2 Kings 7

This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 20 verses.

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Codex Cairensis (895), Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=35-37}} Fragments containing parts of this chapter in Hebrew were found among the Dead Sea Scrolls, that is, 6Q4 (6QpapKgs; 150–75 BCE) with extant verses 8–10, 20.{{Cite book | editor-last = Ulrich | editor-first = Eugene | title = The Biblical Qumran Scrolls: Transcriptions and Textual Variants | year = 2010 | publisher = Brill | url = https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls |pages = [https://archive.org/details/TheBiblicalQumranScrolls/page/n344 328]–329 }}[https://thewaytoyahuweh.com/dead-sea-scrolls/general-info/#2_chronicles Dead sea scrolls - 2 Chronicles]{{Cite book|title = A Guide to the Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature|last = Fitzmyer|first = Joseph A.|authorlink= Joseph Fitzmyer |publisher = William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=TILXeWJ2eNAC | year = 2008|isbn = 9780802862419|location = Grand Rapids, MI | pages=104, 106 }}[https://www.deadseascrolls.org.il/explore-the-archive/manuscript/6Q4-1 6Q4 at the Leon Levy Dead Sea Scrolls Digital Library]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^B; 4th century) and Codex Alexandrinus (A; $\backslash mathfrak\{G\}$^A; 5th century).{{sfn|Würthwein|1995|pp=73-74}}{{efn|The whole book of 2 Kings is missing from the extant Codex Sinaiticus.{{Catholic Encyclopedia|wstitle=Codex Sinaiticus}}}}

Facing the death threat from the Israelite king (2 Kings 6), Elisha attacked back using a prophecy from God that good-quality food would be available at normal prices within one day (verse 1). When the king's adviser showed doubts over the hardly imaginable salvation under the circumstances, Elisha even proclaimed a woeful prophecy against him (verse 2). The king's silence seems to indicate that he was ready to give Elisha one final chance.{{sfn|Dietrich|2007|p=252}}

:Then Elisha said, "Hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord: 'Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour shall be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria."{{bibleref2|2 Kings|7:1|NKJV}} NKJV

• "Seah": A third of an ephah, or about 8 gallons.Note on 2 Kings 7:1 in NKJV Likely about 12 pounds or 5.5 kilograms of flour (also in verses 16 and 18).Note [a] on 2 Kings 7:1 in MEV
• "Shekel": was about 0.4 ounce or 11Note [b] on 2 Kings 7:1 in ESV or 12 grams, also in verses 16 and 18.Note [b] on 2 Kings 7:1 in MEV
• "Two seahs": likely about 20 pounds or 9 kilograms of barley, also in verses 16 and 18.Note [c] on 2 Kings 7:1 in MEV

The narrative's dramatic climax starts with four lepers, who stood daily at the city gates, rejected and avoided by other city inhabitants, going to the Aramean encampment and becoming the first to witness the sudden retreat of the big army, but instead of taking personal advantage of the situation they decided to announce the news to state officials (verses 3–11; a wonderful precursor to Jesus' recognition that God loves making the last first; cf. Mark 10:31ff).{{sfn|Dietrich|2007|p=252}} An information was supplied (what the lepers did not know) that God brought hallucinations to the Arameans, convincing them that great Egyptian and Hittite armies advanced to attack, thus forcing them to break off the siege immediately (verses 6–7).{{sfn|Dietrich|2007|p=252}} The Israelite king suspected a trick (verse 12; cf. a very similar scene in {{bibleverse|2 Kings|3:23–24|9}}), but finally sent people to investigate the situation and found the Arameans' eastward retreat toward the Jordan leaving their weapons and goods in panic (verses 13–15).{{sfn|Dietrich|2007|p=252}}

The report about Arameans' retreat triggered the people to enter the camp close to the city and take possession of their provisions, causing food prices to sink to the level forecast by Elisha (verse 16). The story ended with the fate of the doubting adviser who saw the prophecy fulfilled but was trampled to death before he could enjoy the victory (verses 17–20).{{sfn|Dietrich|2007|p=252}} Verse 19 quotes the words of the officer and the prophet Elisha to clarify the fulfillment of the prophecy.{{sfn|Sweeney|2007|p=314}}

{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|

• Aram
• Israel
• Prophet
• Samaria
• Syria}}
• Related Bible parts: 2 Kings 4, 2 Kings 6

