1 Then Elisha H477 said, H559 Hear H8085 ye the word H1697 of the LORD; H3068 Thus saith H559 the LORD, H3068 To morrow H4279 about this time H6256 shall a measure H5429 of fine flour H5560 be sold for a shekel, H8255 and two measures H5429 of barley H8184 for a shekel, H8255 in the gate H8179 of Samaria. H8111
And Joshua H3091 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Sanctify H6942 yourselves: for to morrow H4279 the LORD H3068 will do H6213 wonders H6381 among H7130 you.
And they said H559 unto the messengers H4397 that came, H935 Thus shall ye say H559 unto the men H376 of Jabeshgilead, H3003 H1568 To morrow, H4279 by that time the sun H8121 be hot, H2527 ye shall have help. H8668 And the messengers H4397 came H935 and shewed H5046 it to the men H582 of Jabesh; H3003 and they were glad. H8055
And I will put H7760 a division H6304 between my people H5971 and thy people: H5971 to morrow H4279 shall this sign H226 be.
And the LORD H3068 appointed H7760 a set time, H4150 saying, H559 To morrow H4279 the LORD H3068 shall do H6213 this thing H1697 in the land. H776 And the LORD H3068 did H6213 that thing H1697 on the morrow, H4283 and all the cattle H4735 of Egypt H4714 died: H4191 but of the cattle H4735 of the children H1121 of Israel H3478 died H4191 not one. H259
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the people, H5971 Fear H3372 ye not, stand still, H3320 and see H7200 the salvation H3444 of the LORD, H3068 which he will shew H6213 to you to day: H3117 for the Egyptians H4714 whom ye have seen H7200 to day, H3117 ye shall see H7200 them again H3254 no more for H5704 ever. H5769
I have heard H8085 the murmurings H8519 of the children H1121 of Israel: H3478 speak H1696 unto them, saying, H559 At even H996 H6153 ye shall eat H398 flesh, H1320 and in the morning H1242 ye shall be filled H7646 with bread; H3899 and ye shall know H3045 that I am the LORD H3068 your God. H430
And there was a great H1419 famine H7458 in Samaria: H8111 and, behold, they besieged H6696 it, until an ass's H2543 head H7218 was sold for fourscore H8084 pieces of silver, H3701 and the fourth part H7255 of a cab H6894 of dove's dung H1686 H3123 H2755 for five H2568 pieces of silver. H3701
And G2532 I heard G191 a voice G5456 in G1722 the midst G3319 of the four G5064 beasts G2226 say, G3004 A measure G5518 of wheat G4621 for a penny, G1220 and G2532 three G5140 measures G5518 of barley G2915 for a penny; G1220 and G2532 see thou hurt G91 not G3361 the oil G1637 and G2532 the wine. G3631
And there came H935 a man H376 from Baalshalisha, H1190 and brought H935 the man H376 of God H430 bread H3899 of the firstfruits, H1061 twenty H6242 loaves H3899 of barley, H8184 and full ears of corn H3759 in the husk H6861 thereof. And he said, H559 Give H5414 unto the people, H5971 that they may eat. H398
And it came to pass as the man H376 of God H430 had spoken H1696 to the king, H4428 saying, H559 Two measures H5429 of barley H8184 for a shekel, H8255 and a measure H5429 of fine flour H5560 for a shekel, H8255 shall be to morrow H4279 about this time H6256 in the gate H8179 of Samaria: H8111 And that lord H7991 answered H6030 the man H376 of God, H430 and said, H559 Now, behold, if the LORD H3068 should make H6213 windows H699 in heaven, H8064 might such a thing H1697 be? And he said, H559 Behold, thou shalt see H7200 it with thine eyes, H5869 but shalt not eat H398 thereof.
There is G2076 a G1520 lad G3808 here, G5602 which G3739 hath G2192 five G4002 barley G2916 loaves, G740 and G2532 two G1417 small fishes: G3795 but G235 what G5101 are G2076 they G5023 among G1519 so many? G5118
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 2 Kings 7
Commentary on 2 Kings 7 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 7
2Ki 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, cattle, all sorts of country produce, are still sold every morning at the gates of towns in the East.
2. a lord on whose hand the king leaned—When an Eastern king walks or stands abroad in the open air, he always supports himself on the arm of the highest courtier present.
if the Lord would make windows in heaven—The scoffing infidelity of this remark, which was a sneer against not the prophet only, but the God he served, was justly and signally punished (see 2Ki 7:20).
3. there were four leprous men—The account of the sudden raising of the siege and the unexpected supply given to the famishing inhabitants of Samaria, is introduced by a narrative of the visit and discovery, by these poor creatures, of the extraordinary flight of the Syrians.
leprous men at the entering in of the gate—living, perhaps, in some lazar house there (Le 13:4-6; Nu 5:3).
5. they rose up in the twilight—that is, the evening twilight (2Ki 7:12).
the uttermost part of the camp of Syria—that is, the extremity nearest the city.
6, 7. the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots—This illusion of the sense of hearing, whereby the besiegers imagined the tramp of two armies from opposite quarters, was a great miracle which God wrought directly for the deliverance of His people.
8-11. these lepers … did eat and drink—After they had appeased their hunger and secreted as many valuables as they could carry, their consciences smote them for concealing the discovery and they hastened to publish it in the city.
10. horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were—The uniform arrangement of encampments in the East is to place the tents in the center, while the cattle are picketed all around, as an outer wall of defense; and hence the lepers describe the cattle as the first objects they saw.
12-15. 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.
17. the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned,—&c. The news spread like lightning through the city, and was followed, as was natural, by a popular rush to the Syrian camp. To keep order at the gate, the king ordered his minister to keep guard; but the impetuosity of the famishing people could not be resisted. The lord was trodden to death, and Elisha's prophecy in all respects accomplished.