2 Kings 7:6

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(6) For.—Now: introducing a new paragraph.

Even the noise.—Rather, a noise. The Syriac and the Arabic, as well as some Hebrew MSS., read “and a noise.” This is preferable. (Comp. 2Kings 6:14, where chariots and horses and a host [of infantry] are distinguished from each other.) The word qôl (literally, “voice”) is commonly used of thunder. (Comp. Psalms 29, passim.) The noise the Syrians heard was doubtless a sound in the air among the neighbouring hills.

The kings of the Hittites.—Comp. 1Kings 9:20, 1Ki_10:29. The tract of north Syria between the Euphrates and the Orontes was the cradle of the Hittite race, and it was over this that these kings of the several tribes bore sway. In the thirteenth century (B.C. ) their power extended over great part of Asia Minor, as rock inscriptions prove. Carchemish, Kadesh, Hamath, and Helbon (Aleppo) were their capitals. Rameses II. made a treaty of peace with Heta-sira, the prince of the Hittites. In the time of Tiglath Pileser I. (B.C. 1120), the Hittites were still paramount from the Euphrates to the Lebanon. Shalmaneser II. mentions a Hittite prince, Sapalulme, king of the Patinâa, a tribe on the Orontes. The Hittites from whom Solomon exacted forced labour were those who were left in the land of Israel (comp. Genesis 23, Genesis 26:34; 1Samuel 31:6), not the people of the great cities mentioned above, which remained independent, as we know from the Assyrian inscriptions. (Comp. Amos 6:2; 2Chronicles 8:4 for Hamath.) Tiglath Pileser II. conquered Hamath (B.C. 740). Twenty years later it revolted under Yahubihdi (“Jah is around me;” comp. Psalm 3:3), but was again reduced, and made an Assyrian prefecture by Sargon, who afterwards stormed Carchemish (B.C. 717). (Comp. 2Kings 17:24; 2Kings 17:30.)

The kings of the Egyptians.—The plural may be rhetorical. (Comp. 2Chronicles 28:16 : “The kings of Assyria,” and Note.) Little is known of the state of Egypt at this time (towards the close of the twenty-second dynasty). The Syrians were seized with panic, under the idea that they were about to be attacked on all sides at once. Some such wild rumour as that expressed by the words of the text must have been spread through the camp; but we need not press the literal accuracy of the statement, for who was there to report the exact nature of the alarm to the historians of Israel? Moreover, it is evident from the style of the narrative in chapters 6 and 7 that it rests upon oral tradition, so that it would be a mistake to press subordinate details. Prof. Robertson Smith considers that the sudden retreat of the Syrians is explained by the fact that the Assyrians were already pressing upon them.

Benson Commentary

2 Kings 7:6. The Lord had made the host of the Syrians hear a noise of chariots, &c. — The air, by the ministry of angels, doubtless, was put into such a motion about the camp of the Syrians, as to give sounds like to those it would have given if it had been agitated by the rattling of chariots, the prancing of horses, and all the other motions and actions of a numerous army and their attendants: so that the Syrians could not well draw any other conclusion than that an exceeding large army was marching against them and was just at hand, as they heard exactly the same noise as if it had been actually so. Some have supposed that it was not the air which was influenced, or acted upon, in this miracle, but the ears of the Syrians: if so, the work was the more wonderful, for in that case there must have been as many distinct miracles wrought as there were individuals that heard the noise. In either way their hearing was imposed upon, just as the sight of those that besieged Dothan had been imposed on: for God knows how to work upon any and every sense, pursuant to his own counsels. They said, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites — Under which name, as elsewhere under the name of Amorites, seem to be comprehended all, or any of the people of Canaan. For though the greatest number of that people were destroyed, yet very many of them were spared, and many of them, upon Joshua’s coming, fled away, some to remote parts, others to the lands bordering upon Canaan, where they seated themselves, and grew numerous and powerful. Kings of the Egyptians — Either the king of Egypt, the plural number being put for the singular, or the princes and governors of the several provinces in Egypt.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

