Q 8-17. Son given.
V 18-20. Son's death.
W 21. Elisha's bed. Placed on.
X 22-24. Her mission to Elisha.
Y 25-27. Her arrival.
X 28-31. Her converse with Elisha.
W 32,33. Elisha's bed. Found on.
V 34,35. Son raised.
U 36,37. Son restored.
U a 8. Resort of Elisha (general).
b 9,10. Accommodation.
a 11. Resort of Elisha (particular).
b 12-17. Compensation.8 And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem (= double resting-place. In the plain of Esdraelon. The native place of Abishag [1 Kings 1:3]), where [was] a wealthy woman (a person of great position [2 Sam.1:31]); and she constrained him to eat bread. And [so] it was, [that] as often as he passed by, he turned in to that place to eat bread.
9 And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this [is] a set apart man of God (Elohim) (see "holy" Ex.3:5), which passes by us continually.
10 Let us make a little upper chamber (or wall-chamber), I pray you, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a lampstand (very little furniture used in the East today): and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he shall turn in tothat place.
11 And it fell on a day, that he came to that place, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.
12 And he said to Gehazi his youg man, �Call this Shunammite.� And when he had called her, she stood before him.
13 And he said to him, �Say now to her, Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care (= exceedingly careful); what [is] to be done for you? would you be spoken for to the king (this confidence in his influence with the king is accounted for by the miraculous aid recently given by Elisha in 3:16-19), or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among my own people.
14 And he said, What then [is] to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she has no child, and her husband is old.
15 And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the entrance.
16 And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, you shall embrace a son. And she said, No, my lord, [you] man of God (Elohim), do not lie to your handmaid.
17 And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said to her, according to the time of life (or of spring. Read "that season about the time of spring of which Elisha had said to her". The 6th miracle. See 2:15).
18 And when the child (= progeny) was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers.
19 And he said to his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother.
20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and [then] died.
21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of Elohim, and shut [the door] upon him, and went out.
22 And she called to her husband, and said, �Send me, I pray you, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of Elohim, and come again.�
23 And he said, Why will you go to him today? [it is] neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, [It shall be] well.
24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not [your] riding for me, except I bid you.
25 So she went and came to the man of Elomim to mount Carmel (= fruitful place). And it came to pass, when the man of Elohim saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi (valley of vision) his young man, Behold, [yonder is] that Shunammite:
26 Run now (some codices read "now therefore"), I pray you, to meet her, and say to her, [Is it] well with you? [is it] well with your man? [is it] well with the child? And she answered, [It is] well.
27 And when she came to the man of Elohim to the hill, she caught him by the feet: but Gehazi came near to thrust her away. And the man of Elohim said, Let her alone; for her soul (= herself) [is] bitter within her: and Yehovah has hid [it] from me, and has not told me.
28 Then she said, �Did I desire a son of my lord? did I not say, Do not cajole me?
29 Then he said to Gehazi (in what Elisha said the signs given are put by fig., for things symbolized by them), Gird up your loins, and take my staff in your hand, and go your way: if you meet any man, salute him not (Idiom. The salutation being ceremonial and taking time); and if a man salute you, answer him not again: and lay my staff upon the face of the youth.
30 And the mother of the child said, [As] Yehovah lives, and [as] you live, I will not leave you.� And he arose, and followed her.
31 And Gehazi passed on before them, and laid the staff upon the face of the youth; but [there was] neither voice, nor hearing. Wherefore he went again to meet him, and told him, saying, �The youth is not awaked.
32 And when Elisha was come into the house, behold, the youth was dead, [and] laid upon his bed.
33 He went in therefore, and shut the door upon them both, and prayed to Yehovah.
34 And he went up, and lay upon the progeny, and put his mouth upon his mouth, and his eyes upon his eyes, and his hands upon his hands: and he stretched himself upon the progeny; and the flesh of the progeny waxed warm.
35 Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro; and went up, and stretched himself upon him: and the youth sneezed seven times (#7 = spiritual perfection), and the youth opened his eyes.
36 And he called Gehazi, and said, Call this Shunammite. So he called her. And when she was come in to him, he said, �Take up your son (the 7th miracle [2:15]).
37 Then she went in, and fell at his feet, and bowed herself to the ground, and took up her son, and went out.
R c 38-. Dearth.
d -38-41. Supply. 8th miracle.
c 42. Firstfruits.
d 43,44. Supply. 9th miracle.38 And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and [there was] the dearth in the land (1 of 13 famines. See Gen.12:10); and the sons of the prophets [were] sitting before him:
and he said to his servant, Set on the great pot, and boil pottage for the sons of the prophets.
