2 Kings 7:15
New International Version
They followed them as far as the Jordan, and they found the whole road strewn with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their headlong flight. So the messengers returned and reported to the king.

New Living Translation
They went all the way to the Jordan River, following a trail of clothing and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their mad rush to escape. The scouts returned and told the king about it.

English Standard Version
So they went after them as far as the Jordan, and behold, all the way was littered with garments and equipment that the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king.

Berean Standard Bible
And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king.

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And they went after them to the Jordan; and indeed all the road was full of garments and weapons which the Syrians had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned and told the king.

New American Standard Bible
They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away when they fled in a hurry. Then the messengers returned and informed the king.

NASB 1995
They went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

NASB 1977
And they went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment, which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then they went after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way was full of clothes and equipment which the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. Then the messengers returned and told the king.

Amplified Bible
They went after them to the Jordan, and all the road was entirely littered with clothing and equipment which the Arameans (Syrians) had thrown away when they hurriedly fled. And the messengers returned and told the king.

Christian Standard Bible
So they followed them as far as the Jordan. They saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So they followed them as far as the Jordan. They saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.

American Standard Version
And they went after them unto the 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.

Contemporary English Version
The men rode as far as the Jordan River. All along the way they saw clothes and equipment that the Syrians had thrown away as they escaped. Then they went back to the king and told him what they had seen.

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They followed them as far as the Jordan River and saw how the whole road was littered with clothes and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their hurry. The messengers returned and told the king about it.

Good News Translation
The men went as far as the Jordan, and all along the road they saw the clothes and equipment that the Syrians had abandoned as they fled. Then they returned and reported to the king.

International Standard Version
They went out in the direction of the Jordan River, and the entire roadway was strewn with clothes and equipment that the Arameans had abandoned in their haste to leave! So the messengers returned and reported to the king.

Majority Standard Bible
And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king.

NET Bible
So they tracked them as far as the Jordan. The road was filled with clothes and equipment that the Syrians had discarded in their haste. The scouts went back and told the king.

New Heart English Bible
They went after them to the Jordan; and look, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Arameans had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned, and told the king.

Webster's Bible Translation
And they went after them to 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.

World English Bible
They went after them to the Jordan; and behold, all the path was full of garments and equipment which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And they go after them to the Jordan, and behold, all the way is full of garments and vessels that the Arameans have cast away in their haste, and the messengers return and declare [it] to the king.

Young's Literal Translation
And they go after them unto the Jordan, and lo, all the way is full of garments and vessels that the Aramaeans have cast away in their haste, and the messengers turn back and declare to the king.

Smith's Literal Translation
And they will go after them even to Jordan; and behold, all the way full of garments and vessels which Aram cast away in their being terrified. And the messengers will turn back and announce to the king.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And they went after them as far as the Jordan: and behold all the way was full of garments, and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their fright, and the messengers returned end told the king.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And they went away after them, as far as the Jordan. But behold, the entire way was filled with clothing and vessels, which the Syrians had thrown aside when they were disturbed. And the messengers returned and told the king.

New American Bible
They followed the Arameans as far as the Jordan, and the whole route was strewn with garments and other objects that the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. The messengers returned and told the king.

New Revised Standard Version
So they went after them as far as the Jordan; the whole way was littered with garments and equipment that the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. So the messengers returned, and told the king.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And they went after them as far as the Jordan; and, lo, all the road was full of garments and vessels which the Arameans had left behind in their haste. And the messengers returned and told the king.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And they went after them unto the Jordan, and they saw all the road full of garments and weapons, because the Edomites had left in their haste, and the Messengers returned and told the King.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And they went after them unto the Jordan; and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Arameans had cast away in their haste. And the messengers returned, and told the king.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And they went after them even to Jordan: and, behold, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their panic. and the messengers returned, and brought word to the king.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
The Siege Lifted
14Then the scouts took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” 15And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king. 16Then 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.…

Cross References
2 Kings 6:24-25
Some time later, Ben-hadad king of Aram assembled his entire army and marched up to besiege Samaria. / So there was a great famine in Samaria. Indeed, they besieged the city so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels of silver, and a quarter cab of dove’s dung sold for five shekels of silver.

2 Kings 6:33
While Elisha was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him. And the king said, “This calamity is from the LORD. Why should I wait for the LORD any longer?”

