Lesson 10 - 2 Kings 7:1-16 - A FAMINE IN SAMARIA
INTRODUCTION: Last week in 2 Kings 5:1-15, we coved the healing of Naaman, the commander of the Aramean (Syrian) army who was afflicted with leprosy, an often fatal and highly contagious disease that prevented close contact with others. Aram was often at war with the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and in one of the raids, the Arameans took an Israelite girl captive who became the personal servant of Naaman's wife. The girl told Naaman's wife that there was a great prophet in Israel (Elisha), who could heal leprosy. With the king's support and a gift of gold and silver valued at $150,000 (todays' prices), Naaman went to Samaria to seek out Elisha. When Elisha, rather than welcoming him in person, just sent message instructing him to dip himself in the Jordan River seven times, Naaman was initially put off and outraged. When Naaman's servant advised him that he should just calm down and do what the prophet told him to do, Naaman humbled himself, followed the instructions, and by God's power, was completely healed. Naaman afterward proclaimed "that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel" (5:15a). The main truth we took from the lesson was that like Naaman, many people are perishing from the terrible leprosy of sin. They might be successful and powerful like Naaman, but they are spiritually lost. Like Naaman, they need to be pointed towards the One True God and salvation through Jesus Christ.
This week, in 2 Kings 7:1-16, we come back into the story of Elisha as the city of Samaria (the capitol of the Northern Kingdom of Israel) is being subjected to a prolonged siege by the Aramean (Syrian) army. Since no one can go in or come out of the city, food supplies have been exhausted, putting the city into the throes of a severe famine. And what little food remains has become so expensive, that practically no one can afford to buy it. The previous chapter even reports that some of the people were resorting to the abomination of cannibalism just to stay alive (2 Kings 6:24-31).
Read 1 Kings 7:1-2 - ELISHA PROMISES FOOD
1 Then Elisha said, "Listen to the word of the LORD; this is what the LORD says: 'About this time tomorrow a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.'" 2 The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning responded to the man of God and said, "Even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this thing happen?" Then he said, "Behold, you are going to see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it."
v. 1: "Then Elisha said, 'Listen to the word of the LORD; this is what the LORD says: "About this time tomorrow a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, at the gate of Samaria.'" - In short, Elisha predicts that the famine will end the next day, and food will once again be plentiful, so that grain and flour will be sold once more at completely normal prices. The Prophet's preface to this pronouncement, "this is what the LORD says," means that it's certain to happen-a done deal. This is the very same LORD God of Israel (YHWH) who sent manna (bread) from heaven and brought forth water out of solid rocks (Ex. 16 and 17; Num. 20).
v. 2a: "The royal officer on whose hand the king was leaning responded to the man of God and said, 'Even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this thing happen?'" - Hearing this, the "royal officer" (most likely a trusted advisor to the king) expresses complete unbelief (no faith). He not only doubted God's messenger, but doubted the power of the sovereign Creator of the universe. His remark about the LORD making "window's in heaven"-i.e., that He would shower food directly down on the besieged city-amounted to a faithless mockery of God Himself.
v. 2b: "Then he said, 'Behold, you are going to see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.'" -Elisha predicts this officer would see the much needed foodstuffs come in to city with his own eyes, but because of his lack of faith, would not be permitted to eat any of it and would die.
Read 2 Kings 7:3-5 - FOUR LEPERS COME UPON A DESERTED ARAMEAN CAMP
3 Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, "Why are we sitting here until we die? 4 If we say, 'We will enter the city,' then the famine is in the city and we will die there; but if we sit here, we will also die. Now then come, and let's go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, then we will die." 5 So they got up 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.
v. 3a: "Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate;" - Lepers were complete outcasts in those times. They were banned from coming into the city because of the contagion of their disease. They were forced to stay outside the city gates where they could beg for food.
v. 3b "and they said to one another, Why are we sitting here until we die?" - Here, their logic was perfect: They would soon die of starvation if they remained at the city, and even if food came, they would be the last to receive it. Bottom Line: death from starvation was a certainty.
v. 4: If we say, 'We will enter the city,' then the famine is in the city and we will die there; but if we sit here, we will also die. Now then come, and let's go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they spare us, we will live; and if they kill us, then we will die." - Since they had nothing to lose, they decided their chances were better if they surrendered themselves to the Arameans, who might have the pity to feed them. And even if the Arameans decided to kill them, it was better than dying of starvation. It's amazing how clear things can become when you're completely out of options, yes?
v. 5: "So they got up 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." - This large Armamean army had literally surrounded Samaria for months. The camp included a large supply depot that must have contained provisions to feed thousands of soldiers. That the lepers came to the "outskirts" suggests that they walked all the way around the camp. They found it completely abandoned-the soldiers were gone.