{{notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{cite book | last1= Cogan | first1= Mordechai |last2= Tadmor | first2= Hayim| title=II Kings: A New Translation | series= Anchor Yale Bible Commentaries |volume= 11 | publisher= Doubleday | year= 1988 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GbHYAAAAMAAJ | isbn= 9780385023887 }}
• {{Cite book |last = Collins |first = John J. |title = Introduction to the Hebrew Scriptures |chapter = Chapter 14: 1 Kings 12 – 2 Kings 25 |pages = 277–296 |publisher = Fortress Press|year = 2014 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=fbsoBAAAQBAJ |isbn = 9781451469233}}
• {{cite book|last= Coogan|first = Michael David| authorlink= Michael D. Coogan |title = The New Oxford Annotated Bible with the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical Books: New Revised Standard Version, Issue 48 |editor-last1=Coogan |editor-first1=Michael David |editor-first2=Marc Zvi |editor-last2= Brettler |editor-first3=Carol Ann |editor-last3= Newsom |editor-first4= Pheme |editor-last4= Perkins |edition= Augmented 3rd |publisher = Oxford University Press |year =2007 |isbn = 9780195288810 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HmpMPgAACAAJ}}
• {{cite book|last= Dietrich | first= Walter | chapter = 13. 1 and 2 Kings | title=The Oxford Bible Commentary | editor-first1=John | editor-last1=Barton |editor1-link = John Barton (theologian) | editor-first2=John| editor-last2= Muddiman |editor2-link = John Muddiman | publisher = Oxford University Press |edition= first (paperback) | year = 2007 | pages = 232–266 | isbn = 978-0199277186 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZJdVkgEACAAJ| access-date=February 6, 2019}}
• {{cite book|last=Fretheim|first=Terence E|title=First and Second Kings|publisher= Westminster John Knox Press | year=1997|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=7ODLAo9QouEC |isbn=978-0-664-25565-7}}
• {{cite book|last= Halley| first= Henry H.| authorlink= Henry Hampton Halley| title= Halley's Bible Handbook: an abbreviated Bible commentary |edition=24th (revised)|publisher= Zondervan Publishing House |date= 1965 |url= https://archive.org/details/halleysbiblehand00henr |url-access= registration| isbn= 0-310-25720-4}}
• {{cite book | last = Huey | first = F. B. | title = The New American Commentary - Jeremiah, Lamentations: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture, NIV Text | publisher = B&H Publishing Group | year = 1993 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=HBguYZCdAM4C | isbn = 9780805401165 }}
• {{cite book |last= Leithart | first= Peter J. |title=1 & 2 Kings |series= Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible |publisher= Brazos Press |year= 2006 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Z_gvin9G7LgC |isbn= 978-1587431258 }}
• {{citation | url = http://www.btinternet.com/~lmf12/TransGuide.pdf | first = Leslie | last = McFall | title = Translation Guide to the Chronological Data in Kings and Chronicles |journal = Bibliotheca Sacra |volume= 148 |year = 1991| pages = 3–45 | archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20100827065339/http://www.btinternet.com/%7Elmf12/TransGuide.pdf | url-status = dead | archivedate = August 27, 2010 }}
• {{Cite book |last= McKane |first= William | chapter= Kings, Book of |editor1-last = Metzger | editor1-first = Bruce M |editor1-link = Bruce M. Metzger |editor2-last = Coogan |editor2-first = Michael D |title = The Oxford Companion to the Bible |url= https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458 |url-access= registration |publisher = Oxford University Press |year = 1993 | pages= [https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780195046458/page/409 409]–413 |isbn = 978-0195046458 }}
• {{cite book|last=Nelson|first=Richard Donald|author-link=Richard D. Nelson|title=First and Second Kings|publisher=Westminster John Knox Press|year=1987|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=RCgUvQOIvD0C |isbn= 978-0-664-22084-6}}
• {{cite book| last= Pritchard |first= James B |year=1969|author-link= James B. Pritchard | title= Ancient Near Eastern texts relating to the Old Testament | publisher= Princeton University Press | edition = 3 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=v1VrngEACAAJ | isbn= 9780691035031}}
• {{cite book|last=Sweeney|first=Marvin|title=I & II Kings: A Commentary|publisher= Westminster John Knox Press|year=2007|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=d4jn8uj49RIC |isbn= 978-0-664-22084-6}}
• {{cite book|last= Thiele | first= Edwin R. | authorlink= Edwin R. Thiele| title= The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings: A Reconstruction of the Chronology of the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah | year = 1951 | publisher = University of Chicago Press | location= Chicago}}
• {{cite book | last = Würthwein | first = Ernst | authorlink = Ernst Würthwein | title = The Text of the Old Testament | publisher = Wm. B. Eerdmans |location = Grand Rapids, MI | year= 1995 | translator-first1 = Erroll F.| translator-last1 = Rhodes |isbn = 0-8028-0788-7 | url= https://books.google.com/books?id=FSNKSBObCYwC | access-date= January 26, 2019}}

• Jewish translations:
• [https://www.chabad.org/library/bible_cdo/aid/15913 Melachim II - II Kings - Chapter 7 (Judaica Press)]. Hebrew text and English translation [with Rashi's commentary] at Chabad.org
• Christian translations:
• [http://www.gospelhall.org/bible/bible.php?passage=2+Kings+7 Online Bible at GospelHall.org] (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
• [http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=12&chapter=7&version=9 2 Kings chapter 7. Bible Gateway]

{{Second Book of Kings}}

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07

Category:Shekel

Category:Elisha