서론
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영문 원문
Relief is here brought to Samaria and her king, when the case is, in a manner, desperate, and the king despairing. I. It is foretold by Elisha, and an unbelieving lord shut out from the benefit of it, 2Ki 7:1,2. II. It is brought about, 1. By an unaccountable fright into which God put the Syrians (2Ki 7:6), which caused them to retire precipitately, 2Ki 7:7. 2. By the seasonable discovery which four lepers made of this (2Ki 7:3-5), and the account which they gave of it to the court, 2Ki 7:8-11. 3. By the cautious trial which the king made of the truth of it, 2Ki 7:12-15. III. The event answered the prediction both in the sudden plenty (2Ki 7:16), and the death of the unbelieving lord (2Ki 7:17-20); for no word of God shall fall to the ground.
1-2
Elisha Foretells the Relief of Samaria (891 BC)
エリシャ、サマリヤの救済を予告する（紀元前891年）
¹ するとエリシャは言った、「主のことばを聞きなさい。主はこう仰せられる。あすの今ごろ、サマリヤの門で、細い小麦粉一メアは一シェケルで、大麦二メアは一シェケルで売られるであろう」と。
ここにはエリシャの言葉の確実性と力とが見られる。1. 確実性。「あすの今ごろ」。神は、ご自身の民の救済の時を正確に知っておられ、それを定められた。2. 力。「主のことばを聞きなさい」。彼はしるしを与えたのではなく、みことばを与えたのであり、これこそ信仰の確固たる基盤である。
영문 원문
Elisha Foretells the Relief of Samaria (891 BC)
¹ Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.
² Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
Here, I. Elisha foretels that, notwithstanding the great straits to which the city of Samaria is reduced, yet within twenty-four hours they shall have plenty, 2Ki 7:1. The king of Israel despaired of it and grew weary of waiting: then Elisha foretold it, when things were at the worst. Man's extremity is God's opportunity of magnifying his own power; his time to appear for his people is when their strength is gone, De 32:36. When they had given over expecting help it came. When the son of man comes shall he find faith on the earth? Lu 18:8. The king said, What shall I wait for the Lord any longer? And perhaps some of the elders were ready to say the same: "Well," said Elisha, "you hear what these say; now hear you the word of the Lord, hear what he says, hear it and heed it and believe it: to-morrow corn shall be sold at the usual rate in the gate of Samaria;" that is, the siege shall be raised, for the gate of the city shall be opened, and the market shall be held there as formerly. The return of peace is thus expressed (Jdg 5:11), Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates, to buy and sell there. 2. The consequence of that shall be great plenty. This would, in time, follow of course, but that corn should be thus cheap in so short a time was quite beyond what could be thought of. Though the king of Israel had just now threatened Elisha's life, God promises to save his life and the life of his people; for where sin abounded grace doth much more abound.
II. A peer of Israel that happened to be present openly declared his disbelief of this prediction, 2Ki 7:2. He was a courtier whom the king had an affection for, as the man of his right hand, on whom he leaned, that is, on whose prudence he much relied, and in whom he reposed much confidence. He thought it impossible, unless God should rain corn out of the clouds, as once he did manna; no less than the repetition of Moses's miracle will serve him, though that of Elijah might have served to answer this intention, the increasing of the meal in the barrel.
III. The just doom passed upon him for his infidelity, that he should see this great plenty for this conviction, and yet not eat of it to his comfort. Note, Unbelief is a sin by which men greatly dishonour and displease God, and deprive themselves of the favours he designed for them. The murmuring Israelites saw Canaan, but could not enter in because of unbelief. Such (says bishop Patrick) will be the portion of those that believe not the promise of eternal life; they shall see it at a distance—Abraham afar off, but shall never taste of it; for they forfeit the benefit of the promise if they cannot find in their heart to take God's word.
