71 Then Elisha said , "Listen to the word of the Lord ; thus says the Lord , ' Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel , and two measures of barley for a shekel , in the gate of Samaria .' " 2 The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning answered the man of God and said , "Behold , if the Lord should make windows in heaven , could this thing be?" Then he said , "Behold , you will see it with your own eyes , but you will not eat of it."
3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate ; and they said to one another , "Why do we sit here until we die ? 4 "If we say , 'We will enter the city ,' then the famine is in the city and we will die there ; and if we sit here , we die also. Now therefore come , and let us go over to the camp of the Arameans . If they spare us, we will live ; and if they kill us, we will but die ." 5 They arose at twilight to go to the camp of the Arameans ; when they came to the outskirts of the camp of the Arameans , behold , there was no one there . 6 For the Lord had caused the army of the Arameans to hear a sound of chariots and a sound of horses , even the sound of a great army , so that they said to one 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." 7 Therefore they arose and fled in the twilight , and left their tents and their horses and their donkeys , even the camp just as it was, and fled for their life . 8 When these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp , they entered one tent and ate and drank , and carried from there silver and gold and clothes , and went and hid them; and they returned and entered another tent and carried from there also, and went and hid them. 9 Then they said to one another , "We are not doing right . This day is a day of good news , but we are keeping silent ; if we wait until morning light , punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come , let us go and tell the king's household ." 10 So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city , and they told them, saying , "We came to the camp of the Arameans , and behold , there was no one there , nor the voice of man , only e the horses tied and the donkeys tied , and the tents just as they were." 11 The gatekeepers called and told it within the king's household .
12 Then the king arose in the night and said to his servants , "I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry ; therefore they have gone from the camp to hide themselves in the field , saying , 'When they come out of the city , we will capture them alive and get into the city .' " 13 One of his servants said , "Please , let some men take five of the horses which remain , which are left in the city. Behold , they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold , they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished , so let us send and see ." 14 They took therefore two chariots with horses , and the king sent after the army of the Arameans , saying , "Go and see ." 15 They went after them to the Jordan , and behold , all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste . Then the messengers returned and told the king . 16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans . Then 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 .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Kings 7:1-16
Commentary on 2 Kings 7:1-2
(Read 2 Kings 7:1-2)
Man's extremity is God's opportunity of making his own power to be glorious: his time to appear for his people is when their strength is gone. Unbelief is a sin by which men greatly dishonour and displease God, and deprive themselves of the favours he designed for them. Such will be the portion of those that believe not the promise of eternal life; they shall see it at a distance, but shall never taste of it. But no temporal deliverances and mercies will in the end profit sinners, unless they are led to repentance by the goodness of God.
Commentary on 2 Kings 7:3-11
(Read 2 Kings 7:3-11)
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 preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others. From love to him, not from selfish feelings, they will gladly share their earthly good things with their brethren.
Commentary on 2 Kings 7:12-20
(Read 2 Kings 7:12-20)
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 find the world's promises fail them, who think that the promises of God will disappoint them. Learn how deeply God resents distrust of his power, providence, and promise: how uncertain life is, and the enjoyments of it: how certain God's threatenings are, and how sure to come on the guilty. May God help us to inquire whether we are exposed to his threatenings, or interested in his promises.