unto Amon the governor of the city, and to Joash the king's son ; 185 and say, Thus saith the king, Put this fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace. And Micaiah said, If thou return at all in peace, the LORD hath not spoken by me. 1 29 So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat the king of Judah 190 went up to Ramoth-gilead. And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, and go into the battle; but put thou on thy robes. And the king of Israel disguised himself, and went into the battle. Now the king of Syria had commanded the thirty and two captains of his chariots, saying, Fight neither 195 with small nor great, save only with the king of Israel. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw Jehoshaphat, that they said, Surely it is the king of Israel; and they turned aside 1 to fight against him and Jehoshaphat cried out. And it came to pass, when the captains of the chariots saw that it 200 was not the king of Israel, that they turned back from pursuing him. And a certain man drew his bow at a venture, and smote the king of Israel between the joints of the harness: wherefore he said unto the driver of his chariot, Turn thine hand, and carry me out of the host,2 for I am sore wounded. And the battle 205 increased that day: and the king was stayed up in his chariot against the Syrians, and died at even: and the blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot. And there went a cry throughout the host about the going down of the sun, saying, Every man to his city, and every man to his country. So the 210 king died, and was brought to Samaria; 3 and they buried the king in Samaria. And they washed the chariot by the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. 1 For turned aside read surrounded him (S). 2 For the host read the battle (S). 3 For So the king . . . Samaria read for the king is dead. And they came to Samaria (S), LESSON LIX ELISHA'S MIRACLES Seven stories of miracles wrought by Elisha 2 KINGS III., IV., VI. 1-7, VIII. 1-6 3 4 Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster; and he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of an hundred thousand lambs, and of an hundred thousand rams. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel. And king Jehoram went out of Samaria at that 5 time, and mustered all Israel. And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, my horses as thy horses. And he said, Which way shall we go 10 up? And he answered, The way of the wilderness of Edom. So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom and they made a circuit of seven days' journey and there was no water for the host, nor for the beasts that followed them. And the king of Israel said, Alas! for the LORD hath 15 called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may inquire of the LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. 20 And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the LORD is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him. And Elisha said unto the king of Israel, What have I to do with thee? get thee to the prophets of thy father, and to the prophets of thy mother. And the king of Israel said 25 unto him, Nay: for the LORD hath called these three kings together to deliver them into the hand of Moab. And Elisha said, As the LORD of hosts liveth, before whom I stand, surely, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, 30 I would not look toward thee, nor see thee. But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of trenches. For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain, yet that 35 valley shall be filled with water and ye shall drink, both ye and your cattle1 and your beasts. And this is but a light thing in the sight of the LORD: he will also deliver the Moabites unto your hand. And ye shall smite every fenced city, and every choice city, and shall fell every good tree, and stop all fountains of water, 40 and mar every good piece of land with stones. And it came to pass in the morning, about the time of offering the oblation, that, behold, there came water by the way of Edom, and the country was filled with water. Now when all the Moabites heard that the kings were come up to fight against them, they gathered 45 themselves together, all that were able to put on armour, and upward, and stood on the border. And they rose up early in the morning, and the sun shone upon the water, and the Moabites saw the water over against them as red as blood: and they said, This is blood; the kings are surely destroyed, and they have 50 smitten each man his fellow: now therefore, Moab, to the spoil. And when they came to the camp of Israel, the Israelites rose up and smote the Moabites, so that they fled before them and they went forward into the land smiting the Moabites. And they beat down the cities; and on every good piece of land they cast every 55 man his stone, and filled it; and they stopped all the fountains of water, and felled all the good trees: until in Kir-hareseth only they left the stones thereof; howbeit the slingers went about it, and smote it. And when the king of Moab saw that the battle was too sore for him, he took with him seven hundred men that 60 drew sword, to break through unto the king of Edom: but they could not. Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt offering upon the wall. And there was great wrath against Israel: and they departed from him, and returned to their own land. 65 41 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD : and the creditor is come to take unto him my two children to be bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? 70 tell me; what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine 1 For your cattle read your host (S). upon handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And thou shalt go in, and shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and pour out into all those vessels; and thou shalt set aside that which is 75 full. So she went from him, and shut the door her and upon her sons; they brought the vessels to her, and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. Then she came 80 and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and thy debt, and live thou and thy sons of the rest. pay 8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat 85 bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let · us make, I pray thee, a little chamber on the wall;1 and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick : and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. 90 And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber and lay there. And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for 95 thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people. And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no son, and her husband is old. And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the 100 door. And he said, At this season, when the time cometh round, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season, when the time came round, as Elisha had said unto her. And when the child was grown, it 105 fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to his servant, Carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, 1 For a little . . . wall read a roof chamber with walls. ΠΙΟ and shut the door upon him, and went out. And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the servants, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come 115 again. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to-day? it is neither new moon nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slacken me not the riding, except I bid thee. So she went, and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it 120 came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is the Shunammite: run, I pray thee, now to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well. And when she came to the man 125 of God to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to thrust her away; but the man of God said, Let her alone : for her soul is vexed within her; and the LORD hath hid it from me, and hath not told me. Then she said, Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me? Then he said to 130 Gehazi, Gird up thy loins, and take my staff in thine hand, and go thy way if thou meet any man, salute him not; and if any salute thee, answer him not again and lay my staff upon the face of the child. And the mother of the child said, As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. And 135 he arose, and followed her. And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the child; but there was neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he returned to meet him, and told him, saying, The child is not awaked. And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the child was dead, and laid his bed. He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them twain, and prayed unto the LORD. And he went up, and lay upon the child, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands and he stretched himself upon him; and the flesh of the child waxed warm. Then he returned, and walked in the house once to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him and the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes. And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in unto him, he said, Take up thy son. 150 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground; and she took up her son, and went out. 140 145 upon 81 Now Elisha had spoken unto the woman, whose son he had restored to life, saying, Arise, and go thou and thine household, and sojourn wheresoever thou canst sojourn for the LORD : |