Elisha-The Arameans Ran Away, Scared

By Mary Vee
II Kings 7

From the King's Officer's Scrolls

Photo Courtesy

I went to the King's chambers with the report from the lepers. 

It was the middle of the night, yet he got up from his bed. He listened to the news and said, "I will tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know we are starving and have left the camp to hide in the countryside thinking, 'They will surely come out. When they do, We will take them alive and get into the city.'"

He had a good point. "I suggest we choose some men to take five of the horses that are left in the city and go to the camp. Their fate will be no different if they run into the Arameans. They will either die in the camp or die from starvation here. So let's send them to find out what has happened.

"I like your idea," the king said. "Do as you said."

We selected two chariots with their horses and four soldiers to go with me to the Aramean camp. As we prepared to leave the king said "Go and find out what has happened."

"Yes, my king."

We journeyed to the camp, as far as the Jordan, and found the whole road strewn with clothing, weapons, and equipment. We stepped down from the chariots and looked at the situation. "It looks like they were frightened off by something."

I picked up a few items to take back to the city to prove our findings. I hurried to the king's chambers and held up the few items I brought back. "The lepers have spoken the truth. The Armeans have abandoned their camp as if frightened and left everything: food, clothing, gold, silver, and weapons behind!"

It didn't take long for the news to travel throughout the city. The king put one of his officers in charge of the city gate. It was the same officer who told Elisha he didn't believe his message. 

I remember Elisha saying the officer would die because of his disrespectful words. Soon after the people heard the news they ran to the gate. They pushed the officer down trying to get out of the city. There he died. 

Men and women ran to the camp and emptied it of every morsel of food, every stitch of clothing, every piece of weapon, the animals, everything.

We heard a report later, what happened to the Arameans. The Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army. They said to one another "The King of Israel has hired the Hittite and Egyptian kings to attack us!" They got up and fled in the dusk, shortly before the lepers arrived, and ran for their lives."

Because of the Lord, we have food. Praise be to God.

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1. Did the king believe the message?
2. What did the officer suggest they do?
3. What did the five officers find at the camp?
4. What did the officer do right away?
5. What happened to the officer who did not believe Elisha?
6. What did God give the people of Samaria?
7. What had happened to the Aramean army?