2 Kings 7
1 Elisha prophesies incredible plenty in Samaria.
3 Four lepers, venturing on the host of the Syrians, bring tidings of their flight.
12 The king, finding by spies the news to be true, spoils the tents of the Syrians.
17 The lord who would not believe the prophecy of plenty, having the charge of the gate, is trodden to death in the press.
Elisha replied ............. says <0559 0477> [Elisha said. See on ch.]
tomorrow <04279> [To-morrow.]
seah ... finely milled flour ......... seahs <05560 05429> [a measure of fine flour.]
A {seah} of flour: the {seah} was about two gallons and a half; the shekel 2s. 4d. at the lowest computation: a wide difference between this and the price of the ass's head.
barley <08184> [of barley.]
gate ... Samaria <08179 08111> [in the gate of Samaria.]
From this it appears that the gates were not only used as courts of judicature, but as market-places. So Mr. Morier observes: "In our rides we usually went out of the town at the {Derwazeh Shah Abdul Azeem,} or the gate leading to the village of Shah Abdul Azeem, where a market was held every morning, particularly of horses, mules, asses, and camels. At about sun-rise, the owners of the animals assemble and exhibit them for sale. But besides, here were sellers of all sorts of goods, in temporary shops and tents: and this, perhaps, will explain the custom alluded to in 2 Ki 7:18."
officer <07991> [a lord, etc. or, a lord which belonged to the king, leaning on his hand.]
Lord <03068> [if the Lord.]
opening holes <0699> [windows.]
see ....... eyes <07200 05869> [thou shalt see it.]
four ...... disease <06879 0702> [four leprous.]
sitting <03427> [Why.]
go <0935> [we will enter.]
defect <05307> [let us fall.]
spare .... live <02421> [if they save us.]
die ...... we ..... die ................... kill ........ die <04191> [we shall but die.]
dusk <05399> [in the twilight.]
one <0376> [behold.]
Lord <0136> [the Lord.]
king ....... kings .... Hittites <02850 04428> [the kings of the Hittites.]
king ....... kings ...... Egypt <04714 04428> [the kings of the Egyptians.]
got <06965> [they arose.]
horses <05483> [their horses.]
fled ................... ran .... lives <05127 05315> [and fled for their life.]
hid ...... went back ............ hid <02934 07725> [hid it.]
said ... one <0376 0559> [they said one.]
day <03117> [this day.]
punished <05771 04672> [some mischief will come upon us. Heb. we shall find punishment.]
gatekeepers <07778> [the porter.]
one ......... voice <0376 06963> [no man there.]
advisers <05650> [unto his servants.]
tell <05046> [I will now.]
know .... starving <07457 03045> [They know that we be hungry.]
This was a very natural conclusion; and, in history of the revolt of Ali Bey, we have an account of a stratagem very similar to that supposed to have been practised by the Syrians. The pasha of Damascus having approached the Sea of Tiberias, found sheik Daher encamped there; but the sheik, deferring the engagement till the next morning, during the night divided his army into three parts, and left the camp with great fires blazing, all sorts of provisions, and a large quantity of spiritous liquors. In the middle of the night, the pasha, thinking to surprise the sheik, marched in silence to the camp, which, to his astonishment, he found entirely abandoned; and imagining the sheik had fled with so much precipitation that he could not carry off his baggage and stores, he stopped in the camp to refresh his soldiers. They soon fell to plunder, and drank so freely of the spirits, that, overcome with its fumes, they sunk into a deep lethargy. At that time, two sheiks came silently to the camp, and being rejoined by Daher, rushed upon the sleeping foe, 8,000 of whom were slain; the pasha and a few soldiers barely escaping with their lives.
hid .... field <02247 07704> [hide themselves.]
One <0259> [one.]
<01995> [in the city. Heb. in it. they are even.]
equipment <03627> [vessels.]
discarded <07993> [had cast away.]
looted .... camp <04264 0962> [spoiled the tents.]
said <01697> [according to.]
officer <07991> [the lord.]
people ..... trampled <07429 05971> [the people trode upon him.]
prophet <0376> [as the man.]
