messenger. Hebrew. hammal'ak, without the. aleph ('a), as in Septuagint and Syriac. In 1 Samuel 11:4 the case is reversed. The Massorah informs us that the aleph was wrongly inserted, making it read messengers instead of "kings". The king must have followed on his heels, for Elisha addresses him directly in 2 Kings 7:1; 2 Kings 7:2. Compare 2 Kings 7:17.
what... ?. why? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6. These are the words of the king.