2 Kings 7:1-2
Then Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the LORD says: ‘About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel, and two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel.’” / But the officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” “You will see it with your own eyes,” replied Elisha, “but you will not eat any of it.”

2 Kings 7:6-7
For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” / Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives.

2 Kings 7:16
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.

2 Kings 7:18-20
It happened just as the man of God had told the king: “About this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria, two seahs of barley will sell for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour will sell for a shekel.” / And the officer had answered the man of God, “Look, even if the LORD were to make windows in heaven, could this really happen?” So Elisha had replied, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!” / And that is just what happened to him. The people trampled him in the gateway, and he died.

Exodus 14:24-25
At morning watch, however, the LORD looked down on the army of the Egyptians from the pillar of fire and cloud, and He threw their camp into confusion. / He caused their chariot wheels to wobble, so that they had difficulty driving. “Let us flee from the Israelites,” said the Egyptians, “for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt!”

Joshua 10:10-11
And the LORD threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great slaughter at Gibeon, pursued them along the ascent to Beth-horon, and struck them down as far as Azekah and Makkedah. / As they fled before Israel along the descent from Beth-horon to Azekah, the LORD cast down on them large hailstones from the sky, and more of them were killed by the hailstones than by the swords of the Israelites.

Judges 7:21-22
Each Israelite took his position around the camp, and the entire Midianite army fled, crying out as they ran. / And when the three hundred rams’ horns sounded, the LORD set all the men in the camp against one another with their swords. The army fled to Beth-shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel-meholah near Tabbath.

1 Samuel 14:15-16
Then panic struck the Philistines in the camp, in the field, and among all the people. Even those in the outposts and raiding parties trembled. Indeed, the earth quaked, and panic spread from God. / Now when Saul’s watchmen at Gibeah in Benjamin looked and saw the troops melting away and scattering in every direction,

2 Chronicles 20:22-24
The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated. / The Ammonites and Moabites rose up against the inhabitants of Mount Seir, devoting them to destruction. And when they had finished off the inhabitants of Seir, they helped to destroy one another. / When the men of Judah came to a place overlooking the wilderness, they looked for the vast army, but there were only corpses lying on the ground; no one had escaped.

Isaiah 37:36-37
Then the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 men in the camp of the Assyrians. When the people got up the next morning, there were all the dead bodies! / So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.

Matthew 24:16-18
then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve anything from his house. / And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

Mark 13:14-16
So when you see the abomination of desolation standing where it should not be (let the reader understand), then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. / Let no one on the housetop go back inside to retrieve anything from his house. / And let no one in the field return for his cloak.

Luke 17:31-33
On that day, let no one on the housetop come down to retrieve his possessions. Likewise, let no one in the field return for anything he has left behind. / Remember Lot’s wife! / Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will preserve it.


Treasury of Scripture

And they went after them to Jordan: and, see, 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.

vessels

Esther 1:7
And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

Isaiah 22:24
And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father's house, the offspring and the issue, all vessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.

had cast away

Job 2:4
And Satan answered the LORD, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

Isaiah 2:20
In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles and to the bats;

Isaiah 10:3
And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?

Jump to Previous
Aramaeans Arameans Cast Clothes Clothing Covered Dropped Equipment Far Flight Followed Found Full Garments Haste Headlong Jordan Materials Messengers News Reported Road Strewn Syrians Thrown Vessels Way Whole
Jump to Next
Aramaeans Arameans Cast Clothes Clothing Covered Dropped Equipment Far Flight Followed Found Full Garments Haste Headlong Jordan Materials Messengers News Reported Road Strewn Syrians Thrown Vessels Way Whole
2 Kings 7
1. Elisha prophesies incredible plenty in Samaria
3. four lepers, venturing on the host of the Syrians, bring tidings of their flight
12. The king, finding by spies the news to be true, spoils the tents of the Syrians.
17. The lord who would not believe the prophecy of plenty is trampled in the press














And they went after them
This phrase indicates a pursuit, a following after the Arameans. The Hebrew root for "went after" is "הלך" (halak), which often implies a purposeful journey or mission. In the context of 2 Kings 7, this pursuit is not for battle but for confirmation of the miraculous deliverance God has provided. Historically, this reflects the common practice of verifying enemy retreats to ensure safety and to gather spoils.

