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2 Kings 7
New Catholic Bible
2 Kings 7
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 7
1 Elisha said, “Listen to the word of the Lord for thus says the Lord: By this time tomorrow a seah[a] of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel in the gates of Samaria.” 2 An officer on whose arm the king was leaning said to the man of God, “Behold, even if the Lord were to make windows in the heavens, how could this happen.” He answered, “Behold, your eyes will see it, but you will not eat any of it.”
Lepers at the Gate. 3 There were four lepers at the entrance to the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die?[b] 4 If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ there is famine in the city. We would die there. If we continue to sit here, we will die just the same. Let us go and surrender to the army of the Arameans. If they let us live, then we will live, but if they kill us, then we will die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went into the camp of the Arameans. When they arrived at the edge of the Aramean camp, they did not find anyone. 6 The Lord had made the Aramean army hear the sound of chariots and the sound of horses and the sound of a large army. They said to one another, “The king of Israel has paid the Hittite kings and the Egyptian kings to attack us.” 7 They arose at dusk and fled, abandoning their tents, their horses, and their donkeys, leaving their camp as it was. They fled for their lives.
8 These lepers reached the edge of the camp, and they entered one of the tents where they ate and drank and carried away silver, gold, and clothing. They went off and hid it, and they then entered another tent and carried off things from it as well. They went and hid those things.
9 They then said to one another, “What we are doing today is not right. It is a day of good news, and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until the morning, will we not be punished? Come on, let us go and inform the king’s household.”
10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeeper, saying, “We have come from the Aramean camp, and there was no one there, not a sound from anyone. Yet, the horses are tied up, and the donkeys are tied up, and the tents are the way they were.”
11 The gatekeepers shouted out the news, and it was heard in the king’s palace. 12 The king got up during the night and he said to his servants, “I will explain to you what the Arameans have done to us. They knew that we were hungry, so they left the camp and hid in the field, saying, ‘When they come out from the city, we will catch them alive and take the city.’ ”
13 One of his servants said, “Let some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their fate will be the same as the rest of the Israelites who are left here, for the rest of the Israelites are doomed as well. Let us send them to see.”
14 End of the Siege. The king chose two chariots with their horses, and he sent them after the Aramean army saying, “Go and see!” 15 They followed them to the Jordan, and all along the way they found garments and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. The messengers returned and reported it to the king.
16 The people went out and they plundered the tents of the Arameans. A seah of flour sold for one shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for one shekel, as the Lord had said.
17 Now the king had placed the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, as the man of God had foretold when the king had visited him.
18 And so what the man of God had said to the king came true, for he said, “Two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of flour will sell for a shekel at this time tomorrow in the gates of Samaria.” 19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Behold, even if the Lord were to make windows in the heavens, how could this happen,” and he had answered, “Behold, your eyes will see it, but you will not eat any of it.” 20 This is exactly what happened, for the people trampled him in the gateway and he died.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 7:1 Seah: about 15 liters; the low price reflects the end of the famine.
- 2 Kings 7:3 Lepers had to remain apart (Lev 13:46); they are at the gate because the countryside is overrun by the enemy. It will be by means of these outcasts that God rescues the city.
2 Kings 7
New International Version
2 Kings 7
New International Version
7 Elisha replied, “Hear the word of the Lord. This is what the Lord says: About this time tomorrow, a seah[a] of the finest flour will sell for a shekel[b] and two seahs[c] of barley for a shekel(A) at the gate of Samaria.”
2 The officer on whose arm the king was leaning(B) said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates(C) of the heavens, could this happen?”
“You will see it with your own eyes,” answered Elisha, “but you will not eat(D) any of it!”
The Siege Lifted
3 Now there were four men with leprosy[d](E) at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, “Why stay here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘We’ll go into the city’—the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let’s go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die.”
5 At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there, 6 for the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound(F) of chariots and horses and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has hired(G) the Hittite(H) and Egyptian kings to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled(I) in the dusk and abandoned their tents and their horses and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives.
8 The men who had leprosy(J) reached the edge of the camp, entered one of the tents and ate and drank. Then they took silver, gold and clothes, and went off and hid them. They returned and entered another tent and took some things from it and hid them also.
9 Then they said to each other, “What we’re doing is not right. This is a day of good news and we are keeping it to ourselves. If we wait until daylight, punishment will overtake us. Let’s go at once and report this to the royal palace.”
10 So they went and called out to the city gatekeepers and told them, “We went into the Aramean camp and no one was there—not a sound of anyone—only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents left just as they were.” 11 The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported within the palace.
12 The king got up in the night and said to his officers, “I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving; so they have left the camp to hide(K) in the countryside, thinking, ‘They will surely come out, and then we will take them alive and get into the city.’”
