The Syrians Flee
May 23, 2019
Commentary
When the king’s messenger arrived, Elisha announced a prophecy. He said that within 24 hours the siege would be over and there would be plenty to eat (vv. 1-2). This officer sent by Joram found this prophecy to be incredible and expressed his utter disbelief that God could or would do this. Elisha told him that he would see for himself but because of his unbelief, he would not experience the blessing.
The scene shifts to four lepers who may have been living in huts just outside the city gates (v. 3). Since they were starving to death, they decided to head for the Syrian camp realizing they could be killed. When they entered the camp, they found that the enemy soldiers had fled (vv. 4-5). They had fled because God had caused them to hear the sound of a mighty army of chariots and horses (vv. 6-7). The soldiers had fled fearing they were being attacked.
At first the lepers filled their own pockets and stomachs (v. 8). However, they decided they should return to the city to tell the king (v. 9). Fearing this was some trick of the enemy, the king sent scouts to survey the situation (vv. 10-11). When they returned to confirm that the lepers had spoken the truth, the news spread like wildfire. The king threw open the gates and the multitude streamed out to find food and booty. The traffic was so heavy that the officer who had said God couldn’t fulfill Elisha’s prophecy was trampled to death. The fate that Elisha had predicted was fulfilled.
Application
The King’s officer was convinced that the city was doomed and Elisha could not convince him otherwise. It is easy for me to become preoccupied with problems and lose hope. I need to be looking for ways to spread the (Gospel) good news and not focusing on the negatives. With God nothing is impossible.
2 Kings 7:1– 11 (NET)
1 Elisha replied, “Listen to the Lord’s message. This is what the Lord has said, ‘About this time tomorrow a seah of finely milled flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.’” 2 An officer who was the king’s right-hand man responded to the prophet, “Look, even if the Lord made it rain by opening holes in the sky, could this happen so soon?” Elisha said, “Look, you will see it happen with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of the food!”
3 Now four men with a skin disease were sitting at the entrance of the city gate. They said to one another, “Why are we just sitting here waiting to die? 4 If we go into the city, we’ll die of starvation, and if we stay here we’ll die! So come on, let’s defect to the Syrian camp! If they spare us, we’ll live; if they kill us—well, we were going to die anyway.” 5 So they started toward the Syrian camp at dusk. When they reached the edge of the Syrian camp, there was no one there. 6 The Lord had caused the Syrian camp to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a large army. Then they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel has paid the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled at dusk, leaving behind their tents, horses, and donkeys. They left the camp as it was and ran for their lives. 8 When the men with a skin disease reached the edge of the camp, they entered a tent and had a meal. They also took some silver, gold, and clothes and went and hid it all. Then they went back and entered another tent. They looted it and went and hid what they had taken. 9 Then they said to one another, “It’s not right what we’re doing! This is a day to celebrate, but we haven’t told anyone. If we wait until dawn, we’ll be punished. So come on, let’s go and inform the royal palace.” 10 So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city. They told them, “We entered the Syrian camp and there was no one there. We didn’t even hear a man’s voice. But the horses and donkeys are still tied up, and the tents remain up.” 11 The gatekeepers relayed the news to the royal palace.