Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 1 · 2 Kings · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
AFter that Gehazi was cast out, say the Hebrews, who was sharpe to the followers V. 1.of Elishah, and grudged at his spending of the gifts brought in upon them; the number of them encreased so, that there was not room enough for them to dwell together. Wherefore they consult about making another house at Iordan. Tostatus yieldeth another reason of this increase of his followers, viz. because they Tostatus.were pinched with famine, which yet continued, and Elishah, they beleeved, was able either by miracle to provide for them, or by meanes of the provision brought in unto him by such as were godly affected. Howsoever it is worth the noting, saith Martyr, both that the faithfull encrease more, when the wicked are purged out, P. Martyr.that such may not be suffered in the Church: and also that the number of the faithfull Note. is not diminished by persecution and tyranny, but encreased, as the Palme-tree fructifieth the more, the more it is pressed with weight, because this encrease of the sons of the prophets with Elishah, was in the days of idolatrous Ioram. Where the house was, that had not room enough for them, it is not said, but it seemeth not to have been farre from Iordan, because they move him that they might go to Iordan to cut down timber, and build there, and that he would vouchsafe to go with them. Although they were prophets then, and according to their name spent much V. 3.time in divine reading and exercises, yet they laboured and lived not in idlenesse, like monasticall persons now a dayes, neither were they such as vowed to live a single life; for chap. 4. we reade of a wife of one of the sonnes ot the prophets, they were therefore not tied herein, but at their own liberty, and yet lived in Colledges together under a master, keeping their wives happily in some places not far from them. Which sheweth, the weak ground of Monkish votaries of these times, in their practice.
To Iordan they go to build, saith Martyr, most probably, because there was water for their use, and timber growing along the banks. The cause why this is related, was the miracle wrought upon this occasion by Elishah, to comfort and confirm the faith of his disciples the more, in making iron to swim upon the water. For when one did cut down wood, the head of his hatchet fel into the water, which V. 5.made him cry out to Elishah, and the rather because it was borrowed, and a just person is troubled more, if he cannot restore that which hee borrowed, then if he had lost his own. And by the way see here, how plain and poor the sonnes of the prophets Note. were of old, to shew, that they sought not the world by their profession, but Gods glory. Elishah pitying his case, and being told where it fell in, for God V. 6.revealed not all things unto him, cut a stick and cast it in, and then the iron swam and was taken up again by him from whom it fell. R. Solomon saith, that the stick cut was a new helve, for the other was broken, and this being put into the water, the head went on to it, swimming together to the bank, which Martyr following, noteth a three fold miracle; first, in the swimming of the heavie iron; secondly, in the joyning with the new helve in the water; thirdly, in supporting the iron with the wood, when it was able to sink that down with the weight, or rather we may say, that here were two miracles wrought. First, in the sinking of the helve cast in and joyning with the head, that lay at the bottom, as if it had been put into the eye thereof by the hand of a man; secondly, in the helves swimming up again, and bringing the head with it, which according to the course of nature would have weighed that down. For this must needs be yielded, that the wood cast in went down to the bottom, or else it had been used as a means in vain, but thus, demersam fluvio relevavit virga securim, as Tertullian speaketh, the stick lifted up Tertull. lib. 3. cont. Marcion. Lib. cont. Judaeos. c. 12.the hatchet drowned in the river. And in another place, the iron swam above, but the wood was drowned, which the sonnes of the Prophets received. Wherefore it was not made so to sink, but that it rose again and brougnt up the iron with it, as hath been already said. To enquire how God did this, as some do, whether by taking away the heavie quality of the iron for the time, or by the ministry of Angels, is vain, seeing he is almighty, and can at his pleasure, make heavie things to be born up by the waters, as the body of Christ, and fire to lose the quality of burning, as in the fierie furnace, and wilde beasts to refrain from devouring a prey exposed unto them, as in the case of Daniel. But that ever he changed the substance of a body into another substance, the accidents remaining, we never read, or that he made one body to be in more places at once, as the Papists fondly hold touching the body of our Lord in the sacrament. Allegorically, by the head falling into the water whilest wood was cutting down, Gregory understands a preacher puffed up, whilest he seeks to cut down sin, for hereby he himself sinketh, but upon his crying out in sorrow for this, God hath mercy upon him, & saveth him frō perishing in the deep.
