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19 And Elisha said "unto them, This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek. But he led them to Samaria.

20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of these men, that they may see. And the LORD opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria.

21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

23 And he prepared great provision for them; and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

n 2 Sam. 16, 18. come ye after me. o Luke 24. 16, 31. p Prov. 25. 21. 22. Rom. 12. 20. 7 c. 5. 2. 24. 2.7 Lev. 26. 26. Jer. 52 6. Ez. . 16.

III. The shameful defeat which Elisha gave to the host of Syrians who came to seize him; they thought to make a prey of him, but he made fools of them, perfectly played with them, so far was he from fearing them, or any damage by them. 1. He prayed to God to smite them with blindness, and they were all struck blind immediately, not stoneblind, nor so as to be themselves aware that they were blind, for they could see the light, but their sight was so altered, that they could not know the persons and places they were before acquainted with, v. 18. They were so confounded, that those among them whom they depended upon for information, did not know this place to be Dothan, nor this person to be Elisha, but groped at noonday as in the night, (Is. 59. 10. Job 12. 24, 25;) their memory failed them, and their distinguishing faculty. See the power of God over the minds and understanding of men, both ways; he enlightened the eyes of Elisha's friend, and darkened the eyes of his foes, that they might see, indeed, but not perceive, Is. 6. 9. For this twofold judgment Christ came into this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see, might be made blind, (John 9. 39,) a savour of life to some, of death to others.

2. When they were thus bewildered and confounded, he led them to Samaria, (v. 19,) promising that he would show them the man whom they sought, and did so. He did not lie to them, when he told them, This is not the way, nor is this the city where Elisha is; for he was now come out of the city; and if they would see him, they must go to another city which he would direct them to. They that fight against God and his prophets, deceive themselves, and are justly given up to delusions.

3. When he had brought them to Samaria, he prayed to God so to open their eyes, and restore them their memories, that they might see where they were; (v. 20,) and, behold, to their great terror, they were in the midst of Samaria, where, it is probable, there was a standing force sufficient to cut them all off, or make them prisoners of war. Satan, the God of this world, blinds men's eyes, and so deludes them into their own ruin; but when God enlightens their eyes, they then see themselves in the midst of their enemies, captives to Satan, and in danger of hell, though, before, they thought their condition good. The enemies of God and his church, when they fancy themselves ready to triumph, will find themselves conquered and triumphed over. 4. When he had them at his mercy, he made it appear that he was influenced by a divine goodness as well as a divine power.

(1.) He took care to protect them from the danger into which he had brought them, and was content to show them what he could have done; he needed not the sword of an angel to avenge his cause, the sword of the king of Israel is at his service, if he pleases, v. 21. My father, (so respectfully does he now speak to him, though, soon after, he swore his death,) shall I smite them? And again, as if he longed for the assault, Shall I smite them? Perhaps, he remembered how God was displeased at his father, for letting go out of his hands those whom he had put it into his power to destroy, and he would not offend in like manner; yet such a reverence has he for the prophet, that he will not strike a stroke without his commission: but the prophet would by no means suffer him to meddle with them, they were brought hither, to be convinced and ashamed, not to be killed, v. 22. Had they been his prisoners, taken captive by his sword, and bow, when they had asked quarter, it had been barbarous to deny, and when he had given it them, it had been perfidious to do them any hurt, and against the law of arms to kill men in cool blood; but they were not his prisoners, they were God's prisoners, and the prophet's, and therefore he must do them no harm; they that humble themselves under God's hand, take the best course to secure themselves.

(2.) He took care to provide for them; he ordered the king to treat them handsomely, and then dismiss them fairly, which he did, v. 23. [1] It was the king's praise, that he was so obsequious to the prophet, contrary to his inclination, and, as VOL. I.-112

24 And it came to pass, after this, that Ben hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria.

25 And there was a great famine in Samaria : and, behold, they besieged rit, until an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver.

26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king!

27 And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barn-floor, ór out of the wine-press?

28 And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son 'that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.

29 So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and 1 said unto her the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him; and "she hath hid her son.

30 And it came to pass, when the king heard

for, Let not the LORD save thee. Ps. 127. 1. 146, 3, 5. Jer. 17. 5. Lev. 26. 29. Deut. 28. 53-57. Is. 49. 15. other. u 1 Kings 3. 26.

it seemed, to his interest, 1 Sam. 24. 19. Nay, so willing was he to oblige Elisha, that whereas he was ordered only to set bread and water before them, (and that is good fare for captives,) he prepared great provision for them, for the credit of his court and country, and of Elisha. [2.] It was the prophet's praise, that he was so generous to his enemies, who, though they came to take him, could not but go away admiring him, as both the mightiest and the kindest man they ever met with. The great duty of loving enemies, and doing good to those that hate us, was both commanded in the Old Testament, (Prov. 25. 21, 2, If thine enemy hunger feed him, Ex. 23. 4, 5,) and practised, as here by Elisha; his predecessor had given a specimen of divine justice, when he called for flames of fire on the heads of his persecutors to consume them, but he gave a specimen of divine mercy, in heaping coals of fire on the heads of his persecutors to melt them; let not us then be overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

