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Ver. 13. Behold thou hast been careful for us.] A gracious man is a grateful man, and studieth retribution. I dwell among mine own people.] Privately and peaceably, having no business at court; not affecting great friendships, nor groaning under great oppressions. All this was well, if it might have held. The old Greeks gave this grave counsel, saith Suidas, “ αλευ απο μειζονος ανδρος.’’— Suidas. i.e., Keep aloof from great ones. And the Latin poets say well, “ Dulcis inexpertis cultura potentis amici, Expertus metuet… -Horat. “ Vive tibi, quantumque potes, praelustria vita. ’’— Ovid. But what hold is there of these earthly things? saith another; how long is the Shunammite thus blessed with peace? Stay but a while, you shall see her come on her knees to the king of Israel, pitifully complaining that she was stripped of house and land: and how Gehazi is fain to do that good office for her, which was not accepted from his master. Those that stand fastest upon earth, have but slippery footing. No man can say that he shall not need friends. Bp. Hall.
Ver. 14. What then is to be done for her?] So great a prophet disdaineth not to consult and advise with his servant; and all his care is how to express his thankfulness to his hostess.
Ver. 15. Call her.] See on 2 Kings 4:12. She stood in the door.] By a commendable modesty. So Genesis 18:10.
Ver. 16. About this season,] i.e., About this time twelve months from now. Thou shalt embrace a son.] God dealeth with his servants, as the prophet here did with this Shunammite, when he bade her ask what she needed, and tell him what he should do for her, and she found not anything to request at his hands; he sends for her, and makes her a free promise of that which she most wanted and desired—a son. So, oft God is pleased to give his servants what they forget or presume not to ask.
Ver. 17. And the woman conceived.] The like whereunto fell out in the last age: for Dr Sandys departing the land for fear of Queen Mary, and taking leave of his hostess, who was childless, and had been married eight years, he gave her a fine handkerchief and an old royal of gold in it, thanking her much, and said, Be of good comfort; ere that one whole year be past, God shall give you a child, a boy. And it came to pass that day twelve months lacking one day, God gave her a fair son. Act. and Mon., 1894.
Ver. 18. Went out to his father to the reapers.] This Shunammite, though rich, yet had himself the oversight of his harvest labourers: so had Boaz. (Ruth 2:4 3:2-7) This was good husbandry.
Ver. 19. And he said to his father, My head, my head.] The sunbeams in that hot season of harvest had beaten hard upon his head, and made him sick. The Latins call a sick man Aegrum, from the pitiful moan he maketh, crying, Ai, Ai. But what an undivine inference was that of the Bishop of Hereford in his sermon at Oxford upon this text, in the reign of Edward II—pursued at that time by his queen and son—that an aching and sick head of a kingdom was of necessity to be taken off, and no otherwise cured! Till noon, and then died.] The child was well, sick, and dead, and all in the space of four or five hours. A sore trial; and a fair warning to all parents not to love their little ones too much, lest God soon take away the earthly idol. ai, ai, vox dolentis. Dan., Hist., 216.
Ver. 21. And laid him on the bed of the man of God.] She had heard, belike, how Elijah had restored to life a widow’s dead child. (1 Kings 17:21) This therefore that she here did was an act of her faith, whereby also she “received her dead raised to life again.” (Hebrews 11:35) Faith is the best lever at a dead lift.
Ver. 22. Send me, I pray thee.] As a pious and a prudent matron, though she might do much with her husband, whose heart safely trusted in her, yet she would do nothing of moment without his consent.
Ver. 23. Wherefore wilt thou go to him today?] Her husband knew nothing then of the child’s death. It is neither new moon, nor sabbath.] On which days good people in those evil times were wont to repair to God’s holy prophets to hear the word and receive instruction. And she said, It shall be well.] Heb., Peace. Tostatus rendereth it Vale, farewell. The Vulgate, not well, Vadam, I will go; this had been too peremptory and unseemly.
Ver. 24. Drive, and go forward.] Put on as fast as thou canst. Dolor addidit alas; grief rideth without reins, where there is but any hope of help.
Ver. 25. Behold, yonder is that Shunammite.] That good Shunammite, which “showeth out of a good conversation her works with meekness of wisdom.” Sir Thomas Moore was out when he said, Men commit faults often, women only twice, that they neither speak well nor do well.
