694
ELISHA
ELISHA
Several of E.'s recorded words and deeds seem to show how much he profited by the chastening experience — and it may be by the direct teaching — of Elijah. He has learned the lesson of tolera- tion : when Naanian inquires if it is possible to reconcile the homage due to Rimmon with loyalty to J", E. sends him away with a word of peace (5'"). He knows how to temper justice with mercy ; he forgives his own and liis country's tierce enemies when he has them entirely in his hands (6-^). Yet he has his master's sternness when it is needed. He refuses to speak to Jehoram king of Israel, that ' son of a murderer ' (3" 6*-). Not in vain was it prophesied at Horeb, ' him that escaiieth from the sword of Jehu shall E. slay.' It is E. who devises the plot that leads to the overthrow of the house of Ahab (9'"'). And though he weeps for his country wlien he foresees the evil which the ferocious Hazael will bring upon Israel, yet he does not shrink from anointing him king of Syria (8"- ").
As a prophet E. had no new truth to proclaim. But he exercised a wide and lasting intiuence as the head of the prophetic guilds for more than half a centtiry. The sons of the prophets regard him with profound reverence (2"), and obey him implicitly (9'). E.'s single aim is to complete the reforms begun by Elijah — to re-establish the ancient truth, and repel heathen superstition. He is a statesman as well as a prophet. Among all the prophets, none intervene in the highest national aft'airs more boldly than E., and none so success- fully. For many years he eagerly watches every turn of events. When the nation is ripe for revolution, he summons the destined man at an opportune moment, puts an end to the Tyrian domination, and extirpates the base Tyrian super- stition. After the fail of the Omrite dynasty, he is the trusted friend and sagacious adviser of the house of Jehu, and the strength and inspiration of Israel in all its trials. Even to old age his zeal bums unquenchable : in the closing scene of his life the patriot is as evident as the seer ; and his bequest to Israel is hope (IS"*""*). E. has no stormy spiritual experience like his master, and does not hold such immediate converse with J", yet he too has visions. He sees Elijah borne away to heaven by chariots and horses of fire ; and at Dothan, wlien the town is surrounded by enemies, and his servant cries out to him in fear, he bids the young man look to the mountains, and see that they are full of chariots and horses of fire round about Elisha (6").
It is impossible to arrange the events of E.'s life in chronological sequence. While the topography of the narrative is often precise, there is a singular want of detiniteness as to personal names and dates. The only indication of time afforded by several of the anecdotes is the mention of the ' king of Israel ' ; but as no name is specified, the reader is left to conjecture which of the four kings who were the prophet's contemporaries may be referred to. It is imjiossible to say in whose reign the cure of Naaman, or the attempt of the Sjrrians to capture E., took place. In .some cases occurrences are obviously grouped together, according to the connexion of their contents (2 K 2. 4). In others no principle of arrangement is apparent, and the loose connexion of the narratives becomes very awkward. For instance, the siege of Samaria by the Syrians is described immediately after it has been stated that ' the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel ' (6'-^'- ). Gehazi appears in familiar intercourse with ' the king of Israel ' after the account of his punishment with leprosy (5-'' 8') ; and the visit of Joash to B. during the prophet's last illness is related just after the mention of the death of Joash (13"'). Most of F.'s deeds and
experiences are set do«Ti before the account of Jehu's revolution ; but the jirophet lived 45 years after that event, and his influence in the nation was certainly greater, and his deeds of beneficence probably more numerous, after than before the overthrow of his enemies.
The narratives are for the most part a record of E.'s activity as a seer, diviner, and worker of miracles, rather than as a prophet in the usual sense of the word. The ordinary prophet is a revealer of spiritual truth, and a preacher of righteousness. If he is represented as working miracles at all, they are entirely subsidiary to his teaching functions. But the reminiscences and tra- ditions of E. represent him chiefly as a wonder- worker. He suspends the laws of nature (6°), fore- sees future events (8'-), divines the secret thoughts of men (5-* 6'-), and knows what events are happen- in" out of sight or at a distance (G**).
It will be convenient (A) to group together E.'s deeds in his more private capacity, and afterwards ' (B) refer to his achievements as the friend and adviser of kings.
A. (1) Recrossing the Jordan after Elijah's trans- lation, E. either dwells or sojourns {2a-)a.t Jericho, lately rebuilt (1 K 16*^) in a 'pleasant situation' (2 K 2"), the fertility of whose groves and gardens was due then, as always, to its perennial spring.s. At the time of E.'s visit one of these springs has noxious properties, which make it unfit for drink- ing, and injurious to the land (2''). The citizens represent the facts to E. , who, taking salt in a new vessel, casts it into the spring, and in the name of J" declares the water healed (2-^). (2) From Jericho E. goes to Bethel, which he had lately visited with Elijah (2^*). Passing through the wooded gorge (now called the Wady Suweinit), which leads up to the town, he is met by a noisy troop of boys, who, though they were probably very respect- ful to the great and awful Elijah, stand in no fear of his youthful successor, and rudely greet him with shouts of ' Go up, thou bald head ! ' E. turns and curses them in the name of J", and two she- bears come out of the wood and rend forty-two of them in pieces. One naturally asks if this narra- tive is literal history. The extreme severity of the punishment is evidently out of all proportion to the ott'ence. The deed is strikingly in contrast to E.'s conduct on other occasions (see especially 2 K 6^-"). One MS of the Sept. inserts the word iXWa^ov ('they pelted him with stones'), the tran- scriber evidently feeling the moral difficulty. Some of the Rabbis say that E. was punished with sick- ness for the deed. The story probably had some basis in fact, but in its present form it reads like a folklore tale, of the kmd familiar in all lands, intended for the admonition of rude and naughty children. (3) The widow of one of the sons of the prophets — the name and place are wanting — is in debt, and her sons are about to be taken away by her creditor and sold as slaves. She has nothing left in her house but a pot of oil, but E. causes the oil to multiply till it fills all the vessels she can borrow from her neighbours. HaWng sold the