Verse 1

Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, a 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.

(a) The godly are always assured of God's help in their necessity, but the times and hours are only revealed by God's Spirit.

Verse 2

Then a lord on whose hand the king b leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, [if] the LORD would make c windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see [it] with thine eyes, but shalt not d eat thereof.

(b) To whom the king gave the charge and oversight of things as in (2 Kings 7:17).

(c) He mocked at the prophets words saying, that if God rained down corn from heaven, yet this could not come to pass.

(d) Your infidelity will be punished in this when you see this miracle, and yet not partake of it.

Verse 3

And there were four leprous men at the e entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

(e) For it was commanded in the law that they should dwell apart, and not among their brethren, (Leviticus 13:46).

Verse 6

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a f 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.

(f) Thus God needs no great preparation to destroy the wicked. Though they are many he can scatter them with a small noise, or shaking of a leaf.

Verse 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 g fled for their life.

(g) The wicked need no greater enemy than their own conscience to pursue them.

Verse 12

And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, h 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.

(h) He mistrusted the prophets words, and therefore could believe nothing, as they who are more prudent than godly always cast more doubt than is needed.

Verse 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 i 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.

(i) There are no more left, but they, or the rest are consumed by the famine, as the rest of the people.

Verse 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, k according to the word of the LORD.

(k) Which he spoke by the mouth of Elisha, (2 Kings 7:1).

Verse 17

And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people l 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.

(l) As the people pressed out of the gate to run to the Syrian's tents, where they had heard meat and great spoil was left.