Annotations upon the remaining historicall part of the Old Testament. The second part. to wit, the books of Joshua, Judges, the two books of Samuel, Kings, and Chronicles, and the books of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther : wherein first, all such passages in the text are explained as were thought likely to be questioned by any reader of ordinary capacity : secondly, in many clauses those things are discovered which are needfull and usefull to be known ... and thirdly, many places that might at first seem to contradict one another are reconciled ... / by Arthur Jackson.

CHAP. IIII.

Vers. 1. THy servant my husband is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant did feare the Lord.] This she adds, first, to cleare her husband from the suspition of wasting what he had by any evill courses: secondly, to move him the

rather to pity her, because her husband was one, as Elisha knew well, that did truly and unfainedly feare the Lord; and indeed observable it is, how respectively she speaks of her husband, though he had left her in so great poverty and distresse.

And the creditour is come to take unto him my two sonnes to be bondmen.] See the notes, Exod: 21.2. and Levit. 25.39.

Vers. 2. Tell me, what hast thou in thine house.] As if Elisha should have said, come let me see what thou hast of any value in thy house, that may go toward the payment of thy debts: and thus whilest the prophet made shew, as if he desired to know how farre she was able to discharge her husbands debts, that so he might try if he could compose the difference betwixt her and the creditour; he brought her to speak of the pot of oyle she had, (to wit, that being the onely thing of any va∣lue she had; for we cannot think she was so poore, that she had nothing at all else left in her house) intending to take that occasion to give order for that whereby she was to be miraculously supplyed.

Vers. 4. Thou shalt shut the doore upon thee, &c.] This was enjoyned; first, as an act or signe, approving or testifying her faith, that being left to her self hope∣lesse of all help and succour from man, she did yet expect from the Lord that mira∣culous help which the prophet had promised her: secondly, as a circumstance, im∣plying, that it was fit they should pray unto God when they undertook this work, whereto privacy was required: thirdly, that they might not be disturbed by others, when they were imployed in this businesse they had in hand: but fourthly, and prin∣cipally, for the clearer manifestation of the intended miracle, that there might be no suspicion, that the oyle was by any body secretly conveyed into the house to them.

Vers. 6. She said unto her sonne, Bring me yet a vessell.] That is, to one of her sonnes, for that she had two sonnes is evident, vers. 1.

Vers. 8. Elisha passed to Shunem.] A city in the tribe of Issachar, not farre from mount Carmel, Josh. 19.17, 18. the very same, from whence Abishag was fetched to David, 1 Kings 1.3.

Vers. 9. I perceive that this is an holy man of God.] Not onely a prophet, but a man of eminent holinesse.

Vers. 10. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall.] Not that she had not room in her house to lodge him, but because she considered that the tumult of a large family might be some disturbance to the devotions, study, and meditations of a prophet, and therefore thought it convenient to provide a place for him where he might be more retired.

Vers. 12. Call this Shunamite, And when he had called her, she stood before him.] Vers. 15. it is againe said, that Elisha bad Gehazi call her; so that though it be here expressed, that she came and stood before Elisha, yet that which follows must be conceived to have been done before her coming: the order of the cariage of the businesse it seems, was this: Elisha sent Gehazi to call her to him, and withall wil∣led him to acquaint her with the businesse; namely, that in recompence of her kind∣nesse, if she had any suit to the king or captain of the host, he would be her media∣tour; she answering Gehazi, that she dwelt among her own people; and Gehazi carrying back this answer to his master, he consulted with Gehazi what then might

be done for her: and Gehazi putting him in mind that she had no child, Elisha bade him again call her.

Vers. 13. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold now thou hast been carefull for us, &c.] This was the message which Elisha bade Gehazi carry her, when he was first sent to call her, wherein he makes a thankfull acknowledgement of her great care of them; and then tenders to speak for her, if she had any occasi∣on either to the king or the captain of the host; whereby it appears also, that the succour which Elisha had afforded the kings in their distresse, chap. 3.16. &c. had brought him into great credit at court.

And she answered, I dwell among my own people.] In this answer is implyed, that she needed not his help in this kind, as intimating, First, that she lived contentedly, and was not ambitious of any better condition, then that she enjoyed in a private quiet life amongst her own neighbours: Secondly, that she lived peaceably, not having occasion to complain or seek relief from higher powers, not amongst enemies, but neighbours and friends in a mean condition; nor so high as to be envied, nor so low as to be trodden on: Thirdly, that if she should have occasion to seek help, she could not want friends, that would do what one man may do for another: yet afterward it was well she found a friend in court, chap. 8.3, 4. to wit, when Gehazi obtained that her land should be restored to her.

