PERIOD VI.]

NAAMAN'S LEPROSY CURED.

Joram, the king of Israel, requiring that he would cure Naaman of his leprosy. Naaman took with him many changes of raiment, and much gold and silver. The king of Israel rent his clothes when he had read the letter, and said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive?" Elisha heard of it, and sent to the king that Naaman should go to him, saying, "And he shall know there is a prophet in Israel." Naaman came with his horses and chariot, and stood before the door of the house of Elisha; and Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, . . and thou shalt be clean." Naaman was angry, and went away, saying, "Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel?" The servants of Naaman came to him, and said, "My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean ?" Then Naaman went and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, and his flesh came again, like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. He returned to Elisha, and said, Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a blessing of thy servant." Elisha refused; then said Naaman, "Thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the LORD. In this thing the LORD pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon. . the LORD pardon thy servant in this thing." And Elisha said unto him, "Go in peace." he departed from him a little way. When Gehazi, the servant of Elisha, saw Naaman depart, he followed him and said, "My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from Mount Ephraim, two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments." And Naaman said, "Be content, take two talents." And he bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of

66

So

GEHAZI'S PUNISHMENT.

[975-606 B.C. garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him to the house. When Gehazi went in and stood before Elisha, he said unto him, "Whence comest thou?" And he said, "Thy servant went no whither." And Elisha said, “Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever." And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

Abana-one of the chief rivers of Damascus; it descended from mount Hermon, flowed through the city and divided it into two parts.

Pharpar-was another river of Damascus.

LESSON 92.

2 KINGS vi. 1-23. )

The Messengers from Syria.

The sons of the prophets wished to remove their dwelling to a larger place. Elisha went with them to Jordan. As one was felling a tree the axe-head fell into the water, and he was grieved because it was borrowed. Elisha cast in a stick there; the iron swam, and the man took it out. At this time the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, "In such and such a place shall be my camp." And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that thou pass not such a place: for thither the Syrians are come down." the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God had told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once, nor twice. The king of Syria thought that one of his own people informed the king of Israel, and inquired who it was; and one of his se

And

PERIOD VI.]

JUDGMENT TEMPERED WITH MERCY.

vants said, "None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber." And he said, "Go and spy where he is, that I send and fetch him." It was told him, saying, may 66 Behold, he is in Dothan." The king of Syria then sent horses and chariots to Dothan to take Elisha; and they came by night and compassed the city about. Elisha's servant was afraid when he saw them; but Elisha said to him, "Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Elisha then prayed to the Lord, and they were smitten with blindness. Elisha led them to Samaria, and prayed that their sight might be restored. And the Lord opened their eyes and they saw; and behold they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha when he saw them, "My father, shall I smite them? shall I smite them?" And he answered, "Thou shalt not smite them; wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master." And when they had eaten and drunk he sent them away. So the bands of Syria came no more into the land of Israel.

Dothan-There were two towns of this name; at one of them Elisha was surrounded by the soldiers of Benhadad, at the other Joseph was sold by his brethren.

LESSON 93.

2 CHRON. XXxi. 1-17.

Jehoram's Wicked Reign.

After Jehoshaphat's death, his son Jehoram reigned in Judah. Now Jehoshaphat had given all his sons great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the first-born. And when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he

JEHORAM REPROVED BY A WRITING OF ELIJAH. [975-606 B.C. strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab; for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the Lord. Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he had promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. Jehoram made high places in the mountains of Judah, and compelled the inhabitants of Jerusalem and of Judah to commit idolatry. And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, "Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, but hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to follow the idolatries of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself; behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods and thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels; until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day." In his days Edom revolted from Judah, and made themselves a king. Libnah also revolted because Jehoram had forsaken the God of his fathers. The Philistines, Arabians, and Ethiopians also, came against Judah, and carried away the king's treasures, his wives, and his sons, except Jehoahaz the youngest.

Libnah-a Levitical city of Judah, about twelve miles south-west of Jeru salem; its inhabitants revolted from Jehoram, when he had forsaken the God of his fathers.

PERIOD VI.]

THE GREAT FAMINE IN SAMARIA.

LESSON 94.

2 KINGS vi. 24-vii; viii. 7-15 and 2 CHRON. xxi. 18-xxii. 6.

Siege of Samaria.

Benhadad and all his host went up and besieged Samaria, and there was a great famine. The most loathsome food was eaten, and women killed and ate their children. The king wore sackcloth next his skin for grief. He wickedly resolved to kill Elisha, and immediately sent an executioner, while he followed after. Before the messenger of death arrived at Elisha's residence, Elisha said to the elders," See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? Look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?" When the king came up Elisha announced that the next day provisions should be abundant and cheap in Samaria. A lord on whom the king leaned expressed his disbelief of it.

Elisha said to him, "Behold, thou shalt see it . . . but shalt not eat thereof." Four lepers who sat at the gate of the city, pressed with hunger, went to the Syrian camp; but when they came they found no man there. The Lord had made the Syrians to hear a noise of chariots, and horses, and they fled in the twilight, leaving their tents, horses, and asses. The lepers first hid some of the spoil for themselves, and then went, and told in the city that the Syrians had fled. The people went to the camp and carried away the spoil of the Syrians to Samaria; and the prophecy of Elisha was fulfilled, for there was abundance of food. The lord who had disbelieved the prophecy, was appointed to have charge of the gate of the city, where he was trodden to death by the people. Thus he saw the abundance but did not eat thereof, as Elisha had foretold.

According to the prediction of Elijah, Jehoram was smitten with an incurable disease in his bowels. He died of this disease after