Oneof his servantssaid,"Please,let some [men] takefiveof the horseswhich remain,whichare leftin the city. Behold,they [will be in any case] like allthe multitudeof Israelwhoare leftin it; behold,they [will be in any case] like allthe multitudeof Israelwhohave already perished,so let us sendand see."
Then his servantscamenearand spoketo him and said,"My father,had the prophettoldyou [to do some] greatthing,would you not have done[it]? Howmuchmore[then], whenhe saysto you, 'Wash,and be clean'?"
While he was stilltalkingwith them, behold,the messengercamedownto him and he said,"Behold,thisevilis from the LORD;whyshould I waitfor the LORDanylonger?"
Then the kingarosein the nightand saidto his servants,"I will nowtellyou whatthe Arameanshave doneto us. They knowthat we are hungry;therefore they have gonefrom the campto hidethemselves in the field,saying,'Whenthey comeout of the city,we will capturethem aliveand getinto the city.'"
They tooktherefore twochariotswith horses,and the kingsentafterthe armyof the Arameans,saying,"Goand see."
"Ifwe say,'We will enterthe city,'then the famineis in the cityand we will diethere;and ifwe sithere,we diealso. Nowtherefore come,and let us gooverto the campof the Arameans.Ifthey spareus, we will live;and ifthey killus, we will but die."
IfI goout to the country,Behold,those slainwith the sword!Or ifI enterthe city,Behold,diseasesof famine!For bothprophetand priestHave gone rovingaboutin the landthat they do not know.'"
Betterare those slainwith the swordThanthose slainwith hunger;For they pineaway,being strickenFor lack of the fruitsof the field.
