Chapter 7

Then Elisha said,⁴ Hear³ ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith¹ 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.

Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned¹² answered⁴ the man of God, and said,⁴ Behold, [if] the LORD would make⁶ windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said,⁴ Behold, thou shalt see⁶ [it] with thine eyes, but shalt not eat⁴ thereof.

And there were four leprous³⁰ men at the entering in of the gate: and they said⁴ one to another, Why sit⁶ we here until we die?¹

If we say,¹ We will enter⁴ into the city, then the famine [is] in the city, and we shall die¹ there: and if we sit still¹ here, we die¹ also. Now therefore come,³ and let us fall⁴ unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive,¹⁷ we shall live;⁴ and if they kill⁵⁵ us, we shall but die.¹

And they rose up⁴ in the twilight, to go² unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come⁴ to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, [there was] no man there.

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear⁵² a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, [even] the noise of a great host: and they said⁴ one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired¹ against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come² upon us.

Wherefore they arose⁴ and fled⁴ in the twilight, and left⁴ their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it [was], and fled⁴ for their life.

And when these lepers³⁰ came⁴ to the uttermost part of the camp, they went⁴ into one tent, and did eat⁴ and drink,⁴ and carried⁴ thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went⁴ and hid⁵⁵ [it]; and came again,⁴ and entered⁴ into another tent, and carried⁴ thence [also], and went⁴ and hid⁵⁵ [it].

Then they said⁴ one to another, We do⁶ not well: this day [is] a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace:⁵⁶ if we tarry¹⁴ till the morning light, some mischief will come upon¹ us: now therefore come,³ that we may go⁴ and tell⁵⁵ the king's household.

So they came⁴ and called⁴ unto the porter of the city: and they told⁵⁵ them, saying,² We came¹ to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, [there was] no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied,⁷ and asses tied,⁷ and the tents as they [were].

And he called⁴ the porters; and they told⁵⁵ [it] to the king's house within.

And the king arose⁴ in the night, and said⁴ unto his servants, I will now shew⁵⁵ you what the Syrians have done¹ to us. They know¹ that we [be] hungry; therefore are they gone out⁴ of the camp to hide⁹ themselves in the field, saying,² When they come out⁴ of the city, we shall catch⁴ them alive, and get⁴ into the city.

And one of his servants answered⁴ and said,⁴ Let [some] take,⁴ I pray thee, five of the horses that remain,¹² which are left⁸ in the city, (behold, they [are] as all the multitude of Israel that are left⁸ in it: behold, [I say], they [are] even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:)¹ and let us send⁴ and see.⁴

They took⁴ therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent⁴ after the host of the Syrians, saying,² Go³ and see.³

And they went⁴ after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way [was] full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away⁵² in their haste.² And the messengers returned,⁴ and told⁵⁵ the king.

And the people went out,⁴ and spoiled⁴ 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.

And the king appointed⁵² the lord on whose hand he leaned¹² to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode⁴ upon him in the gate, and he died,⁴ as the man of God had said,¹⁴ who spake¹⁴ when the king came down² to him.

And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken¹⁵ to the king, saying,² 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:

And that lord answered⁴ the man of God, and said,⁴ Now, behold, [if] the LORD should make⁶ windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said,⁴ Behold, thou shalt see⁶ it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat⁴ thereof.

And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode⁴ upon him in the gate, and he died.⁴