Useful Bible Studies > 2 Kings Commentary > chapter 7
The four men returned to the city’s gate, which was the only entrance into the city. There, they shouted their news to the gatekeepers, in other words, the men who guarded the city’s gate. At times of peace, the gatekeepers would open and shut the gate each day. During a war, when the city was in danger, they locked the gate firmly.
So, the four men could not enter the city. They could only report to the gatekeepers. The gatekeepers could not leave their important position. So they shouted the report to the palace officials, who woke the king to inform him. This report was clearly a matter of the greatest importance. The people inside the city were desperately hungry and they expected to starve. However, if this report was true, their present troubles had ended. The gatekeepers could safely open the gate and the people could go to get food.
The king held an urgent meeting with his most important officials. They discussed whether the report could be correct. The king could not believe that the enemy soldiers could have simply left their camp to return home. If they had done, then they would have taken their possessions with them. They would not choose to leave when they had almost defeated Samaria.
So, the king thought that this was a new scheme to destroy his city. The enemy soldiers were hiding, away from their camp. They would return when the people left the city to get food. Then, it would be easy for them to take the people as their prisoners and to destroy the city.
Next part: The men who looked for Aram's army (2 Kings 7:13)
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