Dual Panel1Elisha <0477> replied <0559>, “Hear <08085> the word <01697> of the Lord <03068>! This is what <03541> the Lord <03068> says <0559>, ‘About this time <06256> tomorrow <04279> a seah <05429> of finely milled flour <05560> will sell for a shekel <08255> and two seahs <05429> of barley <08184> for a shekel <08255> at the gate <08179> of Samaria <08111>.’”
2An officer <07991> who <0834> was the king’s <04428> right-hand <03027> <08172> man responded <06030> to the prophet <0430> <0376>, “Look <02009>, even if the Lord <03068> made <06213> it rain by opening holes <0699> in the sky <08064>, could this <02088> happen <01697> so <01961> soon?” Elisha said <0559>, “Look <02005>, you will see <07200> it happen with your own eyes <05869>, but you will not <03808> eat <0398> any of <08033> the food!”
3Now four <0702> men <0376> with a skin disease <06879> were <01961> sitting at the entrance <06607> of the city gate <08179>. They said <0559> to <0413> one <0376> another <07453>, “Why <04100> are we <0587> just sitting <03427> here <06311> waiting <05704> to die <04191>?
4If <0518> we go <0935> into the city <05892>, we’ll die <04191> of starvation <07458>, and if <0518> we stay <03427> here <06311> we’ll die <04191>! So come on <01980>, let’s defect <05307> to <0413> the Syrian <0758> camp <04264>! If <0518> they spare <02421> us, we’ll live <02421>; if <0518> they kill <04191> us– well, we were going to die <04191> anyway.”
5So they started <06965> toward <0935> the Syrian <0758> camp <04264> at dusk <05399>. When <05704> they reached <0935> the edge <07097> of the Syrian <0758> camp <04264>, there <02009> was no <0369> one <0376> there <08033>.
6The Lord <0136> had caused the Syrian <0758> camp <04264> to hear <08085> the sound <06963> <06963> <06963> of chariots <07393> and horses <05483> and a large <01419> army <02428>. Then they said <0559> to <0413> one <0376> another <0251>, “Look <02009>, the king <04428> of Israel <03478> has paid <07936> the kings <04428> <04428> of the Hittites <02850> and Egypt <04714> to <05921> attack <0935> us!”
7So they got up <06965> and fled <05127> at dusk <05399>, leaving <05800> behind their tents <0168>, horses <05483>, and donkeys <02543>. They left the camp <04264> as <0834> it <01931> was and ran <05127> for <0413> their lives <05315>.
8When the men <0428> with a skin disease <06879> reached <0935> the edge <07097> of the camp <04264>, they entered <0935> a <0259> tent <0168> and had a meal <08354> <0398>. They also took <05375> some silver <03701>, gold <02091>, and clothes <0899> and went <01980> and hid <02934> it all. Then they went back <07725> and entered <0935> another <0312> tent <0168>. They looted <05375> it and went <01980> and hid <02934> what they had taken.
9Then they said <0559> to <0413> one <0376> another <07453>, “It’s not <03808> right <03651> what we’re <0587> doing <06213>! This <02088> is a day <03117> to celebrate <01309>, but we <0587> haven’t told <02814> anyone. If we wait <02442> until <05704> dawn <01242> <0216>, we’ll be punished <05771>. So <06258> come on <01980>, let’s go <0935> and inform <05046> the royal <04428> palace <01004>.”
10So they went <0935> and called <07121> out to <0413> the gatekeepers <07778> of the city <05892>. They told <05046> them <01992>, “We entered <0935> the Syrian <0758> camp <04264> and there <02009> was no <0369> one <0376> there <08033>. We didn’t even hear a man’s <0120> voice <06963>. But <0518> the horses <05483> and donkeys <02543> are still tied up <0631>, and the tents <0168> remain up.”
11The gatekeepers <07778> relayed <05046> the news to the royal <04428> palace <01004>.
12The king <04428> got up <06965> in the night <03915> and said <0559> to <0413> his advisers <05650>, “I will tell <05046> you what <0834> the Syrians <0758> have done <06213> to us. They know <03045> we <0587> are starving <07457>, so <03588> they left <03318> the camp <04264> and hid <02247> in the field <07704>, thinking <0559>, ‘When <03588> they come out <03318> of <04480> the city <05892>, we will capture <08610> them alive <02416> and enter <0935> the city <05892>.’”
13One <0259> of his advisers <05650> replied <06030>, “Pick some men and have them take <03947> five <02568> of <04480> the horses <05483> that <0834> are left <07604> in the city. (Even if they are killed <07604>, their fate will be no different than that <0834> of all <03605> the Israelite people– we’re all <03605> going to die <08552>!) Let’s send <07971> them out <07971> so we can know <07200> for sure what’s going on.”
14So they picked <03947> two <08147> horsemen <05483> <07393> and the king <04428> sent <07971> them out <07971> to track <0310> the Syrian <0758> army <04264>. He ordered <0559> them, “Go <01980> and find out <07200> what’s going on.”
15So they tracked <01980> them as far as <05704> the Jordan <03383>. The road <01870> was filled <04392> with clothes <0899> and equipment <03627> that <0834> the Syrians <0758> had discarded <07993> in their haste <02648>. The scouts <04397> went back <07725> and told <05046> the king <04428>.
16Then the people <05971> went out <03318> and looted <0962> the Syrian <0758> camp <04264>. A seah <05429> of finely milled flour <05560> sold for a shekel <08255>, and two seahs <05429> of barley <08184> for a shekel <08255>, just as the Lord <03068> had said <01697> they would.
17Now the king <04428> had placed <06485> the officer <07991> who <0834> was his right-hand <03027> <05921> <08172> man at the city gate <08179>. When the people <05971> rushed out, they trampled <07429> him to death <04191> in the gate <08179>. This <0834> fulfilled the <01696> prophet’s <0430> <0376> word <01696> which <0834> he had spoken <01696> when the king <04428> tried to arrest <03381> him.
18The prophet <0430> <0376> told <01696> the king <04428>, “Two seahs <05429> of barley <08184> will sell for a shekel <08255>, and a seah <05429> of finely milled flour <05560> for a shekel <08255>; this will happen <01961> about this time <06256> tomorrow <04279> in the gate <08179> of Samaria <08111>.”
19But the officer <07991> replied <06030> to the prophet <0430> <0376>, “Look <02009>, even if the Lord <03068> made <06213> it rain by opening holes <0699> in the sky <08064>, could this <02088> happen <01961> so soon?” Elisha said <0559>, “Look <02005>, you will see <07200> it happen with your own eyes <05869>, but you will not <03808> eat <0398> any of the food!”
20This is exactly what <03651> happened <01961> to him. The people <05971> trampled <07429> him to death <04191> in the city gate <08179>.