7:3-11 God can, when he pleases, make the stoutest heart to tremble; and as for those who will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf. Providence ordered it, that the lepers came as soon as the Syrians were fled. Their consciences told them that mischief would befall them, if they took care of themselves only. Natural humanity, and fear of punishment, are powerful checks on the selfishness of the ungodly. These feelings tend to preserve order and kindness in the world; but they who have found the unsearchable riches of Christ, will not long delay to report the good tidings to others. From love to him, not from selfish feelings, they will gladly share their earthly good things with their brethren.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

It is a matter of no importance whether we say that the miracle by which God now performed deliverance for Samaria consisted in a mere illusion of the sense of hearing (compare 2 Kings 6:19-20); or whether there was any objective reality in the sound (compare the marginal references).

The king of Israel hath hired - The swords of mercenaries had been employed by the nations bordering on Palestine as early as the time of David 2 Samuel 10:6; 1 Chronicles 19:6-7. Hence, the supposition of the Syrians was far from improbable.

The kings of the Hittites - The Hittites, who are found first in the south Genesis 23:7, then in the center of Judea Joshua 11:3, seem to have retired northward after the occupation of Palestine by the Israelites. They are found among the Syrian enemies of the Egyptians in the monuments of the 19th dynasty (about 1300 B.C.), and appear at that time to have inhabited the valley of the Upper Orontes. In the early Assyrian monuments they form a great confederacy, as the most powerful people of northern Syria, dwelling on both banks of the Euphrates, while at the same time there is a second confederacy of their race further to the south, which seems to inhabit the anti-Lebanon between Hamath and Damascus. These southern Hittites are in the time of Benhadad and Hazael a powerful people, especially strong in chariots; and generally assist the Syrians against the Assyrians. The Syrians seem now to have imagined that these southern Hittites had been hired by Jehoram.

The kings of the Egyptians - This is a remarkable expression, since Egypt elsewhere throughout Scripture appears always as a centralised monarchy under a single ruler. The probability is that the principal Pharaoh had a prince or princes associated with him on the throne, a practice not uncommon in Egypt. The period, which is that of the 22nd dynasty, is an obscure one, on which the monuments throw but little light.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

6, 7. the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots—This illusion of the sense of hearing, whereby the besiegers imagined the tramp of two armies from opposite quarters, was a great miracle which God wrought directly for the deliverance of His people.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

To hear a noise; either in the air; or rather, in their ears; otherwise the Samaritans had heard it.

The Hittites under which name (as elsewhere under the name of the Amorites) he seems to understand all or any of the people of Canaan. For though the greatest number of that people were destroyed, yet very many of them were spared, and many of them upon Joshua’s coming fled away, some to more remote parts, (which that famous and ancient inscription upon a pillar in Africa testifies,) and others to the lands bordering upon Canaan, where by reason of the scarcity of inhabitants there was in that age room enough for them; and there they seated themselves, and grew numerous and powerful and had (after their ancient and constant manner) kings over them. The kings also of Tyrus or Sidon may be here included.

The kings of the Egyptians; by which they may understand either the king of Egypt, the plural number being put for the singular, as it is elsewhere; of the princes and governors of the several nomi or provinces in Egypt, such being oft called kings in Scripture.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host,.... Or of many armies, as the Targum; either in the air by the ministry of angels; or the Lord so wrought upon their imagination, that they fancied they heard such noises; or he caused such noises in their ears:

and they said one to another, lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites; one of the nations of the Canaanites, and may be here put for the whole of those that remained, and who lived upon the borders of the land of Israel; though Josephus (y) has it, the kings of the isles; that is, of Chittim, see Jeremiah 2:10.

and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us; Egypt being now divided into petty kingdoms; or else the governors of the several nomes or districts of it are here meant: for the king of Israel to hire these kings was very unlikely in his present circumstances; but those unreasonable things, in their panic, their imaginations suggested to them.

(y) Ut supra, (Antiqu. l. 9. c. 4.) sect. 5.

