Having thus contemplated Elisha in the act of relieving the wants of a poor widow, we may with the more pleasure observe how, in the arrange ment of God's providence, his own necessities were, in turn, supplied. In his visitations to the schools of the prophets it would seem that his journey lay through the city of Shunem, where lived a rich and godly woman. Wishing that he should take up, more than occasionally, his abode under her roof, she proposed to her husband to construct for him a chamber, where, far from the society of man, he might hold solitary and sweet communion with his God. The husband at once consented, and, the apartment being completed and fitted up in a way that sheaved their proper conception of his feeling, the prophet becomes its occupant. Grateful for such disinterested kind ness, Elisha delicately inquired of her if he could prefer her interest before the king or the captain of his host ; for he must have had considerable influence at court, from the part he had taken in the late war. But the good woman declined the prophet's offer, by declaring that she would rather ' dwell among her own people,' and in the condi tion of life to which she had been accustomed. Still, to crown her domestic happiness, she lacked one thing—she had no child ; and now, by reason of the age of her husband, she could not expect such a blessing. In answer, however, to the prayer of the prophet, and contrary to all her own conclusions, God causes her to conceive and bring forth a son (B.c. 891). This new pledge of their affection grows up till he is able to visit his fond father in the harvest-field, when all the hopes they had built up in him were overthrown by his being suddenly laid prostrate in death.
The bereaved mother, with exquisite tenderness towards the feelings of the father, concealed the fact that the child was no more till she should see if it might please God, through Elisha, to restore him to life. She therefore hastens to Cannel, where she found the prophet, and informed him what had taken place. Conceiving probably that it was a case of mere suspended animation, or a swoon, the prophet sent Gehazi, his servant, to place his staff on the face of the child, in the hope that it might act as a stimulus to excite the animal motions. But the mother, conscious that he was actually departed, continued to entreat that he himself would come to the chamber of the dead. He did so, and found that the soul of the child had indeed fled from the earthly tenement. Na tural means belong to man ; those that are super natural belong to God ; we should do our part, and beg of God to do his. On this principle the prophet on this occasion acted. God blesses the means used, and answers the prayer presented by Elisha. The child is raised up and restored to the fond embrace of its grateful and rejoicing parents.
The next remarkable event in the history of Elisha was the miraculous healing of the incur able leprosy of the Syrian general Naaman, where by the neighbouring nation had the opportunity of learning the beneficence of that God of Israel, whose judgments had often brought them very low. The particulars are given under another head. [NAAMAN.] Soon after this transaction we find this man of God in Gilgal, miraculously neutralising the poison which had, by mistake, been mixed with the food of the prophets, and also feeding one hundred of them with twenty small loaves which had been sent for his own consumption (2 Kings iv. 38, etc.) In his tender regard to the wants of others, and in the miracles he wrought, how like he was to the Saviour of the world ! Notwithstanding the general profligacy of Israel, the schools of the prophets increased, B. C. 893. This was, doubtless, owing to the influence of Elisha. Accompanied by their master, a party of these young prophets, or theological students, came to the Jordan, and whilst one of them was felling a beam (for the purpose of constructing there a house) the axe-head fell into the water.' This accident was the more distressing because the axe was borrowed property. Elisha, however, soon relieved him by causing it miraculously to rise to the surface of the river.
The sacred record again leads us to contemplate the prophet's usefulness, not only in such indi vidual points of view, but also in reference to his country at large. Does the king of Syria devise well-concerted schemes for the destruction of Israel ? God inspires Elisha to detect and lay them open to Jehoram. Benhadad, on hearing that it was he that thus caused his hostile move. ments to be frustrated, sent an armed band to Dothan in order to bring him bound to Damascus. The prophet's servant, on seeing the host of the enemy which invested Dothan, was much alarmed, but by the prayer of Elisha God reveals to him the mighty company of angels which were set for their defence. Regardless of consequences, the prophet went forth to meet the hostile band and having again prayed, God so blinded them that they could not recognise the object of their search. The prophet then promised to lead them to where they might see him with the natural eye. Trust ing to his guidance they followed on till they reached the centre of Samaria, when, the optical illusion being removed, Elisha stands in his re cognised form before them ! Who can tell their confusion and alarm at this moment ? The king is for putting them all to death; but, through the interposition of him whom they had just before sought to destroy, they were honourably dismissed to their own country (B.c. 892). But a year had scarcely elapsed from this time when Benhadad, unmindful of Israel's kindness and forbearance, invests Samaria and reduces its inhabitants to such a state of starvation that an ass's head, a proscribed animal by the Levitical law, was sold for fourscore pieces of silver; and the fourth part of a cab—a quart or three pints—of dove's dung for five pieces of silver. [DovE's DUNG.] But this was not all.