The

Lastly, The good effect this had, for the present, upon the Syrians; they came no more into the land of Israel, (v. 23,) namely, upon this errand, to take Elisha; they saw it was to no purpose to attempt that, nor would any of their bands be persuaded to make an assault on so great and good a man. most glorious victory over an enemy is to turn him into a friend. V. 24-33. This last paragraph of this chapter should, of right, have been the first of the next chapter, for it begins a new story, which is there continued and concluded. Here is,

1. The siege which the king of Syria laid to Samaria, and the great distress which the city was reduced to thereby the Syrians had soon forgotten the kindnesses they had lately received in Samaria, and very ungratefully, for aught that appears, without any provocation, seek the destruction of it, v. 24. Those are base spirits, that show no lasting gratitude. The country, we may suppose, was plundered and laid waste, when this capital city was brought to the last extremity, v. 25. The dearth which had of late been in the land was, probably, the occasion of the emptiness of their stores; or the siege was so sudden, that they had not time to lay in provisions: so that while the sword devoured without, the famine within was more grievous; (Lam. 4. 9,) for, it should seem, the Syrians designed not to storm the city, but to starve it. So great was the scarcity, that an ass's head, that has but little flesh on it, and that unsavoury, unwholesome, and ceremonially unclean, was sold for five pounds, and a small quantity of fitches, or lentiles, or some such coarse corn, then called dove's dung, no more of it than the quantity of six eggs, for five pieces of silver, about twelve or fifteen shillings. Learn to value plenty, and to be thankful for it; see how contemptible money is, when, in time of famine, it is so freely parted with for any thing that is eatable.

II. The sad complaint which a poor woman had to make to the king, in the extremity of the famine; he was passing by upon the wall to give orders for the mounting of the guard, the posting of the archers, the repair of the breaches, and the like, when a woman of the city cried to him, Help, my lord, O king, v. 26. Whither should the subject, in distress, go for help but to the prince, who is, by office, the protector of right, and the avenger of wrong? He returns but a melancholy answer, (v, 27,) If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I? Some think it was a quarrelling word, and the language of his fretfulness; "Why dost thou expect any thing from me, when God himself deals thus hardly with us?" Because he could not help her as he would, out of the floor or the wine-press, he would not help her at all; we must take heed of being made cross by afflictive providences. It rather seems to be a quieting word; "Let us be content, and make the best of our affliction, looking up to God, for till he help us, I cannot help thee." 1. He laments the emptiness of the floor and the wine-press; those were not as they had been, even the king's failed. We read, v. 23, of great provisions which he had at command, sufficient for the entertainment of an army; yet now he has not wherewithal to relieve ( 889 )

CHAPTER VII.

the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes : and he passed by upon the wall, and the people Relief is here brought to Samaria and her king, when the case was, in a manner, looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh.

31 Then he said, God "do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.

32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him: and the king sent a man from before him but were the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer *hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?

33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the LORD; what should I wait for the LORD any longer?

v1 Kings 21. 27. to 1 Kings 19. 2. a Ez. 8. 1. 20. 1. y 1 Kings 14.6. 1 Kings 18. 13, 14. a Job 1:21. Ps. 37. 7, 9. one poor woman: scarcity sometimes follows upon great plenty; we cannot be sure that to-morrow shall be as this day, Is. 56. 12. Ps. 30. 6. 2. He acknowledges himself thereby disabled to help, unless God would help them. Note, Creatures are helpless things without God, for every creature is that, all that, and only that, which he makes it to be. However, though he cannot help her, he is willing to hear her ; (v. 28,) “What ails thee? Is there any thing singular in thy case, or dost thou fare worse than thy neighbours?" Truly yes; she and one of her neighbours had made a barbarous agreement, that, all provisions failing, they should boil and eat her son first, and then her neighbour's; hers was eaten, (who can think of it without horror!) and now her neighbour hid hers, v. 28, 29. See an instance of the dominion which the flesh has got above the spirit, when the most natural affections of the mind may be thus overpowered by the natural appetites of the body see the word of God fulfilled; among the threatenings of God's judgments upon Israel for their sins, this was one, (Deut. 28. 53-57,) that they should eat the flesh of their own children, which one would think incredible, yet it came to pass.

