וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלִישָׁע שִׁמְעוּ דְּבַר־ה' כֹּה אָמַר ה' כָּעֵת מָחָר סְאָה סֹלֶת בְּשֶׁקֶל וְסָאתַיִם שְׂעֹרִים בְּשֶׁקֶל בְּשַׁעַר שֹׁמְרוֹן

However, while the messenger was detained at the door and the king was arriving at the house, Elisha prophesied. Elisha said: Hear the word of the Lord. So said the Lord: At this time tomorrow, in exactly twenty-four hours from now, one se’a, a unit of volume slightly larger than 21 L, of high-quality wheat flour will be sold for one shekel and two se’a of barley will be sold for one shekel at the gate of Samaria. Whereas in the city’s current besieged state the head of a donkey and dove’s dung were very expensive, Elisha foresaw that such a great miracle would occur on the very next day that even the price of good produce in the starving city would be remarkably low.

וַיַּעַן הַשָּׁלִישׁ אֲשֶׁר לַמֶּלֶךְ נִשְׁעָן עַל־יָדוֹ אֶת־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמַר הִנֵּה ה' עֹשֶׂה אֲרֻבּוֹת בַּשָּׁמַיִם הֲיִהְיֶה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְּכָה רֹאֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם לֹא תֹאכֵל

The official on whose arm the king leaned, the king’s personal attendant, or perhaps a military officer, answered the man of God and said: Behold, in order for this to occur, the Lord would have to make windows in the heavens and bring down produce through them, but would this thing really happen? He, Elisha, said to him prophetically: Behold, you will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat from it. You will witness the miracle, but you will not benefit from it.

וְאַרְבָּעָה אֲנָשִׁים הָיוּ מְצֹרָעִים פֶּתַח הַשָּׁעַר וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ מָה אֲנַחְנוּ יֹשְׁבִים פֹּה עַד־מָתְנוּ

There were at the time four men who were lepers sitting at the entrance of the city gate. The enemy had not harmed these lepers who were outside the city. Perhaps they had no interest in them, or they might have been afraid to approach them due to their condition. In any case, nobody paid attention to or provided for them. They said to one another: Why are we sitting here until we die?

אִם־אָמַרְנוּ נָבוֹא הָעִיר וְהָרָעָב בָּעִיר וָמַתְנוּ שָׁם וְאִם־יָשַׁבְנוּ פֹה וָמָתְנוּ וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנִפְּלָה אֶל־מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם אִם־יְחַיֻּנוּ נִחְיֶה וְאִם־יְמִיתֻנוּ וָמָתְנוּ

If we say: Let us enter the city; if we decide to go into the city, assuming that they let us inside, there is heavy famine in the city, and we will die there; but if we sit here, outside the city walls, we will also die, as we have no food. Now let us go and fall upon the camp of Aram; if they have pity on us and let us live, perhaps they will give us a little food and we will live, and if they put us to death, we will die.

וַיָּקוּמוּ בַנֶּשֶׁף לָבוֹא אֶל־מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד־קְצֵה מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵין־שָׁם אִישׁ

They arose in the twilight to go to the camp of Aram. They came to the edge of the camp of Aram, and behold, no one was there. The tents were still standing, but they were unoccupied.

וַאדֹנָי הִשְׁמִיעַ אֶת מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם קוֹל רֶכֶב קוֹל סוּס קוֹל חַיִל גָּדוֹל וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־אָחִיו הִנֵּה שָׂכַר־עָלֵינוּ מֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־מַלְכֵי הַחִתִּים וְאֶת־מַלְכֵי מִצְרַיִם לָבוֹא עָלֵינוּ

The verse explains why the Aramean camp was deserted: The Lord had sounded to the camp of Aram the sound of chariots, the sound of horses, the sound of a great army, and they therefore thought that a large army was approaching. They had said to one another: Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hitites, small kingdoms that arose following the collapse of the Hitite empire to the north of Israel, and the kings of Upper and Lower Egypt, south of Israel, to come upon us. We are unprepared to defend ourselves against such a massive attack.

וַיָּקוּמוּ וַיָּנוּסוּ בַנֶּשֶׁף וַיַּעַזְבוּ אֶת־אָהֳלֵיהֶם וְאֶת־סוּסֵיהֶם וְאֶת־חֲמֹרֵיהֶם הַמַּחֲנֶה כַּאֲשֶׁר־הִיא וַיָּנֻסוּ אֶל נַפְשָׁם

They had risen and fled in the twilight before their supposed attackers could reach them, and they had abandoned their tents, their horses, and their donkeys; the camp was left just as it was when the Aramean forces had been occupying it, and they had fled for their lives.

