Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Misha Causes Iron to Smm. 2 KINGS VI. Ben-hadad Beiiogtt Samaria.
pomegranate {Heb., Rimmon) was the symbol. leaneth on my liand i. e., ineauing the service which Naaman rendered as tlie attendant of his sovereign. Elislia's prophetic commission not extending to any but the conversion of Israel from idolatry, he makes no remark, either approving or disapproving, on the declared course of Naaman, but simply gives {v. 19) the parting benediction.
Divine presence and protection -where all is vacancy or darkness to the ordinary eye. The horses and chariots were symbols of the Divine power (see on ch. 2. 12) ; and their fiery nature denoted their supernatural origin; for fire, the most ethereal of earthly elements, is the n ost appropriate symbol of the Godhead. [Keil.]
18-23. His Army Smitten with Blindness. 18. Smlt« this people, I pray thee, with blindness—Not a total and material blindness, for then they could not have followed him—but a mental hallucination (see on Genesis 19.
20-27. Gehazi, by a Lie, Obtains a Present, but is Smitten with Leprosy. 30. I will run after him, and take somewhat of him—The respectful courtesy to Elisha, shown In the person of his servant; and the open-handed liberality of his gifts, attest the fulness of Naaman's gratitude; while the lie—the artful management in dismissing the bearers of the treasure, and the deceitful appearance before his master, as if he hart not left the house, give a most unfavourable impression of Gehazi's character. 33. tn two bags—People in the East, when travelling, ^ave their money, in certain Bums, put up in bans. 37. leper as white as snow—(See on Leviticus 13. 3.) This heavy infliction was not too severe for the crime of Gehazi. For it was not the covetousness alone that was punished ; but, at the same time, the ill use made of the prophet's name to gain an object prompted by a mean 'covetousness, and the attempt to conceal it by lying. [Keil.]
11), that they did not perceive or recognize him to be the object of their search. 19. this is not the waj-, neither
Is this the city—This statement is so far true that, as he had now left the place of his residence, they would not have got him by that road. But the ambiguity of his language was purposely framed to deceive them ; and yet the deception must be viewed In the light of a stratagem, wliich has always been deemed lawful in war. he led them Into Samaria—"When they were arrived in the midst of the capital, their eyes, at Elisha's request, were opene<l, and they then became aware of their defenceless condition, for Jehoram had received private premonition of their arrival. The king, so far from being allowed to slay the enemies who were thus unconsciously put in his power, was recommended to entertain them with liberal hospitality, and then dismiss them to their own country. This was a humane advice; it was contrary to the usage of war to put war captives to death In cold blood, even when taken by the point <>f the sword, much more those wliom the miraculous power and providence of God had unexpectedly placed at liis disposal. In such circumstances, kind and hospitable treatment was every way more becoming in Itself, and would be productive of the "best eflects. It would redound to the credit of the true religion, which Inspired such an excellent spirit Into
CHAPTER VI.
Ver. 1-7. Elisha Causes Iron to Swim. 1. the place where we dwell with thee Marg., "sit before thee." The one points to a common residence—the other to a common place of meeting. The tenor of the narrative shows the humble condition of Elisha's pupils. The place was either Beth-el or Jericho—probably the latter. The ministry and miracles of Elisha brought great accessions to his schools. 3. Let us go, we pray thee, onto Jordan—Whose wooded banks would furnish plenty of timber. 5. it was borrowed lit., begged. The scholar's distress arose from the consideration that it had been presented to him; and that, owing to his poverty, he could not procure another. 6. cut down a stick, and cast it in thither—Although this means was used, it had no natural adaptation to make the iron swim. Resides, the Jordan is at Jericho so deep and rapid, that there was 1000 chances to 1 against the stick falling into the hole of the axe-head. All attempts to account for the recovery of the lost implement on such a theorj' must be rejected. "The Iron did swim"—only by the miraculous exertion of Elisha's power.
its professors; and it would not only prevent the future opposition of the Syrians, but make them stand in awe of a people who, they had seen, were so remarkably protected by a prophet of the Lord. The latter clause of v,
shows that these salutary effects were fully realized. A moral conquest had been gained over the Sj rians.
2l-;ii. Ben-hadad Besieges Samaria. Ben-hadad besieged Samaria—This was the predicted accomplishment of the result of Ahab's foolish and misplaced kindness. (1 Kings 20.42.) 35. an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver—Though the ass was deemed unclean food, necessity might warrant their violiition of a positive law when mothers, iu their extremity, were found violating the law of nature. The head was the worst part of the animal. Elglity pieces of silver, equal to £5 bs. the fourth part of a cab—A cub was the smallest dry measure. The proportion here stated was nearly half a pint for 12s. 6d. "Dove's dung" is tliought by Bociiart to be a kind of pulse or pea, common iu Judea, and still kept In the store-houses of Cairo and Damascus, and other places, for the ftse of it by pilgrim caravans; by Linn.(BUS, and other botanists, it is said to be the root or white bulb of the plant Oi~nithogalmn u»»- bc Untum, Star of Bethlehem. The sacred historian does not sny that the articles here named were regularly sold at the rates described, but only that instances were known of such high prices being given. 30. as the king was passing—To look nt the defences, or to give some necessary orders for manning the walls. 39. we boiled my sou, and did eat him—(See on Deuteronomy '^'S. St.) 30. had sackcloth within upon his Heslk—Tlie horrid
8-17. Discloses the Kino of Syria's Counsel. 8. the king of Syria warred against Israel—This seems to have been a sort of guerrilla warfare, carried on by predatory inroads on ditterent parts of the country. Elisha apprised King Johoram of the secret purpose of the ent mj'; so, by a(loi)ting precautionary measures, he was always enabled to anticipate and defeat theirattacks. The frequency of his disappointments having led tlie Syrian king to suspect soing of his servants of carrying on a treacherous correspondence with the enemy, he was informed about Elisha, whose appreliciision he forthwith determined to efl;'ect. This resolution was, of course, groundedV)n the belief that however great the knowledge of Elisha miglit be, if seized and kept a prisoner, he could no longer give information to the king of Israel. 13. IJotlian—Or Dotliaim, a little north of Samaria (see on Genesis .17. 17). 1-5. his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do ?—On the Syrian detachment surrounding tlie place by night, for the apprehension of tlie prophet, his servant was paralyzed with fear. This was a new servant, who had only been with him since CJehazi's dismissal, and, consequently, had little or no experience of his master's powers. His faith was easily slialcen by so unexpected an alarm. 17. Sllsha prayed, and said, O Toitl, I pray thee, optn his eyes that lie may sec—The Invisible guard of angels that <'ncompass and defend us (Psalm 3(. 7). The oiicnlng of the eyes, which Elisha prayed for, were those of the Spirit, not of the body—the eye of faith sees the reality of the nx'ltal of this domestic tragedy led the king soon after to rend his garment, in consequence of whieli it was discovered that he wore a penltental shirt of hair-cloth, rt
Is more than doubtful, however, if he was truly humblod on account of his own and the nation's sins, otherwise Ue would not have vowed vengeance on the propliet's Hie. The true explanation seems to be, that Elisha having counselled him not to surrender, with the promise, on condition of deep humiliation, of being delivered, and he having assumed the signs of contrition without i-^celvlng the expected relief, regarded Kllsha who had prove<^ talse and faithless as tlie cause of all the prutraetexl dlstr«wi.