TRV
Translation
King James Version
And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
KJV (with Strong's)
And when these lepers H6879 came H935 to the uttermost part H7097 of the camp H4264, they went H935 into one H259 tent H168, and did eat H398 and drink H8354, and carried H5375 thence silver H3701, and gold H2091, and raiment H899, and went H3212 and hid H2934 it; and came again H7725, and entered H935 into another H312 tent H168, and carried H5375 thence also, and went H3212 and hid H2934 it.
Complete Jewish Bible
When these men with tzara'at reached the outskirts of the camp, they entered one of the tents, ate and drank; then took some silver, gold and clothing; and went and hid it. Next they returned and entered another tent, took stuff from there, and went and hid it.
Berean Standard Bible
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, they entered another tent, carried off some items from there, and hid them.
American Standard Version
And when these lepers came to the outermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
World English Bible Messianic
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. Then they came back, and entered into another tent, and carried there also, and went and hid it.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And when these lepers came to the vtmost part of the campe, they entred into one tent, and did eate and drinke, and caryed thence siluer and golde, and raiment, and went and hid it: after they returned, and entred into another tent, and caryed thence also, and went and hid it.
Young's Literal Translation
And these lepers come in unto the extremity of the camp, and come in unto one tent, and eat, and drink, and lift up thence silver, and gold, and garments, and go and hide; and they turn back and go in unto another tent, and lift up thence, and go and hide.
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In the KJVVerse 9,716 of 31,102
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Commentary on 2 Kings 7 verses 3–11
3 ¶ And there were four leprous men at the entering in 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 unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
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.
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, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
7 Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
10 So they came and called unto 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 horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
11 And he called the porters; and they told it to the king's house within.
We are here told,
I. How the siege of Samaria was raised in the evening, at the edge of night (Kg2 7:6, Kg2 7:7), not by might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, striking terror upon the spirits of the besiegers. Here was not a sword drawn against them, not a drop of blood shed, it was not by thunder or hailstones that they were discomfited, nor were they slain, as Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem, by a destroying angel; but, 1. The Lord made them to hear a noise of chariots and horses. The Syrians that besieged Dothan had their sight imposed upon, Kg2 6:18. These had their hearing imposed upon. For God knows how to work upon every sense, pursuant to his own counsels as he makes the hearing ear and the seeing eye, so he makes the deaf and the blind, Exo 4:11. Whether the noise was really made in the air by the ministry of angels, or whether it was only a sound in their ears, is not certain; which soever it was, it was from God, who both brings the wind out of his treasures, and forms the spirit of man within him. The sight of horses and chariots had encouraged the prophet's servant, Kg2 6:17. The noise of horses and chariots terrified the hosts of Syria. For notices from the invisible world are either very comfortable or very dreadful, according as men are at peace with God or at war with him. 2. Hearing this noise, they concluded the king of Israel had certainly procured assistance from some foreign power: He has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians. There was, for aught we know but one king of Egypt, and what kings there were of the Hittites nobody can imagine; but, as they were imposed upon by that dreadful sound in their ears, so they imposed upon themselves by the interpretation they made of it. Had they supposed the king of Judah to have come with his forces, there would have been more of probability in their apprehensions than to dream of the kings of the Hittites and the Egyptians. If the fancies of any of them raised this spectre, yet their reasons might soon have laid it: how could the king of Israel, who was closely besieged, hold intelligence with those distant princes? What had he to hire them with? It was impossible but some notice would come, before, of the motions of so great a host; but there were they in great fear where no fear was. 3. Hereupon they all fled with incredible precipitation, as for their lives, left their camp as it was: even their horses, that might have hastened their flight, they could not stay to take with them, Kg2 7:7. None of them had so much sense as to send out scouts to discover the supposed enemy, much less courage enough to face the enemy, though fatigued with a long march. The wicked flee when none pursues. God can, when he pleases, dispirit the boldest and most brave, and make the stoutest heart to tremble. Those that will not fear God he can make to fear at the shaking of a leaf.