And the king of Aram fought against Israel, and consulted with his servants, saying, V. 8.in such and such a place shall my tents be, &c.] VponUpon what occasion this warre was moved it is not said, and it may seem strange, that after so great a benefit received, in the healing of Naaman the captain of the army, that the king should come against Israel. But it is to be thought, that this warre was rather onelyonly an ambushment, when peace was pretended out of the inveterate malice of the king of Syria, against the king of Israel, then a warre openly made, as the words also intimate. He thought not himself sufficiently revenged for former overthrowes, to have slain Ahab in battle, but he sought now treacherously to slay his sonne, when there seemed to be peace between them. And haply for Naaman, he was no more now in such estimation with him to hinder it, seeing he was turned after the God of Israel. The words rendred in [such and such a place] Hebrew, are foreign that is, in a place hidden and silent, so called b…cause obscure, and to it they should come without noise, which although it be not here named, yet it was particularly appointed amongst the Syrians. Iosephus speaketh only Josephus.of one time that he did thus, in some place where the king o… I…real was to ride a hunting. But it is said, not once or twice, whereby it is to be understood that he did it often, and so was by the prophet often discovered. He had power then given him by his propheticall spirit, to see into things done most secretly, and farre off from him, as also appeared partly before, in his reproof of Gehazi. But why would he do so much for an idolatrous king, that esteemed not of him, nor of his doctrine; when as before chap. 3. he professed, that had it not been, that he respected Iehoshaphat, he would not have looked towards him? Answ. It seemeth, that by the miracle wrought then he came into great grace at the court, as was noted chap. 4. in his speech to the Shunamite, wherefore he sought still by good offices doing for the king, to oblige him more and more unto God, by whom hee wrought, if by any means he might bring him to repentance. Moreover, as Martyr noteth, he being a man of God was to promote the good of Gods people, and P. Martyr.to keep away evill from them as much as he could, although they were most of them revolted from him, because they were the posterity of Abraham, and so within the covenant still. And it is the duty of the men of God to seek the preservation of the king and state wherein they live, although they be wicked and unworthy. Note.
When Elishah gave the king warning of these ambushments, he sent scouts out V. 10. Lyra.and found it to be as he had said, and so saved himself from the danger. Lyra, following the vulgar Latin [praeoccupavit eum] saith, that he sent and took the men laid in ambush, whereas he onelyonly by sending found it to be so, as the Prophet had fore-told, and thus it was made evident unto him, that Elishah was guided by the spirit of God, to give the more credit to his words.
The king of Syria being troubled at this, challenged his servants as discovering it, but they said that it was Elishah; whereby it seemeth, that he was famous for his V. 11.divine spirit, even in that country, and doubtlesse his healing of Naaman was no small cause thereof. The king hearing it, would take away Elishah, and understanding that he was in Dothan, sent a great army, and horses and chariots to take V. 13.him. Ah foolish king, that beleeved Elishah to be endued with the spirit of God, so that he could reveal most secret consultations against others, and yet conceived not that he could as easily frustrate all attempts against himself. The army of the V. 15.king of Syria being seen by the servant of Elishah, he cried out to his master for fear, but he to put fear away from him, said, There are more with us then with them; V. 16.and when he had prayed, that his eyes might be opened, he saw the mountaine full of horse, and a fierie chariot about Elisha, the singular number being put for V. 17.the plurall, wherefore the vulgar Latin hath it, fiery chariots. But how could they saith Martyr, be about Elishah, when as he was in the city, they in the mountain? Hieronym. P. Martyr.And he answereth, that as the Angels like horses and chariots were represented to him upon the mountain, so, was Elishah also in the midst of them, as for whose sake and guard onelyonly they were now sent. Dothan, about which these Syrians now came, according to Adrichomius, was in the tribe of Zabulon, 12 miles, as Ierom Adrichom.saith, from Samaria, but others place it in Manasseh, the next tribe unto Ephraim, in which Samaria stood. Of Dothan it is spoken before, Gen. 37. but upon what occasion Elisha was now there, is uncertain. He was the common father and instructer of the faithfull in all places, and so went to teach sometime in one place, and sometime in another, and thus I suppose, he was in Dothan at that time. If it be demanded, who was the servant of Elishah now that Gehazi was gone? Some that hold the history of Naaman to be misplaced, answer readily, that it was Gehazi who was not smitten with the leprosie till after this. But of this enough hath bin already said, and in that the servant is not named, as Gehazi commonly was, ch. 4. and ch. 5. it is intimated that he now attended Elishah no more, but another succeeding in his service, which also proveth that the history, ch. 5. is placed in due order.
