SEV Biblia, Chapter 7:13
Entonces respondió uno de sus siervos, y dijo: Tomen ahora cinco de los caballos que han quedado en la ciudad, (porque ellos también son como toda la multitud de Israel que ha quedado en ella; también ellos son como toda la multitud de Israel que ha perecido); y enviemos, y veamos qué hay.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 2 Kings 7:13
Verse 13. And one of his servants answered] This is a very difficult verse, and the great variety of explanations given of it cast but little light on the subject. I am inclined to believe, with Dr. Kennicott, that there is an interpolation here which puzzles, if not destroys, the sense. "Several instances," says he, "have been given of words improperly repeated by Jewish transcribers, who have been careless enough to make such mistakes, and yet cautious not to alter or erase, for fear of discovery. This verse furnishes another instance in a careless repetition of seven Hebrew words, thus:- ra lary wmhh lkk µnh hb wran ra µyranh ymt ra lary wmh lkk µnh hb wran The exact English of this verse is this: And the servant said, Let them take now five of the remaining horses, which remain in it; behold they are as all the multitude of Israel, which [remain in it; behold they are as all the multitude of Israel which] are consumed; and let us send and see. "Whoever considers that the second set of these seven words is neither in the Septuagint nor Syriac versions, and that those translators who suppose these words to be genuine alter them to make them look like sense, will probably allow them to have been at first an improper repetition; consequently to be now an interpolation strangely continued in the Hebrew text." They are wanting in more than forty of Kennicott's and Deuteronomy Rossi's MSS. In some others they are left without points; in others they have been written in, and afterwards blotted out; and in others four, in others five, of the seven words are omitted. Deuteronomy Rossi concludes thus: Nec verba haec legunt LXX., Vulg., Syrus simplex, Syrus Heptaplaris Parisiensis, Targum. They stand on little authority, and the text should be read, omitting the words enclosed by brackets, as above.
They are consumed] The words wmt ra asher tamu should be translated, which are perfect; i.e., fit for service. The rest of the horses were either dead of the famine, killed for the subsistence of the besieged, or so weak as not to be able to perform such a journey.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 13. And one of his servants answered and said, let some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city , etc.] Not having died through the famine as the rest: behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, I say, they are even as the multitude of Israel that are consumed ; signifying, there was a like consumption among the horses as among the people, and they that remained were starving as they were; so that should those horses, and the men, fall into the hands of the Syrians, and perish, it would be no great matter; the loss would not be much, since they must perish if they continue in the city: according to the Vulgate Latin version, these five horses were all that were left: and let us send and see ; whether the report of the lepers is true or not.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 12-20 - Here see the wants of Israel supplied in a way they little thought of which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits. God's promise may be safely relied on, for n word of his shall fall to the ground. The nobleman that questioned the truth of Elisha's word, saw the plenty, to silence and shame his unbelief, and therein saw his own folly; but he did not eat of the plenty he saw. Justly do those find the world's promises fail them, wh think that the promises of God will disappoint them. Learn how deepl God resents distrust of his power, providence, and promise: ho uncertain life is, and the enjoyments of it: how certain God' threatenings are, and how sure to come on the guilty. May God help u to inquire whether we are exposed to his threatenings, or interested in his promises __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויען 6030 אחד 259 מעבדיו 5650 ויאמר 559 ויקחו 3947 נא 4994 חמשׁה 2568 מן 4480 הסוסים 5483 הנשׁארים 7604 אשׁר 834 נשׁארו 7604 בה הנם 2009 ככל 3605 ההמון 1995 ישׂראל 3478 אשׁר 834 נשׁארו 7604 בה הנם 2005 ככל 3605 המון 1995 ישׂראל 3478 אשׁר 834 תמו 8552 ונשׁלחה 7971 ונראה׃ 7200
