2 Kings 7

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.

Elisha spoke, "Listen to God's message: By this time tomorrow, at Samaria's gate, a measure of fine flour will sell for a single shekel, and two measures of barley for a single shekel."

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.

A trusted advisor to the king responded to the prophet, asking skeptically, "Even if God could open windows in heaven, could this really happen?" The prophet replied, "You will witness it with your own eyes, but you won't partake in it."

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?

Four sickly men, burdened by leprosy, sat at the city gate. They turned to each other, their eyes filled with despair, and asked, "Why are we just sitting here, waiting for death?"

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.

If we choose to go into the city, we'll face starvation and death. If we stay here, we'll also die. So, let's take a chance and surrender to the Syrians. If they spare us, we'll live. If they kill us, we're no worse off than we are now.

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.

As dusk fell, they bravely set off towards the Syrian camp. Upon reaching the camp's furthest edge, they found, to their surprise, it was completely deserted.

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.

God caused the Syrian army to hear the terrifying sounds of charging chariots and galloping horses, like a massive army approaching. They panicked, whispering to each other, "The king of Israel has brought the mighty Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!"

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.

Overwhelmed by fear, they fled as dusk fell, abandoning their tents, their horses, their donkeys, and their camp, running for their lives.

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.

When these outcasts reached the edge of the camp, they snuck into a tent. They feasted, drank, and took treasures of silver, gold, and clothing. They hid their loot and then, emboldened, they repeated their actions in another tent.

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.

They looked at each other, guilt in their eyes, "We're doing wrong. Today is a day of joy, yet we're silent. If we wait until dawn, trouble will find us. Let's go now and share the news with the king's family."

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.

They approached the city's gatekeeper, sharing their astonishing discovery. "We reached the Syrian camp," they said, "but found it eerily empty. Not a soul was there, no human sound. Only tethered horses and donkeys, and untouched tents."

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

He summoned the gatekeepers, who quickly relayed the message to the royal household.

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.

Awakened in the night, the king turned to his servants, his voice heavy with concern. "Let me reveal the Syrians' cunning plan," he said. "They know we're starving. So, they've left their camp, hiding in the fields, waiting. They believe when we leave the city in search of food, they'll capture us alive and invade our city."

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.

One of his aides pleaded, "Please, let's take five of the remaining horses in the city. They're all we have left, just like the few remaining Israelites. Let's use them to explore and find out what's happening."

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

So, they harnessed two chariot horses. The king, with a heavy heart, dispatched them towards the Syrian army, commanding, "Go, find out what's happening."

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.

They pursued them to Jordan, finding the path strewn with clothes and items left behind by the fleeing Syrians. The messengers returned and relayed this to the king.

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.

The people, filled with courage, raided the Syrian camps. As a result, a portion of quality flour was traded for a single shekel, and two portions of barley for the same price, just as the Lord had foretold.

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.

The king entrusted his closest advisor with guarding the gate. But the crowd, in their frenzy, trampled him at the gate, leading to his death. This tragic event was foretold by the prophet when the king had visited him.

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:

Just as the prophet had promised the king, by this time tomorrow, at the gates of Samaria, you'll be able to buy two bundles of barley or a sack of fine flour for just a single shekel.

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.

That officer had answered the man of God, "Look, even if the Lord were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?" And the prophet had declared, "You will witness it with your own eyes, yet you won't partake in it."

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

And so, his fate was sealed. Overwhelmed by the crowd at the gate, he was trampled and tragically lost his life.