3-11
The Siege of Samaria Raised (891 BC)
サマリヤの包囲が解かれる（紀元前891年）
³ 四人のらい病人が門の入口にいた。彼らは互いに言った。「なぜ私たちはここにすわって死ぬのを待つのか。 ⁴ 私たちが『町にはいろう』と言えば、町には飢饉があるので、そこで死ぬであろう。ここにじっとしていても死ぬ。さあ、スリヤの陣営に降ろう。彼らが私たちを生かしてくれれば、生きるであろう。もし殺せば、死ぬだけだ。」 ⁵ こうして彼らは夕暮れに立って、スリヤの陣営に行こうとした。彼らがスリヤの陣営の端に着いたとき、見よ、そこには一人の人もいなかった。 ⁶ 主がスリヤの軍勢に戦車の音と馬の音、すなわち大軍の音を聞かせられたからである。彼らは互いに言った。「イスラエルの王が私たちを攻めるために、ヒッタイト人の王たちとエジプト人の王たちを雇ったのだ。」 ⁷ それゆえ彼らは夕暮れに立って逃げ、天幕と馬とろば、すなわち陣営をそのままにして、いのちを救うために逃げた。 ⁸ これらのらい病人たちが陣営の端に来たとき、一つの天幕にはいって食い飲み、そこから銀と金と着物を持って行って隠し、また戻って他の天幕にはいってそこからも持ち出し、行って隠した。 ⁹ そのとき彼らは互いに言った。「私たちのしていることは正しくない。今日は良い知らせの日なのに、私たちは黙っている。もし夜明けまで待てば、罰が私たちに及ぶであろう。さあ、行って王の家の者たちに告げよう。」 ¹⁰ 彼らは来て、町の門番を呼んで、彼らに告げた。「私たちはスリヤの陣営に行った。見よ、そこには一人の人もなく、人の声もなかった。ただ馬とろばがつながれて、天幕はそのまま残されていた。」 ¹¹ 彼は門番たちを呼んだ。そして彼らはそのことを王の家の中の者たちに告げた。
ここで次のことが告げられている。
一、サマリヤの包囲が夕方、夜の初めに解かれた経緯（列王紀第二7:6-7）。それは勢いや力によるのではなく、万軍の主の御霊が包囲した者たちの心に恐怖を打ち込むことによるものであった。彼らに対して剣が抜かれることなく、一滴の血も流されなかった。雷や雹によって彼らが敗走したのでもなく、エルサレムの前のセンナケリブの軍勢が滅ぼしの御使いによって殺されたのでもなかった。しかし、
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主は彼らに戦車と馬の音を聞かせられた。ドタンの包囲したスリヤ人はその視覚を欺かれ（列王紀第二6:18）、これらの者はその聴覚を欺かれた。神はあらゆる感覚に働きかける方法をご存知である。聞く耳と見る目を造られるように、神は聋および盲を造られる（出エジプト4:11）。その音が御使いの働きによって空中で実際に立てられたのか、あるいは彼らの耳の中の音に過ぎなかったのかは定かでない。いずれにせよ、それは神から来た。神はご自身の倉から風を出し、人の内にその霊を造られる。馬と戦車の光景が預言者のしもべを励ました（列王紀第二6:17）。馬と戦車の音がスリヤの軍勢を恐怖に陥れた。見えない世界からの知らせは、人が神と和んでいるか、神と戦っているかによって、非常に慰めとなるか、非常に恐ろしいものとなる。
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この音を聞いて、彼らはイスラエルの王が確かに何らかの外国の勢力から援助を得たに違いないと結論した。彼が私たちを攻めるために、ヒッタイト人の王たちとエジプト人の王たちを雇った。私たちの知る限りエジプトの王はただ一人であったし、ヒッタイト人の王たちが何人いたかは誰も想像できない。しかし彼らが耳にしたあの恐ろしい音に欺かれたように、彼ら自身のその解釈によっても自らを欺いたのである。もしユダの王がその軍勢を率いて来たと仮定したなら、ヒッタイト人の王たちとエジプト人の王たちを夢想するよりも、彼らの恐怖の中にさらに可能性があったであろう。仮に彼らの誰かの空想がこの幽霊を作り出したとしても、彼らの理性はまもなくそれを打ち消したはずであった。すなわち、厳重に包囲されていたイスラエルの王が、どうしてその遠い君たちと連絡を取り合うことができたのか。彼らを雇うのに何があったのか。これほど大軍の動きの前には、何らかの知らせが来るはずであった。しかし彼らは恐るべきことのないところで大いに恐れた。
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これに基づいて、彼らは皆、いのちを救うために信じがたいほどの急ぎで逃げ、陣営をそのままに残した。自分たちの逃走を速めるはずの馬でさえ、彼らはそれを連れて行くために立ち止まることはできなかった（列王紀第二7:7）。彼らの中に、架空の敵を探り出すために斥候を送るほどの分別を持つ者は一人もなく、まして長い行軍で疲弊したとはいえ敵に立ち向かう勇気を持つ者はなかった。**悪者は追う者もないのに逃げる。**神は、御喜びのときに、最も大胆で勇敢な者の気力をくじき、最も強い心を震わせることができる。神を恐れない者を、神は木の葉の揺れる音でさえ恐れさせることができる。