III. The king's indignation against Elisha, upon this occasion; he lamented the calamity, rent his clothes, and had sackcloth upon his flesh, (v. 30,) as one heartily concerned for the misery of his people, and that it was not in his power to help them; but he laments not his own iniquity, nor the iniquity of his people, which was the procuring cause of the calamity; he is not sensible that his ways and his doings have procured this to himself; this is his wickedness, for it is bitter; the foolishness of man perverts his way, and then his heart frets against the Lord; instead of vowing to pull down the calves of Dan and Bethel, or letting the law have its course against the prophets of Baal, and of the groves, he swears the death of Elisha, v. 31. Why, what is the matter? What has Elisha done? His head is the most innocent and valuable in all Israel, and yet that must be devoted, and made an anathema. Thus in the days of the persecuting emperors, when the empire groaned under any extraordinary calamity, the fault was laid on the Christians, and they were doomed to destruction, Christianos ad leones-Away with the Christians to the lions. Perhaps Jehoram was in this heat against Elisha, because he had foretold this judgment, or had persuaded him to hold out, and not surrender, or rather, because he did not, by his prayers, raise the siege, and relieve the city, which he thought he could do, but would not; whereas till they repented and reformed, and were ready for deliverance, they had no reason to expect that the prophet should pray for it. IV. The foresight Elisha had of the king's design against him; (v. 32,) he sat in his house well composed, and the elders with him well employed, no doubt, while the king was like a wild bull in a net, or like the troubled sea when it cannot rest; he told the elders there was an officer coming from the king to cut off his head, and bade them stop him at the door, and not let him in, for the king his master was just following him, to revoke the order, as we may suppose. The same spirit of prophecy that enabled Elisha to tell what was done at a distance, authorized him to call the king the son of a murderer, which, unless we could produce such an extraordinary commission, it is not for us to imitate; far be it from us to despise dominion, and to speak evil of dignities. He appeals to the elders, whether he had deserved so ill at the king's hands; see whether in this he be not the son of a murderer? For, what evil had Elisha done? He had not desired the woful day, Jer. 17. 16.

V. The king's passionate speech, when he came to prevent the execution of his edict for the beheading of Elisha; he seems to have been in a struggle between his convictions and his corruptions, knew not what to say, but, seeing things brought to the last extremity, he even abandons himself to despair, (v. 33,) This evil is of the Lord: therein his notions were right, and well applied; it is a general truth, that all penal evil is of the Lord, as the First Cause, and Sovereign Judge, (Am. 3, 6,) and this we ought to apply to particular cases; if all evil, then this evil, whatever it is, we are now groaning under; whoever are the instruments, God is the principal Agent of it; but his inference from this truth was foolish and wicked, What should I

desperate, and the king despairing. I. It is foretold by Elisba, and an unbelieving lord shut out from the benefit of it, v. 1, 2. II. It is brought about, 1. By an unaccountable fright which God put the Syrians into, (v. 6,) which caused them to retire precipitately, v. 7. 2. By the seasonable discovery which four lepers made of this, (v. 3-5,) and the account they gave of it to the court, v. 8-11. 3. By the cautious trial which the king made of the truth of it, v. 12-15. Lastly, The event answered the prediction both in the sudden plenty, (v. 16,) and the death of the unbelieving lord, (v. 17—20,) for no word of God shall fall to the ground.

THE

HEN Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the LORD: Thus saith the LORD, To-morrow, about this time, shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

2 Then a lord, *on whose hand the king leaned, answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the LORD would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

3 And there were four leprous men at the ena ver. 18, 19. which belonged to the king, leaning upon his hand, c. 5. 18. b Gen. 7. 11. Mal. 3. 10. e ver. 17, 20.

wait for the Lord any longer? When Eli, and David, and Job, said, It is of the Lord, they grew patient upon it, but this bad man grew outrageous upon it; "I will neither fear worse, for worse cannot, nor expect better, for better never will come; we are all undone, and there is no remedy." It is an unreasonable thing to be weary of waiting for God, for he is a God of judgment, and blessed are all they that wait for him.

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NOTES TO CHAPTER VII.

V. 1, 2. Here, 1. Elisha foretels that notwithstanding the great straits that the city of Samaria was reduced to, within 24 hours they should have plenty, v. 1. The king of Israel despaired of it, and grew weary of waiting: Elisha said this, then, when things were at the worst; man's extremity is God's opportunity of magnifying his own power; his time to appear for his people, is, when their strength is gone, Deut. 32. 36. When they had given over expecting help, it came: When the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth? Luke 18. 8. The king said, What should I wait for the Lord any longer? And perhaps some of the elders were ready to say the same; "Well," said Elisha, 'you hear what these say; now hear ye the word of the Lord, hear what he says, hear it and heed it, hear it and believe it; to-morrow, corn shall be sold at the usual rate in the gate of Samaria;" that is, (1.) The siege shall be raised, for the gate of the city shall be opened, and the market shall be held there as formerly; the return of peace is thus expressed, Judg. 5. 11, Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates, to buy and sell there. (2.) The consequence of that shall be great plenty: this would, in time, follow, of course, but that corn should be thus cheap in so short a time, was quite beyond what could be thought of; though the king of Israel had just now threatened Elisha's life, God promises to save his life and the life of his people, for where sin abounded, grace doth much more abound.

2. A peer of Israel, that happened to be present, openly declared his disbelief of this prediction, v. 2. He was a courtier whom the king had an affection for, as the man of his right hand, on whom he leaned, that is, on whose prudence he much relied, and in whom he reposed much confidence; he thought it impossible, unless God should rain corn out of the clouds, as once he did manna; no less than the repetition of Moses's miracle will serve him, though that of Elijah might have served to answer this intention, the increasing of the meal in the barrel. 3. The just doom passed upon him for his infidelity, that he should see this great plenty for his conviction, and yet not eat of it to his comfort. Note, Unbelief is a sin by which men greatly dishonour and displease God, and deprive themselves of the favours he designed for them; the murmuring Israelites saw Canaan, but could not enter in because of unbelief; such, (says Bishop Patrick,) will be the portion of those that believe not the promise of eternal life, they shall see it at a distance, Abraham afar off, but shall never taste of it; for they forfeit the benefit of the promise, if they cannot find in their heart to take God's word.

