And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Ver. 1. _The place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us._] Our college is so crowded, that unless some course be taken, some of us shall be necessitated to lie out of doors;... [ Continue Reading ]
Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. Ver. 2. _Let us make us a place._] Though they were not worth their axes, yet they would be building: and here it is evident, saith an expositor, _a_... [ Continue Reading ]
And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go. Ver. 3. _Be content, I pray thee, to go with thy servants._] God had a special hand in this motion, that by Elisha the following miracle might be wrought, for the comfort and confirmation of those novices o... [ Continue Reading ]
So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. Ver. 4. _They cut down wood._] Wherewith they set up such huts or cabins as they could: being of his mind who said, I find no content but in a book and a nook. _a_ a Tho. de Ken.... [ Continue Reading ]
But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. Ver. 5. _Alas, master! for it was borrowed._] So is all the Church's beauty. Eze 16:14 So is all the good we enjoy; for, "what hast thou that thou hast not received?" And ther... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and the iron did swim. Ver. 6. _And cut down a stick._] Which, cast in by the prophet, became as a lodestone to draw the iron to it; and, as the Hebrews say, _a_ a helve or handle... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore said he, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it. Ver. 7. _And he put out his hand, and took it._] As it came swimming toward him, for the greater evidence of the miracle.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp. Ver. 8. _Then the king of Syria warred._] He delighted in it, as Pyrrhus, king of the Epirotes, is said to have done. Naaman, who should have dissuaded him from so... [ Continue Reading ]
And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. Ver. 9. _For thither the Syrians are come down._] To do mischief; where the holy penman maketh use of a Syrian word to set forth the Syrian doings. It signifieth _... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice. Ver. 10. _And saved himself there._] It was the king himself whom they aimed at, as 1 Kings 22:31; - and as that officer of the cuirassiers, _a_ who, pistoling the... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us [is] for the king of Israel? Ver. 11. _Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled._] Heb., Was tempested, or tossed with passion... [ Continue Reading ]
And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that [is] in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber. Ver. 12. _And one of his servants said._] This was Naaman, saith Abulensis; but that is not likely. Rather it was some one tha... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, Go and spy where he [is], that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan. Ver. 13. _That I may send and fetch him._] This, none but a madman would have attempted. Anger is a short madness: whensoever it anteverteth reason, it is sinful.... [ Continue Reading ]
Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about. Ver. 14. _Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots._] To wage war with God himself, whose power he must needs behold in this his prophet; and yet fears not, giant-like, to o... [ Continue Reading ]
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? Ver. 15. _Alas, my master! how shall we do?_] _Vox desperantis._ Flesh and blood in an exigent g... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them._ Ver. 16. Fear not: for they that be with us, &c.] How many do ye reckon me for? said Antigonus to his soldiers, fearing the numbers of their enemies. God is for us, and so are all his hosts, his upper... [ Continue Reading ]
And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. Ver. 17. _Horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha._] These were a... [ Continue Reading ]
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the LORD, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha. Ver. 18. _And he smote them with blindness._] _Scotomate, non_ αορασια _sed_ ακρισια not with bodily blindness, bu... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 19. _This is not the way, neither is this the city._] Here the prophet doth not equivocate; much less doth he tell an officious lie... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 20. _They were in the midst of Samaria._] Where they were "almost in a... [ Continue Reading ]
And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite [them]? shall I smite [them]? Ver. 21. _My father, shall I smite them?_] He calleth the prophet, "My father," either in a compliment, as Jeremiah 3:4, or else in a sudden pang, which was soon over. See 2 Kings 6:31... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 22. _Thou shalt not smite them._] Though Elisha well knew that they came d... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 23. _So the bands of Syria came no more._] Those bands did not - though others did; - so much they were wro... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. Ver. 24. _And went up, and besieged Samaria._] Which city now smarted for Ahab's foolish pity. 1Ki 20:34... [ Continue Reading ]
And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, 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. Ver. 25. _And there was a great famine in Samaria._] Like as there was afterwards at Poti... [ Continue Reading ]
_And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king._ Ver. 26. _Passing by._] To see all things well carried.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said, If the LORD do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? Ver. 27. _If the Lord do not help thee._] Or - by way of angry imprecation - Let not the Lord save thee; that is, God confound thee; _a_ _Dii te perdant, Dii tibi male faxint,_ said t... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 28. _Give thy son, that we may eat him._] The like fell out among the Turks and Tartars in Hungary; _a_ the Germans in Transylvan... [ Continue Reading ]
So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son. Ver. 29. _So we boiled my son, and did eat him._] _Male suada fames,_ made her require of her child that life, which not long before she had given it; laying him n... [ Continue Reading ]
And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, [he had] sackcloth within upon his flesh. Ver. 30. _He rent his clothes._] He said nothing to the case propounded, because it was horrid and... [ Continue Reading ]
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. Ver. 31. _If the head of Elisha._] Who had only threatened these evils, not caused them, and perhaps refused to pray for a removal. The false prophets also might now stir up the king t... [ Continue Reading ]
But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but ere 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... [ Continue Reading ]
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? Ver. 33. _Behold, this evil is of the Lord._] He hath brought us to the lowest ebb, and done us as much mischief as is possible;... [ Continue Reading ]