二、スリヤ人の逃走が四人のらい病人によって発見された経緯。サマリヤは救われたが、それを知らなかった。城壁の見張りは敵の退却に気づかなかった。彼らがそれほど静かに忍び去ったからである。しかし摂理は、門の外に住まいを持っていた四人のらい病人を情報伝達者として用いた。彼らは儀式的に汚れているとして都から除外されていた。ユダヤ人たちは彼らがゲハジとその三人の子であったと言う。おそらくゲハジがそのうちの一人であったかもしれず、それが後に王が彼に気づく原因となったかもしれない（列王紀第二8:4）。ここで見よ。
- これらのらい病人たちが夜にスリヤの陣営を訪問しようと決心するに至った推論（列王紀第二7:3-4）。彼らは飢え死にしようとしていた。誰も彼らを助けるために門を通らなかった。もし町に入れば、そこで得るものはなく、通りで死ぬしかない。もしじっとしていれば、小屋の中で衰弱死しなければならない。それゆえ彼らは敵のところへ行き、そのあわれみに身を委ねることを決心した。もし殺すなら、飢えによるより剣による方が、一千の死より一つの死の方がましである。しかし彼らはあわれみの対象として生かしてくれるかもしれない。普通の思慮は、私たちの状態を良くすることはできても悪くすることはできないような方法に私たちを導く。放蕩息子は、父の不興を買うと恐れるべき理由があるのに、遠い国で飢え死にするよりは、父のもとに帰ることを決心する。これらのらい病人たちは結論する。「もし彼らが私たちを殺すなら、死ぬだけだ。」そして別の意味で、このように死について語れる者は幸いである。「私たちは死ぬだけだ。それが最悪のことだ。死んで地獄に落ちるのではなく、第二の死によってそこなわれるのではない。」
この決心に従って、彼らは夜の初めにスリヤの陣営に行き、驚いたことには、それが完全に放棄されており、そこに見える人も聞こえる声もないのを見出した（列王紀第二7:5）。摂理は、これらのらい病人たちがスリヤ人が逃げた直後に来るように計られた。スリヤ人は夕暮れ、すなわち夕方の薄明かりに逃げ（列王紀第二7:7）、薄明かりにらい病人たちが来た（列王紀第二7:5）。こうして時間は全く失われなかった。
- 彼らがこれを町に知らせる決心に至った推論。彼らは最初に着いた天幕で 祝宴を開き（列王紀第二7:8）、それから略奪品で自分たちを富ませようと考え始めた。しかし彼らは自らを正した（列王紀第二7:9）。私たちはよくない。自分たちを社会から排除したことへの報復を口実に、自分たちがその一員である共同体からこれらの良い知らせを隠すことは。それは彼らではなく、律法がそうしたのである。それゆえ彼らに知らせを伝えよう。彼らを眠りから覚ますことにはなろうが、それは彼らにとって死の中からのいのちとなるであろう。彼ら自身の良心は、彼らが別々に行動し、自分たち自身だけを求めるなら、何らかの罰が下るであろうと告げた。利己的で心の狭い人々は繁栄を期待できない。最も慰めとなる益は、兄弟たちが共に分かち合うものである。この決心に従って、彼らは門に戻り、自分たちが発見したことを衛兵に知らせた（列王紀第二7:10）。衛兵はすぐにその知らせを宮廷にもたらした（列王紀第二7:11）。そしてそれは最初にらい病人たちによってもたらされたからといって、受け入れられないということはなかった。
영문 원문
The Siege of Samaria Raised (891 BC)
³ And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?
⁴ If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.
⁵ And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians: and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.
⁶ For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.
⁷ Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.
⁸ And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.
⁹ Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if we tarry till the morning light, some mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.
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.