Elishah perceiving that the coming of this army was to have him delivered into V. 18.their hands, after that, he shewed his servant what a guard was set about him, that he might not fear, went out of the city, and then they came down to him to take him: for Dothan according to Adrichomius, was scituated in a plain place between two hills, so that to come to him, they must needs come down. Then Elishah prayed the Lord to smite them with blindnesse, and he smote them; and Elishah told them, saying, this is not the way, nor the city, come after me, and I will bring you to the man whom yee seeke.] This blindnes was not the blindnesse of their V. 19.bodily eyes, for then they could not have seen Elishah to follow him, and they themselves presently perceiving, in what case they were, would not have gone on, as hee directed them; it was therefore a blindesse of mind wherewith they were smitten, making them like litle children in understanding, which cannot distinguish between one place and way, and another. It is likely, when they came near Elishah, that being thus infatuated, they knew him not, but taking him for some other man, asked him for Elishah, and the way into the city.
Touching his answer, although he may seem to have spoken untruly to them, yet indeed he did not, for they enquired for Elishah, and although he at that time was in Dothan upon some occasion, yet his dwelling was in Samaria, as hath been partly touched upon ch. 5. and appeareth, ch. 6. 32. neither was he now in the city of Dothan, but came forth to goe to Samaria. In saying therefore, this is not the way, nor the city] he meant, that it was not the city where Elishah dwelt, or where they might find him which was most true, because if then they had gone into Dothan, they could not have found him there; but in Samaria, he meant to shew himselfe unto them: so Lyra almost, and Martyr; wherefore Tostatus erred much in Lyra. P. Martyr. Tostatus.granting that Elishah told an officious lie, the spirit of God moving him thereunto, for his future glory. For considering, that to lie is to sin, we must by no means either grant, that so holy a prophet sinned, unlesse it may evidently appeare, neither that God instigateth to any the least sin for the greatest good, that may bee. Elishah would have them smitten with blindnesse purposely, that when they went about to take him, he might take them and make them see how vaine and dangerous a thing it was to come forth against God and his servant, that if it were possible, they might hereby, and by the kind usage which they had, be converted from idols to the true God, who was able to doe such wonderfull things.
He lead them therefore to Samaria, the metropolitical city of the kingdom, where V. 19.the king kept his court, and had most probably a great guard continually about him, and a number of citizens well appointed, expert in military affaires, and able soon to destroy the Syrian army being now shut into their city. For so soon as they were entred saith Iosephus, Elishah commanded the gates to be shut, and sent to the Josephus.king to bring forth his bands of men, and to place them round about them; which being done, he prayed God to open their eyes, that is, their understanding again, that V. 20, 21, 22, 23.thus they might see, in what danger they were. But that they might not be slain, be forbad this to the king; and contrariwise bad, that provision should bee set before them; which being done, and they refreshed herewith, they departed to their master, and never adventured to come in such a secret manner any more, into the land of Israel.
When Ioram coming with his men ready prepared saw them, he asked Elishah saying, shall I smite them, (O my father) He knowing that they were miraculously brought thither by the prophet, would doe nothing without his direction; but hee answered, thou shalt not smite them, but those, whom thou takest with thy sword and thy bow. Seeing his enemies brought now into his power by Elishah, he greatly reverenced him, and called him father, but it was in hypocrisie; neither was his heart right towards him, as the sequele in this ch. doth declare, when he sent to his house to kill him. Touching the prophets answer, the meaning is, that they were none of his Captives, but the Lords; and therefore, although he had power of life and death over his own captives, yet he had not over these, neither should smite them, but doe what the Lord would unto them, viz. courteously set them to meat, and so send them away again; according to that, Rom. 12. 