2 Kings 7:12
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.
And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
13 And one of his servants answered and said, Let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it: behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed:) and let us send and see.
14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.
Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.
Compare
- BSB
- So the king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving, so they have left the camp to hide in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and enter the city.’”
- KJV
- And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now shew you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we be hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
- WEB
- The king arose in the night, and said to his servants, “I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry. Therefore they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.’”
- ASV
- And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry; therefore are they gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall take them alive, and get into the city.
- DARBY
- And the king rose up in the night and said to his servants, Let me tell you what the Syrians have done to us. They know that we are hungry, and they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and get into the city.
- BLB
- And the king arose in the night and said to his servants, “Let me declare, please, to you⁺ what Aram has done to us. They know that we [are] hungry; and they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive and enter into the city.’”
- ÅB
- Da sto kongen opp om natten og sa til sine menn: Jeg skal si dere hva syrerne har gjort mot oss; de vet at vi lider hunger, derfor har de draget ut av leiren for å skjule seg på marken og tenker som så: Når de nå drar ut av byen, så griper vi dem levende, og så kan vi komme inn i byen.
- OTB
- Da sto kongen opp om natten og sa til sine tjenere, "Jeg vil nå fortelle dere hva arameerne har gjort mot oss. De vet at vi er sultne, så de har gått ut fra leiren for å gjemme seg i marken, og sier, 'Når de kommer ut av byen, vil vi fange dem levende og komme inn i byen.'"
- B1930
- Da stod kongen op om natten og sa til sine menn: Jeg skal si eder hvad syrerne har gjort mot oss; de vet at vi lider hunger, derfor har de draget ut av leiren for å skjule sig på marken og tenker som så: Når de nu drar ut av byen, så griper vi dem levende, og så kan vi komme inn i byen.
Study notes (Tyndale)
Original text and word study
Cross references
Joshua 8:4
And he commanded them, saying, Behold, ye shall lie in wait against the city, even behind the city: go not very far from the city, but be ye all ready:
Read in context2 Kings 6:25–29
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
Read in context