vent to these feelings when he spoke with such sorrow of Jehovah having hidden it from him, and not revealed it.180

But this we may say, that never was legend so constructed. To every thoughtfu l reader such purely human traits of felt

weakness and of ignorance not only of the future, but of the present and the past, must carry instructive conviction of

the truth of this narrative, full of the miraculous though it be.

The first words which the Shunammite spoke to Elisha revealed the state of the case. They were not an entreaty of help;

they contained not even a suggestion of it. And yet they were the strongest appeal that could have been made, since

they laid hold on the faithfulness of God to His word and promise. The commission of the prophet to Gehazi to hasten

on and lay Elisha's staff upon the face of the dead child seems at first difficult to understand. It is quite true that this

was not an ordinary staff, but, as it were, the symbol of prophetic authority and rule, with all that this implied, like the

staff of Moses (comp. here Exodus 4:17; 17:5, 9; Numbers 20:8, 9). But it is impossible to believe that Elisha expected

either that the staff would restore life to the dead, or that Gehazi wo uld be able to perform such a miracle; or, on the

other hand, that Elisha acted under misapprehension, as Nathan had spoken to David when still uninstructed as to the

will of God (2 Samuel 7:3, etc.); or else that the prophet could have imagined that the child was not really dead. Nor

can we accept the suggestion sometimes made that Elisha had full well known Gehazi would not succeed, but had still

sent him, in order to show - either to Gehazi, or to the Shunammite, or to Israel generally ­ that miracles we re not

magic, and that neither a Gehazi nor even a prophet's staff could produce them. It is difficult to use moderate language

in rejecting suggestions which imply that Elisha had purposely employed what he knew to be useless measures in order

to teach some abstract lesson, or that he could have done so at a moment of such agony and suspense. Kindred views in

regard to God's dealings with us when under severe affliction are, indeed, too often entertained by Christians. They

should give place to more enlightened conceptions of the character of God, and to a more simple and childlike faith in

Him, Who afflicteth not willingly, but for our profit.

We feel convinced that the explanation of Gehazi's commission must be sought within the narrative itself. When Elisha

dispatched his servant with his staff, it was with the intention that he should take his master's place. What afterwards

determined him to go personally was the expressed resolve of the woman: "As Jehovah liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I

will not le ave thee [viz., behind; I will not go, nor yet go without thee]. Then he arose and went after her." All this

seems in accordance with what has been previously stated. If, as Elisha expressed it with sorrow, Jehovah had not

communicated to His servant what had happened in the house of the Shunammite, then the prophet was not only

ignorant of the final issue, but left without any Divine commission in the matter. In these circumstances he would wait

for such direction as might be indicated to him in the course of events. And he received it, clearly and unmistakably,

through the expressed resolution of the Shunammite. Accordingly he immediately followed her. The previous mission

of Gehazi may have been tentative and preparatory; and the laying of the prophet's s taff on the face of the child perhaps

symbolic of the arrestment of the progress of decay. Nor can there be difficulty in understanding the prophet's direction

to Gehazi not to salute any one by the way, nor to return any salutation. It was intended not on ly to indicate the

necessity of speed on what brooked no delay, and of avoiding any worldly distraction when on such an errand, but also

to prevent all such publicity as to the matter in hand, as would have been the natural sequence of conversation,

especially on the part of one like Gehazi (comp. here also Luke 10:4).

The narrative passes in silence over the long ride across Esdraelon to Shunem. Evening must have gathered on the deep

blue summer sky, when the two at length neared the desolate home. Ere t hey came to it, Gehazi had met them with the

report: "The lad is not awaked," - and this also is significant of Gehazi's thoughts about the matter. He had literally

obeyed his master's behest, and laid the staff upon the face of the child, "but there was n either voice nor attending [on

the part of the dead child]." But by this time, we dare not doubt it, Elisha knew what he had to do. Even if the Lord had

been silent to him, he had already received sufficient direction (comp. here Exodus 14:15). What follows in the

narrative (v. 32) is chiefly intended to set more clearly before us the reality of what now took place. Arrived in his

chamber, the prophet shut the door upon himself and the dead child that lay on his bed. We have learned to understand

the meanin g of this act, which symbolically set forth being alone with God. As regards his prayer to Jehovah and the

close personal contact with the dead child, Elisha followed, as from every point of view we would have expected, the

example of his master, Elijah, when he recalled to life the widow's son at Sarepta181 (1 Kings 17:17, 24).

Differences in detail there are between the two narratives, such as will readily be noticed. But these are best accounted

for by the difference both in the circumstances and character and mission of the two prophets. In any case they are not

of importance. But alike the symbolism and the lessons of this history must be apparent to all.