2 Kings 7

Elisha’s Prophecy of Plenty

1Then ElishaH477 saidH559, “HearH8085 the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068! This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068 saysH559: ‘About this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 at the gateH8179 of SamariaH8111, a seahH5429 of fine flourH55601 will sell for a shekelH8255,2 and two seahsH5429 of barleyH81843 will sell for a shekelH8255.’”

2But the officerH7991 onH5921 whose armH3027 the kingH4428 leanedH8172 answeredH6030 the manH376 of GodH430, “LookH2009, even if the LORDH3068 were to makeH6213 windowsH699 in heavenH8064, could thisH2088 really happenH1961?”

“You will seeH7200 it with your own eyesH5869,” repliedH559H2005 Elisha, “but you will not eatH3808H398 any of itH8033.”

The Syrians Flee

3Now there wereH1961 fourH702 menH582 with leprosyH68794 at the entranceH6607 of the city gateH8179, and they saidH559 toH413 oneH376 anotherH7453, “WhyH4100H587 just sitH3427 hereH6311 untilH5704 we dieH4191? 4IfH518 we sayH559, ‘Let us go intoH935 the cityH5892,’ we will dieH4191 thereH8033 from the famineH7458 in the cityH5892; but ifH518 we sitH3427 hereH6311, we will also dieH4191. So comeH1980 nowH6258, let us go overH5307 toH413 the campH4264 of the ArameansH758. IfH518 they let us liveH2421, we will liveH2421; ifH518 they kill usH4191, we will dieH4191.”

5So they aroseH6965 at twilightH5399 and wentH935 toH413 the campH4264 of the ArameansH758. But when they cameH935 toH5704 the outskirtsH7097 of the campH4264H758, there was notH369 a manH376 to be foundH2009. 6For the LordH136 had caused the ArameansH758H4264 to hearH8085 the soundH6963 of chariotsH7393H6963, horsesH5483H6963, and a greatH1419 armyH2428, so that they saidH559 toH413 oneH376 anotherH251, “LookH2009, the kingH4428 of IsraelH3478 must have hiredH7936 the kingsH4428 of the HittitesH2850 andH853 EgyptiansH4714 to attackH935 usH5921.”

7Thus the Arameans had arisenH6965 and fledH5127 at twilightH5399, abandoningH5800 their tentsH168 andH853 horsesH5483 andH853 donkeysH2543. The camp was intactH4264, and they had runH5127 forH413 their livesH5315.

8When theH428 lepersH6879 reachedH935H5704 the edgeH7097 of the campH4264, they wentH935 intoH413 aH259 tentH168 to eatH398 and drinkH8354. Then they carried offH5375H8033 the silverH3701, goldH2091, and clothingH899, and wentH1980 and hidH2934 them. On returningH7725, they enteredH935H413 anotherH312 tentH168, carried offH5375 some items from thereH8033H1980, and hid themH2934.

9Finally, they saidH559 toH413 oneH376 anotherH7453, “We areH587 notH3808 doingH6213 what is rightH3651. TodayH3117H2088 is a dayH3117 of good newsH1309H1931. If weH587 are silentH2814 and waitH2442 untilH5704 morningH1242 lightH216, our sinH5771 will overtake usH4672. Now, thereforeH6258H1980, let us goH935 and tellH5046 the king’sH4428 householdH1004.”

10So they wentH935 and called outH7121 toH413 the gatekeepersH7778 of the cityH5892, sayingH5046H559, “We wentH935 toH413 the ArameanH758H2009 campH4264 and noH369 oneH376 was thereH8033—not a traceH6963H120—onlyH518 tetheredH631 horsesH5483 and donkeysH2543H631, and the tentsH168 were intactH1992.”

11The gatekeepersH7778 shouted the newsH7121, and it was reportedH5046 to the king’sH4428H6441 householdH1004.

12So the kingH4428 got upH6965 in the nightH3915 and saidH559 toH413 his servantsH5650, “Let me tellH5046H4994 you whatH834 the ArameansH758 have doneH6213 to us. They knowH3045 weH587 are starvingH7457, so they have leftH3318 the campH4264 to hideH2247 in the fieldH7704, thinkingH559, ‘WhenH3588 they come outH3318 ofH4480 the cityH5892, we will take themH8610 aliveH2416 and enterH935H413 the cityH5892.’”

13But oneH259 of his servantsH5650H559 repliedH6030, “PleaseH4994, have scouts takeH3947 fiveH2568 ofH4480 the horsesH5483 thatH834 remainH7604 in the city. Their plightH2009 will be no worse than allH3605 the IsraelitesH1995H3478 whoH834 are leftH7604 here. You can seeH2005 thatH3605 all the IsraelitesH1995H3478 hereH834 are doomedH8552. So let us send themH7971 and find outH7200.”

14Then the scouts tookH3947 twoH8147 chariotsH7393 with horsesH5483, and the kingH4428 sent themH7971 afterH310 the ArameanH758 armyH4264, sayingH559, “GoH1980 and seeH7200.” 15And they tracked themH1980H310 asH5704 far as the JordanH3383, and indeedH2009, the wholeH3605 wayH1870 was littered withH4392 the clothingH899 and equipmentH3627 the ArameansH758 had thrown offH7993 in hasteH2648. So the scoutsH4397 returnedH7725 and toldH5046 the kingH4428.

Elisha’s Prophecy Fulfilled

16Then the peopleH5971 went outH3318 and plunderedH962 the campH4264 of the ArameansH758. It was then thatH1961 a seahH5429 of fine flourH5560 sold for a shekelH8255, and two seahsH5429 of barleyH8184 sold for a shekelH8255, according to the wordH1697 of the LORDH3068.

17Now the kingH4428 had appointedH6485 the officerH7991 onH5921 whoseH834 armH3027 he leanedH8172 to be in charge ofH5921 the gateH8179, but the peopleH5971 trampled himH7429 in the gatewayH8179, and he diedH4191, just asH834 the manH376 of GodH430 had foretoldH1696 when the kingH4428 had comeH3381 to himH413. 18It happenedH1961 just as the manH376 of GodH430 had toldH1696H413 the kingH4428H559: “About this timeH6256 tomorrowH4279 at the gateH8179 of SamariaH8111, two seahsH5429 of barleyH8184 will sell for a shekelH8255, and a seahH5429 of fine flourH5560 will sellH1961 for a shekelH8255.”

19And the officerH7991 had answeredH6030 the manH376 of GodH430, “LookH2009, even if the LORDH3068 were to makeH6213 windowsH699 in heavenH8064, could thisH2088 really happenH1961H1697?”

So Elisha had repliedH559, “You will seeH7200 it with your own eyesH5869, but you will notH3808 eatH398 any of itH8033!”

20And thatH3651 is just what happenedH1961 to him. The peopleH5971 trampledH7429 himH853 in the gatewayH8179, and he diedH4191.