| || . & For ſome Generations ; or for a long time, as that word 1s oft uſed, and as may be thought by comparing this with Exod: 20:55. & 34:7. | Being confounded with the ſenſe of his Guilt,and Shame, and Miſery,and baniſhed from the Company of others by GodsLaw, Levit.:13:and 14+ * Which is the worit kind of Leprofie,and noted by Phyicians to be incurable. See Exod. 4: 6. Numv:12+10. 2 Chron: 26:19,20. Nor was this puniſhment too ſevere for Gehaz/'s Wick- edneſs, which was great, and various, horrid Covetoutneſs, which is Idolatry 3 the Prophanation of Gods Name,by a wicked Oath ; down-right Theft 3 deliberate and impudent Lying, and thar to a Propher, which was in a manner # lying to the Holy Ghoſt, like theirs, Afts 5:3. A deſperate contempt of Gods Omniſcience, Juttice,and Holinel(s; an horrible Reproach faſtned upon the Propher,and his Religion ; and a miſchievous Scandal given to Naaman and all other Syrians that might hear of its
CHAP. Tk
Eliſha giving leave to the young Prophets to enlarge their Dwellings, cau- ſeth Iron ro ſw m. 1 —— 7. He diſclojcrh the King of Syria's Coun: ſel, 8 -—i2, Who ſendeth Syrians to apprehend him : He is preſerved by Angels, they are ſmitten with Blinan-ſs : are brought mto Samaria and diſmiſſed in Peace, 13---==23+ Samaria ts beſieged, and brought to Such extream Want and Famine, that Wimcn eat their own Chilaren,
-39. The King ſendeth to ſlay Elijba, 30 = 33.
24
AN D the ſons of the prophets a ſaid unto Eliſha, Behold now.,the place where we dwell with thee 6, is r00 ſtrait for us c.
& kither ar Bethel : or, Jericho : or rather, at Gilgal: as may ſeem from its nearneſs to the River of Jordan, wer. 2. b Or, before thy Face ; 4. e« under thy Inſpe&ion and Dire&ion ; where thou doſt frequently dwell with us. Or, ro thy face ; which may be joyned with the following Words; and ſo the ſenſe may be this : Ir 1s ap- Parent to thy view,thar this place is toc ſtrait for us. c The number of the Prophets increating by the gracious Providence ofGod and by the Miniſtry and Muacles of E!.jah and El:ſba.
2 Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan 4, and take thence every man a beame, and let us make us a place there where we mav dwell. And he Anſwered, Go ye.
d 1, e, To the Woods near Jordan,which were near-to them. See on vV. 1. ez, e. A picce of Timber for the Building- Hence it may be gathered, That alrhough the Sons of the Prophets principally de- vored rhemielves ro ReiigiousExerciſes, ſuch as Prayer,and praiting of God,and the ſtudying of Gods Word and Inſtrutting of others, and waiting for Divine Revelations ; yet they did ſometimes
employ themſelves about Manual Arts 3 which now they might
be torced to, through the Iniquity of the Times. 2 And one ſaid, Be content,I pray thee,and go with thy ſervants. And he anſwered, 1 wiil go. 4 So he went with them And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. f Heb . . tm, into the water : and he ctied, and ſaid, Alas maſter, for it was borrowed g.
Ff The Iron fell from the Wood. g He was the more concerned, partly, becauſe he was not forced to be idle and uſcieſs ro them in the common Work ; and partly,becaute it was his Friends loſs, who now was likely to iufter for his kindaels ; and as Juſtice obliged him to reſtore it, ſo his Poverty diſenabled bim from it-
6 And the man of God faid, Where feil ir? and he ſhewed him the place : and he cut down a ſtick, and caſt ir in thither, and the iron did ſwim,
7 Therefore ſaid he, Take it up to thee : and he put out his hand, and took it.
8 © Thea the king of Syria warred againſt Iſrael, and
FHeb..;z took counſel with his ſervants,ſaying,t In ſuch and ſuch the place a Place ſhall be my || camp ..
* s *." Thither I will ſend my Forces,to ſurprize ſome place : or to » lie in Ambuſh where the King or his People were to paſs, ver 9g. Sg 9 And the man of God ſent unto che king of Ifraei,
ſaying, Beware that thou paſs nor ſuch a place,for thi- ther the Syrians are come down. Io And the king of Iſrael ſent to the place hþ which the man of God cold him, and warned him of, and ſa- ved himſelf ; there nor once nor twice &.
6 Either Spies,to try whether the Propher ſpake Truth:or rather Soldiers, to iccure the Place and Paſſage deligned. i Either his Perſon when he was to pats thar way : or his People, or Places of Importance. k Bur much more frequently,
K 1.8 & 2»
Chap. V 11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was fore troubled for this thing, and he called his ſervants, and ſaid unto them, Will ye not ſhew me which of us 5s for the king of Iſrael ? 12 And one of his ſervants faid, + None, my lord, + x4ep, O king : but Eliſha the prophet, that is in Iſrael,telleth the king of Iſrael the words that thou ſpeakelſt in thy bed-chamber. 12 T And he ſaid, Go, and ſpie where he is, that EF may ſend and fetch him /. And it was told him,faying, Behold he zs in Dothan .
{ For though I cannot conceal my Deſtgns from him, yet T may poſſibly take him by force ; his Power being, I doubr nor, much inferiour to his Knowledge, 1m A City near Sheichem, Gen.37. 17. and not far from Samaria. :
14 Therefore ſent he thither horſes, and chariots, and a F great hoſt : and they came by night and com- + Heb. paſſed the city abour. heavy.
15 And when the || ſervant of the man of god » was Or, Mn'qf
riſen early, and gone forth o,behold, an hoſt compaſſed * the City, both with horſes and chariots : and his ſervant
ſaid unto him, Alas my maſter, how ſhall we do ?
u Who having been with him bur alittle time,even ſince Gehazis Diſmiſſhon,had not yet ſeen anyExperiments of his great Power-or, if he had hisFaith might eaſily be ſhaken upon ſo great & ſudden a danger. 0 Either out of the Gates of the City, where he might lee them ; or, out of his Houſe into the Streets of the City. where he might learn this by the Common Fame and Tumultr of the People.
16 And he anſwered, Fear not : for * they that be *2 Chron
with us, are moe than they that be with them.
17 And Eliſha prayed, and ſaid, LORD,I pray thee, open his eyes,tha: he may ſee p. And the LORD open- -d the eyes of the young man,and he ſaw : and behold, the mountain was full of horſes, and chariots of fire 4 round about Eliſha r. |