Vers. 14. And he said, What then is to be done for her?] That is, when Geha∣zi brought back to Elisha this answer of the Shunamites, he asked Gehazi what else then there was, wherein they might gratifie her; wherein also it is well worth the noting, that though Elisha were so great a prophet, yet he would vouchsafe thus to consult and advise with his servant.

Vers. 15. And when he had called her she stood in the doore.] To wit, as out of modesty; she would not presently rush into the prophets chamber, though it were in her own house, but stood at the doore, till either he should come out to her, or call for her in.

Vers. 16. And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a sonne.] This phrase, thou shalt embrace a sonne, implyed, not onely the birth of the child, but also the safety of the child and mother; the time is expressed much in the same words, as in the promise that was made to Abraham, concerning the birth of Isaac, Gen. 18.10. of which, see the note there.

Nay my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid.] As if she had said, O that God would grant that it might be so! but my lord, thou man of God, do not deceive thy handmaid with vain hopes; she knew well that the holinesse of the prophet could not stand with wilfull lying; yet perhaps she might feare it was spo∣ken for tryall onely: and therefore as being divided betwixt hope and feare, she de∣sires to be satisfied, whether she might assure her self of what he had promised, for so it is expressed, vers. 28. Then she said, did I desire a sonne of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?

Vers. 21. And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, &c.] All this she did, either as hoping the child might be restored to life, by being laid upon the prophets bed, or rather thereby to hide this occasion of grief from her hus∣band and family, lest they should hinder her in her intended designe of going to the

prophet, as confidently hoping by the prayers of that prophet, on whose bed she had laid her dead child, to receive him restored to life again: and perhaps the ra∣ther, because she had heard how Elijah had restored to life a widows dead child, 1. Kings 17.21.

Vers. 23. And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath, &c.] This he saith, because on those dayes they did usually go to the prophets to be instructed, and seldome at other times; which made him won∣der why she should desire to go now: and hereupon she answered, It shall be well; as if she had said, do not trouble your self, my journey doubtlesse shall be for good, and therefore I pray give way to it.

Vers. 26. Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee?] Because she came in such haste at an unusuall time, he feared something was amisse with her.

Is it well with the child? and she answered, It is well.] This she spake, as it were, to cut off her speech with Gehazi, and as hastening to speak with Elisha him∣self, and withall happely as perswading her self that this which God had done would be for good.

Vers. 27. And when she came to the man of God to the hill, she caught him by the feet.] Transported with the vehemency of her passion, she fell down upon the ground, and cast her arms about his leggs, thereby expressing, both, first, the reverent respect she bare to him; as the disciples did, when they cast their arms about Christs feet, Matth. 28.9. secondly, the unsupportablenesse of her sorrow; and thirdly, the vehemency of her desire to obtain help by his means in whom all her refuge and hope was; and that she was resolved not to leave him till he had satisfied her desire, as she expresses her self afterward, vers. 30. As the Lord liveth, and as thy soule liveth, I will not leave thee.

But Gehazi came near to thrust her away.] As apprehending, that this uncouth carriage of her self towards the prophet, was neither seemly for her nor him.

Vers. 28. Then she said, Did I desire a sonne of my lord? did I not say, Do not deceive me?] That is, why was a sonne given us, of thy own motion, when I asked no such thing; yea, when I desired that thou wouldest not deceive me with vain hopes, if now my misery must be greater by losing him, then it would have been by remaining childlesse? had I offended by too violent desire of a child, I might have judged that to have been the cause why my child is now again taken away; but being given freely without any request of mine, why am I now so soon deprived of him?

Vers. 29. Then he said to Gehazi, Gird up thy loynes, &c.] As they used to do in those countreys, where they used long garments, when they meant to make hast, and for the same cause he is enjoyned not to stay to salute any body by the way. Some think the cause of this enjoyned haste, was to prevent Gehazies vain-glorious im∣parting of the businesse he was sent about to any body he should meet with by the way, which might have proved a hinderance to the working of the miracle; but that which others say, is farre more probable; namely, that it was onely to make sure that the child might be restored to life before his death came to be known in the family, that so the fathers grief might be prevented, and the miracle withall might be concealed.

