[1] Elisha said, Hear you the word of Yahweh: thus says Yahweh, Tomorrow
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 the
captain on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said,
Behold, if Yahweh should make windows in heaven, might this thing be? He
said, Behold, you shall see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it. [3]
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance 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 to
the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they
kill us, we shall but die. [5] They rose up in the twilight, to go to the
camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the outermost part of the
camp of the Syrians, 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,
Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites,
and the kings of the Egyptians, to come on us. [7] Therefore they arose and
fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their
donkeys, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life. [8] When these
lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and
ate and drink, and carried there silver, and gold, and clothing, and went
and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried
there also, and went and hid it. [9] Then they said one to another, We
aren`t doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we hold our peace:
if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us; now
therefore come, let us go and tell the king`s household. [10] So they came
and called to 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 the horses tied, and the donkeys tied, and the tents as
they were. [11] He called the porters; and they told it to the king`s
household within. [12] The king arose in the night, and said to his
servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know
that we are 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
take them alive, and get into the city. [13] One of his servants answered,
Please let some take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the
city (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are left in it;
behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel who are consumed); and let
us send and see. [14] They took therefore two chariots with horses; and the
king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see. [15] They went
after them to the Jordan: and, behold, all the way was full of garments and
vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers
returned, and told the king. [16] The people went out, and plundered the
camp 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 Yahweh.
[17] The king appointed the captain on whose hand he leaned to have the
charge of the gate: and the people trod on him in the gate, and he died as
the man of God had said, who spoke when the king came down to him. [18] It
happened, 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
tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria; [19] and that captain
answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if Yahweh should make
windows in heaven, might such a thing be? and he said, Behold, you shall
see it with your eyes, but shall not eat of it: [20] it happened even so to
him; for the people trod on him in the gate, and he died.