וַיָּבֹאוּ הַמְצֹרָעִים הָאֵלֶּה עַד־קְצֵה הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־אֹהֶל אֶחָד וַיֹּאכְלוּ וַיִּשְׁתּוּ וַיִּשְׂאוּ מִשָּׁם כֶּסֶף וְזָהָב וּבְגָדִים וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּטְמִנוּ וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־אֹהֶל אַחֵר וַיִּשְׂאוּ מִשָּׁם וַיֵּלְכוּ וַיַּטְמִנוּ

These lepers, who knew nothing of the Arameans’ sudden retreat, came to the edge of the abandoned camp; they entered one tent and ate and drank from the food and drink that had been left there, as the Arameans had fled in such haste that they did not take any provisions with them. And they carried away from there silver, gold, and garments, and went and hid them. They came back and entered another tent, and again they carried away the loot they found from there and went and hid it. Since the entire camp was devoid of human life, they could enter and plunder any tent they chose.

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אִישׁ אֶל־רֵעֵהוּ לֹא־כֵן אֲנַחְנוּ עֹשִׂים הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יוֹם בְשֹׂרָה הוּא וַאֲנַחְנוּ מַחְשִׁים וְחִכִּינוּ עַד־אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר וּמְצָאָנוּ עָווֹן וְעַתָּה לְכוּ וְנָבֹאָה וְנַגִּידָה בֵית הַמֶּלֶךְ

Then they said to one another: What we are doing is not right. This day is rightfully a day of good tidings for the besieged people, and we are silent, either due to laziness or because we wish to take more spoil for ourselves. If we wait until the morning light, when it is more convenient to go to the city to announce the good news, iniquity will be upon us, as our delay will be considered a sin. Now, let us set forth before sunrise and report to the king’s palace, the upper echelon of command, of this great deliverance.

וַיָּבֹאוּ וַיִּקְרְאוּ אֶל־שֹׁעֵר הָעִיר וַיַּגִּידוּ לָהֶם לֵאמֹר בָּאנוּ אֶל־מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם וְהִנֵּה אֵין־שָׁם אִישׁ וְקוֹל אָדָם כִּי אִם־הַסּוּס אָסוּר וְהַחֲמוֹר אָסוּר וְאֹהָלִים כַּאֲשֶׁר־הֵמָּה

They came to the city gates, called to the gatekeepers of the city, and told them, saying: We came to the camp of Aram, and behold, there was neither a man nor the sound of a person there; only the horses are there, tethered in their place, and the donkeys are tethered in their place, and the tents are filled as they were with all their possessions.

וַיִּקְרָא הַשֹּׁעֲרִים וַיַּגִּידוּ בֵּית הַמֶּלֶךְ פְּנִימָה

The guards of the city gate called to the gatemen of the king’s palace, and they reported this news to the king’s palace.

וַיָּקָם הַמֶּלֶךְ לַיְלָה וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־עֲבָדָיו אַגִּידָה־נָּא לָכֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר־עָשׂוּ לָנוּ אֲרָם יָדְעוּ כִּי־רְעֵבִים אֲנַחְנוּ וַיֵּצְאוּ מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה לְהֵחָבֵה בַשָּׂדֶה לֵאמֹר כִּי־יֵצְאוּ מִן־הָעִיר וְנִתְפְּשֵׂם חַיִּים וְאֶל־הָעִיר נָבֹא

The king arose at night, and he said to his servants: I will tell you now what Aram has done to us. They know that we are hungry due to the siege, and they departed the camp to hide in the nearby field, saying: When they come out from the city to find food due to their starvation, they will be left exposed and unprotected, and we will seize them alive, and we will come into the city and take control of it.