V. 3-11. We are here told,

I. How the siege of Samaria was raised in the evening, at the edge of night, (v. 6, 7,) not by might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, striking terror upon the spirits of the besiegers; here was not a sword drawn against them, not a drop of blood shed, it was not by thunder or hailstones that they were discomfited, nor were they slain, as Sennacherib's army before Jerusalem, by a destroying angel; but,

1. The Lord made them to hear a noise of chariots and horses; the Syrians that besieged Dothan, had their sight imposed upon, (ch. 6. 18;) these had their hearing imposed upon, for God knows how to work upon every sense, pursuant to his own counsels; as he makes the hearing ear, and the seeing eye, so he makes the deaf and the blind, Ex. 4. 11. Whether the noise was really made in the air by the ministry of angels, or whether it was only a sound in their ears, is not certain; whichsoever it was, it was from God, who both brings the wind out of his treasures, and formeth the spirit of man within him. The sight of horses and chariots had encouraged the prophet's servant,

tering in of the gate and they said one to another, Why sit we here until we die?

4 If we say, We will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there: and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fail unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.

5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Syrians; and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there.

6 For the LORD had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise fof chariots, and a noise of horses, even the noise of a great host: and they said one to another, Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians, to come upon us.

7 Wherefore they arose, and fled in the twilight, and left their tents, and their horses, and their asses, even the camp as it was, and fled for their life.

8 And when these lepers came to the uttermost part of the camp, they went into one tent, and did eat and drink, and carried thence silver, and gold, and raiment, and went and hid it; and came again, and entered into another tent, and carried thence also, and went and hid it.

9 Then they said one to another, We do not well: this day is a day of good tidings, and we hold our peace: if 'we tarry till the morning light, "some

d Lev. 13. 46. e Esth. 4. 16. Luke 15. 17, 18. 2 Sam. 5. 24. c. 19. 7. Job 15. 21. c. 3. 22, &c. h 1 Kings 10. 29. i Ps. 14. 5. 48. 4-6. 68. 12. Prov. 21. 1. (ch. 6. 17,) the noise of horses and chariots terrified the hosts of Syria; for notices from the invisible world are either very comfortable, or very dreadful, according as men are at peace with God, or at war with him.

mischief will come upon us: now therefore come, that we may go and tell the king's household.

10 So they came, and called unto the porter "of the city; and they told him, saying, We came to the camp of the Syrians, and, behold, there was no man there, neither voice of man, but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were.

11 And he called the porters: and they told it to the king's house within.

12 And the king arose in the night, and said unto his servants, I will now show you what the Syrians have done to us: They know that we be hungry, therefore are they 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 get into the city.

13 And one of his servants answered and said, Lét some take, I pray thee, five of the horses that remain, which are left in the city, (behold, they are as all the multitude of Israel that are left in it; behold, I say, they are even as all the multitude of the Israelites that are consumed,) and let us send and see..

14 They took therefore two chariot horses; and the king sent after the host of the Syrians, saying, Go and see.

15 And they went after them unto Jordan; and, lo, all the way was full of garments and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste: and the messengers returned, and told the king.

k Lev. 19. 18. Prov. 11. 26. 7 Esth. 4. 14. we shall find punishment, m 2 Sam. 18. 26. t in it.

to their great surprise, found it wholly deserted, not a man to be seen or heard in it, v. 5. Providence ordered it, that these lepers came as soon as ever the Syrians were fled, for they fled in the twilight, (the evening twilight,) v. 7, and in the twilight the lepers came, (v. 5;) and so no time was lost.

2. Hearing this noise, they concluded the king of Israel had certainly procured assistance from some foreign power; he has hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of the Egyptians; there was, for aught we know, but one king of Egypt, and what kings there were of the Hittites no body can imagine; but as they were imposed upon by that dreadful sound in their ears, so they imposed upon themselves by the interpretation they made of it. Had they supposed the king of Judah to have come with his forces, there had been more of probability in it, than to dream of the kings of the Hittites, and the Egyptians; if the fancies of any of them raised this spectre, yet their reasons might soon have laid it: how could the king of Israel, who was closely besieged, hold intelligence with those distant princes? What had he to hire them with? It was im-fortable prosperity is that which our brethren share with us in. possible but some notice would come, before, of the motions of so great an host; but there were they in great fear, where no fear

was.

3. Hereupon they all fled with incredible precipitation, as for their lives, left their camp as it was, and even their horses, that might have hastened their flight, they could not stay to take with them, v. 7. None of them had so much sense as to send out scouts to discover the supposed enemy, much less, courage enough to face the enemy, though fatigued with a long march; the wicked flee, when none pursues; God can, when he pleases, dispirit the boldest and most brave, and make the stoutest heart to tremble; as for them that will not fear God, he can make them fear at the shaking of a leaf.

