II Kings 7:16 · Bible study
2 Kings 7:16 Commentary: Prophecy Fulfilled, Prices Restored
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
This verse shows the exact fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy, proving God's word is trustworthy even when circumstances seem impossible.
Research Summary
- Meaning: The literal fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy demonstrates that God's word is reliable and brings restoration after judgment.
- Key words: seah (a measure of volume), shekel (a weight of money), and “according to the word of Yahweh”, the phrase that ties the event back to the source.
- Main debate: None among supplied commentators; all read the passage as a historical account of prophecy fulfilled.
- Theological theme: The faithfulness of God to his promises, even when human circumstances contradict them.
- Best use: A clear example for teaching the reliability of Scripture and encouraging faith in God's specific promises during times of scarcity.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
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.
WEB World English Bible 2000
The people went out and plundered the camp of the Syrians. So a seah of fine flour was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to Yahweh’s word.
KJV King James Version 1769
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.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
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.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
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.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
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.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
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.
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces el pueblo salió, y saquearon el campo de los Siros. Y fué vendido un seah de flor de harina por un siclo, y dos seah de cebada por un siclo, conforme á la palabra de Jehová.
Então o povo saiu, e saquearam o campo dos sírios. E foram vendidos uma medida de flor de farinha por um siclo, e duas medidas de cevada por um siclo, conforme a palavra do SENHOR.
Le peuple sortit, et pilla le camp des Syriens. Et l’ on eut une mesure de fleur de farine pour un sicle et deux mesures d’ orge pour un sicle, selon la parole de l’ Éternel.
ging das Volk hinaus und beraubte das Lager der Syrer. Und es galt ein Scheffel Semmelmehl einen Silberling und zwei Scheffel Gerste auch einen Silberling nach dem Wort des HERRN.
Toen ging het volk uit, en beroofde het leger der Syriers; en een maat meelbloem werd verkocht voor een sikkel, en twee maten gerst voor een sikkel, naar het woord des HEEREN.
Allora il popolo uscì fuori, e saccheggiò il campo dei Siri; e una misura di fior di farina si ebbe per un siclo e due misure d’orzo per un siclo, secondo la parola dell’Eterno.
Przeto wyszedłszy lud, rozchwycił obóz Syryjski; a była miara pszennej mąki za sykiel, a dwie miary jęczmienia za sykiel, według słowa Pańskiego.
И вышел народ, и разграбил стан Сирийский, и была мера муки лучшей по сиклю, и две меры ячменя по сиклю, по слову Господню.
眾人 就出去，擄掠 亞蘭人 的營盤。於是 一細亞 細麵 賣銀一舍客勒，二細亞 大麥 也賣銀一舍客勒，正如耶和華 所說的。
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.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · II Kings 7:16
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators across traditions agree that this verse records the precise fulfillment of the prophecy Elisha delivered in II Kings 7:1. The people of Samaria, after months of starvation, pour out of the city and plunder the abandoned Syrian camp. The prices, a seah of fine flour for a shekel, two seahs of barley for a shekel, match exactly what Elisha had announced ‘according to the word of the Lord.’ The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges notes that the whole population went out, encouraged by the news of the camp's emptiness. Keil & Delitzsch emphasize that the historian found this fulfillment so striking that he repeats the prophecy in verses 18, 20, underscoring that God's word is not idle. Matthew Henry points to the contrast between the king's suspicion (v.12) and the tangible result. Every commentator sees this verse as a straightforward demonstration: what God says, he does.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: The verse asserts that the prices were sold exactly as Elisha had prophesied, confirming the reliability of God's word.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability of the prophetic word | All traditions see this verse as a historical record of prophecy being fulfilled exactly, confirming that God's word is trustworthy. | No notable debate; the passage is uniformly interpreted as a direct fulfillment. |
| Judgment on unbelief | The captain's death (v.17, 20) is understood as divine judgment for his dismissal of Elisha's prophecy. | Some may question the severity, but all agree the narrative presents it as a just consequence of despising God's word. |
| Means of deliverance (the lepers) | The lepers' role (vv.3, 8) is accepted as the human agency God used to bring the news, showing he works through lowly instruments. | No significant debate; the lepers are seen as a narrative device highlighting God's unexpected ways. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The city of Samaria had been under siege by the Syrian army. The famine inside the walls was so severe that the king himself feared a trap when news came of the enemy's disappearance (v.12). After scouts confirmed the camp was abandoned, the starving people rushed out and plundered it. The sudden abundance drove prices down to the exact figures Elisha had named in 7:1. This dramatic reversal, from siege to supply, happened ‘according to the word of the Lord.’ The historian underscores the point by repeating the prophecy in v.18, 20 alongside the captain's death, framing the entire episode as a demonstration of God's faithfulness to his spoken word. The captain had mocked the prophecy, saying not even windows in heaven could produce such a turnaround. His death while guarding the gate, trampled by the very people who rushed to receive the provision, serves as a grim counterpart: unbelief does not nullify God's word, it only deprives the doubter of enjoying it.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Hebrew manuscripts concur on the key terms, including the measurements (seah/shekel) and the formula “according to the word of the Lord.” Translations differ in how they render the ancient units (e.g., ‘measure’ for seah), but the underlying text is stable.
