1 Elisha said, “Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, about six and a half quarts of fine flour will sell for one piece of silver, and about thirteen quarts of barley for one piece of silver, at the gate of Samaria.” 2 The officer on whose arm the king leaned answered the man of God, “Even if the LORD made windows in heaven, could this happen?” He said, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.”

3 Now four men with leprosy were at the entrance of the gate. They said to one another, “Why should we sit here until we die? 4 If we decide to enter the city, the famine is there, and we will die there. If we stay here, we will die too. So come, let us surrender to the Aramean camp. If they spare our lives, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.” 5 So they got up at dusk to go to the Aramean camp. When they reached the edge of the camp, there was no one there. 6 For the Lord had caused the Aramean camp to hear the sound of chariots, the sound of horses, and the sound of a great army. They said to one another, “The king of Israel has hired the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to attack us!” 7 So they got up and fled at dusk, abandoning their tents, horses, and donkeys, leaving the camp just as it was. They fled for their lives. 8 When these men with leprosy reached the edge of the camp, they entered one tent and ate and drank. They carried away silver, gold, and clothing and went and hid them. Then they returned, entered another tent, carried things away, and went and hid them. 9 Then they said to one another, “What we are doing is not right. This is a day of good news, yet we are keeping silent. If we wait until morning light, punishment will overtake us. Come, let us go and tell the king’s household.” 10 So they went and called to the city gatekeeper and reported, “We came to the Aramean camp, and no one was there, not even the sound of a human voice. There were only horses tied up, donkeys tied up, and the tents just as they were.” 11 He called the gatekeepers, and they reported it inside the king’s house. 12 The king got up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me tell you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are hungry, so they have left the camp to hide in the open country, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we will capture them alive and enter the city.’ ” 13 One of his servants answered, “Please let some men take five of the horses that are left in the city. Their fate is like that of all the people of Israel who remain here, like that of all the people of Israel who have perished. Let us send them and find out.” 14 So they took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” 15 They followed them as far as the Jordan. The whole road was full of clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown away in their haste. The messengers returned and reported to the king. 16 Then the people went out and plundered the Aramean camp. About six and a half quarts of fine flour sold for one piece of silver, and about thirteen quarts of barley for one piece of silver, according to the word of the LORD. 17 The king had put the officer on whose arm he leaned in charge of the gate. The people trampled him at the gate, and he died, just as the man of God had said when the king came down to him. 18 It happened just as the man of God had told the king: “About thirteen quarts of barley for one piece of silver, and about six and a half quarts of fine flour for one piece of silver, will be sold about this time tomorrow at the gate of Samaria.” 19 The officer had answered the man of God, “Even if the LORD made windows in heaven, could such a thing happen?” And he had said, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it.” 20 And so it happened to him: the people trampled him at the gate, and he died.