Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 7
The four men reached the camp of Aram’s army just a few minutes after Aram’s soldiers had left it (compare verse 5 with verse 7). As those four men had the disease called leprosy, they may have hesitated to enter the camp. Perhaps they called out first – but nobody answered.
The night was just starting; the camp was in darkness. So, it could not be clear to the men what had happened. The animals were by the tents as usual. However, at night there would usually be a burning oil lamp in each tent. The soldiers had left probably before any of them had lit their lamps.
Perhaps that was why the four men felt bold enough to enter one of the tents. There, they found food. They were desperately hungry. So, they ate and they drank. Then they looked to see what else was in the tent. They found some money in the form of silver and gold, and some clothes. By an ancient custom, people considered that they had the right to take such things from an enemy in war. It was their reward for their efforts in the battle. Of course, these men had fought nobody. So, they believed that God was providing for them in this extraordinary manner.
They hid the things that they took, probably near to their homes, to keep them safe. They did not want to waste what God had provided. Then they returned to the camp and they entered a second tent. There, too, they found no soldiers, and so they took some things from there. Until then, they seemed not to realise that all the enemy soldiers had left the camp. Now, however, they started to understand that God had done something truly wonderful to rescue their city.
Next part: A day of good news (2 Kings 7:9)
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