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Class-Book of Old Testament History

<hr class="sect_35" /> <h3> CHAPTER <abbr title="6">VI.</abbr> ELISHA AND NAAMAN—SIEGE OF SAMARIA. <abbr title="Second">2</abbr> Kings <abbr title="chapters 5, 6">v. vi.</abbr>   B.C. 894<abbr title="through">–</abbr>892.</h3> BUT Elisha’s fame was soon to overstep the limits of his own country. The captain of the army of Ben-hadad, king of Syria, at this time was named Naaman (See <abbr title="Luke">Lk.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 4">iv.</abbr> 27). He had achieved many victories for his master, and for personal prowess was held in high honour, being in close attendance on his sovereign, but he was a leper. This frightful malady which, had he been an Israelite, would have cut him off from all intercourse with his fellows, does not appear to have laid him under the same disadvantages in Syria, and he still retained his post as commander-in-chief. In his harem, waiting on his wife, was a little Israelitish maid, who had been taken prisoner in one of the forays of the Syrians over the border. She knew what Elisha could do, and assured her mistress that, if only Naaman was with the prophet that was in Samaria, he would certainly be cured of his malady. Her words were told to Naaman, who communicated them to Ben-hadad387. The Syrian king thereupon wrote a letter to Jehoram, king of Israel, and sent his general with it, accompanied by a large retinue bearing 10 talents of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and 6 of the rich fabrics, for which Damascus had always been famous. On reaching Samaria Naaman presented the letter to Jehoram, who had no sooner read the curt words of the Syrian king, than he rent his clothes, and exclaimed, Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy? He could only think of one motive for the letter; Consider, said he, how this man seeketh a quarrel against me (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 5">v.</abbr> 7). News of Naaman’s arrival, of the purport of his coming, and of the dismay of the king was conveyed to Elisha, who straightway sent to Jehoram and bade him send his visitor to him, that he might know that there was a prophet in Israel. With his horses, his chariots, and entire cavalcade, Naaman thereupon came and stood before the door of the prophet’s dwelling. But instead of coming forth himself, Elisha simply sent his servant to tell him to go down to the rapid waters of the Jordan and wash seven times, promising him a certain cure. The prophet’s independent tone, the neglect to come out to him, above all his command that he, the native of a city watered by such famous streams as the Abana and Pharpar388, should go and wash in Jordan, was unbearable. Naaman turned and went away in a rage. But his retinue, unwilling to throw up the hopes of their long journey, succeeded in persuading him to make trial of the prescribed cure. Naaman accordingly went down and dipped himself seven times in the rushing stream, and his flesh came again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. Full of gratitude for so priceless a boon, he then returned with his whole retinue to Samaria, and once more stood before the prophet’s door. This time, however, he not only stood there, but went in and gratefully acknowledged the power of Israel’s God, and urged the prophet to receive the present he had brought. This, the latter absolutely declined, and in spite of Naaman’s urgency, persisted in his refusal. But one thing the grateful soldier was resolved to have. If Elisha would not accept his presents, he could not depart from a land where he had received so great a benefit without two mules’ burden of its hallowed earth, for the construction, probably, of an altar to Jehovah. But here a difficulty occurred to him. If he became a servant of Jehovah, how could he go to the house of Rimmon389, and bow before the Syrian god? Elisha’s simple reply was, Go in peace, and he went his way (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 5">v.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>20). The generous conduct, however, of his master had not escaped the notice of Gehazi, the attendant of Elisha, and the Syrian had not gone any great distance when he ran after his chariot. Naaman discerned him hurrying along the road, and alighting enquired if all was well. All was well, the other replied; but already there had come to his master from Mount Ephraim, two young men of the sons of the prophets, for whom he solicited a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment. The generous Syrian pressed upon him two talents and two changes of raiment, and sent two of his retinue to bear them to a secret place, whence Gehazi removed them into the house, and then presented himself before his master, denying, when questioned, that he had gone anywhere. But the prophet had marked his wickedness. His heart had gone after him the whole while, and with righteous sternness he now pronounced upon him the awful punishment from which Naaman had just been delivered; and he went out of his presence a leper as white as snow (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 5">v.</abbr> 27). Elisha is next found at Jericho. Here the habitation of the sons of the prophets had become so small, that they desired to construct a new dwelling near the Jordan. Accompanied by Elisha they proceeded towards the river, and began to fell trees in the wood which lined its banks. As they felled, the head of an axe, which one of them had borrowed, flew off and sank in the water. He appealed to Elisha, who bade a piece of wood be flung into the stream, when the iron re-appeared, and was restored to the borrower (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 6">vi.