Geneva Study Bible

For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a {f} noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

(f) Thus God needs no great preparation to destroy the wicked. Though they are many he can scatter them with a small noise, or shaking of a leaf.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

6. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise] As the eyes of the Syrians who came to seize Elisha were deluded, and deceived, so here the other sense is made to err. We need not enquire how it was brought about, for we are not told, nor intended to know. The report of what had alarmed the host would come to the knowledge of the Israelites in time, and they could only say, ‘It is the Lord’s doing, and is marvellous in our eyes’.

hath hired against us] Instances of such mercenary service are found elsewhere in the Bible narrative. Thus (2 Samuel 10:6) ‘the children of Ammon sent and hired the Syrians of Beth-rehob &c.’ And Amaziah, king of Judah, hired valiant men out of Israel (2 Chronicles 25:6).

the kings of the Hittites] In the Bible we first meet with the Hittites as one among several nations whose land God promised to Abraham and his seed (Genesis 15:20). Next they are mentioned as dwelling near Hebron (Genesis 23:4), and from them Abraham buys a burial-place for Sarah, which is afterwards spoken of (Genesis 25:9) as in the field of Ephron the son of Zohar the Hittite. Two of Esau’s wives were of this people (Genesis 26:34), and their name occurs several times in the story of the captivity, among the people whose land Israel was to go up and possess (Exodus 3:8; Exodus 3:17; Exodus 13:5 &c.). In Numbers 13:29 the spies when they came back mentioned the Hittites as some of the dwellers in the country, and in Joshua 1:4, the whole country which the people were to go in and possess is described as ‘from the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites’. The Hittites are among the enemy whom Israel overcame at the taking of Jericho (Joshua 24:11), and they are part of the host conquered at the waters of Merom (Joshua 11:4). Some of them continued to dwell in the land in the days of the Judges (Jdg 3:5) and intermingled with the children of Israel. Uriah the Hittite was among David’s captains (2 Samuel 23:39), and Hittite women were among the wives of Solomon (1 Kings 11:1). For the kings of the Hittites, Solomon (1 Kings 10:29) brought horses out of Egypt, and in the present chapter we have the same kings represented as a cause of great alarm to the Syrian host around Samaria. Yet in profane literature this people, evidently very wide-extended and powerful, are unmentioned, and it is only the modern deciphering of the records of Egypt and Babylon which has given us a conception of the Hittite power. Thence we learn that from very early times they were in conflict with Egypt, and that one of their chief towns, Kadesh on the river Orontes, was the scene of several contests between the Hittites and the Egyptians. Their other chief city is found to have been Carchemish on the Euphrates, so that the description of their territory in Joshua 1:4 is seen to be utterly correct, and we can understand how the hiring of such a mighty enemy would be sure to alarm Benhadad. For particulars of the inscriptions which relate to the Hittites see Records of the Past 2:161; 2:61; 5:6, &c. and Dr Wright’s Empire of the Hittites.