13 One of his officers answered, “Have some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their plight will be like that of all the Israelites left here—yes, they will only be like all these Israelites who are doomed. So let us send them to find out what happened.”
14 So they selected two chariots with their horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army. He commanded the drivers, “Go and find out what has happened.” 15 They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight.(L) So the messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered(M) the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of the finest flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel,(N) as the Lord had said.
17 Now the king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate, and the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died,(O) just as the man of God had foretold when the king came down to his house. 18 It happened as the man of God had said to the king: “About this time tomorrow, a seah of the finest flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”
19 The officer had said to the man of God, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates(P) of the heavens, could this happen?” The man of God had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” 20 And that is exactly what happened to him, for the people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, probably about 12 pounds or about 5.5 kilograms of flour; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, about 2/5 ounce or about 12 grams; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:1 That is, probably about 20 pounds or about 9 kilograms of barley; also in verses 16 and 18
- 2 Kings 7:3 The Hebrew for leprosy was used for various diseases affecting the skin; also in verse 8.
2 Kings 7
Lexham English Bible
2 Kings 7
Lexham English Bible
Elisha Prophesies Hope for Relief
7 Elisha said, “Hear the word of Yahweh: ‘Thus says Yahweh, “At this time tomorrow a seah of wheat bread flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel in the gate of Samaria.’” 2 Then the officer on whom the king relied[a] answered the man of God and said, “Look, even if Yahweh is making windows in heaven, could this thing happen?” And he said, “Look, you will be seeing it with your eyes, but you shall not eat from it there.”
Four Lepers Report the Departure of the Arameans
3 Now four men who had a skin disease were at the entrance of the gate, and they said to each other,[b] “Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; but if we sit here, we shall die. So then, come, let us fall into the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we shall live; but if they kill us, then we shall die.” 5 So they got up at dusk to go to the camp of the Arameans. They went up to the edge of the camp of the Arameans, and look, there was no man there! 6 Now the Lord had caused the camp of the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, the sound of horses, and the sound of a great army. So they said to one another,[c] “Look, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come against us!” 7 So they got up and fled at dusk and left their tents, their horses, their donkeys, and the camp as it was, and they fled for their lives. 8 When these who had the skin disease came to the edge of the camp, they went into a certain tent and they ate, drank, and took from there silver and gold and clothes. Then they went and hid them, then returned and came to another tent, and they took from there and went and hid them.
9 Then they said to one another,[d] “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news! If we are silent and wait until the light of morning, they will find us and we will be punished.[e] So then, come, let us go and tell the house of the king.” 10 When they came, they called to the gatekeepers of the city and told them, saying, “We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no man or the voice of a man there! Only the horses and the donkeys were tied up, and the tents were left as they were.” 11 Then the gatekeepers called and told it inside the house of the king. 12 The king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Please let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. The Arameans know that we are hungry, so they went out from the camp to hide in the field, saying, ‘When they go out from the city, we shall seize them alive and go into the city.’” 13 Then one of his servants replied and said, “Please let them take five of the remaining horses which remain in the city; behold, they are like all of the multitude of Israel that remain in it; they are like all the multitude of Israel who have perished. Let us send and see.” 14 So he took two charioteer horsemen, and the king sent after the camp of the Arameans, saying, “Go, find out,” 15 and they went after them to the Jordan. Look, all of the way was littered with clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.
Prophecy Fulfilled
16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. A seah of wheat flour went for a shekel and two seahs of barley went for a shekel according to the word of Yahweh. 17 Then the king appointed the officer he was depending on over the gate, but the people trampled him and he died, according to that which the man of God had said which he spoke when the king came down to him. 18 It happened as the man of God spoke to the king, saying, “Two seahs of barley shall be sold for a shekel and a seah of wheat flour for a shekel at this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria.” 19 Then the officer had replied to the man of God and said, “Look, even if Yahweh is opening the windows in heaven, could this thing happen?” And he had said, “Look you are about to see it with your eyes, but you will not eat from it.” 20 So it had happened to him; the people trampled him in the gate and he died.
Footnotes
- 2 Kings 7:2 Literally “whom the king was leaning on his hand”
- 2 Kings 7:3 Literally “each to his friend”
- 2 Kings 7:6 Literally “each to his brother”
- 2 Kings 7:9 Literally “each to his friend”
- 2 Kings 7:9 Literally “guiltiness”
2 Kings 7
King James Version
2 Kings 7
King James Version
7 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
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 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.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, 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, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And 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.
9 Then they said one 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 mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, 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.
11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, 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.
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, (behold, they 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.
14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.
17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people 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.
18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two 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:
19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
New International Version (NIV) 
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Lexham English Bible (LEB)
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