2. How they reasoned themselves into a resolution to bring tidings of this to the city; they feasted in the first tent they came to, (v. 8,) and then began to think of enriching themselves with the plunder: but they correct themselves; (v. 9,) “We do not do well, to conceal those good tidings from the community we are members of, under colour of being avenged upon them for excluding us their society; it was the law that did it, not they, and therefore let us bring them the news; though it awake them from sleep, it will be life from the dead to them." Their own consciences told them that some mischief would befall them if they acted separately, and sought themselves only; selfish narrow-spirited people cannot expect to prosper, the most comAccording to this resolution, they returned to the gate, and acquainted the sentinel with what they had discovered, (v. 10,) who straightway brought the intelligence to court, (v. 11,) and it was never the less acceptable for being first brought by lepers. V. 12-20. Here is,

I. The king's jealousy of a stratagem in the Syrians' retreat; (v. 12,) he feared they withdrew into an ambush, to draw out the besieged, that they might fall on them with more advantage; he knew he had no reason to expect that God should appear thus wonderfully for him, having forfeited his favour by his unbelief and impatience; he knew no reason the Syrians had to fly, for it does not appear that he or any of his attendants heard the noise of the chariots which the Syrians were frightened at. Let II. How the Syrians' flight was discovered by four leprous not those who, like him, are unstable in all their ways, think to Samaria is delivered and does not know it; the watch-receive any thing from God; nay, a guilty conscience fears the men on the walls were not aware of the retreat of the enemy, so worst, and makes men suspicious. silently did they steal away; but Providence employs four lepers to be the intelligencers, who had their lodging without the gate, being excluded the city, as ceremonially unclean: the Jews say they were Gehazi and his three sons; perhaps Gehazi might be one of them, which might make him taken notice of afterward by the king, ch. 8. 4. See here,

men.

1. How these lepers reasoned themselves into a resolution to make a visit in the night to the camp of the Syrians, v. 3, 4. They were ready to perish for hunger, none passed through the gate to relieve them; should they go into the city, there was nothing to be had there, they must die in the streets; should they sit still, they must pine to death in their cottage: they therefore determine to go over to the enemy, and throw themselves upon their mercy; if they killed them, better die by the sword than by famine, one death than a thousand; but perhaps they would save them alive, as objects of compassion: common prudence will put us upon that method which may mend our condition, but cannot make it worse. The prodigal son resolves to return to his father whose displeasure he had reason to fear, rather than perish with hunger in the far country. These lepers conclude, If they kill us, we shall but die;" and happy they who, in another sense, can thus speak of dying; "We shall but die, that is the worst of it, not die and be damned, not be hurt of the second death." According to this resolution, they went, in the beginning of the night, to the camp of the Syrians, and,

II. The course they took for their satisfaction, and to prevent their falling into a snare; they sent out spies to see what was become of the Syrians, and found they were all fled indeed, commanders as well as common soldiers; they could track them by the garments which they threw off, and left by the way, for their greater expedition, v. 15. He that gave this advice, seems very sensible of the deplorable condition the people were in, (v. 13,) for, speaking of the horses, many of which were dead, and the rest ready to perish for hunger, he says, and repeats it, They are as all the multitude of Israel. Israel used to glory in their multitude, but now they are minished and brought low; he advised to send five horsemen, but it should seem, there were only two fit to be sent, and those chariot horses, v. 14. Now the Lord repented himself concerning his servants, when he saw that their strength was gone, Deut. 32. 36.

III. The plenty that was in Samaria, from the plunder of the camp of the Syrians, v. 16. Had the Syrians been governed by the modern policies of war, when they could not take their baggage and their tents with them, they would rather have burned them, (as it is common to do with the forage of a country,) than let them fall into their enemies' hands; but God intended that the besieging of Samaria, which was intended for its ruin, should turn to its advantage, and that Israel should now be enriched with the spoil of the Syrians, as of old with those of the Egyptians. Here see, 1. The wealth of the sinner laid up for

CHAPTER VIII.

16 And the people went out, and" spoiled the tents of the Syrians. So a measure of fine flour The passages of story recorded in this chapter, oblige us to look back. I. We was sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of the LORD.

17 And the king appointed the lord on whose hand he leaned to have the charge of the gate: and the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died, as the man of God had said," who spake when the king came down to him.

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 :

19 And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the LORD should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof.

20 And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.

n Pa. 68. 12. Is. 33. 1, 4, 23. o ver. 1. p ver. 2. g Gen. 18. 14. Num. 11. 23. 23. 19.

the just, (Job 27. 16, 17,) and the spoilers spoiled, Is. 33. 1. 2. The wants of Israel supplied in a way that they little thought of, which should encourage us to depend upon the power and goodness of God in our greatest straits. 3. The word of Elisha fulfilled, to a tittle, a measure of fine flour was sold for a shekel; they that spoiled the camp, had not only enough to supply themselves with, but an overplus to sell at an easy rate for the benefit of others; and so even they that tarried at home, did divide the spoil, Ps. 68. 12. Is. 33. 23. God's promise may be safely relied on, for no word of his shall fall to the ground.