וַיַּעַן אֶחָד מֵעֲבָדָיו וַיֹּאמֶר וְיִקְחוּ־נָא חֲמִשָּׁה מִן־הַסּוּסִים הַנִּשְׁאָרִים אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ הִנָּם כְּכָל־הֲמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁאֲרוּ־בָהּ הִנָּם כְּכָל־הֲמוֹן יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר־תָּמּוּ וְנִשְׁלְחָה וְנִרְאֶה

One of his servants answered and said: Please, let five of the remaining horses that remain in it, the city, be taken. Although animals are generally the first to die in a siege, a few horses were kept alive for the army’s chariots, so long as the city had not surrendered. They, these horses and their riders, are like the entire multitude of Israel that remains in it. The situation of the horses and riders is akin to the imperiled state of the besieged residents of the city. If it turns out that the Arameans have tricked us and this is an ambush, it will have been worth the risk of sending them, as they, the horses and riders, are in any case in extreme danger of becoming like the entire multitude of Israel that has perished from hunger. Therefore, let us send them and see; at least we will then know the true situation.

וַיִּקְחוּ שְׁנֵי רֶכֶב סוּסִים וַיִּשְׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ אַחֲרֵי מַחֲנֵה־אֲרָם לֵאמֹר לְכוּ וּרְאוּ

They took two horse-drawn chariots, not even five horses, as was suggested, as two chariots would be drawn by at most four horses, and the king sent after the camp of Aram, saying: Go and see where the Arameans have gone.

וַיֵּלְכוּ אַחֲרֵיהֶם עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְהִנֵּה כָל־הַדֶּרֶךְ מְלֵאָה בְגָדִים וְכֵלִים אֲשֶׁר־הִשְׁלִיכוּ אֲרָם בְּחָפְזָם וַיָּשֻׁבוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים וַיַּגִּדוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ

They went after them until the Jordan, as in their rush to reach their own land, the Aramean soldiers had crossed the Jordan River; and behold, the whole way was filled with garments and vessels that Aram had cast away in their panicked haste. In their terror, they had discarded anything that might slow down their flight. The messengers returned and reported to the king that the Arameans had indeed fled.

וַיֵּצֵא הָעָם וַיָּבֹזּוּ אֵת מַחֲנֵה אֲרָם וַיְהִי סְאָה סֹלֶת בְּשֶׁקֶל וְסָאתַיִם שְׂעֹרִים בְּשֶׁקֶל כִּדְבַר ה'

The people came out of the city and looted the camp of Aram, which contained an abundance of food. A se’a of high-quality flour was sold for a shekel and two se’a of barley were sold for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the Lord. The Aramean camp was very large, while Samaria was not an especially large city. The sudden arrival of so much food led to a sharp decrease in prices.

וְהַמֶּלֶךְ הִפְקִיד אֶת־הַשָּׁלִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־נִשְׁעָן עַל־יָדוֹ עַל־הַשַּׁעַר וַיִּרְמְסֻהוּ הָעָם בַּשַּׁעַר וַיָּמֹת כַּאֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר בְּרֶדֶת הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלָיו

The king appointed the official on whose arm he leaned to be in charge of the gate, to stand at the gate and prevent excessive tumult when the ravenous people all rushed to seize the enemy’s food. The captain was unarmed, as he assumed that he could control the people merely through his position of authority. And as they raced out, the starving people trampled him at the gate and he died, as the man of God had spoken, who spoke when the king came down to him.

וַיְהִי כְּדַבֵּר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל־הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵאמֹר סָאתַיִם שְׂעֹרִים בְּשֶׁקֶל וּסְאָה־סֹלֶת בְּשֶׁקֶל יִהְיֶה כָּעֵת מָחָר בְּשַׁעַר שֹׁמְרוֹן

It was as the man of God had spoken in his prophecy to the king the day before, saying: Two se’a of barley will be sold for a shekel, and a se’a of high-quality flour will be sold for a shekel, at this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria.

וַיַּעַן הַשָּׁלִישׁ אֶת־אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיֹּאמַר וְהִנֵּה ה' עֹשֶׂה אֲרֻבּוֹת בַּשָּׁמַיִם הֲיִהְיֶה כַּדָּבָר הַזֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר הִנְּךָ רֹאֶה בְּעֵינֶיךָ וּמִשָּׁם לֹא תֹאכֵל

The official answered the man of God and said: Behold, the Lord would have to make windows in the heavens; would this thing happen? He, the prophet, said to him at that time: Behold, you will see it with your eyes, but you will not eat from there.

וַיְהִי־לוֹ כֵּן וַיִּרְמְסוּ אֹתוֹ הָעָם בַּשַּׁעַר וַיָּמֹת

It was so for him, and the people trampled him at the gate and he died. He saw that food prices had plummeted, but he was unable to eat, as he was appointed to stand guard at the gate, where he was killed.