and the kings of the Egyptians] Large districts of Egypt, called by Greeks, Nomes, were under distinct organization though owning allegiance to the Pharaoh. It is very probable that at various periods there were two if not three kingdoms in the land. Hence the Assyrians speak of the kings that had been hired out of Egypt. If this had been the case then Ben-hadad and his army would have been shut in both on the north and on the south. We need not wonder at the terror such a thought inspired. The plural ‘kings’ of the Egyptians may perhaps here be used vaguely, as ‘princes’ of Babylon is in 2 Chronicles 32:31, when only Berodach-baladan is in question.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 6. - For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host. קול, voice, is used for noises of any kind (see Exodus 20:18; Psalm 42:7; Psalm 93:4; Jeremiah 47:3; Ezekiel 1:24; Ezekiel 3:13; Joel 2:5; Nahum 3:2), though generally for those in which the human voice preponderated. A noise like that of chariots and of horses and of a great host (חַאילִ גָדול) was borne in upon the ears of the Syrians about nightfall of the day on which Jehoram had determined to put Elisha to death; and, as they expected no reinforcements, they naturally concluded that succor had arrived to help their enemy. How the noise was produced it is impossible to say. Na-rural causes are insufficient; and the writer evidently regards the event as miraculous: "The Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise," etc. Nothing can be more weak and irrelevant than to remark, with Bahr," There are instances, even nowadays, that people in certain mountainous regions regard a rushing and roaring sound, such as is sometimes heard there, as a sign of coming war." The Syrians thought they heard the actual arrival of a vast army. And they said one to another, Lo, the King of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites. This supposition has been thought "strange," almost inexplicable. "No such nation as the Hittites any longer existed," says Mr. Sumner ('The Books of the Kings,' vol. 2. p. 72, Eng. trans.). But the Assyrian records of the ninth and eighth centuries B.C. make it evident, not only that the Hittites still existed at that date, but that they were among the most powerful enemies of the Ninevite kings, being located in Northern Syria, about Carchemish (Jerabus) and the adjacent country. It is also apparent that they did not form a centralized monarchy, but were governed by a number of chiefs, or "kings," twelve of whom are mentioned in one place (G. Smith, 'Eponym Canon,' p. 112). It was no very improbable supposition on the part of the Syrians that Jehoram had called in the aid of the Hittite confederacy, and that they had marched an army to his assistance. And the kings of the Egyptians. "The plural, kings of the Egyptians," says Keil, "is not to be pressed. It is probably occasioned only by the parallel expression,' kings of the Hittites.'" But Egyptian history shows us that about this date Egypt was becoming disintegrated, and that two or three distinct dynasties were sometimes ruling at the same time, in different parts of the country - one at Bubastis another at Thebes, a third at Tanis, occasionally a fourth at Memphis (see "Ancient Egypt," in 'The Story of the Nations,' p. 311). The writer thus shows a knowledge of the internal condition of Egypt which we should not have expected. To come upon us; i.e. to fall upon us from the north and from the south at the same time. In their panic, the Syrians did not stop to weigh probabilities, or to think how unlikely it was that such a simultaneous attack could have been arranged between powers so remote one from the other. 2 Kings 7:6

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

"Four men were before the gate as lepers," or at the gateway, separated from human society, according to the law in Leviticus 13:46; Numbers 5:3, probably in a building erected for the purpose (cf. 2 Kings 15:5), just as at the present day the lepers at Jerusalem have their huts by the side of the Zion gate (vid., Strauss, Sinai u. Golgatha, p. 205, and Tobler, Denkbltter aus Jerus. p. 411ff.). These men being on the point of starvation, resolved to invade the camp of the Syrians, and carried out this resolution בּנּשׁף, in the evening twilight, not the morning twilight (Seb. Schm., Cler., etc.), on account of 2 Kings 7:12, where the king is said to have received the news of the flight of the Syrians during the night. Coming to "the end of the Syrian camp," i.e., to the outskirts of it on the city side, they found no one there. For (2 Kings 7:6, 2 Kings 7:7) "the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots and horses, a noise of a great army," so that, believing the king of Israel to have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to fall upon them, they fled from the camp in the twilight אל־נפשׁם, with regard to their life, i.e., to save their life only, leaving behind them their tents, horses, and asses, and the camp as it was. - The miracle, by which God delivered Samaria from the famine or from surrendering to the foe, consisted in an oral delusion, namely, in the fact that the besiegers thought they heard the march of hostile armies from the north and south, and were seized with such panic terror that they fled in the greatest haste, leaving behind them their baggage, and their beasts of draught and burden. It is impossible to decide whether the noise which they heard had any objective reality, say a miraculous buzzing in the air, or whether it was merely a deception of the senses produced in their ears by God; and this is a matter of no importance, since in either case it was produced miraculously by God. The kings of the Hittites are kings of northern Canaan, upon Lebanon and towards Phoenicia; חתּים in the broader sense for Canaanites, as in 1 Kings 10:29. The plural, "kings of the Egyptians," is probably only occasioned by the parallel expression "kings of the Hittites," and is not to be pressed.