2 Kings 7

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 7

Relief is here brought to Samaria and her king, when the case is, in a manner, desperate, and the king despairing. I. It is foretold by Elisha, and an unbelieving lord shut out from the benefit of it, 2 Kgs. 7:1, 2. II. It is brought about, 1. By an unaccountable fright into which God put the Syrians (2 Kgs. 7:6), which caused them to retire precipitately, 2 Kgs. 7:7. 2. By the seasonable discovery which four lepers made of this (2 Kgs. 7:3-5), and the account which they gave of it to the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 7:1-2

Here, I. Elisha foretels that, notwithstanding the great straits to which the city of Samaria is reduced, yet within twenty-four hours they shall have plenty, 2 Kgs. 7:1. The king of Israel despaired of it and grew weary of waiting: then Elisha foretold it, when things were at the worst. Man's extremity is God's opportunity of magnifying his own power; his time to appear for his people is when their strength is gone, Deut. 32:36. When they had given over expecting help it came. When the son of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 7:3-11

We are here told, I. How the siege of Samaria was raised in the evening, at the edge of night (2 Kgs. 7:6, 7), not by might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, striking terror upon the spirits of the besiegers. Here was not a sword drawn against them, not a drop of blood shed, it was not by thunder or hailstones that they were discomfited, nor were they slain, as Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem, by a destroying angel; but, 1. The Lord made them to hear a noise of chariots and... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Kings 7:12-20

Here we have, I. The king's jealousy of a stratagem in the Syrian's retreat, 2 Kgs. 7:12. He feared that they had withdrawn into an ambush, to draw out the besieged, that they might fall on them with more advantage. He knew he had no reason to expect that God should appear thus wonderfully for him, having forfeited his favour by his unbelief and impatience. He knew no reason the Syrians had to fly, for it does not appear that he or any of this attendants heard the noise of the chariots which... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 7 This chapter begins with a prophecy of great plenty in Samaria on the morrow, and of the death of an unbelieving lord, 2 Kings 7:1 , relates the case of four lepers, who that night went into the Syrian camp, which was deserted, occasioned by the noise of chariots, horses, and a host, which they fancied they heard, 2 Kings 7:3 , the report which the lepers made to the king's household of this affair, and the method the king's servants took to know the truth of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:1

Then Elisha said, hear the word of the Lord ,.... This he said to the king and those that were with him: thus saith the Lord, tomorrow, about this time ; which very probably was the forenoon: shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel ; "a seah", the measure here spoken of, or "saturn", according to some F18 Godwin, ut supra. (Moses & Aaron, B. 6. c. 9.) , was a gallon and an half; but Bishop Cumberland F19 Of Scripture Weights and Measures, c. 3. p. 86. ... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:2

Then a lord, on whose hand the king leaned ,.... Not figuratively, in whom the king confided, but literally, on whose hand he rested, and by whom he was supported, being a form and matter of state, while he and Elisha were talking together, or on whom he leaned as he came to him; this was a principal lord, the third to the king, as his title seems to denote; the word by which the Septuagint renders it is by Suidas F21 In voce τρισταται . interpreted of such that held three spears in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:3

And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate ,.... Of the city of Samaria; lepers, according to the law, being obliged to be without the city and camp, Leviticus 13:46 these might have a dwelling assigned them near the gate; or they might get as near to it as they could, partly to obtain relief from the city, and partly for fear of the Syrians; these, the Jews say F24 T. Bab. Sotah, fol. 47. 1. & Sanhedrin, fol. 107. 2. , were Gehazi and his three sons, see 2... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:4

If we say we will enter into the city ,.... Contrary to the law which forbid them: then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there ; not being able to obtain food to preserve life: and if we sit here, we die also ; having nothing to eat to support nature: now therefore let us come, and fall unto the host of the Syrians ; put ourselves into their hands, and lie at their mercy: if they save us alive, we shall live ; if they do not put us to death, but give us bread to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:5

And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians ,...., The dusk of the evening, or the evening twilight, as appears from 2 Kings 7:9 , and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria ; not the further part of it, but the edge or border of it nearest to them: behold, there was no man there ; no sentinel or guard, which they expected, and to whom they would have surrendered themselves. read more

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