II. How the Syrians' flight was discovered by four leprous men. Samaria was delivered, and did not know it. The watchmen on the walls were not aware of the retreat of the enemy, so silently did they steal away. But Providence employed four lepers to be the intelligencers, who had their lodging without the gate, being excluded from the city, as ceremonially unclean: the Jews say they were Gehazi and his three sons; perhaps Gehazi might be one of them, which might cause him to be taken notice of afterwards by the king, Kg2 8:4. See here, 1. How these lepers reasoned themselves into a resolution to make a visit in the night to the camp of the Syrians, Kg2 7:3, Kg2 7:4. They were ready to perish for hunger; none passed through the gate to relieve them. Should they go into the city, there was nothing to be had there, they mist die in the streets; should they sit still, they must pine to death in their cottage. They therefore determine to go over to the enemy, and throw themselves upon their mercy: if they killed them, better die by the sword than by famine, one death than a thousand; but perhaps they would save them alive, as objects of compassion. Common prudence will put us upon that method which may better our condition, but cannot make it worse. The prodigal son resolves to return to his father, whose displeasure he had reason to fear, rather than perish with hunger in the far country. These lepers conclude, "If they kill us, we shall but die;" and happy they who, in another sense, can thus speak of dying. "We shall but die, that is the worst of it, not die and be damned, not be hurt of the second death." According to this resolution, they went, in the beginning of the night, to the camp of the Syrians, and, to their great surprise, found it wholly deserted, not a man to be seen or heard in it, Kg2 7:5. Providence ordered it, that these lepers came as soon as ever the Syrians had fled, for they fled in the twilight, the evening twilight (Kg2 7:7), and in the twilight the lepers came (Kg2 7:5), and so no time was lost. 2. How they reasoned themselves into a resolution to bring tidings of this to the city. They feasted in the first tent they came to (Kg2 7:8) and then began to think of enriching themselves with the plunder; but they corrected themselves (Kg2 7:9): "We do not well to conceal these good tidings from the community we are members of, under colour of being avenged upon them for excluding us from their society; it was the law that did it, not they, and therefore let us bring them the news. Though it awake them from sleep, it will be life from the dead to them." Their own consciences told them that some mischief would befal them if they acted separately, and sought themselves only. Selfish narrow-spirited people cannot expect to prosper; the most comfortable advantage is that which our brethren share with us in. According to this resolution, they returned to the gate, and acquainted the sentinel with what they had discovered (Kg2 7:10), who straightway brought the intelligence to court (Kg2 7:11), and it was not the less acceptable for being first brought by lepers.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 3–11. Public domain.
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Ephrem the SyrianAD 373
ON THE SECOND BOOK OF KINGS 7:3
Even though the four lepers are loathsome, if we symbolically recognize in them the fact that they announced goods for the inhabitants of their city, they do no wrong to the symbol but correctly represent the four holy Evangelists. Indeed, we must bear in mind that through their books the grace of our Savior and source of life Jesus Christ was known, and freedom was given to all people according to his divine plan. And so those whose flesh was leprous shone in their interior look with the splendor of their righteousness. In addition, they symbolically represent the first attitude of the apostles in the fact that leprosy had corrupted their skin. But they also represent them in the fact that their interior was adorned with righteous behavior because the old man has been transformed by the coming of the Holy Spirit and renewed. Therefore they have clothed themselves with the garment shining with the colors of heaven and have been sent to show the work of the hands of God.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Second Kings 7:8 captures the immediate and profoundly human reaction of four desperate lepers upon their discovery of the miraculously abandoned Aramean camp. Driven by the brink of starvation and facing certain death, they stumbled upon an overwhelming abundance of food, drink, and invaluable treasures. Their initial, instinctual response was one of self-preservation and personal acquisition, as they consumed the provisions and then repeatedly concealed silver, gold, and raiment, setting the stage for a critical moral turning point in the unfolding narrative of Samaria's divine deliverance.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The verse employs several significant literary devices that enrich its meaning and impact. Irony is profoundly present, as the most ritually unclean and socially outcast individuals are chosen by God to discover the deliverance for the entire city, thereby subverting human expectations of who God chooses to use. The deliberate Repetition of "went and hid [it]" serves to emphasize the lepers' initial, self-centered response to the sudden abundance, highlighting their preoccupation with personal gain before their conscience prompts them to consider the suffering city. There is a powerful Contrast established between the dire famine and cannibalism within Samaria and the overflowing abundance found in the deserted Aramean camp, underscoring the sheer magnitude of God's miraculous and unexpected provision. This initial act of hoarding also functions as Foreshadowing, setting up the moral dilemma and the subsequent realization that compels the lepers to share the good news with the starving city in the very next verse.