The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 32

Ver. 14.-A.nd he said-he, Elisha, said to the boy joined him there, aa he had probably Giih:izi-What then is to be done for her 1 ?ften don_e before. C?untry children delight '(f the ...-ome.n will suggest nothing herself, m wntchmg the various operntions of the <'Rn Gehazi snggest e.nything? Has he fe.m1steo.d. beard her express e.ny wish? Does he know Ver. 19.-And he aaid unto his father, Illy of any boon thnt wonld be welcome to her? head, my head. Sunstroke was common in Evidently the wome.n's disinterestedness Pnlestine (Ps. cni. 6; Iso.. xlix. 10 • Judith bas incree.sed the prophet's desire to do viii. 2, 3), and would be most freq~ent anrl something for her. And Gehe.lri e.nswered, most fatal e.t the time of harvest. The cry Verily she he.th no ohild, and her husbe.nd of the child is at once most touching nnd ia old. It does not appear that the wome.u most no.tu re.I. And he said to e. lad; liternlly, had mnde e.ny complaint or exhibited e.ny ta the lad-probably the fod who ho.d special anxiety on the subject of offspring. attended the " young mo.ster" to the field. But Gehazi knows the.t to be barren is Carry him to his mother ; i.e. take him regarded by e.11 Hebrew women as e. re- indoorR, and let his mother see to him. No proach, t.he.t. it exposes them to scorn e.nd wiser directions could ho.ve been given. contumely (1 Sam. i. 6, 7), e.nd that offspring Ver. 20.-A.nd when he had taken him, is uni rnrsally, or all but universally, desired. and brought him to his mother, he sat on He therefore assumes that the Shune.mrnite her knees till noon. It was in the morning, must wish for it. And Elisha accepts his therefore, that the child received his sun- suggestion without e. moment's hesitation. stroke-au unusual, but not e.n unknown, Yer. 15.-And he said, Call her. And occurrence. In the East the sun often be- when he had oa.lled her, she stood in the comes intensely hot by ten o'clock. And door; rather, the doorway. The same word then died. There is no ambiguity here, no in Hebrew stande both for " doorway " e.nd room for doubt; the child not only became for "door." It would seem that the woman insensible, but died. The historian oould came at once on being called, but, out of not possibly have expressed himself more modesty and respect, would not e.dve.nce pie.inly. beyond the entrance of the apartment. Ver. 21.-A.nd she went up, and le.id him Ver. 16.-And he-i.e. Elisha-said, on the bed of the man of God. One cannot About this see.son, :i.ocording to the time of be oerte.in what thoughts were working in life--rather, when the time comes round; the poor bereaved mother's heart; but literally, re-vines; i.e. about this time next probably she entertained some vague notion year-thou liha.lt embraoe a son; i.e. "a son that the prophet might be o.ble to resusci- shell be born to thee, whom thou wilt tate her child, and thought that, until his embrace, as mothers are wont to do." And presence could be obtained, the next best she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do thing was to place the child where the pro- not lie unto thine ha.ndma.id. Like Se.re.h, phet's presence had lately been. Elijah the woman we.e incredulous; she could not had placed on hie own bed the child whom believe the good tidings, and thought the he restored to life (1 Kings xvii. 19); and prophet was only raising hopes to disappoint the fe.ct may have been known to the Shu- them. Her worde, " Do not lie unto thy ne.mmite. She certainly did not expect servant," are less harsh in the original, being mere contact with the bed to resuscitate her merely equivalent to the "Do not deceive child. And shut the door upon him. Either me " of ver. 28. that the body should not be disturbed, or Ver. 17.-And the woman conceived, and rather that the death should not be known. bare a son at that season that Elisha had It is clear that, from whe.tever motive, the &aid unto her, acoording to the time of life j woman wished to conceal the death of the rather, as the Revised Version gives 1he child until she had seen what Elisha could pa.sse.ge, the u,oman conceived, and bare a do for her. She neither told her husband BOn at that Bea8Dn, u,hen the time came round, nor the servant who e.ccompe.nied her. And as Elisha had said unto her. The event was went out j i.e. quitted the prophet's apart- exactly as predicted ; the child we.e born at ment, closing the door as she quitted it. the same see.son of the eI111u.ing year. Ver. 22.-And she oe.lled unto her hus- Ver. 18.-And when the child was grown band, and ea.id, Send me, I pray thee, one of -not grown up, for Le was still a "child" the young men., and one of the asses. She (vers. 30, 31, a5, etc.), but grown to be a " called to her husband " from the house, boy, perhaps four or five years old-it fell without calling him into the house, express- on a day, that he went out to his father to ing her desire to visit EliBhe., without stating the reapers. The corn-fields about Shunem the object of her visit, and asked for the &ttraet the admiration of t.111,vellers. The necessary riding-animal and escort. The husband of the Shune.mmite, the owner of nee.rest part of Co.rmel was e.t least fourteen 1&vera.l, was in one of them, superintending or fifteen miles from Shunem, so that she the cutting of bis corn by the reapers; and could not walk. That I ma.y run-i.e. hasten OJI. IV. 1-44.] THE SECOND BOOK OF THE KINGS. 