Vers. 30. And the mother of the child said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee.] Though she did not oppose nor distrust alto∣gether the course which Elisha had taken for the raising of the child, (for had she not given Gehazi the key of the prophets chamber, wherein she had locked up the dead child, vers. 21. how could he have come at him to lay the prophets staffe upon his face?) yet as questioning and doubting whether this means would be ef∣fectuall or no; and therefore desiring that he would go along with her, she resolves confidently that she will not return without him.

Vers. 31. And laid the staffe upon the face of the child, but there was nei∣ther voice nor hearing, &c.] Some ascribe this to want of faith, both in Gehazi and the mother: others think that Elisha gave that direction for the laying of his staffe upon the face of the child, without any speciall direction or promise from the spirit of God, onely because he had at other times wrought miracles with this staffe: but rather, I think, it is to be ascribed to the change of Elisha his purpose, had he not yielded to have gone himself, perhaps the staffe might have been ef∣fectuall; now the Lord was pleased to withhold his power and help till the prophet came.

Vers. 34. And he went up, and lay upon the child, &c] He applyed his body to the body of the child, so farre as it could be done in two bodies of such disproportion. See the note, 1 Kings 17.21.

Vers. 35. Then he returned, and walked in the house to and fro, &c.] Why he rose up from lying upon the child to walk to and fro, and then went and lay upon the child again, it is hard to say: it is said, that perhaps he was wearied with lying in that manner as he did upon the child, or that perceiving the flesh of the child to wax warm, as in the foregoing verse it is said it did, the joy thereof did make him rise up and fetch a turn, and then presently he lay down upon the child again: But I rather conceive all this proceeded from the excee∣ding vehemency and intention of his desires in seeking to God for the reviving of the child; it being usuall with those that are so transported with strong desires to be thus various in their actions, and sometime to be in one posture and sometime in another; as finding no rest in themselves, till their desires be sa∣tisfied.

And the child opened his eyes.] Which was a signe that the child was per∣fectly restored to life: and thus, as in other miracles, so in this. God was plea∣sed to make it manifest that the spirit of Elijah rested upon Elisha as his succes∣sour, by enabling him to do the same kind of wonders that the other had done: Elijah divided Jordan with his mantle, 2 Kings 2.8. so did Elisha too, verse 14. Elijah multiplyed the widow of Zarephaths oyle, 1 Kings. 17.14. and Eli∣sha did as much for a poore prophets widow, vers. 2: &c. of this chapter: Eli∣jah brought rain from heaven after a time of great drought, 1. Kings 18.41. and Elisha supplyed three kings and their armies with water, when they were ready to perish with drought, 2 Kings 3.16, 17. Elijah cursed the captains and their fifties that came to apprehend him, and they were presently destroyed with fire from heaven, 2 Kings 1.10. And Elisha cursed the children that reproched and mocked him, and they were presently torn in pieces by two she beares, chap∣ter

••.24. and so now here Elisha raised from death the Shunamites sonne, as Eli∣jah had raised the Sareptans sonne before, 1 Kings 17.21, 22.

Vers. 33. And Elisha came to Gilgal, and there was a dearth in the land, &c.] To wit, to visit the Colledge of the prophets which was in this citie, and that the rather, to encourage and comfort them because of the dearth that was now in the land; and therefore it is said in the next clause, and the sonnes of the prophets were sitting before him: to wit, to be instructed by him, as Paul u∣sed to sit at the feet of Gamaliel, Acts 22.3. which is perhaps the rather added, to intimate, that it was by Elishaes meanes, that the society of the prophets was not dissolved, but holy exercises were continued amongst them notwithstanding the famine.

Vers. 39. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds, &c.] That is, going forth to gather herbs for the pottage, he lighted upon this wild vine, and not knowing it, yet gathered thereof; now it is generally thought that this was Coloquintida, a plant that growes in fields and hedg-rowes, somewhat like a vine, the gourds, that is, the leaves and branches whereof are bitter and poysonous.

Vers. 40. They cryed out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot.] As fearing by their bitter and unsavoury rast there had been poyson in the pottage.

Vers. 42. And there came a man from Baal-shalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, &c.] The first fruits by the law were to be gi∣ven to the priests, Numbers 18.12. but the priests were now driven away from the ten tribes, ever since Jeroboam had set up his golden Calves, and forbidden the people to go up to the temple at Jerusalem, 2. Chron. 11.14. and therefore this good man brought these twenty loaves of the first fruits, &c. to Elisha and the prophets, who instructed the people instead of the priests, and that the rather out of a care to supply their necessities in this great dearth that was now in the land.