The Pulpit Commentary — 2 Kings — Section 125

Elisha. o.nd his doings, since a king of Iera.el actual object of Elisha's miracle. The would sca.rcoly be in fo.miliar conversa.tion king's interest in th~ woman would be still with o. leper (Keil). It may be added that more roused by this crircumstance. Gehazi can scarcely ha.ve continued to be Ver. 6.-And whrn the Icing asked the tho servant of Elisha, as he evidently now woman, ahe told him; rather, and the king was, a.fter his leprosy. He must have dwelt made foquiry of the woman, and she answered " without the gate." The servant of the him. The extent of the inquiries is not man of God. 'l'hat a king should converse indicated. They may have included ques- with a. serva.nt is, no doubt, somewha.t un- tions concerning the miracle, as well as usual ; but, as Bahr notes, there is notb ing questions concerning the woman's claim to in the circumstance that need astonish us. the land and house, and tbe evidence which It is natural enough that, having been him- she could produce of proprietorship. Bo the self e. witness of so many of the prophet's king appointed unto her a certain offl.cer- marvellous acts done in public, Jehoram literally, a certain eunuch, or chamberlain-- should become curious concerning those an officer of the court, who was in his con- other marvellous acts which he had per- fidence, and would give effect to hie direc- formed in private, among his personal friends tions-saying, Restore all that was hen, and and associates, with respect to which many all the fruits of the field sinoe the day that 1·umonrs must have got abroad; and should she left the land, even until now. The order wish to obtain an account of them from a was, that not only was the Shunammite to sou!'ce on which he could rely. If he had receive back her house and estate, but that this desire, he could scarcely apply to the she was also to have "the mesne profits"- prophet himself, with whom he was at no i.e. the full value of all that the land ha.d time on familiar terms, and who would produced beyond the expense of cultivation shrink from enle.rgingon his own miraculous during the seven years of her absence. powers. "To whom, then, could he apply English law lays down the eame rule in with more propriety for this information cases of unlawful possession for whioh there than to the prophet's familiar servant"- is no valid excuse. an eve-witness of most of them, and one who "would have no reason for reticence? Vera. 7-15.-Elisha'a 'IJisit to Da111l18ew, Oriental ideas would not be shocked by the and ita consequences. It has been 1JSUal to king's sending for any subject from whom connect this visit of Elisha's to Da.mascns he desired information, and questioning with the commission given to Elijah many him. Saying, Tell me, I pray thee, all the great things that Elisha hath done. Mi- years previonsly, to anoint Hazael to be racles are often called "great things" king over Syria (1 Kings xi.x. 16). But it (n·1~'tl) in the Old Testament, but generally is certainly worthy of remark that neither in coirnection with God as the doer of them is Elijah authorized to devolve his com- (Ree Job v. 9; ix. 10; xxxvii. 5; Ps. lxxi. mission on another, nor is he said to have 19; ovi. 21, etc.), done so, nor is there any statement in the Ver. 5.-And it oame to pan, as he was telling the king how he-i.e. Elisha-had present narrative or elsewhere that Elisha restored a dead body to life. This was un- anointed He.zael. It is therefore quite doubtedly the greatest of all Elisha's mi- possible that Elisha's journey was wholly racles, and Gehazi naturally enlarged upon unconnected with the command given to it. As an eye-witness (eh. iv. 29-36), he Elijah. It may, as Ewald imagines, have could give all the details. That, behold, the wo11111,11, whose son he had resto1·ed to life, been the consequence of disorders o.n<l cried to the king for her house and for her dangers in Same.ria., growing out of the la.nd. The coincideuce ca.n scarcely have divergence of views between J ehoram and been acoidentul. Divine providence so the queen-mother Jezebel, who still rete.ineJ ordered m11tters that, just when the king's considerable influence over the goverDDJent; inte1·est in the womo.n wo.s most warm, she o.nd Elishll may ho.ve taken his journey, not shoultl appeo.r before him to mge her olnim. At 11nothe1· time, Jehomm would, it is prob- so much for tho so.ke of a visit, as of a. pro- able, huve been but slightly ruovod by hor longed sojourn. That he attracted the complaint. Undor the peculiar ciroum- attention both of Ilouhndad Rnd of his 1uo- stanoes, he wa.s deeply moved, nnd at once oossor Hazo.el is not surprising. granted tho woman the redress for which she asked. And Gehazi aaid, My lord, O Ver. 7.-And Elisha came to Damaaous. king, this is the woman, and this is her son, It was o. bold step, whatever the ciroum- whom Elisha restored to life. 'l'ho Sl11111am- stll11ccs tllllt led to it. Nut very long pre- mite was nocorupo.nied by hor son, now ll vicu ,ly the Syritrn kinµ: ho.d made oxtro.- boy of at lonst ton or olovou ycurd oh\-tho onliuary oITnts to capture Elisht\, intenuing  166 THE SECOND DOOK OF THE KINGS. [on. vm. 1-29.