Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Riiha Promises Vu tory over Moab. 2 KINGS IV. Raises the Dead Son of the Shunammite, of the proplicts—^They were allowed to marry as well aa the priests and Cevites. Her husband, not enjoying the lucrative profits of business, had nothing but a professional income, which, in that irreligious age, would be precarious and very scanty, so that he was not in a condition to provide lor his family, the creditor Is come to take unto him my two song to be bondmen—By the enactment of the law, a creditor was entitled to claim the person and children of the insolvent debtor, and compel them to sei-ve him as boncnen till the year of jubilee should set him free. a. a potOr ci-uet of oil. This comprising her whole stock of domestic utensils, he directs her to borrow empty vessels not a few; then, secluding herself with her children, she was to pour oil from her cruse into the borrowed vessels, and, selling the oil, discharge the debt, and then maintain herself and family with the remainder. 6. the oil stayed—t. e., ceased to multiply ; the benevolent object for which the miracle had been wrought having been accomplished.
the part of the Moabite territory at which they would arrive, was the most defenceless ; and partly because he would thereby enlist, in the expedition, the forces of the King of Edom. But, in penetrating the deep, rocky
of Ahsy, which forms the boundary between Edom and Moab, the confederate army were reduced, both man and beast, to the greatest extremities for want of water. They Were disappointed by finding the wady of this valley, the brook Zered (Deuteronomy 2. 13-18) [Robinson], drj'. Jehoram was in despair. But tlie pious mind of Jehoshaphat inqviired for a prophet of the Lord; and, on being informed that Elisha was at hand, " the three kings went down to him ;" i. e., to his tent, whicli was either in the camp, or close by it. He had been directed thither by the Spirit of God for this special purpose. They went to him, not only as a mark of respect, but to supplicate for his assistance, and knowing his stern temper. 11. -which poured water on the hands of Klijah— i. e., was his servant—this being one of the common offices of a servant. The phrase is used here as synonymous with "a true and eminent prophet," who will reveal God's will to us. 13. What have I to do with thee, &c.—Wishing to produce a deep spirit of humility and contrition, Elisha gave a stern repulse to the king of Israel, accompanied by a sarcastic sneer, in bidding him go and consult Baal and his sootlisayers. But the distressed condition, especially the imploring language, of the royal suppliants, who acknowledged the hand of tlie Lord in this distress, drew from the prophet the solemn assurance, that solely out of respect to Jehoshaphat, the Lord's true servant, did he
8-17. Promises a Son to thk Shunammite. 9. EUlsha passed to Shunein—Now Sulam, in the plain of Esdraelon, at the sonth-western base of Little Hermon. The prophet, in his journey, was often entertained here t)y one of its pious and opulent inhabitants. 10. Let ns make a little chamber—Not build, but prepare it. She meant a room in the oleah, the porch, or gateway (2 Stiniuel IS. 33;
I Kings 17. 19), attached to the front of the house, leading into the court and inner apartments. The front of the house, excepting the door, is a dead wall, and hence this' room is called a chamber in the wall. It is usually appropriated to the use of strangers-, or lotlgers for a night, and, from its seclusion, convenient for study and retlren\ent. 13. what Is to be done for thee 1—"Wishing to testily his gratitude for the hospitable attentions of this family, he announced to her the birth of a son " about this time next year." Th& Interest and importance of such an intelligence can only be estimated by considering that Oriental women, and Jewish in particular, connect ideas or disgrace with barrenness, and cherish a more ardent ilesire talie any interest in Jehoram. 15. bring me a minstrel —Tlie effect of music in soothing the mind is much regarded in the East; and it appears that the ancient prophets, before entering on their work, commonly resorted to it, as a preparative, by praise and prayer, to their receiving the prophetic afflatus, the hand of the liOi-d—A phrase significantly implying that the gift of prophecy was not a natural or inlierent <:ift, but conferred by the power and grace of God. 16. Make this valley fall of ditches—Capable of holding water. 17. Ye shall not see wind—It is common in the East to spealt of seeing wind, from tlie clouds of straw, dust, or sand, that are often whirled into the air, after a long drouglit. !40. when the meat offering was offered—i. e., at tlie time of the morning sacrifice, accompanied, doubtless, with solemn prayers; and these led, it may be, by Elisha on this occafor children than women in any other part of the world (Genesis 18. 10-15).
18-37. RAiSfcS HER Dead Son. 19. My head, my head ! —The cries of the boy, the part affected, and the season of the year, make it probable that he had been overtaken, by a stroke of the sun. Pain, stupor and inflamm Sitory fever are the symptoms of the disease, which Is often fatal, aa. she called unto her husband—Her heroic concealment of the death from her hushaiul is not the sion, as on a similar one by Elijah (1 Kings IS. 3U). behold, there came water by the way of Edom—Far from the Israelitish camp, in the eastern mountains of Edom, a great fall of rain—a kind of cloud-burst took place, by which the wady was at once filled, without tlieir either seeing llie wind or tlie rains. The Divine interposition was sliown by introducing the laws of nature to the determined end in the predetermined waj-. [Keil.] It brought not only aid to the Israelitish army in their disleast interesting feature of the story, a*. Drive, and go for»vnr«l—It Is nsual for women to ride on asses, accompanied b.v a servant, who walks behind and drives the beast with his stick, goading the animal at the speed required by his mistres-s. The Shunammite had to ride K journey of five or six honrs to the top of Carmel. 36. And slie answered. It Is well—Her answer was purposely brief and vague to Gehazi, for she reserved a full disclosure of her loss lor the ear of the prophet himself. She had met Gehazi at the foot of the hill, and she stopped notin herascent till she had disburdened her heavy-laden tress, by a plentiful supply of water, but destruction on the Moabites, who, perceiving the water, under the refulgent rays of the morning sun, red lilte blood, concluded the confederate kings liad quarrelled and deluged the spirit at Elisha's feet. The violent paroxysm of grief into which she fell on approaching him, appeared to Gehazi an act of dlsrespe<'t to his master; he was preparing to remove her when the prophet's observant eye perceived that she was overwtielmed with some unknown cause of distres,s. How great Is a mother's love! how wondrous are the works of rrovWh'nce ! The Sliur.animlte had not sought a son from the propliet—her child was. In every resi)ect, the free gift of (Jod. AVas she tlu'ii allowed to rejoice in the possession for a little, onl.v to be picn-ed with sorrow by seeing the corpse of the clierished boyT field with their mutual slaughter; so tliat, rusliing to tlieir camp in full expectation of great spoil, they were met by the Israelites, who, prepared for battle, fought, and pursued them. Their country was laid waste in the way, which has always been considered the greatest desolation In tIieEast(r'.2t). 'Z5, Klr-harcseth—(Now Kerak) —Castle of Moab—then, probably, the only fortress in the kand. ^7. took his eldest sou that should 'lave rel{;ned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering, Jfn;— Uy tills deed of horror, to which tlie allied army drove The Icing of Moab, a Divine Judgment came upon Israel that Is, the besiegers feared the anger of God, which they
Perish, doubt and unlx Mlef! This event happened that "the works of God should bo made ilianllest" lu his prophet, "and lor the glory of God." a9. take my sfaflT, and lay ... on the fn<-e of the child—The staff WttS probalily an oIli(;lnl rod of a certain form and size. Ne«iroinancers used to sen<l their stiitf with orders to the liad incurred by giving occasion to the luiman sacrifice forbidden in the law (Leviticus 18.21; 20. 3), and hastily (alsed the siege.
CHAPTER IV.
iiicsseiigers to let It come in contact with nothing by the way lhal might dissipate or destroy the virtue Imparteti
Ver. 1-7. Elihha Auoments the Winow's Oit.. 1. there cried a eertulu woiuuu of the wives of tlie sons
KaavMn't Leprusy. 2 KINGS V. He is Sent to Jordan, and Healed,
8; ch. 13.21; 24. 2). By this young Hebrew slave of his wife, Naaman'S attention was directed to the prophet of Israel, as the person who would remove his leprosy. Naaman, on communicating the matter to his royal master, was immediately furnished with a letter to the king of Israel, and set out for Samaria, carrying with him, as an indispensable preliminary in the East, very' costly presents. 5. ten talents of silver—£3121 ; 6000 shekels of gold; a large sum, of uncertain value, ten changes of raiment—Splendid dresses, for festive occasions—the honour being thought to consist not only in the beauty and fineness of the material, but on having a variety to put on after another, in the same night* 7. when the king of Israel had read the letter, he rent his clothes—Accoi ding to an ancient practice among the Eastern people, the main oljjeet only was stated in the letter tliat was carried by the party concerned, whilst other circumstances were left tm be explained at the interview. This explains Jehoram's burst of emotion—not horror at supposed blasphemy, but alarm and suspicion that this was merely made an occasion for a quarrel. Such a prince as he was would not readily think of Elisha, or, perhaps, have heard of his miraculous deeds.
