The Meaning of 2 Kings 7:7 Explained

2 Kings 7:7

KJV: Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

YLT: And they rise and flee in the twilight, and forsake their tents, and their horses, and their asses -- the camp as it is -- and flee for their life.

Darby: And they rose up and fled in the dusk, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

ASV: Wherefore they arose and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Wherefore they arose  and fled  in the twilight,  and left  their tents,  and their horses,  and their asses,  even the camp  as it [was], and fled  for their life. 

What does 2 Kings 7:7 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Kings 7:1-11 - "windows In Heaven"
There is a sore famine just now over the whole world-a famine of God's Word. For some years the Church has felt its growing severity, but there are two classes within her borders: they who believe that God can open the windows of heaven, and pour down such a blessing that there will not be room to receive it, Malachi 3:10; and those who, like the unbelieving courtier, jeer at the hope of the saints. Let us answer the skeptic's "Can God?" by the positive achievements of faith.
When God sends blessings to His people, He rarely takes methods that we might expect. Rather, He chooses the weak and foolish things, yea, those that are not, to confound those that are, so as to prevent flesh from glorying in His presence. Whenever, in the first glint of the morning light, you discover the divine answer to your prayers, in all its plenteous abundance, do not keep the good news to yourself lest punishment overtake you, but be sure to bear the glad tidings to others. When it is a day of good tidings, be sure to act upon them, in faith and patience, counting it a sin to hold your peace. [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Kings 7

1  Elisha prophesies incredible plenty in Samaria
3  four lepers, venturing on the host of the Syrians, bring tidings of their flight
12  The king, finding by spies the news to be true, spoils the tents of the Syrians
17  The lord who would not believe the prophecy of plenty is trampled in the press

What do the individual words in 2 Kings 7:7 mean?

Therefore they arose and fled at twilight and left - their tents and their horses their donkeys the camp just as it [was] and they fled for their lives
וַיָּקוּמוּ֮ וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ בַנֶּשֶׁף֒ וַיַּעַזְב֣וּ אֶת־ אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם וְאֶת־ סֽוּסֵיהֶם֙ חֲמֹ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה כַּאֲשֶׁר־ הִ֑יא וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ אֶל־ נַפְשָֽׁם

וַיָּקוּמוּ֮  Therefore  they  arose 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
וַיָּנ֣וּסוּ  and  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
בַנֶּשֶׁף֒  at  twilight 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: נֶשֶׁף  
Sense: twilight.
וַיַּעַזְב֣וּ  and  left 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָזַב 
Sense: to leave, loose, forsake.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
אָהֳלֵיהֶ֗ם  their  tents 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
סֽוּסֵיהֶם֙  their  horses 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: סוּס 
Sense: swallow, swift.
חֲמֹ֣רֵיהֶ֔ם  their  donkeys 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חֲמֹור 
Sense: (he)ass.
הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֖ה  the  camp 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: מַחֲנֶה  
Sense: encampment, camp.
כַּאֲשֶׁר־  just  as 
Parse: Preposition-k, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הִ֑יא  it  [was] 
Parse: Pronoun, third person feminine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
וַיָּנֻ֖סוּ  and  they  fled 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: נוּס  
Sense: to flee, escape.
נַפְשָֽׁם  their  lives 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: נֶפֶשׁ  
Sense: soul, self, life, creature, person, appetite, mind, living being, desire, emotion, passion.