2 Kings 7:1 Meaning and Explanation
“Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the LORD, To morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Elisha announces that God will reverse Samaria's famine by tomorrow, when grain will flood the market.
The Context of 2 Kings 7:1
Samaria is starving under Syrian siege, its people desperate. Elisha speaks into the despair with a specific, testable promise from the Lord.
What Does 2 Kings 7:1 Mean?
We enter a city dying from hunger. Mothers search for anything their children might eat. The siege has lasted so long that a donkey's head fetches eighty shekels. But into this darkness steps Elisha, the Lord's prophet, and speaks a word so concrete that listeners can measure its truth by tomorrow's grain prices. A shekel of flour, two measures of barley for a shekel. The specificity matters: it gives faith something to hold, a deadline, a market-standard proof.
We watch Elisha stake his prophetic authority on the Lord's ability to reverse famine in a single day. This is not vague hope but the Lord's own word, a declaration that all human calculation of shortage and survival has missed the true power at work. The promise points beyond the circumstance to a God who delights in reversing despair, in providing abundantly when His people seem most lost. We too know seasons when circumstances say 'never,' and a word from the Lord that says 'tomorrow' becomes our anchor.
2 Kings 7:1 in the Original Language
saith (λέγει/legei), 'says' -- the prophetic speech-act that carries God's own authority
How to Apply 2 Kings 7:1 Today
When we face a crisis that seems to have no exit, we need to hear a word from the Lord that is specific, impossible by human means, and testable. Elisha models prophetic faith that names the future with such clarity that doubt becomes harder than trust.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Kings 7:1
What does 2 Kings 7:1 mean?
Elisha announces that God will reverse Samaria's famine by tomorrow, when grain will flood the market.
What is the context of 2 Kings 7:1?
Samaria is starving under Syrian siege, its people desperate. Elisha speaks into the despair with a specific, testable promise from the Lord.
How can I apply 2 Kings 7:1 today?
When we face a crisis that seems to have no exit, we need to hear a word from the Lord that is specific, impossible by human means, and testable. Elisha models prophetic faith that names the future with such clarity that doubt becomes harder than trust.