2 Kings 7:13 - Exposition

And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain. One of Jehoram's "servants," i.e. of the officers attached to his person, suggested that a small body of horse (four or five) should be sent out to reconnoiter. The besieged had still some horses left, though apparently not many. Note the phrase, "five of the horses that remain ." The majority had died of want, or been killed to furnish food to the garrison. ( Behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it— i.e. in Samaria— behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed ); i.e. they will run no more risk than the other troops who remain in the city, for these, too, "are consumed," i.e. are on the point of perishing. Supposing that they fall into the enemy's hands, it will go no harder with them than with the "multitude" which is on the point of starvation. And let us send and see. We can do nothing until we know whether the siege is really raised, or whether the pretended withdrawal is a mere ruse . We must send and have this matter made clear.