20. If thy enemy hunger, Prov. 25, 21.give him meat, &c. Whereas the king obeyed the prophet herein, it was because the Lord overuled him, in whose hand is the heart of the king, and he turneth it as the rivers of water, for his will was certainly to have slain them; neither could any but the divine power have held him from it. Martyr, besides the sense of these words P. Martyr.already given; thou smitest all those whom thou takest with thy sword, &c. hath this, thou smitest such, but not all such, therefore much lesse these, whom thou hast not taken. This lenity of the prophet in this case was admirable, seeing hee was the man that they now aimed at, to take and carry away captive, so that a man would think, he should rather have stirred up the king to slay them as enemies, having them at this advantage; but he thought it an opportunity rather to work in them by kindnesse a love of his God, who was both of such unparalleld mercy and power, seeing none almost would have let their enemies goe, coming by any means into their power. Neither was this kindnesse shewed without effect; for it is said, that the Syrian armies came no more into the land of Israel. Against which if the words following v. 24. seem to make, it is to be understood, that the meaning is, they came no more secretly, and by stealth, because they saw they prevailed nothing by so doing, but from thenceforth they made open warre; to this effect Iosephus; the king of Syria admiring the power of God and the divinity of Elishah, determined with himselfe not to attempt any thing more treacherously and closely, but openly with a full army to invade Israel; and yet happily those forces who were now sent away in safety, never came more, they were by this miracle & mercy so much moved. To intimate which it is said, they added not to come any more, viz. the same armies, but others were gathered together to besiege Samaria in far greater multitudes, for which cause the words are varied. Benhadad gathered together all his tents, although the vulgar Latin hath it, his whole army; and thus Pellican expounds it, or that they came no more in Elishah his life time, or whilest that king reigned. If it be demanded; whether the prophet did well to spare them being idolaters and enemies? I answer, although idolaters of the Israelites were to be slaine, because God had peculiarly chosen them, and by many signes and wonders declared himselfe to be the only true God unto them, and expressely taught them against idolatry; for which cause Elijah spared neither the Prophets of Baal, nor the two captaines with their fifties, and afterwards the servants of Baal being brought together by a wise into the house of Baal were all by Iehu destroyed; Yet other nations were not to be destroyed for this, but as God appointed, viz. the Canaanites, Perezites, Ammorites, &c. who were all adjudged to destruction, and Amalekites, but upon the Syrians the like judgement was not passed, and therefore they might sometime be spared, as occasion served; as when God brought them miraculously into their hands, not for this, but another end; when for this end Benhadad was brought into the hands of Ahab, it was a great sin to spare him, as hath been shewed before. But now it was a vertue, for hereby was shewed gentlenesse towards enemies able to make their hearts relent, that the Israelites might live by them in the more quiet afterwards, and that their God might have honour even amongst them. Moreover the idolatry that they lived in, was out of simple ignorance, and these that came to take Elijah, did but as they were commanded by their Lord, whom they were to obey, which extenuated their fault, and pleaded for pity to be shewed unto them. Whereas Sallianus thinks, that they had such indignation at Elishoh his thus mocking of them, that they stirred up their king to the following warre, it is improbable, because their coming no more into that land is spoken of, as the issue of this their usage, and the heart of Benhadad, as appeareth by his whole history, was generally bent after one attempt by warre defeated, to begin another so soon as he could, so implacable was his malicious mind against Israel.
Mystically by the King of Syria warring against Israel, by trechery understand The Mystery. Lyra.the devil closely seeking the destruction of the faithfull, by Elishah godly Preachers giving them warning against his treacheries; and as the Syrian army seeking to take Elishah away was confounded and made to go home again without effecting any thing, so are all the attempts of the devil to take away such Preachers fiustrated; when such as he stirreth up to persecute are like Saul, first smitten with blindnesse, and then receiving their sight again are no more enemies, but rather friends, of the Church, and publishers of Gods wonderfull works toward them, as he was, being made of a persecuter, a Preacher of the Christian faith. Whereas Lyra bringeth for example, not Saul, but Anthony the Eremite a diligent Preacher, whom the devil sought to strangle, but by the Virgin Mary he was chased away; it savoureth Note. of a Fryerly legend of inventions put for truths. The army of horses and fiery chariots about Elishah shewed, how the Angels of God pitch their tents about Psal. 34.those that feare him to save them from all dangers, and this none seeth but he, whose eyes God hath opened, as Elishah his servants, and he onelyonly is to be prayed Note. unto for this and all other things, and not Angels, or any other of the court of heaven, as Elishah prayed unto him and not to the Angels, although seen neare about him.