87 -----------·-------- . ------ -- -to the man of God, "Man of God" wns be something the matter, to account for the evidently the designation by which Elisha Shune.mmite's coming to him so unexpect- was known in the house (vers. 16, 21, 25). edly. His anxiety is aroused, and, in his And oome again ; ,.e. return home before impatience to know what has happened, in- nightfall. stead of waiting for the woman's a:rr:ival, Ver. 23.-And he said, Wherefore wilt he bi<ls his servant run, and ask what is the thon go to him to-day l it is neither new matter. Some misfortune, he supposes, moon nor sabbath. Tho husband demurred; must have happened either to her, or to her he saw no occasion for the journey. It husband, or to the child. And she an- wo.s not either " new moon" or " so.bbath" swered, It is well She ~ave, as before to -times when evidently the prophets con- her husband (ver. 23), the ambiguous an- duoted services, which were attended by swer, "Peace," intending thereby merely to pious persons from the neighbourhood : put off Gehazi, and not explain herself to what could she wo.nt of Elisha? He had any one but his master. evidently no idea that the. child was dead. Ver. 27.-And when she oame to the me.a Probably he ho.d not realized to himself of God to the hill-rather, the =ntaitt ; that he was in any danger. And she so.id, i.e. Carmel, where Elisha's residence was- It shall be well, She uttered the single she oe.ught him by the feet (comp. Matt. word shalom, literally, "peace," but nsed, xvili. 29; Mark v. 22; vii. 25 ; Luke viii. like the German gut, or the English " all 41; John xi. 32). It has always been usual right," to content an inquirer witbout giving in the Ee.et to embrace the feet or the him a definite answer. And the husband knees, in order to add force to supplication. accepted her •assurance, and did not press But Gehazi came near to thrust her away. for an explanation. The ass and the ser- He regarderi the act as one unduly familiar vo.at were placed at her disposal without or unduly importunate, and interfered to more words. protect and releasA his master. And the Ver. 24.-Then she saddled an ass; rather, man of God said, Let her alone ; for her then she saddled (i.e. " caused to be saddled") soul is vexed within her. Elisha would not thea1Js-tl1e particular animal which her hus- have the woman disturbed. He saw that band had placed at her dispose.I. And so.id she was in deep distress, and, if there wa.s to her servant, Drive, and go forwa.rd ; i.e. anything unseemly in her action according "set the ass in motion, and then proceed to the etiquette of the time, excused it to steadily forward." In the East, each donkey her profound grief and distraction. The has its driver, who sets it in motion, and ordinary mind is a slarn to conventionalities; regulates its pace. The rider leaves e.11 to the superior mind knows when to be above him. Sle.ok not thy riding for me-rather, them. And the Lord bath hid it from me, slacken me not the riding (Revised Version), and bath not told me. God bar! not in- or, slacken not •my riding ; i.e. "do not lessen formed Elisha, by inward miraculons illu- tbe pace of my riding "-exoept I bid thee. mination, of the illness of the child, or its Ver. 25.-So she went and oame unto the death, or the wild hopes stirring in the man of God to Mount Carmel Carmel was afflicted mother's mind, which induced her to Elisha what Gilead had been to Elijah to make her long and troublesome journey. in his early days-a. plo.ce for solitary retire- We need not feel surprised at this. There ment and meditation, where, free from dis- is RlwRys e. limit to the miraculous; and turbance, he might hold communion with facts that may be learnt by e. little inquiry nature and with God. It was not usual for a.re but rarely communicated supernaturally. his disciples to intrude upon him there, ex- Ver. 28.-Then she so.id, Did I desire a cept e.t stated times, when gatherings were son of my lord 1 did I not say, Do not deceive held at his residence for edification and for me 1 The woman does not directly reveal worship. And it oame to pass, when the her grief. Great sorrow is reticent, cannot man of God saw her afar off-litere.llv, over endure to put itself into words. But she against him; i.e. coming towards him UP- sufficiently indicates the nature of her xoµlvriv, LXX.)-the.t he said to Gehazi his trouble by tho form of her reproach. " Did servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunam.mite. I ask for a son? Did I make complaint of The prophet knew her at a distance, pro- my childlessness? He.di been importunate, bably J,y her attire and oe.rrie.ge. We may and obtained my son of thee by much ask- gatber, from her husband's words in ver. 23, ing, I would not have complained. But I did that she was one of those who ho.d been e.c- not ask. I did not even snatch greedily e.t the oustomed to attend the gatherings on new offer. I demurred. I said, 'Do not deceive moons and sabbo.ths. me.' Hut now thou hast done worse than Ver. 26.-Bun now, I pray thee, to meet deceive me. Thou hast kept the word of her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee 1 promise to the ear, and broken it to the is it well with thy husband 1 is it well W:\th hope. It is greater misery to have a child the ohild 1 Elisha foels that there m\lst and lose him, than never to have had one 6A THE SECOND nonK OF THE KING& [cm. IV. 1-44.