Empty Camp Four Lepers II Kings 7

II Kings 7:5 "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."

The situation is terrible for the besieged city of Israel. Food has run out. The Syrians are camped without with plenty to eat and are just waiting for the city to die so they can march in without resistance.

Four lepers are wandering out in the country side. They must scrounge for their existence for they cannot enter the city. In this case, they are better off. At least, they can look around for food unlike the people in the city.

It was not in God's plan to let the city die.

v6 "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."

The result was that the Syrians fled leaving all their positions behind. The tents were set up but no one was home. In fleeing, they dropped anything that slowed them down, so much was their terror.

The lepers took a few things and hid them but then decided thought they ought to tell the king so they went to the gate and passed the word that the Syrian camp was there but empty. The king thought it a trick and sent out the few horses they had left to check things out. They found garments strewn all the way to the Jordan River and so decided to go to the tents. They found such abundance that prices at the gate were very cheap which fulfilled the prophecy of Elisha in the first verse of the chapter.

v1 "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."

One of the kings men did not believe the prophecy and scoffed. Elisha told him he would see it fulfilled but would not partake of the food.

v20 "And so it fell out unto him; for the people trode upon him in the gate and he died."

The great nation of Israel is now divided between Judah (a light for David) and Israel which is made up of those not of Judah on this side of Jordan. The nation is weak and often attacked. The reason all this is happening is their rebellion against God and their worship of pagan gods.

I Kings 11 v11 "...I will rend it out of the hand of thy son." Speaking to Solomon who had forsaken the LORD. v14 "... I will not rend away all the kingdom..." v33 "Because that they have forsaken me and have worshipped Ashtoreth...Zidonians, Chemosh and Milcom...and have not walked in my ways..."

Judgment is a hard thing. Israel was brought from slavery and made a great nation to glorify God. They were not to be like other nations but special. I believe they have disappointed the LORD.

Psalm 87:1 "His foundation is in the holy mountains."

Key words: Bible Study, Gospel, Old Testament, Old Old Story, KJV, Kings, lepers, Syrians, Samaria. Samaria is besieged and God lets the Syrian army hear a multitude coming after them so they flee.