39 And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine (i.e. a plant with vine-like tendrals. Not the grape, but probably the colocynth), and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred [them] into the pot of pottage: for they knew [them] not.
40 So they poured out for the men to eat (Heb. 'ensh, men of name, always used in a bad sense). And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O [you] man of Elohim, [there is] death in the pot (put for that which causes death). And they could not eat [thereof].
41 But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast [it] into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no evil thing in the pot (Elisha's 8th miracle [2:15]).
42 And there came a man from Baal-shalisha (= lord of trebled land. Only occ.), and brought the man of Elohim bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves of barley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give to the people, that they may eat.
43 And his attendant said, What, should I set this before a hundred men? (Elisha's 9th miracle. See 2:15. One of the 3 [3=divine completeness] miracles feeding multitudes. Cp. Matt.14:20; 15:34,38. #100 = God's election of grace - children of promise) He said again, �Give the people, that they may eat: for thus says Yehovah, �They shall eat, and shall leave [thereof].
44 So he set [it] before them, and they did eat, and left [thereof], according to the word of Yehovah.
N e 1. Leprosy of Naaman. Providential.
f 2-8. Negotiation. Naaman king of Israel.
g 9. Naaman's visit to Elisha.
h 10. Elisha's diection. Given
i 11,12. Naaman. Resentment.
i 13. Naaman. Compliance.
h 14. Elisha's direction. Taken.
g 15-. Naaman's return to Elisha.
f -15-26. Negotiations. Naaman with Elisha and Gehazi.
e 27. Leprosy of Geazi. Judicial.
5)
1 Now Naaman (note the 5 servants in this chapter: - (1). The King's servant [Naaman], v.1; (2). Naaman's wife's servant [maid], v.2; (3). Yehovah's servant [Elisha], v.8; (4). Naaman's servant, v.13; (5). The Prophet's servant [Gehazi], v.20), captain of the host of the king of Syria, had come to be a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him (unconscious instrument) Yehovah had given deliverance to Syria (probably from the Assyrians): he was also a mighty man in valour, [but he was] a leper (cp. Lev. 13. Not regarded ceremonialy by heathen. Not far gone [v.19]. Probably only in initial stage. 1 of 9 so afflicted. See Ex.4:6. The story of Naaman may be compared with the parallel in John 9).
2 And the Syrians had gone out by marauding bands (cp. 6:23), and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman's wife.
3 And she said to her mistress, Would Elohim my lord [were] with the prophet that [is] in Samaria! (this is the girl's expression. Samaria was where she had heard of him) for he would recover him of his leprosy.
4 And [one] went in, and told his lord, saying, �Thus and thus said the maid that [is] of the land of Israel.�
5 And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel (probably Jehoram). And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver (*aprox. 1,000 lbs.), and six thousand [pieces] of gold, and ten changes of clothing (see Gen.45:22).
6 And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, Now when this letter is come to you, behold, I have [therewith] sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may recover him of his leprosy (Homonym, with another meaning, to snatch away or destroy, as in Ps.26:9 and Jer.16:5).
7 And it came to pass, when the king of Israel had read the letter, that he tore his clothes, and said, [Am] I Elohim (i.e. the Creator), to kill and to make alive, that this man does send to me to recover a man of his leprosy? wherefore consider, I pray you, and see how he seeks a quarrel against me.
8 And it was [so], when Elisha the man of Elohim had heard that the king of Israel had tore his clothes, that he sent to the king, saying, Why have you tore your clothes? let him come now to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.
9 So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the entrance of the house of Elisha.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, Go and bathe in Jordan seven times (ceremonialy. See Lev.14:9. #7 = spiritual perfection, completenes. Cp. John 9:7, and other commands: "Go, call" [John 4:16]; "Go, sell" [Matt.19:21]), and your flesh shall come again to you, and you shall be clean.�
11 But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought (cp. v.15, "Now I know". Human thought and Divine certitude), he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of Yehovah his Elohim, and wave (or move, or pass) his hand over the place, and recover the leper.
12 [Are] not Abana (some codices read "Amana") and Pharpar, rivers (Heb. n�h�r, an ever-flowing streem. [Not nahal, a summer stream]. Rising in Mount Hermon and losing themselves in a lake near Damascus) of Damascus (used of the district, or of the city near which they flowed and were known), better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage (1 of the 11 rulers offended with God's servants for speaking the truth. See Ex.10:28).
