1 Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
2 Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
3 And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
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.
11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
15 And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
16 And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
18 And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Chapter 7 of the book of 2 Kings in the King James Version of the Holy Bible continues the narrative of the reign of King Ahaziah of Israel. This chapter is filled with themes of faith, obedience, and God's power and provision. It also serves as a cautionary tale against the consequences of disobedience and pride.
The chapter begins with the aftermath of King Ahaziah's fall through the lattice in his upper chamber. The king sends messengers to inquire of the god Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if he will recover from his injuries. However, God sends the prophet Elijah to intercept the messengers and deliver a message from the Lord. Elijah rebukes the king for seeking guidance from a false god and declares that he will not recover from his injuries but will die as a result of his disobedience.
This serves as a reminder of the first commandment given to Moses - "You shall have no other gods before me" (Exodus 20:3). The consequences of Ahaziah's actions show that seeking guidance or help from false gods is not only futile but also displeasing to the one true God.
After delivering the message to the messengers, Elijah is instructed by God to go and meet with King Ahaziah himself. The king recognizes Elijah and asks if he is there to bring him another message from the Lord. Elijah confirms that he is and delivers the same message of impending death to the king.
Despite the king's disobedience and unfaithfulness, God still shows his power and provision by fulfilling the words of Elijah. Ahaziah dies just as the prophet had declared, proving that God's word never falls to the ground.
This chapter serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and power. He is the one true God who controls life and death. It also reminds us that God's word is true and will be fulfilled, regardless of our actions or beliefs. This is a comforting thought for believers, knowing that we can trust in God's promises and rely on his provision.
After the death of King Ahaziah, the throne of Israel is left vacant. The leaders of the nation gather together and anoint Jehu, the son of Jehoshaphat, as the new king of Israel. Jehu is given a specific task by God - to destroy the house of Ahab, the previous king of Israel, and to avenge the blood of the prophets and servants of the Lord who were killed by Jezebel, the wife of Ahab.
Jehu fulfills this task with great zeal, killing not only the descendants of Ahab but also anyone who was associated with him. He also executes Jezebel, who had been a wicked and idolatrous queen. Jehu's actions show his obedience to God's command and his faithfulness in carrying out the Lord's will.
While Jehu's actions may have been in line with God's will, he also falls into the trap of disobedience. Despite being appointed by God to destroy the house of Ahab, Jehu also continues in the sins of Jeroboam, the first king of Israel, by worshipping the golden calves in Bethel and Dan. This shows that even when we may be fulfilling a specific task for God, we are still prone to disobedience and sin.
As a result of Jehu's disobedience, God declares that his descendants will only reign for four generations. This serves as a reminder that disobedience to God's commands will always have consequences, even if we may be fulfilling a seemingly noble task.
The chapter ends with a brief mention of the reign of King Jehoahaz of Judah. He follows in the footsteps of his ancestors and continues in the sins of idolatry and disobedience. As a result, the Lord allows the king of Syria to oppress the people of Judah. The chapter ends with Jehoahaz's death and the rise of his son, Joash, as the new king of Judah.
This serves as a reminder that the consequences of disobedience and idolatry not only affect the individual but also the entire nation. The downfall of the kings of Judah is a direct result of their disobedience to God's commands, and it serves as a warning for future generations to remain faithful and obedient to the Lord.
Chapter 7 of 2 Kings teaches us several important lessons about faith, obedience, and the power and provision of God. It serves as a reminder that we should always seek guidance and help from the one true God and not turn to false idols. It also shows us the consequences of disobedience and the importance of remaining faithful to God's commands.
Furthermore, this chapter also shows us the importance of being obedient to God's specific tasks for us. While Jehu may have been appointed by God to carry out a specific mission, his disobedience still had consequences. This teaches us that even when we may be serving God, we must still be vigilant in avoiding disobedience and sin.
Overall, Chapter 7 of 2 Kings serves as a cautionary tale against disobedience and pride. It also serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and power, and His faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. As believers, we can take comfort in knowing that we serve a God who is in control and who will provide for us in all circumstances, as long as we remain faithful and obedient to Him.
In conclusion, Chapter 7 of 2 Kings is a significant chapter in the Bible that teaches us important lessons about faith, obedience, and the power and provision of God. It serves as a reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of remaining faithful to God's commands. May we learn from the examples in this chapter and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God.
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