r His Brother, Chap. 3. 1. for hz had no ſon to ſucceed him, as it here follows.s Other Paſſages of Scripture ſeem ro claſh with this, as that Ahazia/,, who reigned but two years, began his reign in Jeho= ſhaphar's ſeventeenth vear, 1 Kings 22: 51- and therefore this Fehoran muſt begin his Reign in Jchoſhaphar's Ninteenth Yearzand therefore before the Reign ot Jehwam, jenoſhz»bat's Son ; and that Jehoram the
ſon of Jehoſhaphar began to reign in the fifth year of Joram, Ahab's ſon, «2 Kings: 8: 16 Anſw, Thele difficulties are ecafily reſolved by this | conſideration, That it was an utual Praftiſe among Kings in former
Ages,to make their Sons ſometimes their Viceroys and Deputies in the Adminiſtration of the Kingdom ; and ſometimes formally Kings in ConjunSion with themſe]ves, and whilſt they lived ; whereof chere are inſtances both in Profane Hiſtory, among the Perſims, Greceks,and Romans,and in the Sacred Scripture,as in David; 1 Chron. 23. 1. and 29: 22+ in Uzzi/ah, 2 Chron: 26: 21. ( and to come cloſe co the point ) in Jehoſbaphat, 2 Kings 8. 16. who in his Seventeenth» Year when he went to 4hab, and with him to Ramoth-Gllead, ap- pointed tis Son Jchram his Vice>roy, and ( in caſe of his Death) is Succefſor. In the ſecond year from that time, when Jehoram was thus made Vice King in his Fathers ſtead and abſence : this;
, . 3 » - b Jehoram, Ahab's fon, began to Reign £ and in the fijch year of the ©
reign of this Joram ſoz of 4:a5, which was about the Twenty fourt!r year of Jehoſhaphar's Reign Jehoram the jon of Jehoſhaphat was formal- 'y made King of Judah, together with his Father; or whileſt Jehoſha- phat lived, and was king of Ja4ah alſo. And fo all the places agree. To which ſome add,thar this Verſe, or this part of it, wherein the difficulty conſiſts, is wanting in ſome ar.cient Copies, and is orit= ted by* the LXX Interpreters ; which is far more prudent and Pious to granr, than upon ſuch Chronological difficulties to queſtion the Truth and Divinity of the Holy Scriptures.
18 Now the ret of the acts of Ahaziah, which {-
did, are they r ot written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of 1ſrae] ?
; | CHAP. II. Eljah taking bis leave of Eliſha, with hu mantle divideth Jordan, rw 8, And granting Eliſha his requeft 6n Condition, is taken up by a fiery Chas
riot into heaven, 9 11. Eliſha dividing Jordan with Elijahs Mantle, is acknowledged his Succeſſor, 12 - 18. He with Salt
healeth the Waters at Jericho, 19 - 22. Children mock him, he Curſeth them : and they are devoured by two Bears, 23 2Fs
A*N D it came to paſs, when the LORD would take = A up Elijah into heaven by a whiulwind, that Elijal
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2 And Elijah ſaid unto Eliſha, Tarry here, I pray thee 2 : for the LORD hath fent me to Bethe! < and Eliſha ſaid unto him, 4s the LORD liveth, and * as thy ſoul liveth, I will not leave thee. 50 they went down
co Bethel . | |
s This he deſires, Either, r. That he beiag lefr alone,mi oht betrer prepare himſelf for his great Change. Or, 2. Our of his Humility and Modeſty : he deſired no Wirneſles of his Glorious Remoyval.and no Fame and Glory fromit. - Or, 3. Out of Indulgence to E1yþa, that he might nor be overwhelmed with Griefat ſo ſad a ſight. Or, 4. That he might try his Love, and whet his Deſire to accompany him ; it being highly convenient for Gods Honour, and the Church's
ood, ( which E5ab ſought above all things ) that there ſhould be Witneſſes of ſo glorious a Tranſlation. 6 Which was truth, bur not the whole truth : for he was to go a far longer Journey. But he was firſt to go to Bethel, as ailo to Fericho, to the Schoo!s of the Prophets there, that he might comfort, and ſtrengthen their hearts in Gods Work, and give them his laſt and dying Counſlels.
And the ſons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Eliſha, and ſaid unto him, Knoweſt thou that the LORD will take away thy maſter c from thy head d to day? and he ſaid, Yea, I know it ; hold you your peace e. |
c This was revealed to ſome of the Sans of the Prophets, and by them to the whole Colledge. 4 Heb. from above thy head : Which Phraſe may reſpeR, either, 1. The manner of fitting in Schools, where the Scholar far at his Maſters feet, Deut; 33: 3: 48s 22.3. Or, 2. The manner of El:jahs Tranſlation, which was to be by a Power ſent from Heaven, to take him up thither. e Do not aggravate my oricf, nor divert me with any unſeaſorable Diſcourſes : that I may digeſt my Sorrow, and prepare my 1eIf for ſo great a Stroke, and diligently attend all my Maſters ſteps, leſt he be inarched away from me whilſt I am talking with you ; and thatI may beg and obrain ſome great Bleſſing from him, before his departure-
4 And Elijah ſaid unto him, Eliſha, carry here, I pray thee : for the LORD hath ſent me to Jericho : and he faid, 4s the LORD liveth, and as thy foul liveth, I will not leave thee. Sothey came toJericho.
5 And the ſons of the prophets that were at Jericho, came to Eliſha, and ſaid unto him, Knowe ſt thou that the LORD will take away thy Maſter from thy head today ? And he anſwered, Yea, I know it ; hold you your peace
6 And Elijah ſaid unto him, Tarry, I pray thee here: for the LORD hath ſent me roJordan. And he ſaid, as the LORD liveth, and as thy ſoul liveth, I will not leave thee. And they ewo went on.
7 And fifty men of the ſons of the prophets went and
ſtood || to view f afar off: and they two ſtood by Jordan.
f To obſerve this grear Event, Eijahs Tranſlation to Heaven, which they expeQted every moment, now when he had taken his laſt farewell of all the Prophets: and whereof they deſired to be SpeRators, not ſo much to fatisfie their own Curiolity, asthat they might be Witneiles of it to others. Ss
8 And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapt it together, and ſmore the waters, and * they were divided bsther and thither, ſo that they two went over on dry ground.
9 A And itcame to paſs when they were gone over, that Elijah ſaid unto Eliſha, ask what I ihall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Eliſha faid, 1 pray thee, let a double portion of thy Spirit g be upon me.