2 Kings 7

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Chapter Overview

2 Kings 7 is a historical narrative chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of grace, worship, fellowship. Written during the divided and exilic periods (c. 853-560 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: The divided kingdoms faced threats from rising empires: Assyria and later Babylon.

The chapter can be divided into several sections:

  1. Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
  2. Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
  3. Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings

This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within 2 Kings and its broader place in the scriptural canon.

The Siege Lifted

1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORDLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty.; 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. References Lord: Exodus 14:13, 16:12, Joshua 3:5. Word: 2 Kings 20:16, Ezekiel 37:4. Parallel theme: 2 Kings 4:42, Exodus 8:23, 1 Samuel 11:9, Psalms 46:5, Revelation 6:6 +5

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 heavenHeaven: שָׁמַיִם (Shamayim). The Hebrew shamayim (שָׁמַיִם) means heaven or sky—God's dwelling place and the realm above earth. 'The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD's' (Psalm 115:16), yet 'the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him' (1 Kings 8:27)., might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. References Lord: 2 Kings 5:18, Malachi 3:10. References God: 2 Chronicles 20:20, Psalms 78:41, Romans 3:3. Parallel theme: Genesis 7:11, Isaiah 7:9, 2 Timothy 2:13 +3

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? Parallel theme: 2 Kings 7:4, Numbers 12:14

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. Parallel theme: 2 Samuel 14:14, Esther 4:16, Jeremiah 8:14, 14:18, Jonah 3:9

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.

6 For the LordLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. 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. References Lord: 2 Samuel 5:24, Isaiah 31:1. Kingdom: 1 Kings 10:29. References Egypt: Isaiah 36:9. Parallel theme: Job 15:21, Psalms 14:5, Ezekiel 10:5, Revelation 9:9 +3

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. Parallel theme: Proverbs 28:1

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. Parallel theme: Joshua 7:21, Matthew 13:44

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. Kingdom: Isaiah 52:7. Good: Isaiah 41:27. Peace: Nahum 1:15. Parallel theme: 2 Kings 7:3, Numbers 32:23, Philippians 2:4

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.

11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.

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.

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.

14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

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.

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 wordWord: דָּבָר (Davar). The Hebrew davar (דָּבָר) means word, thing, or matter—God's creative and authoritative speech. 'By the word of the LORD were the heavens made' (Psalm 33:6). of the LORD. Word: 2 Kings 7:1. Parallel theme: Isaiah 33:4, 33:23

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 GodGod: אֱלֹהִים (Elohim). The Hebrew Elohim (אֱלֹהִים) is a plural form denoting majesty and fullness of deity. Though grammatically plural, it takes singular verbs when referring to the one true God, suggesting the Trinity's plurality within unity. had said, who spake when the king came down to him. Kingdom: 2 Kings 6:32, 7:2

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:

19 And that lordLord: יְהוָה / אֲדֹנָי (YHWH / Adonai). When 'LORD' appears in small capitals, it represents the Tetragrammaton YHWH (יְהוָה), God's personal covenant name meaning 'I AM.' When 'Lord' appears normally, it's Adonai (אֲדֹנָי), meaning 'my Lord,' emphasizing sovereignty. 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. References God: 2 Kings 7:2

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