Reception History
Throughout church history, this passage has been referenced to illustrate the certainty of prophecy. The Geneva Bible Notes (1599) simply repeat the verse, underscoring its plain meaning. Matthew Henry’s devotional commentary draws out the lesson that God’s word can be trusted even when circumstances argue otherwise. Across Catholic, Protestant, and Orthodox traditions, the verse is used to teach that God keeps his promises to the letter. The contrast between the fulfilling of the word and the captain’s death has also served as a warning against scoffing at divine promises.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- Desperate times meet a specific promise. The famine had reduced the city to its lowest point, but God had already spoken through Elisha.
- God’s word is fulfilled with exact precision. The prices, a seah of fine flour and two seahs of barley, were not approximate. They matched the prophecy to the letter.
- Unbelief is confronted, but the word stands. The captain who doubted saw the provision with his own eyes yet died without tasting it.
Five-point outline
- The setting: a siege that brought hopelessness and hunger.
- The prophecy: an impossible promise of abundance within twenty-four hours.
- The means: an unexpected report that the enemy had fled.
- The response: from suspicion to celebration as the people plundered the camp.
- The result: God’s word vindicated, the doubter silenced.
Illustration hooks
- A family in debt receives an unexpected check for the exact amount of a looming bill.
- A farmer whose crop was destroyed gets a surprise gift of grain from a neighbour, enough to feed his animals through winter.
- A church that feared it would have to cancel a building project is donated materials at just the right time.
Questions your congregation is asking
- When has a promise from God seemed too good to be true, only to come true later?
- Why do we sometimes hesitate to share good news, like the scouts who first went out?
- What does it mean to ‘see with your eyes but not eat’, and how can we avoid that outcome?
Leading a Discussion
This passage asks us: when everything around us contradicts God’s promises, can we still believe he will keep them? The people of Samaria were trapped, literally, between a siege and starvation. Yet in one day the situation reversed completely, and the prices in the market matched the prophet’s words exactly.
Discussion questions
- What was the condition of Samaria before this moment? Use clues from v.12 and the surrounding story.
- How did the people respond when they heard the camp was empty? Why did the king react with suspicion?
- What do the specific prices, seah of flour, two seahs of barley at a shekel each, tell us about the nature of God’s word?
- The captain who doubted the prophecy died at the gate (v.17, 20). How does his fate connect to the theme of belief?
- Why do you think the historian repeats the prophecy word for word in v.18, 20?
- In what area of your life do you find it hardest to trust that God will keep a specific promise?
- How can this story encourage us to share good news with others, even when we feel ill-equipped to do so?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| Numbers 23:19 | God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should repent. Has he said, and he won’t do it? Or has he spoken, and he won’t make it good? |
| I Samuel 17:53 | The children of Israel returned from chasing after the Philistines, and they plundered their camp. |
| II Kings 7:1 | Elisha said, “Hear Yahweh’s word. Yahweh says, ‘Tomorrow about this time a seah of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.’” |
| II Chronicles 14:12 | So Yahweh struck the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah; and the Ethiopians fled. |
| II Chronicles 14:15 | They also struck the tents of those who had livestock, and carried away sheep and camels in abundance, then returned to Jerusalem. |
| II Chronicles 20:25 | When Jehoshaphat and his people came to take their plunder, they found among them in abundance both riches and dead bodies with precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away. They took plunder for three days, it was so much. |
| Job 27:16 | Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare clothing as the clay; |
| Job 27:17 | he may prepare it, but the just will put it on, and the innocent will divide the silver. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
5 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The people rushed out of Samaria in great numbers when they heard the camp was empty, eager for food and plunder. The commentator highlights that this entire event fulfilled the precise word of the Lord spoken through Elisha, who had earlier called his announcement "the word of the Lord."
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
The Geneva note highlights the precise fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy: the sudden abundance of food at the previously inflated price proved God's word was true. The famine ended exactly as the prophet had declared, confirming that divine promises are certain even when circumstances seem impossible.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill notes that the plundering of the Syrian camp fulfilled Elisha's prophecy with stunning abundance. The spoils were so vast that not only did the people have plenty for themselves, but they also sold the surplus, driving prices down exactly as the prophet had foretold.
Keil & Delitzsch OT Commentary Protestant 1876
Keil-Delitzsch emphasize the precise fulfillment of Elisha’s prediction, noting that the royal aide appointed to keep order at the gate was trampled by the rushing crowd. The historian considered this exact outcome so remarkable that he deliberately repeated the prophecy alongside the event to underscore its complete accuracy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry contrasts the king's fearful suspicion and the lord's proud disbelief with the plain fulfillment of God's promise. The lord saw the abundance with his own eyes but died without tasting any of it, a sobering reminder that seeing God's word come true is not the same as believing it.