2 Kings 7:13

2 Kings 7:13 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)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.”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And one of his servants said, "Let some men take five of the remaining horses, seeing that those who are left here will fare like the whole multitude of Israel who have already perished. Let us send and see."
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.”

Context of 2 Kings 7:13

11The gatekeepers relayed the news to the royal palace. 12The king got up in the night and said to his advisers, “I will tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know we are starving, so they left the camp and hid in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and enter the city.’” One of his advisers replied, “Pick some men and have them take five of the horses that are left in the city. (Even if they are killed, their fate will be no different than that of all the Israelite people – we’re all going to die!) Let’s send them out so we can know for sure what’s going on.” 14So they picked two horsemen and the king sent them out to track the Syrian army. He ordered them, “Go and find out what’s going on.” 15So they tracked them as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste. The scouts went back and told the king.

2 Kings 7:13 word by word

וַיַּעַן֩ אֶחָ֨ד מֵעֲבָדָ֜יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר וְיִקְחוּ־נָ֞א חֲמִשָּׁ֣ה מִן־הַסּוּסִים֮ הַֽנִּשְׁאָרִים֮ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ֒ הִנָּ֗ם כְּכָל־הֲמ֤וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָ֔הּ הִנָּ֕ם כְּכָל־הֲמ֥וֹן יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל אֲשֶׁר־תָּ֑מּוּ וְנִשְׁלְחָ֖ה וְנִרְאֶֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• of his servantsעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
• answeredעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
• and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• takeלָקַחlâqach · to take: takeH3947
• I pray thee, fiveחָמֵשׁchâmêsh chămishshâh · fiveH2568
• of the horsesסוּסsûs sûs · horseH5483
• that remainשָׁאַרshâ'ar · to remainH7604
• as all the multitudeהָמוֹןhâmôn hâmôn · crowdH1995
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• that are consumedתָּמַםtâmam · to finishH8552
• and let us sendשָׁלַחshâlach · to send: departH7971
• and seeרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200

Cross-references for 2 Kings 7:13

• 2 Kings 5:13His servants approached and said to him, “O master, if the prophet had told you to do some difficult task, you would have been willing to do it. It seems you should be happy that he simply said, “Wash and you will be healed.”
• 2 Kings 7:4If we go into the city, we’ll die of starvation, and if we stay here we’ll die! So come on, let’s defect to the Syrian camp! If they spare us, we’ll live; if they kill us – well, we were going to die anyway.”
• 2 Kings 6:33He was still talking to them when the messenger approached and said, “Look, the Lord is responsible for this disaster! Why should I continue to wait for the Lord to help?”
• Jeremiah 14:18If I go out into the countryside, I see those who have been killed in battle. If I go into the city, I see those who are sick because of starvation. For both prophet and priest go about their own business in the land without having any real understanding.’”
• Lamentations 4:9Those who died by the sword are better off than those who die of hunger, those who waste away, struck down from lack of food. י (Yod)

Commentaries on 2 Kings 7:13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 13And one of his servants answered - This is a very difficult verse, and the great variety of explanations given of it cast but little light on the subject. I am inclined to believe, with Dr. Kennicott, that there is an interpolation here which puzzles, if not destroys, the sense. "Several instances," says he, "have been given of words improperly repeated by Jewish transcribers, who have been careless enough to make such mistakes, and yet cautious not to…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 13Behold … - The Septuagint and a large number of the Hebrew MSS. omit the clause, “behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it.” But the text followed by our translators, which is that of the best maunscripts, is intelligible and needs no alteration. It is merely a prolix way of stating that the horsemen will incur no greater danger by going to reconnoitre than the rest of their countrymen by remaining in the city, since the whole…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 12-20Verses 12-20 Here see the wants of Israel supplied in a way they little thought of, which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits. God's promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground. The nobleman that questioned the truth of Elisha's word, saw the plenty, to silence and shame his unbelief, and therein saw his own folly; but he did not eat of the plenty he saw. Justly do those…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 13-17The abandoned items showed how quickly the Arameans fled, and the Israelites took goods from their camp. As Elisha predicted, food was now plentiful. Joram's skeptical officer was knocked down and trampled to death.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 12-1512-15. the king ... said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done--Similar stratagems have been so often resorted to in the ancient and modern wars of the East that there is no wonder Jehoram's suspicions were awakened. But the scouts, whom he despatched, soon found unmistakable signs of the panic that had struck the enemy and led to a most precipitate flight. 2Ki 7:17-20. The Unbelieving Lord Trodden to Death.Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Kings 7:13

• Armies
• Prophecy
• Prudence

In the dictionaries

• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• Jehoram
• Manner
• Samaria
• Benhadad
• Buying
• Jehoahaz
• Jehoram; Joram

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