It. Some have thought that, Elisha himself entertained
Bl milar ideas, and was under an Impression tliat the actual application of his stalf would serve as well as the touch ol his hand. But tliis is an imputation dishonourable to the character of the prophet. He wislied to teach the Bbunammite, who obviously placed too great dependence npon him, a memorable lesson to looli to God. By sending his servant forward to lay his staff on tlie cliild, he raised her expectations, but, at the same time, taught her that his own help was unavailing—" there was neither voice nor hearing." The command, " to salute no man by the way," showed the urgency of the mission, not simply as requiring the avoidance of the tedious and unnecessary greetings so common in the East (Lulie 10. 1); but the exercise of faith and prayer. The act of Gehazi was allowed to fail, in order to free the Shunammite, and tlie people of Israel at large, of the superstitious notion of supposing a miraculous virtue resided in any pet-son, or in any rod, and that it was only through earnest prayer and faith in the power of God and for His glory, that this and every miracle was to be performed. 3*. lay upon tlie child, Ac—(see on 1 Kings 17. 21 ; Acts 20. 10). Although this contact with a dead body would communicate ceremonial uncleanness, yet, in performing the great moral duties of piety and benevolence, positive laws were sometimes dispensed with, particularly by the prophets. 35. the child neezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes These were the first acts of restored respiration, and they are described as successive steps. Miracles were for tlie most part performed instantaneously; but sometimes,
8-15. Elisha Sends Him t6 Jordan, and He is Healed. 6. Wheik Elisha the man of God liad leard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, . . . let him come to me—This was the grand and ultimate object to which, in the providence of God, the journey of Na.T,man was subservient. On tlie Syrian general, with his imposing retinue, arriving at the propliet's house, Elisha sent him a message to "go and wasli in Jordan seven times." This apparently rude reception to a foreigner of so liigli dignity, incensed Naaman to such a degree that he resolved to depart, scornfully boasting that "the rivers of Damascus were better tlian all the waters of Israel." 11. strike his hand over the place—i.e., wave it over the diseased parts Of his body. It was anciently, and still continues to be, a very prevalent superstition in the East, tliat tlie hand of a king, or person of great reputed sanctity, touching, or waved over a sore, will heal it. 13. Abana and Pharpar —The Barrady and one of its five tributaries—uncertain which. The waters of Damascus are still as highly extolled by tlieir inhabitants for their purity and coldness. 14. Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan—Persuaded by his calmer and more reflecting attendants to try a method so simple and easy, he followed their instructions, and was curei. The cure was performed on the basis of God's covenant with Israel, by which the land, and all pertaining to it, was blessed. Seven was the symbol of the covenant. [Keil.]
also, they were advanced progressively towards completion (1 Kings 18. 44, 45 ; Mark 8. 24. 25).
38-11. Heals Deadly Pottage. 38. there was a dearth in the land—(see on ch. 8. 1). the sons of the prophets were sitting before him—When receiving 'instruction, the scholars sat under their masters. Tliis refers to tlieir being domiciled under the same roof (cf. ch.
6. 1). set on the great pot—As it is most likely tliat the Jewish would resemble the Egyptian " great pot," it is seen by tlie monumental paintings to have been a. large goblet, witli two long legs, which stood over the fire on the floor. The seetlied pottage consisted of meat cut into
BDoall pieces, mixed with rice or meal and vegetables. 39. went into the field to gather herbs—Wild herbs are very extensively used by the people in the East, even hy those who possess kitchen-gardens. The fields are daily searched for mallow, asparagus and other wild plants, •wild vine—lit., " the vine of the field," supposed to be the cotocynlh, a cucumber, which, in its leaves, tendrils and fruit, bears a strong resemblance to the wild vine. Tlie "gourds," or fruit, are of the colour and size of an orange, bitter to the tat-te, causing colic, and exciting the nerves; largely eaten, they would occasion such a derangement of the stomach and bowels as to be followed by death. The meal which Elisha poured into the pot was a symbolic sign that the noxious quality of the herbs was removed, lap full—The hyke, or large cloak, or plaid, is thrown loosely over the left shoulder, and fastened under the right arm, so as to form a lap or apron.
15-19. Elisha Refuses Naaman'S Gifts. 15. he returned to the man of God—After the miracnlous cure, Naaman returned to Elisha, to whom he aclinowledged his full belief in the sole supremacy of the God of Israel, and offered him a liberal reward. But to show that he was not actuate<i by the mercenary motives of the heathen priests and prophets, Elisha, though he accepted presents on other occasions (ch. 4. 42), respectfully but firnily declined them on this, being desirous that the Syrians should see the piety of God's servants, and tlieir superiority to all worldly and selfish motives in promoting the honour of God and the interests of true religion. 17. two mnles' burden of earth—With which to make an altar (Exodus 20. 24) to the God of Israel. What was his motive or his purpose in this proposal, whether he thought that God could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil, or he wished, when far away from the Jordan, to have Mie earth of Palestine tp rub himself with, which the Orientals use as a substitute for water; and .whether, by making such a request of Elisha, he thought the prophet's grant of it would impart some virtue ; or whether, like the modern Jews and Mohammedans, he resolved to have a portion of th\s hoi}/ eartfi for his nightly pillow, it Is not easy to say. It Is not strange to find such notions in so newly a converted heathen. 18. goeth into the house of Rimmon—A Syrian deity; probably the sun, or the planetary system, of whloh a
42-44. Satisfies a Hundred Men with Twenty Loaves. 43. they shall eat, and sliall leave thereof— This was not a miracle of Elisha, but only a prediction of one l)y the word of the Lord, and thus it differed widely from those of Christ (Matthew 15. 37 ; Mark 8. 8; Luke 9. 17; John 6. 12).
CHAPTER V.
Ver. 1-7. Naaman'S Lepuosy. 1. Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master—Highly esteemed for Ills military character and success, and hononrable—Hather, "very rich." but he was a leper—This leprosy, which, in Israel, would have excluded him from society, did not affect liis free Intercourse In the court of Hyrla. 2. a ll Ule maid—Who had been captured In one of tlie many predatory Incursions which were then made by the .Syrians ou the uor Uiern border of Israel (see on 1 Samuel 30.