Read 2 Kings 7:6-7 - THEY FLED AT TWILIGHT AND ABANDONED THE CAMP
6 For the Lord had made the army of the Arameans hear a sound of chariots, a sound of horses, that is, the sound of a great army; and they said to one another, "Behold, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians against us, to attack us!" 7 So they got up and fled at twilight, and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys-indeed the camp itself, just as it was; and they fled for their lives. 8 When these men with leprosy came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver, gold, and clothes, and they went and hid them; then they returned and entered another tent, and carried valuables from there also, and went and hid them.
v. 6: "For the Lord had made the army of the Arameans hear a sound of chariots, a sound of horses, that is, the sound of a great army; and they said to one another, "Behold, the king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians against us, to attack us!" -These verses explain and describe the Aramean's abrupt departure. Israel might have been powerless against this besieging army, but God wasn't. God attacked them with noise-the unmistakable thunder of thousands of horses and chariots approaching them. They thought the king of Israel had must have hired the Hittites and Egyptians to come to their rescue. Although the Hittites and Egyptians had declined in power by this time, they were still capable of fielding sizable military forces.
v. 7: "So they got up and fled at twilight, and abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys-indeed the camp itself, just as it was; and they fled for their lives." - The panic that seized the Arameans was so overpowering that they left everything behind, even their horses and donkeys, and they discarded all their weapons, armor, and shields as "they fled for their lives." A case of mass hysteria. The irony was that the defeat of this massive army came without Israel lifting a finger. We also need to see that Israel didn't deserve this miracle: It was completely an act of God's grace.
v. 8: "When these men with leprosy came to the outskirts of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank, and carried from there silver, gold, and clothes, and they went and hid them; then they returned and entered another tent, and carried valuables from there also, and went and hid them." - The irony here is that the biggest losers-the lepers-turn out to be the biggest winners. This was one of God's divine reversals. It's no surprise that the first thing they did was to eat and drink their fill. Then on two occasions, they carried off "valuables" and hid them so they could be retrieved later. I imagine that they also discarded their rags for better clothing.
Read 2 Kings 7: 9-11 - THE LEPERS ANNOUNCED THAT THE ARAMEAN CAMP IS EMPTY
9 Then they said to one another, "We are not doing the right thing. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent about it; if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now then come, let's go and inform the king's household." 10 So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, "We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor a human voice; only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were." 11 And the gatekeepers called and announced it inside the king's house.
v. 9: "Then they said to one another, "We are not doing the right thing. This day is a day of good news, but we are keeping silent about it; if we wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now then come, let's go and inform the king's household." - While the lepers apparently didn't fear that the Arameans would return anytime soon, they did fear that the LORD might punish them if they failed to share this good news with the starving people of their city. So they resolved to go and tell the king's household about their discovery.
v. 10: "So they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying, 'We came to the camp of the Arameans, and behold, there was no one there, nor a human voice; only the horses tied and the donkeys tied, and the tents just as they were.'" - Since the lepers weren't allowed to enter the city, they had to call out "to the gatekeepers of the city." These lepers deserve recognition for their actions: First, when they realized they had nothing to lose, they stepped into the unknown and were rewarded beyond their dreams; and second, when they recognized that they had a moral obligation to share their good news with people in great need of help-people facing starvation, they returned to the city and made their report to the gatekeepers. They had done all they could do.
v. 11: "And the gatekeepers called and announced it inside the king's house." - They would have reported the news to servants in the king's household who would report the information to the king.
Read 2 Kings 7:12-14 - LET US SEND THEM AND SEE
12 Then the king got up in the night and said to his servants, "I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; so they have left the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.'" 13 One of his servants responded and said, "Please, have some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send them and see." 14 Therefore they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the army of the Arameans, saying, "Go and see." 15 They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away when they fled in a hurry. Then the messengers returned and informed the king.
v. 12: "Then the king got up in the night and said to his servants, "I will now tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry; so they have left the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, 'When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and get into the city.'" - There are two factors at play here: First, lepers were generally not considered to be trustworthy; and Second, Joram, the king of Israel was an ungodly and faithless man who always assumed the worst. His initial reaction is to think that the report is an Aramean trick-a ploy to get into the city and take the inhabitants as captives. He has completely disregarded Elisha's earlier prediction that the famine would end in one day.
v. 13: One of his servants responded and said, "Please, have some men take five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city. Behold, they will be in any case like all the multitude of Israel who are left in it; behold, they will be like all the multitude of Israel who have already perished, so let us send them and see." -Fortunately, one of the king's servants had the presence of mind and courage to make a suggestion: Let five men take the five remaining horses (presumably all the others had been eaten by this time) to go take a look at the Aramean camp. Like the lepers, they had reached the point where they had nothing to lose, other than the five men and the remaining horses.
v. 14: "Therefore they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the army of the Arameans, saying, "Go and see." - The king finally sees the light and authorizes men to take two chariots (requires two horses apiece) to go scout out the Aramean camp.
v. 15: "They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away when they fled in a hurry. Then the messengers returned and informed the king." -The king's scouting party found the Aramean camp exactly as the lepers described it-empty of people, with all the provisions, equipment, and animals left behind.
Read 2 Kings 7:16 - IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE WORD OF THE LORD
16 So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the LORD.
v. 16: Elisha's prophecy proved itself to be true down to the tiniest details, exactly "in accordance with the word of the LORD." Once again, God demonstrated the absolute trustworthiness of the prophetic word spoken by his prophet, Elisha. Their deliverance had been a gift from God.
APPLICATION-Paying attention to the Word of God
1. Heeding God's word is the way out of every imaginable challenge we might find ourselves faced with. As the people of God, we must heed the word of God. In our lesson, the people of Israel, from the king on down, had disregarded the word of God. Elisha said, "Listen to the word of the Lord"(v. 1a), and by that he meant not merely to hear it, but also to heed it, which mean to apply it and live it out in our lives accordingly.
2. When we live by faith in God's word, we will discover the blessings of believing. This won't happen unless we take God at His word, when we take hold of that word as the blueprint for how we live. God wants us to build our lives on the promises of His word. The storms of life surely come to us at some point because we live in a world filled with problems, challenges, and evil temptations. But a wise man or woman can be ready for these storms by having an anchor for the soul and a rock on which to stand, which is the word of God.