13 And his servants came near (again used by God. Cp. vv.2-4), and spoke to him, and said, My father (a title of honour and affection), [if] the prophet had bid you [do some] great thing, would you not have done [it]? how much rather then, when he says to you, Wash, and be clean?
14 Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of Elohim: and his flesh came again like to the flesh of a little boy, and he was clean (Elisha's 10 miracle [2:15]).
15 And he returned to the man of Elohim (about 30 miles), he and all his company, and came, and stood before him:
and he said, Behold, now I know (cp. v.11) that [there is] no Elohim (God as the Creator) in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray you, accept a present of your servant (cp. Gen.33:11. Judg.1:15).
16 But he said, [As] Yehovah lives, before Whom I stand (a phrase referring to priesthood, for the sarifices Naamn speaks of [v.17]), I will receive none. And he urged him to take [it]; but he refused.
17 And Naaman said, Shall there not then, I pray you, be given to your servant two mules' burden of soil? (Naaman may have heard of Ex.20:24) for your servant will henceforth prepare neither burnt offering nor sacrifice to other gods, but to Yehovah.
18 In this thing Yehovah pardon your servant, [that] when my master goes into the house of Rimmon (= pomegranate. The Assyrian storm-god Ramman) to bow down himself there, and he leans on my hand (cp.7:2,17), and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon: when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, Yehovah pardon (some codices add "I pray you", but marked "to be cancelled") your servant in this thing.
19 And he said to him, Go in peace (God's servants are not "directors of conscience", but ministers of his Word. To have sanctioned it would have recognized idolatry. To have forbidden it would have put Naaman under a yoke to Elisha. It was for Naaman to decide whether he could do this thing, and be at "peace"). So he departed from him a little way (a phrase found only here and Gen. 35:16; 48:7 = a stone's throw).
20 But Gehazi, the young man of Elisha the man of Elohim, said, �Behold, my master has spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, [as] Yehovah lives, I will run after him, and take a trifle of him.
21 So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw [him] running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, [Is] all well? (Heb. Is it peace?)
22 And he said, All [is] well. My master has sent me, saying, �Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets (There were two schools of the prphets there: Beth-el and Gilgal. Cp. 2:1,3): give them, I pray you, a talent of silver (*aprox. 100 lbs), and two changes of garments.
23 And Naaman said, Be content, and accept two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid [them] upon two of his servants; and they bare [them] before him.
24 And when he came to the tower, he took [them] from their hand, and bestowed [them] in the house: and he let the men go (Heb. 'enosh, men, used in a bad sense), and they departed.
25 But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said to him, From which place [come you], Gehazi? And he said, Your servant went no where.
26 And he said to him, Went not my heart [with you] (= Did not my heart beat), when the man turned again from his chariot to meet you? [Is it] a time to receive money (cp. Hag.1:4), and to receive garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants?
27 The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave to you (Elisha's 11 miracle [2:15]), and to your seed for ever. And he went out from his presence a leper (1 of 9 afflicted with leprosy. ee Ex.4:6) [as white] as snow (i.e. completely a leper; but not clean ceremonially. See Lev.13:13).
P j 1,2. Sons of the prophets. Proposals.
k 3,4. Elsha. Consent.
j 5. Son's of prophets. Accident.
k 6,7. Elisha. Miracle.
6)
1 And the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, �Behold now, the place where we dwell with you is too narrow for us.
2 Let us go, we pray you, to Jordan, and take from that place every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go all you.
3 And the one, �Be content, I pray you, and go with your servants. And he answered, I will go.
4 So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down logs (cp. Heb. nazar. v.6).
5 But as the one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water (Heb. "iron" put for the axe head made of iron. Cp. v.6 where the fig. is transated literally): and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed.
6 And the man of Elohim said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a helve (not the same word as v.3. Heb. kazab = to cut evenly: i.e. shape or size evenly. Occurs on here and Song.4:2 ["even shorn"]), and cast [it] in to that place; and the iron did swim (= made him see the iron: by causing it to rise to the surface. Elisha's 12th miracle [2:15]. The spiritual applcation is thus put by Jown Newton: - "Not one concern of our is small if we belong to Him; To teach us this, the Lord of all once made the iron to swim").
7 Therefore said he, Take [it] up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.
O l 8-12. King of Syria. Hostility.
m 13,14. Elisha. Baffling.
n 15-17. Eyes of servant opened.
n 18. Eyes of Syrians closed.
m 19. Elisha. Leading.
l 20-23. King of Israel. Benevolence.