Ver. 26. And she answered, It is well.] It is, or would be. Well it is howsoever for the present, and it will be better hereafter.
Ver. 27. She caught him by the feet.] Which she held fast, to show the instance of her request, and the strength of her confidence, together with her firm resolution, not to leave him till she had that she came for, as 2 Kings 4:30.
Ver. 28. Did I desire a son of my lord?] Was I too desirous, or unduly importunate? for if so, the loss of the child had been just upon me. Strong affections will be strong afflictions. Did I not say, Do not deceive me?] Nay, did not you say, Do not lie to me? And was that a fit word to a man of God? was there not something of unbelief in it?
Ver. 29. If thou meet any man, salute him not.] Stand not tattling, much less cracking, that thou shalt with that staff of mine raise a dead child. Some Rabbis think Gehazi did so; and thence that means proved ineffectual. But it seemeth rather to be the mother’s unbelief that made it so. Ridebat Gehazi dicendo obviis, Credisne baculum istum vitam restituere? -R. Eliezer, cap. 33.
Ver. 30. And he arose, and followed her.] As our Saviour also, upon a like occasion, arose and followed Jairus, (Matthew 9:18,19) not taking offence at his weak faith, nor turning him off, as presuming to prescribe.
Ver. 31. But there was neither voice nor hearing.] God withholding his power and help till the prophet himself came and renewed the dead. Hereby was allegorically signified, saith one, that the law was used before the coming of Christ to revive the dead in sin. But this being done in vain, Christ afterwards came with his Spirit, and gave life unto them that believe.
Ver. 32. And laid upon his bed.] See on ver. 21.
Ver. 33. And prayed unto the Lord.] This staff of his—whatever became of the other—was long enough, he knew, to reach up to heaven, to knock at those gates, yea, to wrench them open.
Ver. 34. And put his mouth upon his mouth.] The Septuagint adds, And breathed upon him. See on 1 Kings 17:21. Christ risen again thus applied to the dead soul, quickeneth it.
Ver. 35. Then he returned, and walked, &c.] He found the mercy coming, and he sets to work with more vehemency and intention of desire, such as made him thus various in his actions, postures, and gestures. This is usual with those that are very earnest in their prayers. Hannah writhed her lips; Solomon spread his arms; the publican beat his breast; Christ cast himself grovelling on the ground; Elijah put his face betwixt his knees, &c. And the child sneezed seven times.] Thereby venting and expelling those humours that oppressed his brains, and stopping the passages of the vital spirits, had suffocated him. His grief lay in his head, (2 Kings 4:19) overheated by the sun. And the child opened his eyes.] Thus the work is done by degrees and with difficulty, mystically showing how hard it is to raise one dead in sins and trespasses, and to bring the work to any good effect. To comfort a wounded conscience is as great work, saith Luther, as to raise one from the dead. Aestus et aestas et Graecorum εοχαρα fit ab Hebraea Esch, Ignis.— Becman.
Ver. 36. Take up thy son.] Now two sons in one, and never so dear to thee, I daresay, as now. God knows how to commend his favours to us, and to make them double welcome.
Ver. 37. And took up her son, and went out.] Singing as she went, “This my son was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.” (Luke 15:24)
Ver. 38. See the pottage.] The propbets were poor, and glad of pottage. Nescio quomodo bonae mentis sorer est paupertas. The saints are kept at hard commons, but have their keeping of free cost. The wicked have larger provisions, but pay sweetly. Petron.
Ver. 39. Of wild gourds his lapful] This is taken to be coloquintida, which is very bitter, saith Valesius, so that physicians call it Fel terrae, the gall of the earth. De Sac. Plalos., cap. 36.
Ver. 40. Death in the pot.] For this drug is not only bitter, but poisonous and pernicious, causing cruel torments.
Ver. 41. Then bring meal.] Which yet could not have made the pottage wholesome and savoury, but by a miracle.
Ver. 42. And brought the man of God.] The prophets, in the fail of priests, who were now not to be found in Israel, taught the people, and took up their dues from such pious persons as brought them in out of conscience. Twenty loaves of barley.] Little ones, likely.
Ver. 43. And his servitor.] Gehazi, who was no stranger to his master’s miracles, but continued a Pettifidian, or small faith.
Ver. 44. And they did eat, and left.] It grew in their hands, as Matthew 14:20 Joh 6:12,13.