2 Kings 7

1 Then said Elisha—Hear ye the word of Yahweh, —Thus, saith Yahweh—About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

Then Elisha said, Give ear to the word of the Lord: the Lord says, Tomorrow, about this time, a measure of good meal will be offered for the price of a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the market-place of Samaria.

2 Then the officer on whose hand the king leaned responded to the man of God, and said, Even if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could this thing, come to pass? And he said—Lo! thou, art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat!

Then the captain whose arm was supporting the king said to the man of God, Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, would such a thing be possible? And he said, Your eyes will see it, but you will not have a taste of the food.

3 Now there were, four men, lepers, at the entrance of the gate, —and they said one to another—Why are, we, sitting here until we are dead?

Now there were four lepers seated at the doorway into the town: and they said to one another, Why are we waiting here for death?

4 If we say—Let us enter into the city, Then, the famine, is in the city, and we shall die there, and, if we remain here, then shall we die. Now, therefore, let us fall away unto the camp of the Syrians, if they save us alive, we shall live, and, if they put us to death, we shall die.

If we say, We will go into the town, there is no food in the town, and we will come to our end there; and if we go on waiting here, death will come to us. Come then, let us give ourselves up to the army of Aram: if they let us go on living, then life will be ours; and if they put us to death, then death will be ours.

5 So they rose up in the twilight, to enter into the camp of the Syrians, —and, when they entered the outskirts of the camp of the Syrians, lo! there was not there, a man.

So in the half light they got up to go to the tents of Aram; but when they came to the outer line of tents, there was no one there.

6 Now, the Lord, had caused the camp of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, noise of horses, a 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 against us.

For the Lord had made the sound of carriages and horses, and the noise of a great army, come to the ears of the Aramaeans, so that they said to one another, Truly, the king of Israel has got the kings of the Hittites and of the Egyptians for a price to make an attack on us.

7 So they arose, and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, —the camp, just as it was, —and fled for their lives.

So they got up and went in flight, in the half light, without their tents or their horses or their asses or any of their goods; they went in flight, fearing for their lives.

8 When, therefore, these lepers came in as far as the outskirts of the camp, they entered into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried from thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went away and hid them, —and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried from thence—and went and hid them.

And when those lepers came to the outer line of tents, they went into one tent, and had food and drink, and took from it silver and gold and clothing, which they put in a secret place; then they came back and went into another tent from which they took more goods, which they put away in a secret place.

9 Then said they one to another—Not a right thing, are, we, doing. This day, is, a day of good tidings, and, we, are holding our peace, if we tarry until the light of the morning, there will come upon us, some misfortune, —Now, therefore, come and let us go in, and tell the household of the king.

Then they said to one another, We are not doing right. Today is a day of good news, and we say nothing: if we go on waiting here till the morning, punishment will come to us. So let us go and give the news to those of the king's house.

10 So they came in and called unto the gate of the city, and told them, saying, We entered into the camp of the Syrians, and lo! there was not there, a man, nor sound of human being, —only horses tied, and asses tied, and their tents, just as they were!

So they came in, and, crying out to the door-keepers of the town, they gave them the news, saying, We came to the tents of the Aramaeans, and there was no one there and no voice of man, only the horses and the asses in their places, and the tents as they were.

11 And the watchers of the gate called and told it to the household of the king, within.

Then the door-keepers, crying out, gave the news to those inside the king's house.

12 Then arose the king by night, and said unto his servants, Let me tell you, I pray you, what the Syrians have done to us, —they knew that we were, famished, so they have gone forth out of the camp, to hide in the field, saying, When they come forth out of the city, then shall we take them alive, and, into the city, will we enter.

Then the king got up in the night and said to his servants, This is my idea of what the Aramaeans have done to us. They have knowledge that we are without food; and so they have gone out of their tents, and are waiting secretly in the open country, saying, When they come out of the town, we will take them living and get into the town.

13 Then responded one of his servants, and said—Let there be taken, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel who have been left therein, there they are, according to all the multitude of Israel, who have been consumed, —and let us send and see!

And one of his servants said in answer, Send men and let them take five of the horses which we still have in the town; if they keep their lives they will be the same as those of Israel who are still living here; if they come to their death they will be the same as all those of Israel who have gone to destruction: let us send and see.

14 So they took two chariots and horses, —and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see!

So they took two horsemen; and the king sent them after the army of the Aramaeans, saying, Go and see.

15 And they followed them as far as the Jordan, and lo! all the way, was full of garments, and utensils, which the Syrians had cast away in their fright, —and the messengers returned, and told the king.

And they went after them as far as Jordan; and all the road was covered with clothing and vessels dropped by the Aramaeans in their flight. So those who were sent went back and gave the news to the king.

16 Then went the people forth and spoiled the camp of the Syrians, —and so there came to be—a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.

Then the people went out and took the goods from the tents of the Aramaeans. So a measure of good meal was to be had for the price of a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, as the Lord had said.

17 Now, the king, had set the officer on whose hand he leaned, in charge over the gate, and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died, —as spake the man of God, who said it when the messenger came down to him.

And the king gave authority to that captain, on whose arm he was supported, to have control over the doorway into the town; but he was crushed to death there under the feet of the people, as the man of God had said when the king went down to him.

18 Yea it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken unto the messenger, saying, —Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine meal for a shekel, shall there be about this time to-morrow, in the gate of Samaria:

So the words of the man of God came true, which he said to the king: Two measures of barley will be offered for the price of a shekel and a measure of good meal for a shekel, tomorrow about this time in the market-place of Samaria.

19 And when the officer responded to the man of God, and said, Lo! then, if Yahweh were making windows in the heavens, could it be according to this word? And he said, —Lo! thou art about to see it with thine own eyes, but, thereof, shalt thou not eat.

And that captain said to the man of God, Even if the Lord made windows in heaven, would such a thing be possible? And he said to him, Your eyes will see it, but you will not have a taste of the food.

20 Yea it fell out to him, thus, —and the people trode upon him in the gate, that he died.

And such was his fate; for he was crushed to death under the feet of the people, in the doorway into the town.