CHAPTER X.

JEHORAM.

ELIJAH TRANSLATED TO HEAVEN. ELISHA DIVIDES THE JORDAN: HEALS THE WATERS: SUPPLIES THE ARMIES OF JEHORAM AND JEHOSHAPHAT WITH WATER: MULTIPLIES THE WIDOW's OIL: RAISES THE SHUNAMITE'S SON: HEALS THE DEADLY POTTAGE.

B. C.

II. Kings ii.-iv.

JEHORAM, the second son of Ahab, 896. reigned twelve years: He put away the idol of Baal which his father had made, but he did not restore Israel to the worship of Jehovah ; he was violent and despotic as his father and brother had been before him, and his reign is only interesting as the period in which were performed may of the miracles of Elisha, who succeeded at this time to the power of Elijah. When this great prophet knew that he was about to be taken from the earth, he sought to depart alone, and prayed Elisha that he would remain, first at Bethel, and then at the Jordan : but Elisha said, "As the LORD liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee." When they came to the river Jordan, Elijah smote the waters with his mantle, and they divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry

ground. Arrived on the other side, and feeling his separation drawing near, Elijah said unto Elisha, "What shall I do for thee, before I be taken away from thee?"

"And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.”

Now the gift of the spirit of God was not in the power of Elijah to bestow, but he gave Elisha a sign, by which he should know if his prayer were granted. "He replied, Thou hast asked a hard (a great) thing, nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee; it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so."

"And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven."

"And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof, and he saw him no more."

As the prophet ascended in the chariot of fire his mantle fell; and Elisha caught it up, and turning back and standing on the bank of the Jordan, now rolling onward in its usual course, he smote the waters with it, and cried, "Where is the LORD God of Elijah?" and immediately the waters divided as they had done before at the word of Elijah; and Elisha knew that his prayer was granted, and that the spirit of the great prophet now rested upon him. Mean

while a band of prophets watched at a distance all that occurred, and seeing the miracle hastened forward to meet him, and bowing themselves to the ground, they received him in the room of Elijah. They urgently entreated to be sent in quest of Elijah, but Elisha forbade them, until at length, yielding to their untrusting importunity, he permitted them to go: their search was of course fruitless, and when they returned at the end of three days, he calmly reproved their unbelief, saying, "Did I not say unto you, Go

not."

The first miracle of Elisha, was an act of public utility, well calculated to confirm his authority in the minds of his own order. The city where the prophets dwelt was pleasant, but the water was brackish, and the country round barren in consequence; of this they complained to Elisha, who commanded them to bring him a new cruse, and put salt therein. They did so, and "he went forth unto the spring of the waters, and cast the salt in there, and said, Thus saith the LORD, I have healed these waters; there shall not be from thence any more death or barren land;" and the waters from that time lost their deleterious quality, and the land became fruitful.

Soon afterwards, as Elisha was passing from Jericho to Bethel, there issued forth from this city of idolatry a crowd of profane youths,* who

*"Little children" in the text, but the term children is frequently used in the Bible to denote young men. Solomon, after

derided and mocked the prophet of the LORD, and bidding him "Go up, go up, thou baldhead," alluding to the ascent of Elijah into heaven, at which they scoffed.* As the prophet turned indignant at these impious revilings, two bears came out of a wood near, and tore the scoffers, and thus dispersed and punished them.

We now come to a series of miracles performed by Elisha, whose power seemed magnified, as if to put to greater shame an idolatrous people, who could witness them unmoved: the following are the most remarkable.

ELISHA SUPPLIES THE ARMIES WITH WATER.

When the king of Moab heard of the death of Ahab, he thought it a favourable opportunity for throwing off the irksome yoke of subjection, and refused to pay the customary tribute of

he had ascended the throne, thus speaks of himself in his prayer. "And now, O LORD my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my Father: I am but a little child; I know not how to go out or come in." In other places it stands for youth as opposed to age, but by no means for mere children. Ishmael is called a child, when sent forth with Hagar into the desert, yet he must then have been seventeen years old. In the present instance, it is evident these were youths, who well knew the prophetic office of Elisha, and derided it, being themselves worshippers of the Golden Calves, if not of Baal, and therefore their punishment was called for, to vindicate the power and majesty of Jehovah, in his prophet, whom they purposely and openly reviled.

*"Bald-head.”—This was a reproach peculiarly opprobrious, because in the leprosy the hair fell off, and was in some cases most easily detected by this appearance of baldness.

100,000 lambs, and 100,000 rams with their wool. Jehoram resolved to bring him to submission, and having obtained the alliance of the neighbouring king of Edom, and of Johoshaphat king of Judah, the three monarchs, with a powerful army, marched through Edom to the borders of Moab. Hither the Moabites came in great force to meet them, and the two armies. encamped over against each other. Whilst thus in face of the enemy, the Israelites were exposed to an unexpected danger; after a seven days' march, "there was no water for the host, nor for the cattle that followed them." To retire would have been certain defeat; yet to remain with a scanty supply of water was equally disastrous. In this emergency, the different characters of the kings were displayed. "Alas! that the LORD hath called these three kings. together to deliver them into the hand of Moab," exclaimed the murmuring and idolatrous Jehoram. But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there not here a prophet of the LORD, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" It was told the kings that Elisha was in the camp, and to him the three kings went. But when the prophet saw the wicked son of Ahab, he indignantly exclaimed "What have I to do with thee? Get thee to the prophets of thy father, and the prophets of thy mother."

Yet for the sake of Jehoshaphat Elisha consented to ask counsel of the LORD. He desired a minstrel to be called, and as the minstrel