8 a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife. And she said unto her mistress, while she was bervailing her husband's misfortune, Would God my lord [were] with the prophet that [is] in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy. She no doubt had told her mistress of his other miracles, and 4 thought it was in his power to do this. And [one] went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that [is] of the land of Israel. This was related to Naaman, who begs leave 5 of the king to go to him. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel, whom he supposed knew the prophet and had interest with him. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of Silver, and six thousand [pieces] 6 of gold, and ten changes of raiment. And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come unto thee, behold, I have [therewith] sent Naaman my servant to thee, that thou mayest recover him of his leprosy; The substance of the letter was for him to take care to have Naaman cured. And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he rent his clothes, and said, [Am] I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy ?* wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeketh a quarrel against me. This behaviour of the king added great pomp to the miracle, and made it more observ8 able at court, and throughout the kingdom. And it was [so] when Elisha the man of God had heard that the king of Israel had rent his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Wherefore hast thou rent thy clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel, and a God, by 9 whom that prophet is enabled to work miracles. So Naaman came with his horses, and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha, expecting to be received with great external 10 marks of respect. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come 11 again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman thought the prophet did not treat him with sufficient respect, and he was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper; that he would have performed the cure with a more sol12 emn air, and greater case and speed. [Are] not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may not I wash in them, and be clean? So he turned, and went 13 away in a rage. And his servants came near, and one, who was a wise and prudent man, spake unto him, and said, My father,

The king of Israel misunderstood his letter, and thought he expected the cure to be wrought by him; and was much distressed, and rent his clothes; supposing that he designed to pick a quarrel with him, by demanding what was impossible to be done."

+ Elisha sent a messenger to him. not for state, nor contempt, but because he loved retirement, and lest he should seem too fond of the honour done him. Washing in Jordan had no natural tendency to heal him; but this was to exercise his faith and humility, and put an honour on Jordan, where so many miracles had been done.

[if] the prophet had bid thee [do some] great thing, if he had prescribed a long course of physic, or some painful operations, wouldest thou not have done [it] how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean? the trial can dono harm, and 14 may do good, especially as it is commanded by the prophet. Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

15

And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him in his apartment, and he, that is Naaman, said, Behold, now I know that [there is] no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a 16 blessing of thy servant, accept the present I have brought. But he said, [As] the LORD liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it ;] but he refused.* 17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth to build an altar with, as a pledge of my communion with thy people and service? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sac18 rifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, [that] when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon; when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon thy 19 servant in this thing.† And he said unto him, Go in peace. So he departed from him a little way.

20

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, was vexed that his master had lost such an opportunity of enriching himself, and he said, Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; but, [as] the LORD liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat 21 of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw [him] running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, [Is] all well? it discovered remarkable gratitude and humility in him to show such regard on the 22 prophet's account. And he said, All [is] well. My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim, two young men of the sons of the prophets give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes 23 of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. But Gehazi pretended to keep close to his master's order, and that

Much might be said to excuse him if he had accepted it; it was a time of famine, and the sons of the prophets had need of it. But he thought that refusing it would give Naaman a beeter opinion of the jewish religion, and show that their prophets were not mercenary, like idolaters; and that he in particular aimed not at his own wealth and reward, but to glorify God and do good to men.

† Naaman assures the prophet, that when he did this in future, it should not be an act of adoration, but only for the convenience of his master when he leaned upon him; and by sacrificing to the God of Israel, he made an open profession that he did not intend this as a relig ious action.

This was a notorious lie in itself, and might lead Naaman to suspect, that though Elisha would not take gifts publicly, he was glad of them in private. Probably Elisha took care to undeceive Naaman, and return the money.

one talent was sufficient; though he was soon prevailed upon to take two, in value more than six hundred pounds. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid [them] upon two of his servants; 24 and they bare [them] before him. And when he came to the tower, or secret place, some outhouse where he intended to conceal it, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house; and he let the men go, lest Elisha should see them, and 25 they departed. But he went in and stood before his master, and thought himself sure of the gain. And Elisha said unto him, Whence [comest thou,] Gehazi? where hast thou been? And he 26 said, Thy servant went no whither, I was not out of doors. And he said unto him, Went not mine heart [with thee,] when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? have I not as distinct a knowledge of what passed, as if I had been with thee? [Is it] a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men servants, and maid servants? As if he had said, I know thy scheme is to buy, and plant, and become a great man. But is this a time to do so, amidst public afflictions and great degeneracy? Above all, is this a time to bring a reflection upon the prophet and the God of 27 Israel, especially from this new convert? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever, for a long time, as a monument of the knowledge, power, and justice of the God of Israel. And he went out from his presence a leper [as white] as snow. This was the worst kind of leprosy, and always reckoned incurable.