IV. The death of the unbelieving courtier, that questioned the truth of Elisha's word; divine threatenings will as surely be accomplished as divine promises; He that believeth not, shall be damned, stands as firm as He that believeth, shall be saved. This lord, 1. Was preferred by the king to the charge of the gate, (v. 17,) to keep the peace, and to see that there was no tumult or disorder in dividing and disposing of the spoil; so much trust did the king repose in him, and in his prudence and gravity, and so much did he delight to honour him: he that will be great, let him serve the public. 2. Was trodden to death by the people in the gate, either by accident, the crowd being exceeding great, and he in the thickest of it, or perhaps designedly, because he abused his power, and was imperious in restraining the people from satisfying their hunger: however it was, God's justice was glorified, and the word of Elisha was fulfilled; he saw the plenty, for the silencing and shaming of his unbelief, corn cheap, without opening windows in heaven, and therein saw his own folly in prescribing to God: but he did not eat of the plenty he saw; when he was about to fill his belly, God cast the fury of his wrath upon him, Job 20. 23, and it came between the cup and the lip. Justly are those thus tantalized with the world's promises that think themselves tantalized with the promises of God; if believing shall not be seeing, seeing shall not be enjoying.

This matter is repeated, and the event very particularly compared with the prediction, (v. 18-20,) that we might take special notice of it, and might learn, (1.) How deeply God resents our distrust of him, and of his power, providence, and promise when Israel said, Can God furnish a table? The Lord heard it, and was wroth. Infinite wisdom will not be limited by our folly: God never promises the end, without knowing where to provide the means. (2.) How uncertain life is, and the enjoyments of it; honour and power cannot secure men from sudden and inglorious deaths; he whom the king leaned upon, the people trod upon; he who fancied himself the stay and support of the government, is trampled under foot as the mire in the streets: thus hath the pride of men's glory been often stained. (3.) How certain God's threatenings are, and how sure to alight on the guilty and obnoxious heads: let all men fear before the great God, who treads upon princes as mortar, and is terrible to the kings of the earth.

NOTES TO CHAPTER VIII.

V. 1-6. Here we have,

I. The wickedness of Israel punished with a long famine, one of God's sore judgments often threatened in the law; Canaan, that fruitful land, is turned into barrenness, for the iniquity of them that dwell therein. The famine in Samaria was soon relieved, by the raising of the siege, but neither that judgment, nor that mercy had a due influence upon them, and therefore the Lord calls for another famine; for when he judgeth, he will overcome; if lesser judgments do not prevail to bring men to repentance, he will send greater and longer; they are at his beck, and will come when he calls for them. He does, by his ministers, call for reformation and obedience, and if those calls be not regarded, we may expect he will call for some plague or other, for he will be heard; this famine continued seven years, as long again as that in Elijah's time; for, if men will walk contrary to him, he will heat the furnace yet hotter. II. The kindness of the good Shunammite to the prophet

read, before, of a Shunammite woman that was a kind benefactor to Flisha; now here we are told how she fared the better for it, afterward, in the advien Elisha gave her, and the favour the king showed her for his sake, v. 1-6. 11. We read, before, of the designation of Hazael to be king of Syria, (1 Kings 19. 15,) and here we have an account of his elevation to that throne, and the way he forced for himself to it, by killing his master, v. 7-15. III. We read before of Jehoram's reigning over Judah in the room of his father Jehoshaphat, ( 1 Kings 22-50,) now here we have a short and sad history of his short and wicked reign, (r. 16-24,) and the beginning of the history of the reign of his son Ahaziah, v. 25-29.

THEN spake Elisha unto the woman whose son "he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn for the LORD hath called 'for a famine and it shall also come upon the land seven years.

2 And the woman arose, and did after the saying of the man of God: and she went with her household, and sojourned in the land of the Philistines seven years.

3 And it came to pass at the seven years' end, that the woman returned out of the land of the PhiNum. 20. 12. Jer. 17, 5, 6. Heb. 3. 19. a c. 4. 19, &c. b Ps. 105, 16. Hag. 1. 11. c Gen. 41. 27.

rewarded by the care that was taken of her in that famine; she was not indeed fed by miracle, as the widow of Sarepta was, but, 1. She had notice given her of this famine before it came, that she might provide accordingly, and was directed to remove to some other country: any where, but in Israel, she would find plenty. It was a great advantage to Egypt in Joseph's time, that they had notice of the famine before it came, so it was to this Shunammite; others would be forced to remove at last, after they had long borne the grievances of the famine, and had wasted their substance, and could not settle elsewhere upon such good terms as she might, that went early before the crowd, and took her stock with her unbroken. It is our happiness to foresee an evil, and our wisdom, when we foresee it, to hide ourselves. 2. Providence gave her a comfortable settlement in the land of the Philistines, who, though subdued by David, yet were not wholly rooted out; it seems, the famine was peculiar to the land of Israel, and other countries that joined close to them, had plenty at the same time, which plainly showed the immediate hand of God in it, as in the plagues of Egypt, when they distinguished between the Israelites and the Egyptians, and that the sins of Israel, against whom this judgment was directly levelled, were more provoking to God than the sins of their neighbours, because of their profession of relation to God; You only have I known, therefore will I punish you, Am. 3. 2. Other countries had rain when they had none, were free from locusts and caterpillars when they were eaten up with them; for some think this was the famine spoken of, Joel 1. 3, 4. It is strange that when there was plenty in the neighbouring countries, there were not those that made it their business to import corn into the land of Israel, which might have prevented the inhabitants removing; but as they were befooled with their idolatries, so they were infatuated even in the matters of their civil interest.