8 Then the king of Syria (probably Ben-hadad of v.24. 1 Kings 20:10) warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place [shall be] my camp.
9 And the man of Elohim sent to the king of Israel (Jehoram), saying, Beware that you pass not such a place; for to that place the Syrians are come down.
10 And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of Elohim told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.
11 Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said to them, Will you all not show me which of us [is] for the king of Israel?
12 And one of his servants said, �None, my lord, O king: for Elisha (i.e. "[the fact is] that"), the prophet that [is] in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speaks in your bedchamber.
13 And he said, Go and spy where he [is], that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, [he is] in Dothan.
14 Therefore sent he to that place horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
15 And when attendant of the man of Elohim was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his young man said to him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that [be] with us [are] more than they that [be] with them.
17 And Elisha prayed, and said, �Yehovah, I pray You, open his eyes (Elisha's 13th miracle [2:15].), that he may see.� And Yehovah opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw (= saw clearly): and, behold, the mountain [was] full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha (cp. Ps.34:7; 91:4).
18 And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed to Yehovah, and said, Smite this people, I pray You, with blindness. (Elisha's 14th miracle [2:15]. 1 of 9 instances of persons so afflicted. See Gen.19:11) And He smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
19 And Elisha said to them, �This [is] not the way, neither [is] this the city: follow me, and I will bring you to the man whom you all seek.� (so he did) And (or, So) he led them to Samaria.
20 And it came to pass, when they were come into Samaria, that Elisha said, Yehovah, open the eyes of these [men] (Elisha's 15th miracle [2:15]), that they may see. And Yehovah opened their eyes, and they saw; and, behold, [they were] in the midst of Samaria.
21 And the king of Israel said to Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite [them]? shall I smite [them]?
22 And he answered, �You shall not smite [them]: would you smite those whom you have taken captive with your sword and with your bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.
23 And he prepared great provision for them: and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master. So the maruading bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel (quite diffrent from the organized host of v.24).
R A 6:24-33. Famine suffered.
B 7:1,2. Prediction of supply.
A 7:3-15. Famine. Relieved.
B 7:16-20. Prediction. Supplies recieved.
A o 24,25. Origin. Second cause.
p 26-29. Effects. Experienced.
q 30. King's mourning.
p 31. Effects. Threatening.
o 32,33. Origin. First cause.
24 And it came to pass after this, that Benhadad king of Syria gathered all his host (this was organized war, in contrast with the freebooting irregular bands of v.23), and went up, and besieged Samaria.
25 And there was a great famine in Samaria (1 of 13 recorded in Scriture. See Gen.12:10): and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head (this was unclean food) was [sold] for fourscore [shekels] of silver (= *aprox. 3 3/4 lbs), and the fourth part of a cab (1 pint) of dove's dung (a Euphamism is included in the official Massoretic text as being substituted for this indelicate expression, the word meaning "decayed leaves". Whichever is the meaning, it was always highly valuable as manure, especially to force growth during dearth) for five [pieces] of silver (*2 1/2 oz.).
26 And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman to him, saying, Help, my lord, O king.
27 And he said, If Yehovah do not help you (Heb. raeds "Let not Yehovah help you", as in the A.V. marg. The R.V. �No, let Yehovah help you", is contrary to the normal sense of this negative. Ginsburg suggests that 'al [not] is an abreviation for 'im l'o, which is the exact equivalent for the A.V. text), from which place shall I help you? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress?
28 And the king said to her, What ailes you? And she answered, This woman said to me (1 of the 10 deaths occasioned by women. See Judg.4:21), Give your son, that we may eat him today, and we will eat my son tomorrow.
29 So we boiled my son (cp. Deut.28:53), and did eat him: and I said to her on the next day, Give your son, that we may eat him: and she has hid her son.
30 And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he tore his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, [he had] sackcloth within upon his flesh.
31 Then he said, Elohim do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.
32 But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and [the king] sent a man from before him: but before the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, �See you all how this son of a murderer has sent to take away my head? look, when the messenger comes, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door (or, hold the door fast against him): [is] not the sound of his master's feet behind him?
�33 And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down to him (Heb. hamm�l��k, without the �aleph [�a], as in Sept. and Syr. In 1 Sam.11:4. the case was reversed. The Mass�rah informs us that the aleph was wrongly inserted, making it read messenger instea of "kings". The king must have followed on his heels, for Elisha addressed him directly in 7:1,2. Cp. 7:17): and he said, �Behold, this breaking up [is] of Yehovah; why should I wait for Yehovah any longer?� (these are the words of the king)