were four men that on this account abode
before the gates, while nobody gave them any food, by reason of the
extremity of the famine; and as they were prohibited from entering into
the city by the law, and they considered that if they were permitted to
enter, they should miserably perish by the famine; as also, that if
they staid where they were, they should suffer in the same manner,--they
resolved to deliver themselves up to the enemy, that in case they should
spare them, they should live; but if they should be killed, that would
be an easy death. So when they had confirmed this their resolution, they
came by night to the enemy's camp. Now God had begun to affright and
disturb the Syrians, and to bring the noise of chariots and armor to
their ears, as though an army were coming upon them, and had made them
suspect that it was coming nearer and nearer to them In short, they
were in such a dread of this army, that they left their tents, and ran
together to Benhadad, and said that Joram the king of Israel had hired
for auxiliaries both the king of Egypt and the king of the Islands,
and led them against them for they heard the noise of them as they were
coming. And Benhadad believed what they said [for there came the same
noise to his ears as well as it did to theirs]; so they fell into a
mighty disorder and tumult, and left their horses and beasts in their
camp, with immense riches also, and betook themselves to flight. And
those lepers who had departed from Samaria, and were gone to the camp of
the Syrians, of whom we made mention a little before, when they were in
the camp, saw nothing but great quietness and silence: accordingly they
entered into it, and went hastily into one of their tents; and when they
saw nobody there, they eat and drank, and carried garments, and a great
quantity of gold, and hid it out of the camp; after which they went into
another tent, and carried off what was in it, as they did at the former,
and this did they for several times, without the least interruption
from any body. So they gathered thereby that the enemies were departed;
whereupon they reproached themselves that they did not inform Joram and
the citizens of it. So they came to the walls of Samaria, and called
aloud to the watchmen, and told them in what state the enemies were, as
did these tell the king's guards, by whose means Joram came to know of
it; who then sent for his friends, and the captains of his host, and
said to them, th