III. GooD FOR EVIL. 1. The supernatural blindness. Descending from the neigh- bouring heights, on which they had encamped during the night, the Syrians now approached to take Elisha. He, on his part, prayed the Lord, "Smite this people I pray thee, with blindness." 'l'ho prayer was granted, though the word means rather confusion and dazedness of mind, than absolute deprivation or sight (Gen. xix. 11). 'l'hoir movements became aimless, and Elisha, going up to them, said, "This is not the way, neither is this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom ye seek." There is the appearance of falsehood in this speech only if we forget that the men were in a mental maze, and probably were actually going aside both from th" way and the city in their attempted search for it. Elisha, in promising to bring them to the man whom they wanted, undertook no more than he performed. Only when the Lord opened their eyes, they found they were, not in Dothan, but in Samaria. This is one way in which God frequently discomfits wicked men, pouring confusion into their counsels. They "grope for the wall, like the blind, and grope as if (they) had no eyes: (they) stumble at noonday as in the night; (they) are in desolate places as dead men" (Isa. lix. 10). They are granted the desires of their hearts, but after a fashion of God's own; and in such a way as to lead to their final wscomfiture (2 Sam. xv. 31). 2. The King of Israel's proposal; It seemed at first as if this great multitude of the Syrians had been led like sheep into the slaugb ter-house. They were now in the King of Israel's power, and for what end could Elisha have brought them there hut that the king might smite them? The king himself was nothing loth. In eager tones, he urged Elisha to be permitted to destroy them. 'fhe policy of slaughter is always an easy one. It might seem sanctioned by Old Testament precedents. Probably, however, even in the Old Testament, there is no example of the divinely sanctioned extermination of a multitude who were not captives in lawful war. This is the point Elisha urges in reply. If the king smote this multitude, would he be smiting those whom he had taken with his sword and bow? He would not. God had delivered these captives into his hands, and with other ends than that he should destroy them. 3. Elisha's magnanimous counsel. Elisha showed the King of Israel "a more excellent way" (1 Cor. xii. 31). Let him set bread and water before them, that they might eat and drink, and go to their master. Here, surely, in the Old Testament, breathes the spirit of the New. It is Christ's precept of doing good to enemies, of returning good for evil, of seeking to overcome evil with good. The King of Israel behaved more nobly in this way than if he had shed the blood of these captives. God has no pleasure in the unnecessary effusions of blood. An instance of similar clemency to captives took place in the reign of Pekah, at the instigation of the Prophet Oded (2 Chron. xxviii. 9-15). The King of Israel did as Elisha desired, and the captives were first entertained, then sent back. So generous a deed should have evoked a friendly spirit • in Benhadad, but at most it only did so for a time. We are not, however, to be dis!)ouraged from acting rightly, because those to whom we show kindness do not appreciate our action.-J. 0.
Vere. 24-88.-ne siege of Samaria. Un warned by the failure of previous attempts, Benhadad was soon engaged in a new war on Israel. The fresh invasion was made the occasion of a fresh deliverance, more wonderful thnn any of the preceding, but not before Samaria had beeu reduced to the most desperate straits. I. THE HORRORS OF A BIEGE. 1. The city invested. The King of Syria advanced with his army, and struck a direct blow at the capital of the country. Samaria was the key of the situation. In it was the king, the court, the Prophet Elisha, the whole state of royalty. If it could be forced to capitulate, the entire land would be at the mercy of the invader. Benhadad, accordingly, surrounded the city, and, having cut off all supplies, waited till famine compelled it to surrender. The method of siege is common in warfare. Nothing could more awfully illustrate the helplessness of human beings when deprived of the use of the ordinary productions of nature. We depend on God for daily existence, and do not realize it. 2. The fearful famine. With no supplies coming in, the stock of food in Samaria was soon utterly exhausted. We are reminded of the terrible distress in such famous sieges as those of Londonderry in 1689, and Paris in 1870. What in ordinary circumstances would have been deemed unfit for human food, nay, loathed, wa11 e11.gerly seized upon, and famine prices were gladly paid for it. U. IIINGB, L 146 Tl-lE SECOND BOOK OF TIIE KINGS. [ou. vr. 1--88,