2 Kings 7:18
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 to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: 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 to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria:
The verse stands near the beginning of the history that starts with Joram king of Israel and runs through Jehu, Jehoahaz, Jehoash, Jeroboam II, Zachariah, Shallum, Menahem, Pekahiah, Pekah, and Hoshea to the end of the kingdom of Israel by the invasion of Shalmaneser of Assyria completed by Sargon and the carrying away and scattering of the tribes into captivity. It belongs among the varied events in the life of Elisha the prophet, whose ministry of about sixty years ended with his death under Jehoash in 796 B.C. That ministry fell in a period of nearly 300 years when Hosea, Jonah, and Amos also prophesied.
Its setting is a besieged Samaria facing famine. Deliverance came when the Syrian army fled and left its provisions and food behind, so the people found abundant food that relieved the famine. In fulfillment of Elisha's prophecy, by the stated time on the next day, about this time, two measures of barley for a shekel and a measure of fine flour for a shekel were sold and available in the gate of Samaria.
The doubting royal officer, captain, and nobleman saw the fulfillment but was trampled to death and died at the gate without eating or sharing any of the food, as Elisha had said. His fate shows that those who refuse to act in faith may miss the blessings God has promised.