2 Kings 7:10

_SO THEY CAME AND CALLED UNTO THE PORTER OF THE CITY: AND THEY TOLD THEM, SAYING, WE CAME TO THE CAMP OF THE SYRIANS, AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS NO MAN THERE, NEITHER VOICE OF MAN, BUT HORSES TIED, AND ASSES TIED, AND THE TENTS AS THEY WERE._ Horses tied, and donkeys tied, and the tents as they were. The uniform arrangement of encampments in the East is, to place the tents in the center, while the cattle are picketted all around as an outer wall of defense; and hence, the lepers describe the cattle as the first objects they saw....

3-11 God can, when he pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. Providence ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians were fled. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. Natural humanity, and fear of punishment, are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others. From love to him, not from selfish feelings, they will gladly share their earthly good things with their brethren....

THEY CALLED UNTO THE PORTER ... AND TOLD THEM - The word “porter” is used like our “guard” and the meaning here is, not that the lepers called to any particular individual, but that they roused the body of men who were keeping guard at one of the gates....

EXPOSITION 2 KINGS 7:1 THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA (_continued_)_: _THE DELIVERANCE. 2 KINGS 7:1, 2 KINGS 7:2 The separation of these verses from the preceding narrative is most unfortunate. They are an integral part of it, and form its climax. In answer to the king's attempt upon his life, and hasty speech in which he has threatened to renounce Jehovah, Elisha is commissioned to proclaim that the siege is on the point of terminating, the famine about to be within twenty-four hours succeeded by a time of plenty. There is thu

SO THEY CAME AND CALLED TO THE PORTER OF THE CITY,.... The chief of those that had the care of the gate of it; for there were more than one, as follows: AND THEY TOLD THEM; the porter, and the watchmen with him: WE CAME TO THE CAMP OF THE SYRIANS, AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS NO MAN THERE, NEITHER VOICE OF MAN; not one to be seen or heard: BUT HORSES TIED, AND ASSES TIED; to their mangers; the latter, as well as the former, were used for war, not only to carry burdens, but to fight upon, as Aelianus a relates of some people; and especially when there was a want of horses, as Strabo b; and both observe that this creature was sacrificed to Mars: AND THE TENTS AS THEY WERE; none of them struck, nor anything taken out of them. a De Animal. l. 12. c. 34. b Geograph. l. 15. p. 500....

6. ELISHA'S PREDICTION AND ITS FULFILMENT CHAPTER 7 _ 1. Elisha's prediction (2 Kings 7:1)_ 2. The unbelieving lord (2 Kings 7:2) 3. The four lepers and their discovery (2 Kings 7:3) 4. The day of good tidings (2 Kings 7:9) 5. The prediction fulfilled (2 Kings 7:16) 6. The death of the unbelieving lord (2 Kings 7:19) When the worst had come, Samaria starving to death, the king in despondency, Elisha's life threatened, t

2 Kings 6:24 to 2 Kings 7:20. THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA. The date and source of this episode need discussion. The name of the king of Syria, as in 1 Kings 20, was Ben-hadad; the king of Israel is not named at all. Two Benhadads are possible, the king in 1 Kings 20 who was defeated by Ahab, and the son and successor of Hazael (2 Kings 13:24). If the first is meant, then Jehoram was king of Israel; if not, Jehoash, the grandson of Jehu. Elisha was called in the days of Ahab, and lived under Ahab and his two sons Ahaziah and Jehoram, Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash, dying under the last-named king. It is true that Elisha called the king this son of a murderer, which may be applicable to a son of Ahab; but son of may be used as the commo

THE TENTS. their tents. So Septuagint AS. just as....

_called unto the porter_ i.e. from the outside of the wall, whither alone they were allowed to come. The singular noun is clearly taken in a collective sense, and some of the versions give -porters". The plural pronoun immediately following shews that this is intended. Hence R.V. gives the plural on the margin. _but horses_[R.V. THE HORSES] _tied, and asses_[R.V. THE ASSES] _tied_ The articles are expressed in the original, and the strict rendering gives a truer idea of all things being left without distinction. The baggage cattle, and the beasts for riding stood tethered in their places, fear having permitted no attempt to unloose them. In the camp it was necessary to keep the animals tied up, and most likely one part of the encampment was set apart for this purpose, and the terrified soldiers fled without a thought of going first to get their horses. _the tents as they were_ The itali...

II. ELISHA'S PREDICTIVE MIRACLES 6:24-8:15 Three predictive miracles of Elisha are recorded in connection with this period of Aramean invasion: He predicted (1) the deliverance of Samaria from an Aramean siege (2 Kings 6:24 to 2 Kings 7:20); (2) a famine in Israel (2 Kings 8:1-6); and (3) the murderous career of Hazael (2 Kings 8:7-15). A. PREDICTION OF DELIVERANCE FOR SAMARIA 6:24-7:20 Several different stories connected with an Aramean siege of Samaria have been collected in 2 Kings 6:24 to...