III. Her petition to the king at her return, favoured by the seasonableness of her application to him.

1. When the famine was over, she returned out of the land of the Philistines; that was no proper place for an Israelite any longer than there was necessity for it, for there she could not keep her new moons and her sabbaths as she used to do in her own country, among the schools of the prophets, ch. 4. 23.

2. At her return she found herself kept out of the possession of her own estate, it being either confiscated to the exchequer, seized by the lord, or usurped, in her absence, by some of the neighbours; or perhaps the person she had intrusted with the management of it, proved false, and would neither resign it to her, nor come to an account with her for the profits: so hard is it to find a person that one can put a confidence in in a time of trouble, Prov. 25. 19. Mic. 7. 5.

3. She made her application to the king himself for redress; for, it seems, (be it observed to his praise,) he was easy of access, and did himself take cognizance of the complaints of his injured subjects. Time was, when she dwelt so securely among her own people, that she had no occasion to be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host, (ch. 4. 13;) but now her own familiar friends, in whom she trusted, proved so unjust and unkind, that she was glad to appeal to the king against them; such uncertainty there is in the creature, that that may fail us, which we most depend upon, and that befriend us, which we think we shall never need.

4. She found the king talking with Gehazi about Elisha's miracles, v. 4. It was his shame that he needed now to be informed concerning them, when he might have acquainted himself with them as they were done from Elisha himself, if he had not been willing to shut his eyes against the convincing evidences of his mission; yet it was his praise that he was now better disposed, and would rather talk with a leper that was capable of giving a good account of them, than continue ignorant of them. The law did not forbid all conversation with lepers, but only dwelling with them; there being then no priests in Israel, perhaps the king, or some one appointed by him, had

listines and she went forth to cry unto the king for | hadad the king of Syria was sick and it was told her house and for her land.

4 And the king talked with Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done.

him, saying, The man of God is come hither.

8 And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the LORD by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

5 And it came to pass, as he was telling the king how he had restored a dead body to life, that, be- 9 So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present hold, the woman, whose son he had restored to life, with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, cried to the king for her house and for her land. forty camels' burden, and came and stood before And Gehazi said, My lord, O king, this is the wo-him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria man, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?

life.

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the inspection of lepers, and passed the judgment upon them, which might bring him acquainted with Gehazi.

5. This happy coincidence befriended both Gehazi's narrative, and her petition. Providence is to be acknowledged in ordering the circumstances of events, for sometimes those that are minute in themselves, prove of great consequence, as this here; for,

(1.) It made the king ready to believe Gehazi's narrative, when it was thus confirmed by the persons most nearly concerned; "This is the woman, and this her son, let them speak for themselves," v. 5. Thus did God even force him to believe what he might have had some colour to question, if he had only had Gehazi's word for it, because he was branded for a liar, witness his leprosy.

(2.) It made him ready to grant her request; for who would not be ready to favour one whom Heaven had thus favoured, and to support a life which was given once and again by miracle? In consideration of this, the king gave orders that her land should be restored her, and all the profits that were made of it in her absence: if it were to himself that the land and profits had escheated, it was generous and kind to make so full a restitution; he would not (as Pharaoh did in Joseph's time) enrich the crown by the calamities of his subjects; if it were by some other person that her property was invaded, it was an act of justice in the king, and part of the duty of his place to do her right, Ps. 82. 3, 4. Prov. 31.9. It is not enough for those in authority, that they do no wrong themselves, but they must support the right of those that are wronged. V. 7-15. Here,

10 And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the LORD hath showed me that he shall surely die.'

11 And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept." 12 And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord?

h1 Kinga 14. 3. i c. 1. 2, 6. t in his hand. * 1 Kings 22. 15. I ver. 15. and set it. m Luke 19.41.

ment to the greatest of men to attend the prophets of the Lord; Hazael must go meet him at the place where he had appointed a meeting with his friends. (3.) He sends him a noble present, of every good thing of Damascus, as much as loaded 40 camels; (v. 9,) testifying hereby his affection to the prophet, bidding him welcome to Damascus, and providing for his sustenance while he sojourned there; it is probable that Elisha accepted it, (why should he not?) though he refused Naaman's. (4.) He orders Hazael to call him his son Ben-hadad, conforming to the language of Israel, who called the prophets fathers. Lastly, He put an honour upon him as one acquainted with the secrets of Heaven, when he inquired of him, Shall I recover? It is natural to us, to desire to know things to come in time, while things to come in eternity are little thought of, or inquired after.

