4. “If we shall say, ‘Let us go into the city,’ the scarcity of food is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we shall die. And now, come, let us surrender to the army of the Arameans. If they keep us alive, we live. And if they kill us, we shall die.”
5. So at twilight they rose up to go to the camp of the Arameans. And when they had come to the outskirts of the Aramean camp, look, no one was there.
6. For יהוה had caused the army of the Arameans to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses, the noise of a great army, and they said to each other, “Look, the sovereign of Yisra’ĕl has hired against us the sovereigns of the Ḥittites and the sovereigns of the Mitsrians to come against us!”
7. So they rose up and fled at twilight, and left the camp as it is – their tents, and their horses, and their donkeys – and they fled for their lives.
8. And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and took from there silver and gold and garments, and went and hid them. And they came back and went into another tent, and took from there and went and hid it.
9. Then they said to each other, “We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news, and we are keeping silent. And if we wait until morning light, then evil shall come upon us. And now, come, let us go and inform the house of the sovereign.”
10. And they came and called to the gatekeepers of the city, and informed them, saying, “We went to the camp of Aram, and look, there is not a man or a voice of man, only horses tied and donkeys tied, and the tents as they were.”
11. And the gatekeepers called, and they informed the house of the sovereign inside.
12. So the sovereign rose up in the night and said to his servants, “Let me now inform you what the Arameans have done to us. They know that we are starving, so they have gone out of the camp to hide themselves in the field, saying, ‘When they come out of the city, we shall catch them alive, and enter into the city.’ ”
13. And one of his servants answered and said, “Please, let some take five of the horses that are left in the city. Look, they are like the entire crowd of Yisra’ĕl that are left in it, look, they are like the entire crowd of Yisra’ĕl left from those who are consumed. So let us send and see.”