We are here told,
I. How the siege of Samaria was raised in the evening, at the edge of night (2Ki 7:6,7), not by might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, striking terror upon the spirits of the besiegers. Here was not a sword drawn against them, not a drop of blood shed, it was not by thunder or hailstones that they were discomfited, nor were they slain, as Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem, by a destroying angel; but, 1. The Lord made them to hear a noise of chariots and horses. The Syrians that besieged Dothan had their sight imposed upon, 2Ki 6:18. These had their hearing imposed upon. For God knows how to work upon every sense, pursuant to his own counsels as he makes the hearing ear and the seeing eye, so he makes the deaf and the blind, Ex 4:11. Whether the noise was really made in the air by the ministry of angels, or whether it was only a sound in their ears, is not certain; which soever it was, it was from God, who both brings the wind out of his treasures, and forms the spirit of man within him. The sight of horses and chariots had encouraged the prophet's servant, 2Ki 6:17. The noise of horses and chariots terrified the hosts of Syria. For notices from the invisible world are either very comfortable or very dreadful, according as men are at peace with God or at war with him. 2. Hearing this noise, they concluded the king of Israel had certainly procured assistance from some foreign power: He has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians. There was, for aught we know but one king of Egypt, and what kings there were of the Hittites nobody can imagine; but, as they were imposed upon by that dreadful sound in their ears, so they imposed upon themselves by the interpretation they made of it. Had they supposed the king of Judah to have come with his forces, there would have been more of probability in their apprehensions than to dream of the kings of the Hittites and the Egyptians. If the fancies of any of them raised this spectre, yet their reasons might soon have laid it: how could the king of Israel, who was closely besieged, hold intelligence with those distant princes? What had he to hire them with? It was impossible but some notice would come, before, of the motions of so great a host; but there were they in great fear where no fear was. 3. Hereupon they all fled with incredible precipitation, as for their lives, left their camp as it was: even their horses, that might have hastened their flight, they could not stay to take with them, 2Ki 7:7. None of them had so much sense as to send out scouts to discover the supposed enemy, much less courage enough to face the enemy, though fatigued with a long march. The wicked flee when none pursues. God can, when he pleases, dispirit the boldest and most brave, and make the stoutest heart to tremble. Those that will not fear God he can make to fear at the shaking of a leaf.
II. How the Syrians' flight was discovered by four leprous men. Samaria was delivered, and did not know it. The watchmen on the walls were not aware of the retreat of the enemy, so silently did they steal away. But Providence employed four lepers to be the intelligencers, who had their lodging without the gate, being excluded from the city, as ceremonially unclean: the Jews say they were Gehazi and his three sons; perhaps Gehazi might be one of them, which might cause him to be taken notice of afterwards by the king, 2Ki 8:4. See here, 1. How these lepers reasoned themselves into a resolution to make a visit in the night to the camp of the Syrians, 2Ki 7:3,4. They were ready to perish for hunger; none passed through the gate to relieve them. Should they go into the city, there was nothing to be had there, they must die in the streets; should they sit still, they must pine to death in their cottage. They therefore determine to go over to the enemy, and throw themselves upon their mercy: if they killed them, better die by the sword than by famine, one death than a thousand; but perhaps they would save them alive, as objects of compassion. Common prudence will put us upon that method which may better our condition, but cannot make it worse. The prodigal son resolves to return to his father, whose displeasure he had reason to fear, rather than perish with hunger in the far country. These lepers conclude, "If they kill us, we shall but die;" and happy they who, in another sense, can thus speak of dying. "We shall but die, that is the worst of it, not die and be damned, not be hurt of the second death." According to this resolution, they went, in the beginning of the night, to the camp of the Syrians, and, to their great surprise, found it wholly deserted, not a man to be seen or heard in it, 2Ki 7:5. Providence ordered it, that these lepers came as soon as ever the Syrians had fled, for they fled in the twilight, the evening twilight (2Ki 7:7), and in the twilight the lepers came (2Ki 7:5), and so no time was lost. 2. How they reasoned themselves into a resolution to bring tidings of this to the city. They feasted in the first tent they came to (2Ki 7:8) and then began to think of enriching themselves with the plunder; but they corrected themselves (2Ki 7:9): "We do not well to conceal these good tidings from the community we are members of, under colour of being avenged upon them for excluding us from their society; it was the law that did it, not they, and therefore let us bring them the news. Though it awake them from sleep, it will be life from the dead to them." Their own consciences told them that some mischief would befal them if they acted separately, and sought themselves only. Selfish narrow-spirited people cannot expect to prosper; the most comfortable advantage is that which our brethren share with us in. According to this resolution, they returned to the gate, and acquainted the sentinel with what they had discovered (2Ki 7:10), who straightway brought the intelligence to court (2Ki 7:11), and it was not the less acceptable for being first brought by lepers.