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This verse profoundly illustrates God's sovereign and often unexpected methods of deliverance. It underscores that God's provision is not limited by human logic, social status, or conventional means; He can use the most marginalized and overlooked individuals to bring about His mighty purposes. The lepers' initial, instinctual response to hoard the blessings they discovered reflects a universal human tendency towards self-preservation and accumulation in the face of sudden prosperity, especially after experiencing extreme lack. However, this immediate reaction sets up a crucial theological tension: what is our responsibility when God blesses us abundantly, particularly when others are in desperate need? This narrative implicitly challenges believers to move beyond mere self-interest and consider the broader community, recognizing that divine blessings often come with a call to share, to serve, and to be conduits of God's generosity to a world in need.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The story of the lepers in 2 Kings 7:8 serves as a powerful mirror for our own lives, particularly in how we respond to God's unexpected blessings and provisions. When we experience a sudden breakthrough, a new opportunity, or a significant blessing, our initial, very human inclination might be to secure it for ourselves, to "eat and drink" and "hide" the newfound treasures. This verse acknowledges that natural impulse, often born from past deprivation, a sense of scarcity, or even simple self-preservation. However, it also subtly but powerfully challenges us to move beyond this initial self-interest. The lepers' subsequent realization (in 2 Kings 7:9) that their silence would be a sin highlights a profound spiritual principle: when God provides good news or abundance, especially in a world marked by suffering and desperate need, we have a moral and spiritual obligation to share it. Our blessings are not solely for our own consumption but are often given to us so that we might become channels of blessing to others, demonstrating God's boundless generosity and alleviating the distress of those around us.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why were the lepers the first to discover the abandoned camp?
Answer: The lepers were the first to discover the abandoned camp due to a unique confluence of their desperate circumstances and God's sovereign design. As outcasts, they were forced to live outside the city gates, positioning them directly in the path of the fleeing Aramean army. Their extreme hunger and impending death drove them to make the desperate decision to surrender to the enemy, which inadvertently led them directly to the deserted camp. Theologically, God frequently chooses the weak, the marginalized, and the unexpected to accomplish His greatest works, thereby demonstrating that salvation and deliverance are entirely by His power, not human strength, status, or conventional means (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).
What does "uttermost part of the camp" mean?
Answer: "Uttermost part of the camp" refers to the very edge or outskirts of the Aramean encampment. This detail suggests that the lepers approached cautiously, not immediately rushing into the heart of what they presumed was an active enemy camp. It highlights their initial fear and the sheer vastness of the abandoned provisions, as they discovered the abundance even before fully entering the main area of the camp, emphasizing the miraculous extent of the Arameans' panicked flight.
Why did they hide the treasures instead of immediately bringing them back to Samaria?
Answer: Their initial act of hiding the silver, gold, and raiment was a natural, albeit self-centered, human response to sudden and overwhelming fortune after prolonged and severe deprivation. Having faced starvation and imminent death, their immediate instinct was self-preservation and securing personal wealth. They were likely still in shock, fearful, and focused on their own survival and potential future security. This initial hoarding sets up the moral tension that leads to their profound realization in 2 Kings 7:9 that it was wrong to keep such good news and abundance to themselves while their city suffered.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of the lepers discovering the abandoned camp and the subsequent salvation of Samaria finds profound Christ-centered fulfillment. Just as the four lepers, the most despised and outcast of society, were chosen by God to be the first bearers of good news and the instruments of deliverance for a starving city, so too did Christ identify with the marginalized and outcast, bringing the ultimate good news. Jesus, the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, became "unclean" for us, bearing our sins and diseases, that we might be made clean. He came to a world starving for truth, righteousness, and life, offering an abundance far greater than any physical provision—He is the bread of life and offers living water to all who thirst. The hidden treasures discovered by the lepers foreshadow the immeasurable riches found in Christ, who offers spiritual silver, gold, and raiment (His righteousness and salvation) to all who believe (Ephesians 1:7-8). Furthermore, the lepers' eventual decision to share the good news with Samaria prefigures the Great Commission. Believers, once spiritually "starving" and "outcast" by sin, have found abundant life in Christ (John 10:10) and are now called to not hoard this ultimate good news but to proclaim it to a world still perishing in its spiritual famine (Matthew 28:19-20; Acts 1:8).