned upon her in a royal manner
or as was the manner of
kings: the same
answered the man of God; the prophet of the Lord
as the Targum:
and said
behold
if the Lord would make windows in heaven
might
this thing be? it is impossible it should be
if he was to open the windows of
heaven as at the flood
and let down showers of wheat and barley
in like
manner as he rained manna in the wilderness:
and he said; the prophet in reply to him:
behold
thou shalt see it with thine eyes
but shalt not eat
thereof; wheat and barley sold at the above price
but should not taste
of it
as a punishment of his unbelief.
2 Kings 7:3 3 Now there were four
leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another
“Why are
we sitting here until we die?
YLT
3And four men have been
leprous
at the opening of the gate
and they say one unto another
`What -- we
are sitting here till we have died;
And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate
.... Of the
city of Samaria; lepers
according to the law
being obliged to be without the
city and camp
Leviticus 13:46
these might have a dwelling assigned them near the gate; or they might get as
near to it as they could
partly to obtain relief from the city
and partly for
fear of the Syrians; these
the Jews sayF24T. Bab. Sotah
fol. 47.
1. & Sanhedrin
fol. 107. 2.
were Gehazi and his three sons
see 2 Kings 5:27.
and they said one to another
why sit we here until we die? being ready
to perish with hunger.
2 Kings 7:4 4 If we say
‘We will enter
the city
’ the famine is in the city
and we shall die there. And if we
sit here
we die also. Now therefore
come
let us surrender to the army of the
Syrians. If they keep us alive
we shall live; and if they kill us
we shall
only die.”
YLT
4if we have said
We go in
to the city
then the famine [is] in the city
and we have died there; and if
we have sat here
then we have died; and now
come and we fall unto the camp of
Aram; if they keep us alive
we live
and if they put us to death -- we have
died.'
If we say we will enter into the city
.... Contrary
to the law which forbid them:
then the famine is in the city
and we shall die there; not being
able to obtain food to preserve life:
and if we sit here
we die also; having nothing to eat to
support nature:
now therefore let us come
and fall unto the host of the Syrians; put ourselves
into their hands
and lie at their mercy:
if they save us alive
we shall live; if they do
not put us to death
but give us bread to eat
our lives will be preserved:
and if they kill us
we shall but die; which we must
inevitably do
whether we stay here
or go into the city.
2 Kings 7:5 5 And they rose at twilight
to go to the camp of the Syrians; and when they had come to the outskirts of
the Syrian camp
to their surprise no one was there.
YLT
5And they rise in the
twilight
to go in unto the camp of Aram
and they come in unto the extremity
of the camp of Aram
and lo
there is not a man there
And they rose up in the twilight
to go unto the camp of the
Syrians
....
The dusk of the evening
or the evening twilight
as
appears from 2 Kings 7:9
and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria; not the
further part of it
but the edge or border of it nearest to them:
behold
there was no man there; no sentinel or guard
which they expected
and to whom they would have surrendered themselves.
2 Kings 7:6 6 For the Lord had caused
the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of
horses—the noise of a great army; so they said to one another
“Look
the king
of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the
Egyptians to attack us!”
YLT
6seeing Jehovah hath caused
the camp of Aram to hear a noise of chariot and a noise of horse -- a noise of
great force
and they say one unto another
`Lo
the king of Israel hath hired
against us the kings of the Hittites
and the kings of Egypt
to come against
us.'
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
.... Or of
many armies
as the Targum; either in the air by the ministry of angels; or the
Lord so wrought upon their imagination
that they fancied they heard such
noises; or he caused such noises in their ears:
and they said one to another
lo
the king of Israel hath hired
against us the kings of the Hittites; one of the nations of
the Canaanites
and may be here put for the whole of those that remained
and
who lived upon the borders of the land of Israel; though JosephusF25Ut
supra
(Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4.) sect. 5. has it
the kings of the isles; that is
of Chittim
see Jeremiah 2:10.
and the kings of the Egyptians
to come upon us; Egypt being
now divided into petty kingdoms; or else the governors of the several nomes or
districts of it are here meant: for the king of Israel to hire these kings was
very unlikely in his present circumstances; but those unreasonable things
in
their panic
their imaginations suggested to them.
2 Kings 7:7 7 Therefore they arose and
fled at twilight
and left the camp intact—their tents
their horses
and their
donkeys—and they fled for their lives.
YLT
7And they rise and flee in
the twilight
and forsake their tents
and their horses
and their asses -- the
camp as it [is] -- and flee for their life.
Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight
.... Or in the
dark
as the Targum; when the twilight was going off; so that the lepers came
very quickly after they were gone
2 Kings 7:5.
and left their tents
and their horses
and their asses; such was
their fright
that they could not stay to loose their cattle
with which they
might have made greater speed
but ran away on foot: and they left
even the camp as it was; took nothing away with
them
either money or provisions:
and fled for their life; which they imagined to
be in great danger.
2 Kings 7:8 8 And when these lepers came
to the outskirts of the camp
they went into one tent and ate and drank
and
carried from it silver and gold and clothing
and went and hid them; then
they came back and entered another tent
and carried some from there also
and went and hid it.
YLT
8And these lepers come in
unto the extremity of the camp
and come in unto one tent
and eat
and drink
and lift up thence silver
and gold
and garments
and go and hide; and they
turn back and go in unto another tent
and lift up thence
and go and hide.
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp
they
went into one tent
.... The first they came to:
and did eat and drink; which was the first
thing they did
being hungry
and almost starved:
and carried thence silver
and gold
and raiment
and went and hid
it; in a place without the camp
where they thought it would be
safe
and where they could come at it again:
and came again and entered into another tent
and carried thence
also
and went and hid it; this
Josephus saysF26Ut supra
(Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4.) sect. 5.
they did four times.
2 Kings 7:9 9 Then they said to one
another
“We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news
and we
remain silent. If we wait until morning light
some punishment will come upon
us. Now therefore
come
let us go and tell the king’s household.”
YLT
9And they say one unto
another
`We are not doing right this day; a day of tidings it [is]
and we are
keeping silent; and -- we have waited till the light of the morning
then hath
punishment found us; and now
come and we go in and declare to the house of the
king.'
Then they said one to another
we do not well
.... This is
not right
to take this booty to ourselves; it is not doing justice to our
brethren
and it may not prove well to ourselves in the issue:
this day is a day of good tidings; to be delivered from the
enemy
and have such plenty of provisions thrown into their hands; it would be
joyful tidings to the inhabitants of the city
did they know it:
and we hold our peace; and do not publish this
good tidings
that others may share the benefit of it:
if we tarry till the morning light; when it will in course
be discovered:
some mischief will come upon us; either from the Syrians
who they might fear would return by that time
or some of them lurking about
would fall upon them and destroy them; or the king of Israel
when he came to
know it
would be so incensed as to inflict some punishment on them; or they
might expect some evil from the immediate hand of God:
now therefore come
that we may go and tell the king's household; acquaint some
of his servants with what had happened.
2 Kings 7:10 10 So they went and called to
the gatekeepers of the city
and told them
saying
“We went to the Syrian
camp
and surprisingly no one was there
not a human sound—only horses
and donkeys tied
and the tents intact.”
YLT
10And they come in
and call
unto the gatekeeper of the city
and declare for themselves
saying
`We have
come in unto the camp of Aram
and lo
there is not there a man
or sound of
man
but the bound horse
and the bound ass
and tents as they [are].'
So they came and called to the porter of the city
.... The chief
of those that had the care of the gate of it; for there were more than one
as
follows:
and they told them; the porter
and the watchmen with him:
we came to the camp of the Syrians
and
behold
there was no man
there
neither voice of man; not one to be seen or heard:
but horses tied
and asses tied; to their mangers; the
latter
as well as the former
were used for war
not only to carry burdens
but to fight upon
as AelianusF1De Animal. l. 12. c. 34. relates of
some people; and especially when there was a want of horses
as StraboF2Geograph.
l. 15. p. 500. ; and both observe that this creature was sacrificed to Mars:
and the tents as they were; none of them struck
nor
anything taken out of them.
2 Kings 7:11 11 And the gatekeepers called
out
and they told it to the king’s household inside.
YLT
11and he calleth the
gatekeepers
and they declare to the house of the king within.
And he called the porters
.... The porter of the
city called to the porters of the king's palace:
and they told it to the king's house within; to some of
his domestic servants within the palace
and they reported it to the king.
2 Kings 7:12 12 So the king arose in the
night and said to his servants
“Let me now tell 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.’”
YLT
12And the king riseth by
night
and saith unto his servants
`Let me declare
I pray you
to you that
which the Aramaeans have done to us; they have known that we are famished
and
they are gone out from the camp to be hidden in the field
saying
When they
come out from the city
then we catch them alive
and unto the city we enter.'
And the king arose in the night
.... Upon the report made
to him:
and he said unto his servants
I will now show you what the
Syrians have done to us; taking it to be a stratagem of theirs to decoy them:
they know that we be hungry; and would be glad to
come out of the city to get some food:
therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the
field; to make us believe that they have broke up the siege
and have
deserted the camp
and are gone
when they only lie in ambush:
saying
when they come out of the city; which they
supposed they would do through hunger:
we shall catch them alive; take them captive at
once:
and get into the city; being open to let them
out
and receive them on their return.