12-20
Samaria Plentifully Supplied (891 BC)
サマリヤが豊かに供給される（紀元前891年）
¹² 王は夜中に起き上がり、しもべたちに言った。私が今あなたがたにスリヤ人が私たちにしたことを示そう。彼らは私たちが飢えているのを知っている。それゆえ彼らは陣営から出て野に身を隠し、こう言っている。彼らが町から出て来るとき、私たちは彼らを生け捕りにし、町に入り込もう、と。
¹³ しもべの一人が答えて言った。どうか人々が、町に残っている馬のうち五頭を取らせてください（見よ、彼らは町に残っているイスラエルの全会衆のようです。見よ、私は言う、彼らは滅びたイスラエル人の全会衆のようです）。遣わして見させよう。
¹⁴ それゆえ彼らは戦車の馬二頭を取った。王はスリヤの軍勢の後ろに遣わして言った。行って見よ。
¹⁵ 彼らは彼らの後をヨルダンまで追った。見よ、道はみな、スリヤ人が急いで投げ捨てた衣や器で満ちていた。使者たちは戻って、王に告げた。
¹⁶ 民は出て行って、スリヤ人の天幕を略奪した。こうして細い粉一メジャは銀一シェケルで売られ、大麦二メジャは銀一シェケルで売られた。主の言葉に従って。
¹⁷ 王は自分がよりかかったその卿に門の管理を任命した。民が門で彼を踏みつけ、彼は死んだ。神の人が王が彼のところに下って来たときに語った通りであった。
¹⁸ 神の人が王に語った通りになった。すなわち、明日のこの時間、サマリヤの門で大麦二メジャが銀一シェケル、細い粉一メジャが銀一シェケルで売られるだろう、と。
¹⁹ その卿は神の人に答えて言った。見よ、もし主が天の窓を開かれたとしても、このようなことがあり得ようか。彼は言った。見よ、あなたは自分の目でそれを見るが、それを食べることはない。
²⁰ そしてその通りになった。民が門で彼を踏みつけ、彼は死んだ。
ここに、
第一に、スリヤ人の撤退における策略への王の疑いがある（2Ki 7:12）。彼は彼らが待ち伏せに退き、包囲された者たちをおびき出し、より有利に彼らを襲うことを恐れた。彼は神が不信仰と忍耐不足のゆえにご自身の恵みを失わせてこのように素晴らしく現れることを期待する理由がないことを知っていた。彼はスリヤ人が逃げる理由を知らなかった。というのも彼もその家臣たちも、スリヤ人が恐れた戦車の物音を聞かなかったと思われるからである。彼のようなすべての道において不安定な者たちは、神から何かを受けようなどと思ってはならない。いや、罪深い良心は最悪の事態を恐れ、人を疑い深くさせる。
第二に、彼らが満足のために、そしてわなに陥るのを防ぐために取った手段。彼らはスパイを出して、スリヤ人に何が起こったかを見た。そして彼らが皆実際に逃げたこと、司令官も一般兵士も見つけた。彼らはより速く進むために脱ぎ捨て、道に残された衣によって彼らを追跡することができた（2Ki 7:15）。この助言を与えた者は、民の惨状を非常に感じ取っていたようであった（2Ki 7:13）。馬について語るとき、その多くは死に、残りは飢えで死にそうであった。彼は繰り返して言った。「彼らはイスラエルの全会衆のようだ。イスラエルはかつてその多数を誇ったが、今は減らされ、低くされている」。彼は五人の騎手を送るよう助言したが、しかし送るに適した馬は二頭しかいなかったようで、それらは戦車馬であった（2Ki 7:14）。今や主はそのしもべたちについて思い返された。彼らの力が尽きたのを見られたからである（De 32:36）。
第三に、スリヤ人の陣営の略奪によるサマリヤの豊かさ（2Ki 7:16）。もしスリヤ人が近代の戦争の政策によって治められていたなら、彼らの手荷物や天幕を携えて行けないときには、敵の手に渡すよりは、それらを焼き捨てたであろう（国の飼料に対してよくされるように）。しかし神は、サマリヤの破壊のために意図されたその包囲が、その利益となるように定められた。そしてイスラエルが古くにはエジプト人の略奪品で富んだように、今はスリヤ人の略奪品で富むように。ここに見よ。1. 罪人の富が正しい人のために蓄えられ（Job 27:16,17）、略奪者が略奪される（Isa 33:1）。2. イスラエルの欠乏が、彼らがほとんど考えもしなかった方法で満たされた。これは私たちの最大の窮地において神の力と善良さに依存することを励ますべきである。3. エリシャの言葉が一点まで成就した。細い粉一メジャは銀一シェケルで売られた。陣営を略奪した者たちは自分たちを供給するのに十分だっただけでなく、他者の利益のために安い値段で売る余剰があり、このようにして家に留まった者たちでさえ分捕り物を分けた（Ps 68:12、Isa 33:23）。神の約束は安全に頼りにできる。神の言葉は一つも地に落ちることはないからである。
