CLOSE OF ELISHA'S PUBLIC MINISTRY: THE BEGINNING OF JUDGMENT - The Shunammite on her Return

from Philistia restored to her Property - Elisha's Visit to Damascus - The Embassy of Hazael - Predictio n of Future

Judgment through him - The Murder of Ben-hadad and Accession of Hazael.

(2 Kings 8:1-15.)

THE two narratives which follow that of the siege of Samaria may be characterized as in some sense supplementary to

it. On the one hand, they mark the relations between Elisha and Joram; and on the other, those between the prophet and

Syria. They also close what seems the more personal account of Elisha's activity. After that we have only an account of

his death and burial (chap. 13.), drawn, as we suppo se, from the same "memoirs" to which the whole of this series is

due; the reference to Elisha's activity in the anointing of Jehu (chap. 9.) forming part of the more general history.

Accordingly we again remind ourselves that what is about to be described must not be regarded as following in strict

chronological succession what had preceded, but rather as in internal connection with it.

The first narrative introduces once more the Shunammite and her heaven-given, heaven restored son, although in

circumstances far different from those in which we first knew them. Indirectly we learn and mark that the relations

between the prophet and the family of Shunem had not ceased with the restoration of the child to life, although Holy

Scripture has not preserved any record of such intercourse. And this also is instructive as regards Bible history. Further,

we mark the affectionate interest of Elisha, and his care for the outward well-being of this family. Among the other

dealings of God with Israel we learn that He "called for a famine" - a most emphatic expression (comp. Psalms 105:16;

Haggai 1:11). This dearth was to last for seven out of the twelve years of Joram's reign. Before its commencement the

prophet "had spoken" to the Shunammite, warning her to betake herself to any place outside the land of Israel where

she might be able to secure a temporary home; and "the woman had arisen and done245 after the saying of the man of

God." Although we have evidence that this famine pressed severely on the people (comp. 4:38), yet the advice of the

prophet must have been determined by special circumstances. From the absence of any reference to him, it is probable

that the Shunammite had lost her husband, and with him her mainstay in times of trouble and difficulty.

We are told that she went to the land of the Philistines -- probably as that nearest to her home, and at the same time

least likely to suffer, both on account of its fertility and its easy communication with grain producing Egypt. When the

predicted seven years of famine ended, the woman who, as the original expressly marks, had only gone "to sojourn as a

stranger," returned to her home at Shunem. But here her faith, which had led her so literally to obey the words of the

prophet, was to receive a rude shock. "Her house," to which so many loving and sacred memories attached, and "her

land" - her own and her child's property - were occupied by strangers.

We remember the proud feeling of independence with which she had on a former occasion declined Elisha's offer to

s peak for her to the king (2 Kings 4:13), since she dwelt among her own people. But since then, and in the troubles

connected with famine and Syrian invasion, times had sadly changed. And in the circumstances it seems scarcely less

indicative of the Shunammite's independence of character, that she now appealed directly to the king, not for favor, but

for justice. It was surely in the good providing of God, Who ordereth all things wisely and well, that the Shunammite

addressed her appeal to the king just as he was talking with Gehazi, and the latter at his request was telling all the great

things that Elisha had done. But we cannot infer from this conversation that their meeting occurred before the healing

of Naaman, after which Gehazi was smitten with life -long leprosy, since, although lepers were banished from the cities,

all intercourse with them was not prohibited, especially under such peculiar circumstances. On the other hand, it was

evidently the period when the authority of the prophet with the king was at its highest, and hence either after the

capture of the Syrians in Samaria (2 Kings 6:21), or, as we think, after the fulfillment of Elisha's prediction of the relief

of Samaria, and the death of the disbelieving "lord." This would best accord with the present narrative. In any case, the

appearance of the woman with her son during Gehazi's conversation would not only confirm its truth, but naturally

augment the interest of the king in her complaint. And so he immediately ordered not only the restoration of her

property, but a return, probably from the royal treasury, of the value of the produce of the land during the previous

years. But to us and to all time this history is chiefly interesting as showing how the obedience of faith will, despite

trials or appearances to the contrary, be met by the faithful care of the God of promise - and still further, how God will

not allow the day of His people to set in trouble, but cause the light to break forth at eventide.