as far as the Jordan
The Jordan River is a significant geographical and spiritual landmark in Israel's history. It represents boundaries and transitions, such as the Israelites entering the Promised Land. The pursuit reaching "as far as the Jordan" suggests a thorough investigation, ensuring the Arameans had indeed fled completely. This also symbolizes God's deliverance extending to the very borders of the land He promised to His people.

and saw that the whole way was littered with clothes and equipment
The sight of the path "littered with clothes and equipment" is a vivid image of panic and haste. The Hebrew word for "littered" is "מלא" (male), meaning filled or covered. This scene underscores the totality of the Arameans' fear and God's intervention. Historically, armies abandoning their gear signifies a complete and disorderly retreat, highlighting the miraculous nature of Israel's deliverance without a fight.

the Arameans had thrown off in their haste
The phrase "thrown off in their haste" captures the urgency and fear experienced by the Arameans. The Hebrew root "זרק" (zaraq) for "thrown off" implies casting away or discarding. This action reflects a desperate attempt to flee quickly, shedding anything that might slow them down. It is a testament to the psychological warfare God waged against Israel's enemies, causing confusion and fear.

So the messengers returned and told the king
The return of the messengers to report to the king signifies the completion of their mission. The Hebrew word "שוב" (shuv) for "returned" often implies restoration or bringing back news. This act of reporting is crucial in the narrative, as it confirms the fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy and God's faithfulness. The king, representing the leadership of Israel, receives this good news, which is a turning point for the nation, moving from famine to abundance.

(15) In their haste.--Comp. 1Samuel 23:6; Psalm 48:6; Psalm 104:7--passages which prove that the Hebrew text is right here, and the Hebrew margin wrong.

Unto Jordan.--Not all the way to the river, which would be at least twenty miles, but in the direction of it.

Verse 15. - And they went after them unto Jordan. The charioteers, finding the camp really empty, discovering no ambush, and coming upon abundant signs of a hasty and perturbed flight, followed upon the track of the fugitives until they reached the Jordan, probably in the vicinity of Beth-shah, which lay on the ordinary route between Samaria and Damascus. Convinced by what they saw that the Syrians had really withdrawn into their own country, they pursued no further, but returned to Samaria. And, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. Cloaks, shawls, shields, and even swords and spears, would be cast away as impedimenta - hindrances to a rapid flight. These strewed the line of the retreating army's march. And the messengers returned, and told the king. Gave a full and complete account of what they had seen.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
And they tracked
וַיֵּלְכ֣וּ (way·yê·lə·ḵū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

them as
עַד־ (‘aḏ-)
Preposition
Strong's 5704: As far as, even to, up to, until, while

far as the Jordan,
הַיַּרְדֵּן֒ (hay·yar·dên)
Article | Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 3383: Jordan -- the principal river of Palestine

and indeed,
וְהִנֵּ֣ה (wə·hin·nêh)
Conjunctive waw | Interjection
Strong's 2009: Lo! behold!

the whole
כָל־ (ḵāl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 3605: The whole, all, any, every

way
הַדֶּ֗רֶךְ (had·de·reḵ)
Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 1870: A road, a course of life, mode of action

was littered with
מְלֵאָ֤ה (mə·lê·’āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 4392: Full, filling, fulness, fully

the clothing
בְגָדִים֙ (ḇə·ḡā·ḏîm)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 899: A covering, clothing, treachery, pillage

and equipment
וְכֵלִ֔ים (wə·ḵê·lîm)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 3627: Something prepared, any apparatus

the Arameans
אֲרָ֖ם (’ă·rām)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 758: Aram -- Syria

had thrown off
הִשְׁלִ֥יכוּ (hiš·lî·ḵū)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 7993: To throw out, down, away

in haste.
בְּחָפְזָ֑ם (bə·ḥā·p̄ə·zām)
Preposition-b | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural
Strong's 2648: To start up suddenly, to hasten away, to fear

So the scouts
הַמַּלְאָכִ֔ים (ham·mal·’ā·ḵîm)
Article | Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4397: A messenger, of God, an angel

returned
וַיָּשֻׁ֙בוּ֙ (way·yā·šu·ḇū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 7725: To turn back, in, to retreat, again

and told
וַיַּגִּ֖דוּ (way·yag·gi·ḏū)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural
Strong's 5046: To be conspicuous

the king.
לַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ (lam·me·leḵ)
Preposition-l, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4428: A king


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OT History: 2 Kings 7:15 They went after them to the Jordan: (2Ki iiKi ii ki 2 kg 2kg)
2 Kings 7:14
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