Then Elisha said
, "Listen
to the word
of the LORD
; thus
says
the LORD
, ` aTomorrow
about this time
a 1measure
of fine
flour
will be sold for a shekel
, and two measures
of barley
for a shekel
, in the gate
of Samaria
.' "
aThe royal officer
on whose
hand
the king
was leaning
answered
the man
of God
and said
, "Behold
, bif the LORD
should make
windows
in heaven
, could this
thing
be?" Then he said
, "Behold
, you will see
it with your own eyes
, but you will not eat
1of it."
Now there were four aleprous
men
at the entrance
of the gate
; and they said
to one
another
, "Why
do we sit
here
until
we die
?
"If we say
, `We will enter
the city
,' then the famine
is in the city
and we will die
there
; and if
we sit
here
, we die
also. Now
therefore come
, and let us 1go
over
to athe camp
of the Arameans
. If
they spare
us, we will live
; and if
they kill
us, we will but die
."
They arose at twilight
to go
to the camp
of the Arameans
; when they came
to the outskirts
of the camp
of the Arameans
, behold
, there
was no
one
there
.
For athe Lord had caused the army
of the Arameans
to hear
a sound
of chariots
and a sound
of horses
, even the sound
of a great
army
, so that they said
to one
another
, "Behold
, the king
of Israel
has hired
against
us bthe kings
of the Hittites
and cthe kings
of the Egyptians
, to come
upon us."
Therefore they aarose and fled
in the twilight
, and left
their tents
and their horses
and their donkeys
, even the camp
just
as it was, and fled
for their life
.
When these lepers
came
to the outskirts
of the camp
, they entered
one
tent
and ate
and drank
, and acarried
from there
silver
and gold
and clothes
, and went
and hid
them; and they returned
and entered
another
tent
and carried
from there
also, and went
and hid
them.
Then they said to one
another
, "We are not doing
right
. This
day
is a day
of good news
, but we are keeping
silent
; if we wait
until
morning
light
, punishment
will 1overtake
us. Now
therefore come
, let us go
and tell
the king's
household
."
So they came and called
to the gatekeepers
of the city
, and they told
them, saying
, "We came
to the camp
of the Arameans
, and behold
, there
was no
one
there
, nor
the voice
of man
, only
the horses
tied
and the donkeys
tied
, and the tents
just
as they were."
The gatekeepers called
and told
it within
the king's
household
.
Then the king arose
in the night
and said
to his servants
, "I will now
tell
you what
the Arameans
have done
to us. They know
that awe are hungry
; therefore they have gone
from the camp
bto hide
themselves in the field
, saying
, `When
they come
out of the city
, we will capture
them alive
and get
into the city
.' "
One of his servants
said
, "Please
, let some men take
five
of the horses
which remain
, which
are left
1in the city. Behold
, they will be in any case like all
the multitude
of Israel
who
are left
in it; behold
, they will be in any case like all
the multitude
of Israel
who
have already perished
, so let us send
and see
."
They took therefore two
chariots
with horses
, and the king
sent
after
the army
of the Arameans
, saying
, "Go
and see
."
They went after
them to the Jordan
, and behold
, all
the way
was full
of clothes
and equipment
which
the Arameans
had thrown
away
in their haste
. Then the messengers
returned
and told
the king
.
So the people went
out and plundered
the camp
of the Arameans
. Then a 1measure
of fine
flour
was sold for a shekel
and two 1measures
of barley
for a shekel
, aaccording to the word
of the LORD
.
Now the king appointed
athe royal
officer
on whose
hand
he leaned
1to have
charge
of the gate
; but the people
trampled
on him at the gate
, and he died
just
as the man
of God
had said
, bwho
spoke
when the king
came
down
to him.
It happened just as the man
of God
had spoken
to the king
, saying
, " aTwo 1measures
of barley
for a shekel
and a 1measure
of fine
flour
for a shekel
, will be sold tomorrow
about this time
at the gate
of Samaria
."
Then the royal officer
answered
the man
of God
and said
, "Now behold
, aif the LORD
should make
windows
in heaven
, could such
a thing
be?" And he said
, "Behold
, you will see
it with your own eyes
, but you will not eat
1of it."
And so it happened
to him, for the people
trampled
on him at the gate
and he died
.