(18) To the king.--The LXX. and Syriac have, "to the messenger." (See Note on 2Kings 6:23.)

In this and the following verse the author repeats the prediction and its fulfilment with obvious satisfaction. The moral is a warning against unbelief.

Verse 18. - And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be tomorrow about this time in the gate of Samaria. The otiose repetition of almost the whole of ver. 1 can only be explained as a mode of emphasizing, and so impressing upon the reader two main points:

(1) Elisha's prophetic powers; and

(2) the dreadful consequences that follow on scornful rejection of a message from God (see the comment on ver. 2).

7:12-20 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 no 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, who think that the promises of God will disappoint them. Learn how deeply God resents distrust of his power, providence, and promise: how uncertain life is, and the enjoyments of it: how certain God's threatenings are, and how sure to come on the guilty. May God help us to inquire whether we are exposed to his threatenings, or interested in his promises.And it came to pass, as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying,.... As in 2 Kings 7:1, and what he said to the king there, and to the lord, in 2 Kings 7:2, are repeated in this and the next verse, that it might be observed how exactly the prophecies were fulfilled.