</abbr> 1<abbr title="through">–</abbr>7). Shortly after this, in spite of the cure wrought upon their general, the Syrians renewed their marauding incursions, and even encamped in spots which the king of Israel was wont to frequent. Warned by Elisha, Jehoram was on more than one occasion able to escape the ambuscades laid for him, which so annoyed Ben-hadad, that he even suspected treachery among his own retinue. But one of his servants pointed to the true cause. The informer was no other than the healer of his general Naaman, and his power was such that he could tell Jehoram the very words Ben-hadad uttered in his chamber. Thereupon the king of Syria sent horses and chariots, and a considerable force to Dothan390, 6 miles north of Samaria, to capture Elisha. The Syrian forces completely surrounded the village, and the prophet’s servant came running in, crying, Alas! my master, how shall we do? Elisha calmed his fears with the assurance that they which were with them were more than they which were with the foe, and the eyes of the young man being opened he was enabled to discern the hill, on which the village was built, filled with horses and chariots of fire ready to protect his master. At the same moment the Syrian forces were smitten with blindness, and were easily led away to Samaria; nor were their eyes opened till they found themselves in the presence of Jehoram. The first impulse of the king of Israel was to put them to death. But Elisha dissuaded him from such unworthy conduct, and the men were sent back to Ben-hadad, who drew off his army, and for a while desisted from the invasion (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 6">vi.</abbr> 8<abbr title="through">–</abbr>24). But the Syrian king could not long brook such a humiliating repulse. Mustering, therefore, all his troops, he went up and besieged Samaria, B.C. 892, for a space of 3 years, during which period the inhabitants were reduced to the direst extremities. Two mothers even agreed to boil their children for food (<abbr title="Compare">Comp.</abbr> <abbr title="Deuteronomy">Deut.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 28">xxviii.</abbr> 53, 57). One actually did so, but the other hid her child lest it should suffer such an awful fate. This story was told Jehoram, as he one day passed by on the city wall, and in token of sorrow he put on sackcloth beneath his armour. But deeming Elisha in some way culpable for the nation’s disasters, he threatened to take away his life, and sent a messenger to the prophet’s house, where he sat surrounded by the elders of the city, to carry it into execution. Before however the messenger’s feet had touched the threshold, Elisha, warned of his danger, had commanded that he should be held fast. At this moment Jehoram himself also entered, leaning on the hand of one of his officers. This evil, he burst forth, is from Jehovah; why should I wait on Jehovah any more? (<abbr title="Compare">Comp.</abbr> Job <abbr title="chapter 21">xxi.</abbr> 15; <abbr title="Malachi">Mal.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 3">iii.</abbr>  14). To which the prophet replied, Hear the word of Jehovah; 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. Nay, interposed the royal officer, if Jehovah would make windows in heaven, this could not be. It will, replied Elisha; thou thyself shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat a morsel thereof (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 7">vii.</abbr> 2). These marvellous and prophetic words were fully verified. In the twilight of the selfsame evening four lepers who were wont to take their place at the gate of the city, despairing of life, resolved to enter the Syrian camp, and brave their fate. Reaching the edge of the encampment, to their great surprise they found no man there. Alarmed by a mysterious noise of chariots, horses, and a great host, the Syrians had concluded that the kings of the Hittites and Egyptians had come to the aid of the beleaguered city, and had hastily fled, leaving their camp and everything in it just as it was. Amidst the deepening gloom the lepers entered a tent, satiated the pangs of hunger, and then secretly hid a quantity of silver, gold, and raiment. Entering a second they did the same, and then fearing harm if they concealed such joyous news, they hastily returned to Samaria, and announced to the warder at the barred gate (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 7">vii.</abbr> 10) that they had visited the Syrian camp, and found nothing but horses tied, and asses tied, and the tents as they were. The warder carried the news to his chief, and he communicated it to the king’s household. Though it was midnight Jehoram was roused, and informed of the strange news. Fearful of a plot to draw the Israelites away from the city, he ordered two horsemen to reconnoitre and discover whether it was really true. They made their way towards the Jordan, and found the road filled with garments and vessels, which the Syrians had flung away in their precipitate flight. Their return with this welcome news roused the whole city. Starving and emaciated, the entire population rushed forth to the gate, and thence made their way to the Syrian camp. To preserve some degree of order, the king entrusted the command of the gate to the officer who had scoffed at the prophecy of Elisha, but so great was the press and confusion that he was trodden to death by the excited crowd, and before evening the words of the prophet had been fulfilled to the letter. Two measures of barley were sold for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, and Samaria was delivered (<abbr title="Second Kings">2 K.</abbr> <abbr title="chapter 7">vii.</abbr> 17<abbr title="through">–</abbr>20). <hr class="chap_50" /> <h2 class="vm_30 h2head"> KINGDOMS OF JUDAH AND ISRAEL. PART <abbr title="3">III.</abbr> Renewal of mutual hostilities; decline of both kingdoms before the power of the Assyrian Empire.</h2> <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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