2 Kings - Chapter 7

2 Kings 7.1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria. 2 Kings 7.2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 2 Kings 7.3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die? 2 Kings 7.4 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. 2 Kings 7.5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. 2 Kings 7.6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us. 2 Kings 7.7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. 2 Kings 7.8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it. 2 Kings 7.9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king’s household. 2 Kings 7.10 So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. 2 Kings 7.11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king’s house within. 2 Kings 7.12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city. 2 Kings 7.13 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. 2 Kings 7.14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. 2 Kings 7.15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king. 2 Kings 7.16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So 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. 2 Kings 7.17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him. 2 Kings 7.18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: 2 Kings 7.19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. 2 Kings 7.20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

2 Kings : Chapter 7

The Miraculous Deliverance of Samaria

In 2 Kings chapter 7, we discover the miraculous end of the siege of Samaria. This moving account reveals how God is able to reverse impossible situations through His infinite power. Through the words of the prophet Elisha, a prophecy of sudden abundance is foretold, while lepers discover an abandoned Syrian camp, thus confirming the surprising fulfillment of the prophetic word.

The Eternal Themes of Divine Faithfulness

This chapter addresses essential themes such as the faithfulness of God, the role of the improbable in divine history, and the consequences of unbelief. We invite you to meditate on five biblical passages that illustrate the redemptive themes of this remarkable chapter.

Revealing Bible Passages

Luke 4:27: "There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, but none of them was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian." This verse, spoken by Jesus, highlights Elisha's crucial role in miraculous healings, as demonstrated in 2 Kings 7.

Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is the substance of things we hope for and the evidence of things we do not see." This passage reflects the faith needed to believe Elisha's prophecy about the end of the famine, as mentioned in 2 Kings 7:1-2. Psalm 33:10: "The Lord frustrates the counsel of the nations; he brings the plans of the people to nothing." This psalm resonates with how God thwarted the Syrians' plans, as recounted in 2 Kings 7:6-7.

Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge the Lord, and he will direct your paths." This passage highlights the confidence essential to following the Lord's way, illustrated by the actions of the lepers in 2 Kings 7:3-9.

Exodus 14:14: "The Lord will fight for you; be calm." This verse recalls how God intervened to defend the Israelites against the Syrians in 2 Kings 7, without them having to lift a finger. Conclusion Through these verses and the story of 2 Kings 7, we are invited to renew our faith in the power of God, who knows how to transform desperate situations into true testimonies of His goodness and faithfulness. May these reflections nourish our hope and trust in Him.