I. We may inquire what brought Elisha to Damascus, the chief city of Syria. Was he sent to any but the lost sheep of the house of Israel? It seems, he was, perhaps he went to make a visit to Naaman his convert, and to confirm him in his choice of the true religion, which was the more needful now, because, it should seem, he was now out of his place, for Hazael is supposed to be captain of the host; either he resigned it, or was turned out of it, because he would not bow, or not bow heartily, in the house of Rimmon; some think he went to Damascus upon account of the famine, or rather, he went thither in obedience to the orders God gave Elijah, (1 Kings 19. 15,) Go to Damascus, to anoint Hazael, thou, or thy suc-crowned head; it must be some mighty potentate that can think

cessor.

II. We may observe that Ben-hadad, a great king, rich and mighty, lay sick no honour, wealth, or power, will secure men from the common diseases and disasters of human life; palaces and thrones lie as open to the arrests of sickness and death as the meanest cottage.

III. We may wonder that the king of Syria, in his sickness, should make Elisha his oracle. Notice was soon brought him that the man of God (for by that title he was well known in Syria since he cured Naaman) was come to Damascus, v. 7. Never in better time, says Ben-hadad; Go, and inquire of the Lord by him in his health, he bowed in the house of Rimmon; but now that he is sick, he distrusts his idol, and sends to inquire of the God of Israel. Affliction brings those to God, who, in their prosperity, had made light of him; sometimes sickness opens men's eyes, and rectifies their mistakes. This is the more observable, 1. Because it is not long since a king of Israel had, in his sickness, sent to inquire of the god of Ekron, (ch. 1.2,) as if there had been no God in Israel. Note, God sometimes fetches to himself that honour from strangers, which is denied him, and alienated from him, by his own professing people. 2. Because it is not long since this Ben-hadad had sent a great force to treat Elisha as an enemy, (ch. 6. 14,) yet now he courts him as a prophet. Note, Among other instances of the change of men's minds by sickness and affliction, this is one, that it often gives them other thoughts of God's ministers, and teaches them to value the counsels and prayers of those whom they had hated and despised.

To put an honour upon the prophet, (1.) He sends to him, and does not send for him, as if, with the centurion, he thought himself not worthy that the man of God should come under his roof. (2.) He sends to him by Hazael, his prime minister of state, and not by a common messenger. It is no disparage

IV. What passed between Hazael and Elisha, is especially remarkable. 1. Elisha answered his inquiry concerning the king, that he might recover, the disease was not mortal, but that he should die another way, (v. 10,) not a natural, but a violent death. There are many ways out of the world, and sometimes, while men think to avoid one, they fall by another. 2. He looked Hazael in the face with an unusual concern, till he made Hazael blush, and himself weep, v. 11. The man of God could outface the man of war. It was not in Hazael's countenance, that Elisha read what he would do, but God did, at this time, reveal it to him, and it fetched tears from his eyes: the more foresight men have, the more grief they are liable to. 3. When Hazael asked him why he wept, he told him what a great deal of mischief he foresaw he would do to the Israel of God, (v. 12,) what desolations he would make of their strong holds, and barbarous destruction of their men, women, and children. The sins of Israel provoked God to give them up into the hands of their cruel enemies, yet Elisha wept to think that ever Israelites should be thus abused; for though he foretold, he did not desire, the woful day. See what havoc war makes, what havoc sin makes, and how the nature of man is changed by the fall, and stripped even of humanity itself. 4. Hazael is greatly surprised at this prediction; (v. 13,) What! says he, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? This great thing he looks upon to be, (1.) An act of great power, not to be done but by a to prevail thus against Israel, and therefore not I; many are raised to that dominion which they never thought of, and it often proves to their own hurt, Ec. 8. 9. (2.) An act of great barbarity, which could not be done but by one lost to all honour and virtue; "Therefore," says he, "it is what I shall never find in my heart to be guilty of: Is thy servant a dog, to rend, and tear, and devour? Unless I were a dog, I could not do it.' See here, [1.] What a bad opinion he had of the sin, he looked upon it to be great wickedness, fitter for a brute, for a beast of prey, to do than a man. Note, It is possible for a wicked man, under the convictions and restraints of natural conscience, to express great abhorrence of a sin, and yet afterward to be well reconciled to it. [2.] What a good opinion he had of himself, how much better than he deserved; he thought it impossible he should do such barbarous things as the prophet foresaw. Note, We are apt to think ourselves sufficiently armed against those sins which yet we are afterward overcome by, as Peter, Matt. 26. 35. Lastly, In answer to this, Elisha only told him he should be king over Syria; then he would have power to do it, and then he would find in his heart to do it. Honours change men's tempers and manners, and seldom for the better; "Thou knowest not what thou wilt do when thou comest to be king, but I tell thee, this thou wilt do." Those that are little and low in the world, cannot imagine how strong the temptations of power and prosperity are, which, if ever they arrive at, they will find how deceitful their hearts were, and how much worse than they suspected.

V. What mischief Hazael did to his master, hereupon; if he took any occasion to do it from what Elisha had said, the fault was in him, not in the word.

1. He basely cheated his master, and belied the prophet; (v. 14,) He told me thou shouldest certainly recover: this was abominably false, he told him he should die, (v. 10;) but he

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