2 Kings 7:4

2 Kings 7:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)If we say, 'Let us enter the city,' the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. So now come, let us go over to the camp of the Syrians. If they spare our lives we shall live, and if they kill us we shall but die."
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.”

Context of 2 Kings 7:4

2And the captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God and said, Behold, if Jehovah should make windows in the heavens, would this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 3And there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate, and they said one to another, Why do we abide here until we die? If we say, Let us enter into the city, the famine is in the city, and we shall die there; and if we abide here, we shall die. And now come, let us fall away to the camp of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they put us to death, we shall but die. 5And they rose up in the dusk to go to the camp of the Syrians; and they came to the extremity of the camp of the Syrians; and behold, there was no man there. 6For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, a noise of a great host; and they said one to another, Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

2 Kings 7:4 word by word

אִם־אָמַרְנוּ֩ נָב֨וֹא הָעִ֜יר וְהָרָעָ֤ב בָּעִיר֙ וָמַ֣תְנוּ שָׁ֔ם וְאִם־יָשַׁ֥בְנוּ פֹ֖ה וָמָ֑תְנוּ וְעַתָּ֗ה לְכוּ֙ וְנִפְּלָה֙ אֶל־מַחֲנֵ֣ה אֲרָ֔ם אִם־יְחַיֻּ֣נוּ נִֽחְיֶ֔ה וְאִם־יְמִיתֻ֖נוּ וָמָֽתְנוּ׃Read the interlinear

• sayאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• cityעִיר‛îyr ‛âr ‛âyar · cityH5892
• famineרָעָבrâ‛âb · famineH7458
• dieמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• hereפֹּהpôh pô' pô · hereH6311
• nowעַתָּ֫ה‛attâh · nowH6258
• comeבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935
• fallנָפַלnâphal · to fall: fallH5307
• campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
• aliveחָיָהchâyâh · to liveH2421

Cross-references for 2 Kings 7:4

• Jeremiah 14:18If I go forth into the field, behold the slain with the sword! and if I enter into the city, behold them that pine away with famine! For both prophet and priest shall go about into a land that they know not.
• 1 Chronicles 12:19And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not; for the lords of the Philistines upon deliberation sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul at the peril of our heads.
• Jeremiah 37:13And when he was in the gate of Benjamin, a captain of the guard was there whose name was Irijah, the son of Shelemiah, the son of Hananiah; and he laid hold on the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Thou art deserting to the Chaldeans.
• Esther 4:16Go, gather together all the Jews that are found in Shushan, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.
• Jeremiah 8:14Why do we sit still? Assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the fenced cities, and let us be silent there: for Jehovah our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against Jehovah.
• Jonah 3:9Who knoweth but that God will turn and repent, and will turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?
• Luke 15:17And coming to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have abundance of bread, and I perish here by famine.

Commentaries on 2 Kings 7:4

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 3-11Verses 3-11 God can, when he pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. Providence ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians were fled. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. Natural humanity, and fear of punishment, are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to…Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-162Ki 7:1-16. Elisha Prophesies Incredible Plenty in Samaria. 1. Hear ye the word of the Lord--This prediction, though uttered first to the assembled elders, was intimated to the king's messengers, who reported it to Jehoram (2Ki 7:18). To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, &c.--This may be estimated at a peck of fine flour for 2s. 6d., and two pecks of barley at the same price. in the gate of Samaria--Vegetables…Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 7:4

• Famine
• Prophecy

In the dictionaries

• Manner
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Buying
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram
• Kings, Books of
• Elisha

Commentaries on 2 Kings 7

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings