This verse shows the Lord’s promise of swift provision in the most desperate of situations.
Elisha, the prophet of the Lord in the Northern Kingdom of Israel around the mid-9th century BC, declares God’s promise of sudden provision to a city in dire straits: “Then Elisha said, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, “Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”’” (v.1). Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, originally built by King Omri around 885 BC, strategically located on a hill that provided both protection and a vantage point. At this time, the city was suffering from severe famine, likely a result of an enemy siege that restricted trade and supplies, causing starvation among the inhabitants and prevailing hopelessness.
The miraculous promise through Elisha, “Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel…” (v.1), signaled an immediate turnaround of the impossible circumstances. God’s word offered reassurance that the economic and food crisis in Samaria would end so swiftly that flour and barley—the staples of the people’s diet—would suddenly become inexpensive. This message points to the broader biblical theme that God’s provision often arrives just when all hope seems lost (see how Jesus provided food miraculously in Matthew 14:13-21). Elisha’s declaration invites faith in the power of God’s word, reminding us that when the Lord speaks, the impossible becomes possible.
In the span of one day, desperation would be replaced by abundance. “Tomorrow about this time…” (v.1) emphasizes the immediacy of God’s power to resolve dire conditions beyond human means. The prophet Elisha, who followed in the footsteps of Elijah (active in the 9th century BC), served during the reigns of multiple kings and witnessed extraordinary miracles throughout his ministry. This event in Samaria underscores how the Lord can reverse circumstances quickly, similar to other instances in Scripture where God’s word triumphs over hardship (Luke 1:37).
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2 Kings 7:1 meaning
Elisha, the prophet of the Lord in the Northern Kingdom of Israel around the mid-9th century BC, declares God’s promise of sudden provision to a city in dire straits: “Then Elisha said, ‘Listen to the word of the LORD; thus says the LORD, “Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.”’” (v.1). Samaria was the capital of the northern kingdom, originally built by King Omri around 885 BC, strategically located on a hill that provided both protection and a vantage point. At this time, the city was suffering from severe famine, likely a result of an enemy siege that restricted trade and supplies, causing starvation among the inhabitants and prevailing hopelessness.
The miraculous promise through Elisha, “Tomorrow about this time a measure of fine flour will be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel…” (v.1), signaled an immediate turnaround of the impossible circumstances. God’s word offered reassurance that the economic and food crisis in Samaria would end so swiftly that flour and barley—the staples of the people’s diet—would suddenly become inexpensive. This message points to the broader biblical theme that God’s provision often arrives just when all hope seems lost (see how Jesus provided food miraculously in Matthew 14:13-21). Elisha’s declaration invites faith in the power of God’s word, reminding us that when the Lord speaks, the impossible becomes possible.
In the span of one day, desperation would be replaced by abundance. “Tomorrow about this time…” (v.1) emphasizes the immediacy of God’s power to resolve dire conditions beyond human means. The prophet Elisha, who followed in the footsteps of Elijah (active in the 9th century BC), served during the reigns of multiple kings and witnessed extraordinary miracles throughout his ministry. This event in Samaria underscores how the Lord can reverse circumstances quickly, similar to other instances in Scripture where God’s word triumphs over hardship (Luke 1:37).