Annotations Upon the Historical Books Part 2, 2 Kings · Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
Verſ. 1. THen Eliſha ſaid, Heare ye the word of the Lord.] It may be this was ſpoken onelyonly to the elders, and that meſſenger mentioned in the latter end of this foregoing chapter, that was ſent to take off Eliſhaes head: But becauſe, firſt, Eliſha did there ſignifie that the king was coming immediately after him; Is not the ſound of his maſters feet behind him? And ſecondly, becauſe in the next verſe it is ſaid, that a lord on whoſe hand the king leaned, anſwered the man of God: I rather think, the king came preſently after the meſſenger, and ſo this was ſpoken to the king and thoſe that were come with him.
To morrow about this time, ſhall a meaſure of fine floure be ſold for a ſhekel, &c.] That is, for two ſhillings and ſix pence: before, an aſſes head was ſold for about ten pound, and a cab of doves dung for about twelve ſhillings and ſix pence; and yet now a meaſure of fine floure, (which was about a peck and a pottle, as moſt account it) ſhould be ſold for a ſhekel, which was about two ſhillings ſix pence, and ſo alſo two meaſures of barley, a mighty change.
Verſ. 2. Then a lord on whoſe hand the king leaned, anſwered, &c.] Some Expoſitours hold that this was that meſſenger mentioned in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, that was ſent to ſlay Eliſha: but me thinks it is plain, that theſe words deſcribe a perſon not mentioned before, and that the king himſelf was preſent when the words of the prophet was thus ſlighted by his great favourite: As for the cuſtome of kings leaning on their nobles hands, ſee chap. 5.18.
If the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?] That is, if the Lord ſhould cauſe the heavens to rain corn, if ſhowers of floure and barley ſhould from the cloudes be poured down upon us, there could not be ſuch plenty.
Verſ. 3. And there were foure leprous men at the entring in of the gate.] For they might not be within the city, becauſe they were lepers, Levit. 13.44, 46. but yet withall obſervable it is, how ſcrupulouſly carefull the inhabitants of Samaria were to obſerve that law of God, of not ſuffering the lepers to come amongſt them; yea though they were ready to periſh for hunger, whileſt in the mean ſeaſon they made no bones of tranſgreſſing Gods law in a matter of greater weight and conſequence, by their groſſe idolatry.
Verſ. 5. And they roſe up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians.] That is, in the twilight of the evening, and it ſeems the Syrians were fled but a little before they came; for of them it is ſaid too, verſ. 7. that they aroſe and fled in twilight, and that both muſt be meant of the evening twilight is evident, becauſe it was in the following night; that firſt, the lepers were getting themſelves a booty in the tents of the Syrians, verſ. 9. If we tarry, ſay they, till the morning light, ſome miſchief will befall us: And ſecondly, that the city was raiſed by them, verſ. 12. and the king aroſe in the night, &c.
Verſ. 6. For the Lord had made the hoſt of the Syrians to heare a noiſe of chariots, &c,] Which yet the lepers nor none in the city heard; the Lord could eaſily have ſtricken theſe Syrians dead in the place, but he was pleaſed rather, as it were in a way of ſcorn and deriſion, to fright them with their own fancies, and to make them fly, not daring to take their very horſes with them, like ſo many mad diſtracted men; when there was not a man near them to do them any hurt.
Verſ. 9. If we tarry till the morning light, ſome miſchief will come upon us.] This they ſaid, becauſe they judged it ſo great a fault not to acquaint their brethren with that which God had done for them: when there were ſo many amongſt them that were in danger every moment to periſh with hunger.
Verſ. 10. So they came, and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, &c.] That is, the porter of the gate and the watchmen that were with him.
Verſ. 11. And he called the porters, and they told it the kings houſe within.] That is, the city porter went to the kings palace, and called to the kings porters there, and acquainted them with the buſineſſe, who preſently went and told the kings ſervants within the tydings that were brought them.
Verſ. 13. Behold they are as all the multitude of Iſrael, &c.] That is, we need not ſcruple the expoſing of theſe to danger, whether men or horſe, that we ſend forth to ſee whether this be true which theſe Lepers report, for alas they are as all the multitude of Iſrael, conſumed, and ready to periſh for hunger; and as good dye by the ſword of the Syrians, as ſtay behind to be ſtarved here.