Scripture · Old Testament
2 Kings 7:3
2 Kings 7:3 is verse 3 of 2 Kings chapter 7, shown here in the Berean Standard Bible.
Berean Standard Bible
Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die?
Leprosy was a term used for various skin diseases; here and in verse 8; see Leviticus 13.
King James Version
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?
World English Bible
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, “Why do we sit here until we die?
Read in context
2 Kings 7:1–5 · Berean Standard Bible
1 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.’”
2 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.”
3 Now there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die?
4 If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”
5 So they arose at twilight and went to the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the outskirts of the camp, there was not a man to be found.
Read all of 2 Kings 7Hebrew words
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Cross-references
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge lists these related verses. Scripture text comes from the Berean Standard Bible.
2 Kings 5:1Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man in his master’s sight and highly regarded, for through him the LORD had given victory to Aram. And he was a mighty man of valor, but he was a leper.
2 Kings 8:4Now the king had been speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things Elisha has done.”
Leviticus 13:46As long as he has the infection, he remains unclean. He must live alone in a place outside the camp.
Numbers 5:2“Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone with a skin disease, anyone who has a bodily discharge, and anyone who is defiled by a dead body.
Numbers 5:3You must send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.”
Numbers 5:4So the Israelites did this, sending such people outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses.
Numbers 12:14But the LORD answered Moses, “If her father had but spit in her face, would she not have been in disgrace for seven days? Let her be confined outside the camp for seven days; after that she may be brought back in.”
2 Kings 7:4If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.”
Jeremiah 8:14Why are we just sitting here? Gather together, let us flee to the fortified cities and perish there, for the LORD our God has doomed us. He has given us poisoned water to drink, because we have sinned against the LORD.
Jeremiah 27:13Why should you and your people die by sword and famine and plague, as the LORD has decreed against any nation that does not serve the king of Babylon?