2 Kings 7:13 13 And one of his servants
answered and said
“Please
let several men take five of the remaining
horses which are left in the city. Look
they may either become like all
the multitude of Israel that are left in it; or indeed
I say
they may
become like all the multitude of Israel left from those who are consumed;
so let us send them and see.”
YLT
13And one of his servants
answereth and saith
`Then let them take
I pray thee
five of the horses that
are left
that have been left in it -- lo
they [are] as all the multitude of
Israel who have been left in it; lo
they are as all the multitude of Israel
who have been consumed -- and we send and see.'
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
.... 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 7:14 14 Therefore they took two
chariots with horses; and the king sent them in the direction of the Syrian
army
saying
“Go and see.”
YLT
14And they take two
chariot-horses
and the king sendeth after the camp of Aram
saying
`Go
and
see.'
They took therefore two chariot horses
.... Not five
but two only
and those the best
that drew in the king's chariot perhaps
and
so were better fed
and fitter for this expedition:
and the king sent after the host of the Syrians
saying
go and
see; whether they are fled or not.
2 Kings 7:15 15 And they went after them
to the Jordan; and indeed all the road was full of garments and weapons
which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned
and told the king.
YLT
15And they go after them unto
the Jordan
and lo
all the way is full of garments and vessels that the
Aramaeans have cast away in their haste
and the messengers turn back and
declare to the king.
And they went after them unto Jordan
.... Not
finding them in the camp
and knowing the rout they would take to their own
land
they went as far as Jordan
over which they must pass:
and
lo
all the way was full of garments and vessels which the
Syrians had cast away in their haste; in their fright and
flight
such of their clothes as hindered them in running; and their armour
as
JosephusF3Ut supra. (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4. sect. 5.) seems rightly to
understand the word used
these they threw away for quicker dispatch:
and the messengers returned and told the king: that it was
as the lepers said
and what they themselves had seen.
2 Kings 7:16 16 Then the people went out
and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold
for a shekel
and two seahs of barley for a shekel
according to the word of
the Lord.
YLT
16And the people go out and
spoil the camp of Aram
and there is a measure of fine flour at a shekel
and
two measures of barley at a shekel
according to the word of Jehovah.
And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians
.... Of their
riches
and of their provisions; of which there was such a plenty
not only for
present use
but for sale:
so that a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel
&c.
according to the word of the Lord; by Elisha
2 Kings 7:1.
2 Kings 7:17 17 Now the king had appointed
the officer on whose hand he leaned to have charge of the gate. But the people
trampled him in the gate
and he died
just as the man of God had said
who
spoke when the king came down to him.
YLT
17And the king hath appointed
the captain
by whose hand he is supported
over the gate
and the people tread
him down in the gate
and he dieth
as the man of God spake
which he spake in
the coming down of the king unto him
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 7:18 18 So it happened just as the
man of God had spoken to the king
saying
“Two seahs of barley for a shekel
and a seah of fine flour for a shekel
shall be sold tomorrow about this
time in the gate of Samaria.”
YLT
18yea
it cometh to pass
according to the speaking of the man of God unto the king
saying
`Two
measures of barley at a shekel
and a measure of fine flour at a shekel are
at
this time to-morrow
in the gate of Samaria;'
And it came to pass
as the man of God had spoken to the king
saying
.... As in 2 Kings 7:1
and
what he said to the king there
and to the lord
in 2 Kings 7:2
are
repeated in this and the next verse
that it might be observed how exactly the
prophecies were fulfilled.
2 Kings 7:19 19 Then that officer had
answered the man of God
and said
“Now look
if the Lord would make
windows in heaven
could such a thing be?” And he had said
“In fact
you shall
see it with your eyes
but you shall not eat of it.”
YLT
19and the captain answereth
the man of God
and saith
`And lo
Jehovah is making windows in the heavens --
it is according to this word?' and he saith
`Lo
thou art seeing with thine
eyes
and thereof thou dost not eat;'
And that lord answered the man of God
and said
.... As in 2 Kings 7:2.
and he said; that is
Elisha
as in the same place.
2 Kings 7:20 20 And so it happened to him
for the people trampled him in the gate
and he died.
YLT
20and it cometh to him so
and the people tread him down in the gate
and he dieth.
And so it fell out unto him
.... As the prophet
predicted:
for the people trod upon him in the gate
and he died; See Gill on 2 Kings 7:17.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》