The Arameans Flee
Four leprous men reason that every available choice leads toward death except the uncertain chance of surrender. At twilight they go to the Aramean camp and arrive to an eerie absence.
N3ow there were four men with leprosy at the entrance of the city gate, and they said to one another, “Why just sit here until we die? 4If we say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ we will die there from the famine in the city; but if we sit here, we will also die. So come now, let us go over to the camp of the Arameans. If they let us live, we will live; if they kill us, we will die.” 5So they arose at twilight and went to the camp of the Arameans. But when they came to the outskirts of the camp, there was not a man to be found.
The camp is empty because the LORD has made the Arameans hear an approaching army, so they flee in panic and leave everything behind. The leprous men enter the abandoned camp and begin to eat, drink, and hide valuables.
6For the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots, horses, and a great army, so that they said to one another, “Look, the king of Israel must have hired the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians to attack us.” 7Thus the Arameans had arisen and fled at twilight, abandoning their tents and horses and donkeys. The camp was intact, and they had run for their lives. 8When the lepers reached the edge of the camp, they went into a tent to eat and drink. Then they carried off the silver, gold, and clothing, and went and hid them. On returning, they entered another tent, carried off some items from there, and hid them.
The men recognize that hoarding such news is wrong on a day like this. They report the empty camp to the gatekeepers, and the word is passed into the king’s household.
9Finally, they said to one another, “We are not doing what is right. Today is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until morning light, our sin will overtake us. Now, therefore, let us go and tell the king’s household.” 10So they went and called out to the gatekeepers of the city, saying, “We went to the Aramean camp and no one was there— not a trace — only tethered horses and donkeys, and the tents were intact.” 11The gatekeepers shouted the news, and it was reported to the king’s household.
The king suspects a trap, but his servants urge a scouting party since the city has little left to lose. The scouts follow the evidence to the Jordan and return with confirmation that the Arameans fled in haste.
12So 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 we are starving, so they have left the camp to hide in the field, thinking, ‘When they come out of the city, we will take them alive and enter the city.’” 13But one of his servants replied, “Please, have scouts take five of the horses that remain in the city. Their plight will be no worse than all the Israelites who are left here. You can see that all the Israelites here are doomed. So let us send them and find out.” 14Then the scouts took two chariots with horses, and the king sent them after the Aramean army, saying, “Go and see.” 15And they tracked them as far as the Jordan, and indeed, the whole way was littered with the clothing and equipment the Arameans had thrown off in haste. So the scouts returned and told the king.