第四に、エリシャの言葉の真実を疑った不信仰の廷臣の死。神の脅かしは神の約束と同じくらい確実に成就する。信じない者はのろわれるは、信じる者は救われると同じくらい確固としている。この卿は、1. 王によって門の管理に任じられた（2Ki 7:17）。平和を守り、分捕り物の分配と処分において騒動や混乱がないようにするためであった。王はその分別と重厚さに、これほどの信頼を置いた。そして彼を尊ぶことを喜んだ。偉くなりたい者は、公共に仕えよ。2. 民によって門で踏み殺された。偶然に、群衆が非常に大きく、彼がその最も密集したところにいたためか、あるいはおそらく故意に、彼が権力を乱用し、民が空腹を満たすのを抑制するのに威圧的であったためか。いずれにせよ、神の義はあがめられ、エリシャの言葉は成就した。彼は不信仰を黙らせ、恥をかかせるために豊かさを見た。天の窓を開くことなく穀物が安くなるのを。そしてその中に、神に条件をつける自分の愚かさを見た。しかし彼は見た豊かさを食べなかった。彼が腹を満たそうとしたとき、神は激しい怒りを彼に注がれた（Job 20:23）。杯と唇の間に来た。神の約束をもてあそばれたと思う者が、世の約束をもてあそばれるのは正当である。もし信じることが見ることでないなら、見ることは楽しむことでない。このことは繰り返され、出来事が予言と非常に詳しく比較されている（2Ki 7:18-20）。私たちがそれに特に注意を払い、次のことを学ぶために。(1) 神が神の力、摂理、約束に対する私たちの不信をどれほど深く恨まれるか。イスラエルが神は食卓を備えることができるかと言ったとき、主はそれを聞いて怒られた。無限の知恵は私たちの愚かさによって制限されない。神は手段をどこで備えるかを知ることなしに終わりを約束されることは決してない。(2) いのちとその楽しみがどれほど不確実であるか。栄誉と力は人を突然の不名誉な死から守ることはできない。王がよりかかった者を民は踏みつけた。政府の支えと支持であると空想した者は、通りのかずらのように足の下に踏みつけられた。このように人の栄光の誇りはしばしば汚されてきた。(3) 神の脅かしがどれほど確実であり、有罪で責任ある者たちの上に確実に降りかかるか。すべての者が大いなる神の前に恐れよう。神は君主たちを粘土のように踏みつけ、地の王たちに恐れられる。
영문 원문
Samaria Plentifully Supplied (891 BC)
¹² 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 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.
¹⁵ And they went after them unto Jordan: and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.
¹⁶ 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.
¹⁷ And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said, who spake when the king came down to him.
¹⁸ And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
¹⁹ And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.
²⁰ And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.
Here we have,
I. The king's jealousy of a stratagem in the Syrian's retreat, 2Ki 7:12. He feared that they had withdrawn into an ambush, to draw out the besieged, that they might fall on them with more advantage. He knew he had no reason to expect that God should appear thus wonderfully for him, having forfeited his favour by his unbelief and impatience. He knew no reason the Syrians had to fly, for it does not appear that he or any of this attendants heard the noise of the chariots which the Syrians were frightened at. Let not those who, like him, are unstable in all their ways, think to receive any thing from God; nay, a guilty conscience fears the worst and makes men suspicious.
