2 Kings 7:16
in 2 Kings 7Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. It was then that a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And 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 Jehovah.
KJV
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.
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This verse in 2 Kings 7
Commentary
4 notes on this verseGod's promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground. The death of the unbelieving courtier, that questioned the truth of Elisha's word. Divine threatenings will as surely be accomplished as divine promises.
This site's exposition
the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans
The market answers Elisha's word exactly: “a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel”. The text names “according to the word of the LORD”, the formula Kings uses whenever a word and its outcome are set side by side.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
"The Lord brings to nothing the counsels of nations, and he rejects the devices of people." … If you will read the things in each history that God did to the faithless nations, you will find that the statement has much force even according to our corporal intelligence.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians,.... Of their riches, and of their provisions; of which there was such a plenty, not only for present use, but for sale: so that a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, &c. according to the word of the Lord; by Elisha, 2Ki 7:1.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֵּצֵ֣א | vaiyetze' | and it went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיָּבֹ֕זּוּ | vaiyavozu | and they plundered | H962 → | |
| אֵ֖ת | ʾet | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַחֲנֵ֣ה | machaneh | [the] camp of | H4264 → | 215 times |
| אֲרָ֑ם | ʾaram | Aram | H758 → | 143 times |
| וַיְהִ֨י | vayhi | and it was | H1961 → | 3559 times |
| סְאָה־ | seah- | a seah of | H5429 → | 9 times |
| סֹ֜לֶת | solet | fine flour | H5560 → | 53 times |
| בְּשֶׁ֗קֶל | beshekel | for a shekel | H8255 → | 88 times |
| וְסָאתַ֧יִם | vesatayim | and two seahs | H5429 → | 9 times |
| שְׂעֹרִ֛ים | seorim | barley<s> | H8184 → | 34 times |
| בְּשֶׁ֖קֶל | beshekel | for a shekel | H8255 → | 88 times |
| כִּדְבַ֥ר | kidvar | according to [the] word of | H1697 → | 1440 times |
| יְהוָֽה׃ | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיֵּצֵ֣אand it went out
vaiyetze'H3318 →1067 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַיָּבֹ֕זּוּand they plundered
vaiyavozuH962 →
אֵ֖ת<obj.>
ʾetH853 →10935 times
מַחֲנֵ֣ה[the] camp of
machanehH4264 →215 times
אֲרָ֑םAram
ʾaramH758 →143 times
וַיְהִ֨יand it was
vayhiH1961 →3559 times
סְאָה־a seah of
seah-H5429 →9 times
סֹ֜לֶתfine flour
soletH5560 →53 times
בְּשֶׁ֗קֶלfor a shekel
beshekelH8255 →88 times
וְסָאתַ֧יִםand two seahs
vesatayimH5429 →9 times
שְׂעֹרִ֛יםbarley<s>
seorimH8184 →34 times
בְּשֶׁ֖קֶלfor a shekel
beshekelH8255 →88 times
כִּדְבַ֥רaccording to [the] word of
kidvarH1697 →1440 times
יְהוָֽה׃Yahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Kings 7:1Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the LORD says: ‘About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel,…
it leads to
- Joshua 3:5
Then Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”
- Exodus 16:12
“I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the…
- Ezekiel 37:4
And He said to me, “Prophesy concerning these bones and tell them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD!
- 1 Samuel 11:9
So they said to the messengers who had come, “Tell the men of Jabesh-gilead: ‘Deliverance will be yours tomorrow by the time the sun is hot.’” And when the messengers relayed this to the…
- Exodus 14:13
But Moses told the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the LORD’s salvation, which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never…
- Joshua 3:5
Through
Psalms 68:12“Kings and their armies flee in haste; she who waits at home divides the plunder.
it leads to
- Joshua 10:16
Now the five kings had fled and hidden in the cave at Makkedah.
- Judges 5:19
Kings came and fought; then the kings of Canaan fought at Taanach by the waters of Megiddo, but they took no plunder of silver.
- Joshua 10:16
Through
Isaiah 33:23Your ropes are slack; they cannot secure the mast or spread the sail. Then an abundance of spoils will be divided, and even the lame will carry off plunder.
it leads to
- 2 Kings 7:8
When the lepers reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they carried off the silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. On returning,…
- 2 Kings 7:8
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About 2 Kings
This page draws on Basil of Caesarea, HOMILIES ON THE PSALMS 15.(PS 32); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.