Lectionary Calendar
Monday, September 8th, 2025
the Week of Proper 18 / Ordinary 23
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

2 Kings 7:16

The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped overnight—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel— God 's word to the letter!

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Measure;   Prophecy;   Thompson Chain Reference - Spoils of War;   War;   War-Peace;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Samaria, Ancient;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Samaria;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Money;   Prophet, Prophetess, Prophecy;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Samaria;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Jehoram;   Samaria;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Barley;   Samaria ;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Elisha;   Samaria;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Eli'sha;   Weights and Measures;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Kingdom of Israel;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Food;   Measure;   Tent;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Food;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Then the people went out and plundered the Aramean camp. It was then that six quarts of fine flour sold for a half ounce of silver and twelve quarts of barley sold for a half ounce of silver, according to the word of the Lord.
Hebrew Names Version
The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Aram. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
King James Version
And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord .
English Standard Version
Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord .
New Century Version
Then the people went out and took valuables from the Aramean camp. So seven quarts of fine flour were sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver, and thirteen quarts of barley were sold for two-fifths of an ounce of silver, just as the Lord had said.
New English Translation
Then the people went out and looted the Syrian camp. A seah of finely milled flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, just as the Lord had said they would.
Amplified Bible
Then the people [of Israel] went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So [goods were so plentiful that] a measure of finely-milled flour [was sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the LORD [as spoken through Elisha].
New American Standard Bible
So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in accordance with the word of the LORD.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then the people went out and spoyled the campe of the Aramites: so a measure of fine floure was at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel according to the word of the Lorde.
Legacy Standard Bible
So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
Contemporary English Version
At once the people went to the Syrian camp and carried off what was left. They took so much that a large sack of flour and two large sacks of barley sold for almost nothing, just as the Lord had promised.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then the people went out and ransacked the camp of Aram — with the result that six quarts of fine flour was sold for only a shekel and half a bushel of barley for a shekel, in keeping with what Adonai had said.
Darby Translation
And the people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians; and the measure of fine flour was at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.
Easy-to-Read Version
Then the people ran out to the Aramean camp and took valuable things from there. So it happened just as the Lord had said. A person could buy a basket of fine flour or two baskets of barley for only one shekel.
George Lamsa Translation
And the people went out and plundered the camp of Aram. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
Good News Translation
The people of Samaria rushed out and looted the Syrian camp. And as the Lord had said, ten pounds of the best wheat or twenty pounds of barley were sold for one piece of silver.
Lexham English Bible
So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. A seah of wheat flour went for a shekel and two seahs of barley went for a shekel according to the word of Yahweh.
Literal Translation
And the people went out and plundered the Syrian camp. And it happened, a measure of fine flour sold at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, according to the Word of Jehovah.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
the people wente forth, and spoyled the tentes of the Syrians. And a bu?shel of fyne meell was solde for a Sycle, and two bu?shels of barlye for a Sycle also, acordinge to the worde of the LORDE.
American Standard Version
And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.
Bible in Basic English
Then the people went out and took the goods from the tents of the Aramaeans. So a measure of good meal was to be had for the price of a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, as the Lord had said.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And the people went out, and spoyled the tentes of the Syrians: And so it came to passe that a bushell of fyne flowre was solde for a sicle, and two bushelles of barlye for a sicle, according to the worde of the Lorde.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the people went out, and spoiled the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
King James Version (1611)
And the people went out, and spoiled the tents of the Syrians: So a measure of fine flowre was sold for a shekell, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the people went out, and plundered the camp of Syria: and a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord, and two measures of barley for a shekel.
English Revised Version
And the people went out, and spoiled the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
Berean Standard Bible
Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. It was then that a seah of fine flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And the puple yede out, and rauyschide the castels of Sirie; and a buyschel of flour was maad for o stater, and twei buyschels of barli for o stater, bi the word of the Lord.
Young's Literal Translation
And the people go out and spoil the camp of Aram, and there is a measure of fine flour at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.
Update Bible Version
And the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the people went out, and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
World English Bible
The people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour was [sold] for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
New King James Version
Then the people went out and plundered the tents of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
New Living Translation
Then the people of Samaria rushed out and plundered the Aramean camp. So it was true that six quarts of choice flour were sold that day for one piece of silver, and twelve quarts of barley grain were sold for one piece of silver, just as the Lord had promised.
New Life Bible
So the people went out and took what the Syrians had left. Then a basket of fine flour was sold for a piece of silver. And two baskets of barley sold for a piece of silver, just as the word of the Lord had said.
New Revised Standard
Then the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a measure of choice meal was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the Lord .
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then went the people forth and spoiled the camp of the Syrians, - and so there came to be - a measure of fine meal for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Yahweh.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the people going out, pillaged the camp of the Syrians: and a bushel of fine flour was sold for a stater, and two bushels of barley for a stater, according to the word of the Lord.
Revised Standard Version
Then the people went out, and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a measure of fine meal was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
So the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. Then a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

Contextual Overview

13 One of his advisors answered, "Let some men go and take five of the horses left behind. The worst that can happen is no worse than what could happen to the whole city. Let's send them and find out what's happened." 14 They took two chariots with horses. The king sent them after the army of Aram with the orders, "Scout them out; find out what happened." 15 They went after them all the way to the Jordan. The whole way was strewn with clothes and equipment that Aram had dumped in their panicked flight. The scouts came back and reported to the king. 16 The people then looted the camp of Aram. Food prices dropped overnight—a handful of meal for a shekel; two handfuls of grain for a shekel— God 's word to the letter! 17 The king ordered his attendant, the one he leaned on for support, to be in charge of the city gate. The people, turned into a mob, poured through the gate, trampling him to death. It was exactly what the Holy Man had said when the king had come to see him. 18Every word of the Holy Man to the king—"A handful of meal for a shekel, two handfuls of grain for a shekel this time tomorrow in the gate of Samaria," with the attendant's sarcastic reply to the Holy Man, "You expect us to believe that? Trapdoors opening in the sky and food tumbling out?" followed by the response, "You'll watch it with your own eyes, but you won't eat so much as a mouthful"—proved true. The final stroke came when the people trampled the man to death at the city gate.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

spoiled the tents: 1 Samuel 17:53, 2 Chronicles 14:12-15, 2 Chronicles 20:25, Job 27:16, Job 27:17, Psalms 68:12, Isaiah 33:1, Isaiah 33:4, Isaiah 33:23

according to: 2 Kings 7:1, Numbers 23:19, Isaiah 44:26, Matthew 24:35

Reciprocal: 2 Kings 4:42 - of barley 2 Kings 8:4 - all the great 2 Chronicles 14:14 - exceeding

Cross-References

Genesis 7:1
Next God said to Noah, "Now board the ship, you and all your family—out of everyone in this generation, you're the righteous one.
Genesis 7:2
"Take on board with you seven pairs of every clean animal, a male and a female; one pair of every unclean animal, a male and a female; and seven pairs of every kind of bird, a male and a female, to insure their survival on Earth. In just seven days I will dump rain on Earth for forty days and forty nights. I'll make a clean sweep of everything that I've made."
Genesis 7:5
Noah did everything God commanded him.
Matthew 25:10
"They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the people went out and spoiled the tents of the Syrians,.... Of their riches, and of their provisions; of which there was such a plenty, not only for present use, but for sale,

so that a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel, c.

according to the word of the Lord by Elisha, 2 Kings 7:1.


 
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