This is a simplified version of the Bible story found in 2 Kings 7, written for children to understand. For the original version, please refer to the Bible passage.
Once upon a time, there was a man named Elisha who spoke for God. He told everyone that the next day, there would be lots of food in Samaria! A big bag of flour and two bags of barley would only cost one shekel. But one of the king’s helpers said, “That can’t be true! Even if God opened the windows of heaven, there wouldn’t be that much food.” But Elisha told him that he would see it with his own eyes, but he wouldn’t get to eat any of it.
Now, there were four men who were very sick with a disease called leprosy. They were sitting outside of the city, and they were very hungry because there wasn’t any food. They talked to each other and said, “If we go to the city, we’ll still be hungry and might die. If we stay here, we’ll definitely die. Let’s go to the Syrian army’s camp. Maybe they’ll spare our lives and give us some food. If they don’t, at least we’ll die trying.”
They went to the camp at night and saw that nobody was there! God had made the Syrian army hear sounds of chariots and horses, so they ran away because they thought the kings of Hittites and Egypt were coming to fight them. They left everything behind and ran away.
The four men went into one of the tents and saw that there was lots of food, so they ate and drank. They also saw that there was silver, gold, and clothes, so they took them and hid them. They went to another tent and did the same thing. They talked to each other and said, “We shouldn’t be keeping this good news to ourselves. We need to tell the king’s household!” They went to the city gatekeepers and told them what happened.
The gatekeepers told the king’s household, and the king was very happy. He thought that the Syrian army had gone to hide so they could capture the Israelites when they left the city. He sent some men to see what happened, and they found lots of things that the Syrian army had left behind. They came back and told the king.
Then the Israelites went to the Syrian army’s camp and took everything. There was so much food that a big bag of flour and two bags of barley only cost one shekel, just like Elisha had said! But the king’s helper who didn’t believe Elisha’s words, he got trampled and died. Just like Elisha said, the helper saw the food, but he didn’t get to eat any of it.
Biblical Lessons
- God is powerful and can do amazing things, like making an entire army flee without a fight!
- It’s important to share good news with others, just like how the four men with leprosy shared the news about the Syrian army fleeing.
- We should trust and believe in God’s words, even if it seems impossible or unlikely.
Related Stories
Elisha Raises the Shunammite’s Son
Must-Read Christian Books
The Holiness of God
Sproul unfolds the blazing holiness of God and why a right fear of the Lord is vital to true worship.
View on Amazon
The Reason for God
Thoughtful, biblical responses to common objections to Christianity, aimed at skeptics and believers alike.
View on Amazon
Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God
A robust, Scripture-saturated theology of prayer with practical guidance for deepening communion with God.
View on Amazon
Basic Christianity
A timeless introduction to who Jesus is and what it means to follow Him according to Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Discipline of Grace
Shows how God's grace and our disciplined effort work together in sanctification.
View on Amazon
Future Grace
Argues that faith in God's future grace frees believers from the enslaving power of sin.
View on Amazon
Redemption Accomplished and Applied
A concise, biblical study of Christ's atonement and the application of salvation to believers.
View on Amazon
Trusting God
Encourages believers to trust God's sovereignty, wisdom, and love in every circumstance.
View on Amazon
All of Grace
A simple, powerful explanation of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone.
View on Amazon
The Bondage of the Will
Luther's classic defense of the Bible's teaching on human sin and God's sovereign grace.
View on Amazon
The Westminster Confession of Faith
A historic confession that systematically sets forth Reformed theology from Scripture.
View on Amazon
The Gospel Comes with a House Key
A call to radical, everyday hospitality as a means of gospel witness and discipleship.
View on Amazon
Gentle and Lowly
Meditates on Christ's heart for sinners and sufferers from key biblical texts.
View on Amazon
The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment
A Puritan classic on learning contentment in God in every circumstance.
View on Amazon
The Christian Life
A clear, doctrinally rich overview of salvation and Christian living.
View on Amazon
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness
Shows how the gospel frees us from self-obsession to live in joy and service.
View on Amazon
Counterfeit Gods
Exposes modern idols of the heart and points to Christ as our true treasure.
View on Amazon
Idols of the Heart
Helps believers identify and repent of heart-idols through the lens of Scripture.
View on Amazon