Translations
Modern
So 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.”
Traditional
So they came and called unto the porter of the city: and they told them, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.
Literal
And they went and called to the gatekeepers of the city and declared to them, saying, “We went to the camp of Aram, and behold, there was not a man or the sound of man, but only the tied horse and tied donkey and the tents as they were.”
Latin
Cumque venissent ad portam civitatis, narraverunt eis, dicentes: Ivimus ad castra Syriæ, et nullum ibidem reperimus hominem, nisi equos et asinos alligatos, et fixa tentoria.
Original
Hebrew
English
So 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.”
Notes
Joram thought the Arameans might have set a trap to ambush the Israelites. Joshua used a similar tactic to capture the city of Ai (Joshua 8:3–23).
Events
Places
Syria: Ancient region north of Israel, often in conflict
Glossary
Elisha Gatekeepers Kings, Books of First and Second Malachi, Book of Samaria
Topics
Armies: March in Ranks: Among the Syrians Conscience of the Lepers of Samaria Prophecy: Miscellaneous, Fulfilled: The End of the Famine in Samaria the Domestic Donkey was Used in War