CHAPTER VI _The sons of the prophets wish to enlarge their dwelling-place,_ _and go to the banks of Jordan to cut down wood, when one of_ _them drops his axe into the water, which Elisha causes to_ _swim_. 1-7. _Elisha, understanding all the secret designs of the king of_ _Syria against Israel... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:2. _EVERY MAN A BEAM_] They made a sort of _log-houses_ with their own hands.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:5. _ALAS, MASTER! FOR IT WAS BORROWED._] אהה אדני והוא שאול _ahah adonia, vehu shaul! Ah! ah, my master; and it has been_ _sought_. It has fallen in, and I have sought it in vain. Or, _it was_ _borrowed_, and therefore I am the more afflicted for its loss; and _Jarchi_ adds, I have n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:6. _HE CUT DOWN A STICK_] This had no natural tendency to raise the iron; it was only a sign or ceremony which the prophet chose to use on the occasion. _THE IRON DID SWIM._] This was a real miracle; for the gravity of the metal must have for ever kept it at the bottom of the water,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:8. _THE KING OF SYRIA WARRED AGAINST ISRAEL_] This was probably the same Ben-hadad who is mentioned 2 Kings 6:24. What was the _real_ or _pretended_ cause of this war we cannot tell; but we may say, in numberless war cases, as Calmet says in this: "An ambitious and restless prince al... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:9. _BEWARE THAT THOU PASS NOT SUCH A PLACE_] Elisha must have had this information by immediate revelation from heaven.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:10. _SENT TO THE PLACE_] To see if it were so. But the _Vulgate_ gives it quite a different turn: _Misit rex Israel ad_ _locum, et praeoccupavit eum_. The king of Israel sent previously to the place, and took possession of it; and thus the Syrians were disappointed. This is very like... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:13. _BEHOLD, HE IS IN DOTHAN._] This is supposed to be the same place as that mentioned in Genesis 37:17. It lay about twelve miles from Samaria.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:14. _HE SENT THITHER HORSES_] It is strange he did not think that he who could penetrate his secrets with respect to the Israelitish army, could inform himself of all his machinations against his own life.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:16. _FOR THEY THAT BE WITH US_ ARE _MORE, C._] What astonishing intercourse had this man with heaven! It seems the whole heavenly host had it in commission to help him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:17. _LORD - OPEN HIS EYES_] Where is heaven? Is it not above, beneath, around us? And were our eyes open as were those of the prophet's servant, we should see the heavenly host in all directions. The horses and chariots of fire were there, before the eyes of Elisha's servant were ope... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:18. _SMITE THIS PEOPLE - WITH BLINDNESS_] Confound their sight so that they may not know what they see, and so mistake one place for another.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:19. _I WILL BRING YOU TO THE MAN WHOM YE SEEK._] And he did so; he was their guide to Samaria, and showed himself to them fully in that city.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:20. _OPEN THE EYES OF THESE MEN_] Take away their confusion of vision, that they may discern things as they _are_, and distinguish _where_ they are.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:21. _MY FATHER, SHALL I SMITE_] This was dastardly; the utmost he could have done with these men, when thus brought into his hand, was to make them prisoners of war.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:22. _WHOM THOU HAST TAKEN CAPTIVE_] Those who in open _battle_ either lay down their arms, or are surrounded, and have their retreat cut off, are entitled to their lives, much more those who are thus providentially put into thy hand, without having been in actual hostility against th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:23. _HE PREPARED GREAT PROVISION FOR THEM_] These, on the return to their master, could tell him strange things about the power of the God of Israel, and the magnanimity of its king. _SO THE BANDS OF SYRIA CAME NO MORE_] Marauding parties were no more permitted by the Syrian king to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:25. _AND, BEHOLD, THEY BESIEGED IT_] They had closed it in on every side, and reduced it to the greatest necessity. _AN ASS'S HEAD WAS SOLD FOR FOURSCORE_ PIECES _OF SILVER_] I suppose we are to take the _ass's head_ literally; and if the _head_ sold for so much, what must other par... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _IF THE LORD DO NOT HELP THEE_] Some read this as an _imprecation, May God save thee not! how can I save thee_?... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _SO WE BOILED MY SON_] This is horrible; but for the sake of humanity we must allow that the children _died_ through hunger, and then became food for their starved, desperate parents. _SHE HATH HID HER SON._] He was already dead, says _Jarchi_; and she hid him, that she might eat him alon... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. HE HAD _SACKCLOTH WITHIN UPON HIS FLESH._] The king was in deep mourning for the distresses of the people.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _IF THE HEAD OF ELISHA - SHALL STAND ON HIM_] Either he attributed these calamities to the prophet, or else he thought he could remove them, and yet would not. The miserable king was driven to desperation.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:32. _THIS SON OF A MURDERER_] Jehoram, the son of Ahab and Jezebel. But Ahab is called a _murderer_ because of the murder of Naboth. _SHUT THE DOOR_] He was obliged to make use of this method for his personal safety, as the king was highly incensed. _THE SOUND OF HIS MASTER'S FEET... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 2 Kings 6:33. _BEHOLD, THIS EVIL_ IS _OF THE LORD_] It is difficult to know whether it be the _prophet_, the _messenger_, or the _king_, that says these words. It might be the answer of the _prophet_ from within to the messenger who was without, and who sought for admission, and gave his reas... [ Continue Reading ]