II. The course they took for their satisfaction, and to prevent their falling into a snare. They sent out spies to see what had become of the Syrians, and found they had all fled indeed, commanders as well a common soldiers. They could track them by the garments which they threw off, and left by the way, for their greater expedition, 2Ki 7:15. He that gave this advice seems to have been very sensible of the deplorable condition the people were in (2Ki 7:13); for speaking of the horses, many of which were dead and the rest ready to perish for hunger, he says, and repeats it, "They are as all the multitude of Israel. Israel used to glory in their multitude, but now they are diminished and brought low." He advised to send five horsemen, but, it should seem, there were only two horses fit to be sent, and those chariot-horses, 2Ki 7:14. Now the Lord repented himself concerning his servants, when he saw that their strength was gone, De 32:36.
III. The plenty that was in Samaria, from the plunder of the camp of the Syrians, 2Ki 7:16. Had the Syrians been governed by the modern policies of war, when they could not take their baggage and their tents with them they would rather have burnt them (as it is common to do with the forage of a country) than let them fall into their enemies' hands; but God determined that the besieging of Samaria, which was intended for its ruin, should turn to its advantage, and that Israel should now be enriched with the spoil of the Syrians as of old with that of the Egyptians. Here see, 1. The wealth of the sinner laid up for the just (Job 27:16,17) and the spoilers spoiled, Isa 33:1. 2. The wants of Israel supplied in a way that they little thought of, which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits. 3. The word of Elisha fulfilled to a tittle: A measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel; those that spoiled the camp had not only enough to supply themselves with, but an overplus to sell at an easy rate for the benefit of others, and so even those that tarried at home did divide the spoil, Ps 68:12, Isa 33:23. God's promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground.
IV. The death of the unbelieving courtier, that questioned the truth of Elisha's word. Divine threatenings will as surely be accomplished as divine promises. He that believeth not shall be damned stands as firm as He that believeth shall be saved. This lord, 1. Was preferred by the king to the charge of the gate (2Ki 7:17), to keep the peace, and to see that there was no tumult or disorder in dividing and disposing of the spoil. So much trust did the king repose in him, in his prudence and gravity, and so much did he delight to honour him. He that will be great, let him serve the public. 2. Was trodden to death by the people in the gate, either by accident, the crowd being exceedingly great, and he in the thickest of it, or perhaps designedly, because he abused his power, and was imperious in restraining the people from satisfying their hunger. However it was, God's justice was glorified, and the word of Elisha was fulfilled. He saw the plenty, for the silencing and shaming of his unbelief, corn cheap without opening windows in heaven, and therein saw his own folly in prescribing to God; but he did not eat of the plenty he saw. When he was about to fill his belly God cast the fury of his wrath upon him (Job 20:23) and it came between the cup and the lip. Justly are those thus tantalized with the world's promises that think themselves tantalized with the promises of God. If believing shall not be seeing, seeing shall not be enjoying. This matter is repeated, and the event very particularly compared with the prediction (2Ki 7:18-20), that we might take special notice of it, and might learn, (1.) How deeply God resents our distrust of him, of his power, providence, and promise. When Israel said, Can God furnish a table? the Lord heard it and was wroth. Infinite wisdom will not be limited by our folly. God never promises the end without knowing where to provide the means. (2.) How uncertain life and the enjoyments of it are. Honour and power cannot secure men from sudden and inglorious deaths. He whom the king leaned upon the people trod upon; he who fancied himself the stay and support of the government was trampled under foot as the mire in the streets. Thus hath the pride of men's glory been often stained. (3.) How certain God's threatenings are, and how sure to alight on the guilty and obnoxious heads. Let all men fear before the great God, who treads upon princes as mortar and is terrible to the kings of the earth.
ここにサマリヤとその王のもとに、事態が事実上絶望的となり、王も絶望しているときに、救済がもたらされた。 一、それはエリシャによって予告され、不信仰な臣はその恵みから締め出された（2Ki 7:1,2）。 二、それは次のようにしてもたらされた。