Parents were found, if not murdering, actually eat ing their deceased children. These very calamities Moses had foretold should come upon them if they forsook God (Dent. xxviii. 53-57). Still the king of Israel plunges deeper and deeper into sin, for he orders Elisha to he put to death, conceiving that it was his prayer which brought these sufferings upon himself and nation. But God forewarns him of his danger, and inspires him to predict to the wicked king that by to-morrow `a measure of fine flour should be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.' This assurance was not more comfortable than incredible; but when the lord on whose hand the king leaned expressed his disbelief, he was awfully rebuked by the assurance that he should see but not enjoy the benefit. The next night God caused the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and horses; and conceiving that Jehoram had hired against them the kings of the Hittites and the king of Egypt, they fled from before the walls of Samaria —leaving their tents filled with gold and provisions —in the utmost panic and confusion. In this way did God, according to the word of Elisha, miraculously deliver the inhabitants of Samaria from a deadly enemy without, and from sore famine within, its walls : another prediction more over was accomplished ; for the distrustful lord was trampled to death by the famished people in rushing through the gate of the city to the forsaken tents of the Syrians (2 Kings vii.) We are next led, in the order of the history, though not in that of time, to notice God's gracious care of the woman of Shunem. Having followed the advice of her kind friend Elisha, she resided in Philistia during the seven years' famine in Israel. On her return, however, she found that her pater nal estate had been seized by others. She at once went to the king, who at the moment of her ap proach was talking with Gehazi as to Elisha having miraculously raised her son to life. This was a very providential coincidence in behalf of the Shunarnite. The relation given by Gehazi was now corroborated by the woman herself. The king was duly affected, and gave immediate orders for the restoration of her land and all that it had yielded during her absence. We next find the prophet in Damascus, but are not told what led him thither (u.c. 8S3). Benhadad, the king, whose counsels he had so often frustrated, rejoiced to hear of his presence ; and now, as if he had forgotten the attempt he once made upon his life, despatches a noble messenger, with a costly present, to consult him concerning his sickness and recovery. The prophet replied that he should then die, though his indisposition was not of a deadly character. Seeing moreover, in prophetic vision, that the man Hazael, who now stood before him, should be king in Benhadad's stead; and that, as such, he would commit unheard-of cruelties upon his country, the prophet was moved to tears. How these pain ful anticipations of Elisha were realized the sub sequent history of this man proved. Some twenty three years had now elapsed since Elijah had prophesied the destruction of Ahab's guilty consort and family. But God's declared judgments are sure though delayed. Not only Ahab and Jezebel had been bloody and idolatrous, but Israel had become partakers in their crimes, and must share in the judgment. Elijah's complaint in the cave now received this late answer : Hazael shall plague Israel : Jehu shall plague the house of Ahab and Jezebel.' How fearfully these declared purposes of God took effect we may read in 2 Kings ix. and x.
For a considerable time after Elisha had sent to anoint Jehu king over Israel we find no men tion of him in the sacred record. We have reason to suppose that he was utterly neglected by Jehu, Jehoahaz, and Joash, who resigned in succession. Neither the sanctity of his life nor the stupendous miracles he wrought had the effect of reforming the nation at large : much of the time of his latter years was, doubtless, spent in the schools of the prophets. At length, worn out by his public and private labours, and at the age of 9o—during 60 of which he is supposed to have prophesied—he is called into eternity. Nor was the manner of his death inglorious; though he did not enter into rest as did Elijah (2 Kings xiii. 4, etc.) Amongst his weeping attendants was Joash, the king of Israel. He was probably stung with remorse for having so neglected to acknowledge his national worth ; yet, though late, God does not suffer this public recog nition of his aged and faithful servant to go unre. quited. The spirit of prophecy again entering the dying Elisha, he informs Joash that he should prevail against the Syrians. Even after death God would put honour upon Elisha : a dead body having touched his bones came to life again ! (2 Kings xiii. 2t.) Elisha was not less eminent than his predecessor Elijah. His miracles are various and stupendous, and, like those which were wrought by Christ, were on the whole of a merciful character. In this they were remarkably distinguished, in many instances, from the miracles of Elijah. In N. T. Elisha is Eliseus.—J. W. D.