2 Ki. 7: The Case of the Plundering Lepers

2 Kings 7:16 "Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said."

Being unfamiliar with the economy in Israel a million years ago, I wouldn't know from anything if a shekel for a seah of flour or two seahs of barley was a good deal, as Elisha said the deal would be. Apparently it would be, because of the reference to God opening the floodgates of heaven. Presumably for rain. To grow flour and barley. The king apparently wouldn't be alive to see it, though.

Meanwhile, these lepers are just chilling out, kind of running out the clock, and they decide to go into the city, because if they stay out where they are, they're dead, and if they go into the city, they may be spared. They happen upon the Aramean army camp. Which is deserted. Because the Arameans were duped by the LORD into thinking the Hittites and the Egyptians were attacking. Which they weren't. So the lepers plunder their tents. Its interesting that they say what they're doing is wrong. Not the stealing. No, that's totally fine. Its the not sharing the news with the king. Aramea was the enemy. So the king, who had no idea what was going on, sent out some scouts to see what made the Arameans flee.

And in the panic, the king got trampled in the gateway. He would not be able to see the low-cost barley economy. Just as Elisha said.