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REFLECTIONS,

E have in this chapter an instance of the good effects of instructing children in religious principles; this young captive carried the knowledge of God into Syria. The miracles of his prophet were a comfort to her mind in slavery, were useful to others, and led the way for Naaman's conversion. Parents should instruct their children in the great truths and prin ciples of religion; as they will be of perpetual use to them, and make them useful to others. We know not where their lot may be cast; therefore we should be solicitous that they may carry their religion along with them.

2. See the difference between human and divine power. Naaman could not heal himself; the king of Syria could not; the king of Israel could not. Am I God? says he. But the power of Jehovah could effect a cure at once. It is a pleasant reflection to every one who fears God, that nothing is too hard for him.

3. How common and how foolish is it for men to prefer their own fancy to God's directions. Naaman wanted a cure, but he would have it in his own way, and was angry at the prophet's plain prescription. A very common case. We may see instances of it

every day. Is not the light of nature better than scripture ? Are not the waters of Greece and Rome, the learning and eloquence of their philosophers, better than the plain preaching of the gospel? We ought, say they, to be sober and honest; but what doth such a plain and simple ordinance as the Lord's Supper signify? What can bread and wine do?' So foolishly and absurdly do men argue. They are, like Naaman, the worst enemies to themselves; and their leprosy of sin is never likely to be cured till God's method is tried; that will be found easy and successful: wash and be clean. May we learn then, with humility to comply with all that God appoints; not go about to establish our own righteousness, but cheerfully submit to that method of justification and healing, which God hath appointed and commanded.

4. Learn hence a holy tenderness of conscience. Naaman was afraid of displeasing the God of Israel, from whom he had received such favours. If the prophet had forbidden him to go into the house of Rimmon, he would not have gone. Let us be afraid of every sinful compliance, and not think to make reserves in our covenant with God, but guard against all appearance of evil.

5. We should not overburden young converts with excess of rigor. Carry the grand point, bring them to God, and have religious habits contracted; and by degrees they will leave off some lesser evils, when they have had larger experience of the reasonableness and advantage of religion.

6. We learn the evil of covetousness. Having food and raiment, let us therewith be content. They that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which, while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows, 1 Tim. vi. 8, 9, 10. All this was illustrated in Gehazi. We here see what mischiefs it breeds, and leads on from one lie to another.

7. What a melancholy thing was it for such a wicked servant as Gehazi to be in good Elisha's family. In Naaman's family were some wise and good servants, though they were strangers to the God of Israel; but in the prophet's, this naughty, detestable servant. Though he had heard his master's prayers and instructions, and had seen his miracles, yet he acted in this base and scandalous manner. Let servants read over this story often; observe what a disgraceful figure Gehazi makes, and be upon their guard against a covetous spirit and a lying tongue. Though masters do not see them, though they have not the gift of prophecy, to know when they have done wrong, yet God observes them. Let those especially who dwell in families where God is worshipped, the sabbath sanctified, and religious instructions are given, be sensible of their privileges. If servants in religious families are wicked, they must be very wicked; great is their guilt now, and great will be their misery another day, if they go on in their evil ways. Let us all pray that God would remove from us the way of lying, and teach us the way of truth,

CHAP. VI.

Elisha causeth the iron to swim; discloseth the counsels of the Syrians; brings an host of them to Samaria, and saves them there s afterward Samaria is besieged, and in great distress.

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'AN

ND the sons of the prophets, being increased in number, said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell 2 with thee at Gilgal is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto the wood near Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell; they were poor, and contented with a very plain habitation. And he 3 answered, Go ye. And one said to Elisha, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants, to assist us with thy advice. 4 And he answered, I will go. So he went with them. And 5 when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the ax head fell into the water and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed, and if it is 6 lost I shall abuse the kindness of my friend who lent it me. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast [it] in thither; and 7 the iron did swim.* Therefore said he, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand and took it. Every instance of this kind increased their reverence for the prophet and their regard to his instructions.

8

Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and the king took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp; the place where I will set some soldiers for an ambush to surprize the Israelites, and probably seize the king. 9 And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place for thither the Syrians 10 are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him, and warned him of, to see if there was any reason for the caution, and saved both himself and his soldiers there, not once nor twice, but frequently.

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 show me which of us [is] for the king of Israel? He thought there was some secret treachery, and that his counsels 12 were betrayed. 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. Naaman had spread his fame, he had heard of his other miracles, and supposed nothing could exceed his power and knowledge. 13 And he said, Go and spy where he [is,] that I may send and fetch him. This was a foolish design, as if the prophet, who knew all his schemes, should be ignorant of this. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan, a little city near Samaria.

The Jews say that he cut a stick in the shape of an handle, and when he threw it into the water the head of an as was miraculously joined to it,