2 Kings 7:5

And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians,...., The dusk of the evening, or the evening twilight, as appears from 2 Kings 7:9 , and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria; not the further part of it, but the edge or border of it nearest to them: behold, there was no man there; no sentinel or guard, which they expected, and to whom they would have surrendered themselves.

7:3-11 God can, when he pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. Providence ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians were fled. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. Natural humanity, and fear of punishment, are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others. From love to him, not from selfish feelings, they will gladly share their earthly good things with their brethren.

5 . in the twilight ] This must be evening twilight. For in verse 9 they blame themselves for tarrying until morning light, and it was in the night (verse 12) that Jehoram was roused by the news that the Syrian camp was vacated. to the uttermost [R.V. outermost ] part of the camp of Syria ] R.V. the Syrians . The portion meant is that which was nearest to them, but ‘uttermost’ has lost that sense now, and would be taken to signify the ‘farthest portion’. Hence the change here and in verse 8. The Hebrew word for Syria is Aram , which is used alike for the country and the people; and since it is rendered ‘Syrians’ in the first clause of this verse, and in other places of the chapter, there is no need why it should be otherwise translated here.

Verse 5. - And they rose up in the twilight. Most certainly in the evening twilight, as soon as the sun was down (see ver. 9). Had they set off in the daytime, the garrison would have shot at them from the walls. To go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part - i.e. the most advanced part, that which was nearest to Samaria - of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. The camp was empty, deserted. Not a soul was anywhere to be seen. 2 Kings 7:5

"Four men were before the gate as lepers," or at the gateway, separated from human society, according to the law in Leviticus 13:46 ; Numbers 5:3 , probably in a building erected for the purpose (cf. 2 Kings 15:5 ), just as at the present day the lepers at Jerusalem have their huts by the side of the Zion gate (vid., Strauss, Sinai u. Golgatha, p. 205, and Tobler, Denkbltter aus Jerus. p. 411ff.). These men being on the point of starvation, resolved to invade the camp of the Syrians, and carried out this resolution בּנּשׁף, in the evening twilight, not the morning twilight (Seb. Schm., Cler., etc.), on account of 2 Kings 7:12 , where the king is said to have received the news of the flight of the Syrians during the night. Coming to "the end of the Syrian camp," i.e., to the outskirts of it on the city side, they found no one there.

For ( 2 Kings 7:6 , 2 Kings 7:7 ) "the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and horses, a noise of a great army," so that, believing the king of Israel to have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to fall upon them, they fled from the camp in the twilight אל־נפשׁם, with regard to their life, i.e., to save their life only, leaving behind them their tents, horses, and asses, and the camp as it was. - The miracle, by which God delivered Samaria from the famine or from surrendering to the foe, consisted in an oral delusion, namely, in the fact that the besiegers thought they heard the march of hostile armies from the north and south, and were seized with such panic terror that they fled in the greatest haste, leaving behind them their baggage, and their beasts of draught and burden. It is impossible to decide whether the noise which they heard had any objective reality, say a miraculous buzzing in the air, or whether it was merely a deception of the senses produced in their ears by God; and this is a matter of no importance, since in either case it was produced miraculously by God. The kings of the Hittites are kings of northern Canaan, upon Lebanon and towards Phoenicia; חתּים in the broader sense for Canaanites, as in 1 Kings 10:29 . The plural, "kings of the Egyptians," is probably only occasioned by the parallel expression "kings of the Hittites," and is not to be pressed.

and till they do this, they cannot be true penitents; nor can they expect God's wrath to be averted till they feel themselves the chief of sinners. [ 2 Kings 7 ]2 KINGS 2KINGS 7: 1 Elisha said, “Hear the LORD’s word. Thus says the LORD, ‘Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’” Elisha foretells abundant relief to the besieged inhabitants of Samaria, 2Kgs 7:1. One of the lords questions the possibility of it; and is assured that he shall see it on the morrow, but not taste of it, 2Kgs 7:2. Four lepers, perishing with hunger, go to the camp of the Syrians to seek relief and find it totally deserted, 2Kgs 7:3-5. How the Syrians were alarmed, and fled, 2Kgs 7:6, 2Kgs 7:7. The lepers begin to take the spoil, but at last resolve to carry the good news to the city, 2Kgs 7:8-11. The king, suspecting some treachery, sends some horsemen to scour the country, and see whether the Syrians are not somewhere concealed; they return, and confirm the report that the Syrians are totally fled, 2Kgs 7:12-15. The people go out and spoil the camp, in consequence of which provisions become as plentiful as Elisha had foretold, 2Kgs 7:16. The unbelieving lord, having the charge of the gate committed to him, is trodden to death by the crowd, 2Kgs 7:17-20.