It came to passe after this, that the King of Syria gathered together his whole army V. 24.and went up and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine, &c.] It seemeth, that howsoever Benhadad was moved at the wonder which was wrought so as that he aslayed not to overthrow the Israelites any more by treacheries and ambushments, because he found, that there was one amongst them, that could easily defeat all such enterprises of his, yet he hardened himselfe out of the confidence which he had in his great forces wherein he exceeded Israel, to come against them in open warre, imagining foolishly, that although their God could discover his most secret counsels, that they might take none effect and blinde the understanding of his servants sent out in the darke of the night, yet he could not helpe them in case of a long and strong siege, but that they must needs thus perish. For to the like effect almost he once before uttered himselfe, when he had beene overthrowne by Ahab, that he was the God of the mountaines. And however he was then overthrowne, yet since that time he prevailed againe in a pitcht battell at Ramoth Gilead, and so he hoped to doe now againe in this Samaritan expedition. And truely hereby the Israelites suffered grievously, for the famine is said to have grown so great in Samaria, That an asses head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the V. 25. Pellican.fourth part of a cab of doves dunge at five pieces. This saith Pellican, was the just judgement of God upon them, that they, who set at naught the word of God, that heavenly manna and most precious food of the soule, should be inforced through necessity to pay most deare for base things and at other times despicable, for the satisfying of their hunger. By an Asses head, saith Lyra, some understand the whole Lyra.beast, because in selling men use to say, I will have so much by the head, and I bought so many head of cattel at so much the head: others understand it onelyonly of that part, which seemeth most probable, as Martyr also saith, for if the fourth part P. Martyr.of a cab of Doves dunge were five pieces of silver, it is no great marvaile, though an Asses head were sixteene times as much, and in so great a scarcity it is not to be thought that an whole beast was sold together for food to any of the common sort, whose meat this must be supposed to have beene and not of the greater ones. A Cab, saith Martyr, is the sixt part of a measure conteining twenty foure egges, the fourth part a measure conteining sixe egges. By dung Lyra understandeth, not dung properly, but the garbage with the maw of the fowle conteining the graines eaten by it, which commonly used to be cast all together away, as dung; but now by great mens Cookes, it was kept and sold unto the poore for food; because dung properly is fit rather to choke and to destroy the body, then to nourish it. Yet Martyr holdeth rather, that it was dung, because the word used in the margin cometh of foreign signifying dung, and so it is used, Isa. 38. But he confesseth that the word used in the text cometh of foreign signifying a caverne or hole contracted in it selfe, by which the Sacred History fleeing all obscurity is wont to set forth that, through which the excrements come forth, and not plainly. Iosephus thinketh that Josephus.they used Doves dung for salt, and some to maintaine their fire to make ready their meat. Amongst all which that of Lyra is to be preferred, neither doth it disagree from the originall word, for the history speaketh onelyonly of food and not of sauce or fire, which their hunger permitted them not to look after so much, and they might as wel have eaten dirt with the wolf as pigeons dung. For 80. pieces of silver the Chald. Paraphrase hath eight shekels, that is, of our money five pounds, accounting the peice fifteene pence, and a Cabs fourth part was a measure of a pint and halfe, Chald. paraph.so H. B. saying also, that in some texts for eighty, it is eight pieces of silver; the Patriarks travels.Septuagint of Sixtus hath it fifty, and likewise Saint Augustine following that translation. This is thus set forth to give us a taste of their extreme famine, seeing Asses flesh was uncleane and might not be eaten, yet now they gave deare for a little for food, which sheweth, that either this siege was in the time of famine spoken of before, or else continued long.
To shew the greatnesse of the famine there followeth another example more V. 26.stupendious, a woman cryed to the King, as he went upon the wall to save her, and when he understood her meaning to be by giving her some reliefe and replied accordingly, V. 27. Josephus.she explained her selfe, as Iosephus saith, that she meant not any such thing; then he asking, what she would have, she said, that there was an agreement betwixt her and another woman, that they together should eate her sonne one day 28, 29.and the next day that other womans, wherein she having performed her promise, the other now refused to performe hers. The King soone undersood her meaning to be that he should doe her justice, but he replied nothing, onelyonly expressing a great rage, whereinto he was hereby driven against Elishah, he sware to behead V. 30.him that day. He went upon the wall to see, that all parts might be well defended against the enemy. He said nothing to the case propounded, because it was horrible to heare, but too hard to be judged. But why did he rage so against the innocent Prophet so soon as he heard this? Martyr answereth, partly because he thought P. Martyr.that this famine was caused by him, as the drought before in his fathers time by Elijah, partly because he thought, that he could have kept the city from this streight, if he had would, and partly because idolatrous prophets instigated him against Elishah, as one that the gods would not endure, and therefore had brought the city to this extremity; and he addeth a fourth reason which is not so probable, that he exhorted the King to hold out and not to yeeld the city, promising deliverance, which he did to save the faithfull, that were there out of the enemies hands. Lyra Lyra.resteth upon that one onelyonly, because he delivered not the city by his prayers, which indeed he meant to doe, but yet according to the direction of God, and at the time, when he should appoint, as hereafter followeth. And it may be, that he remembring the dismisse of the Syrians by Elishah his meanes, was partly hereby provoked against him, because if they had beene destroyed when he hed them in Samaria, Samaria could not have now beene brought into this great streight by them.
He raged before at the woman, which cryed unto him, saying, [the Lord save thee not] for it is so Hebrew, being as much in effect as, The Lord confound thee, how should I save thee? and now he rageth agaist Elishah like a mad man, whereas, the cause of all this evill was in himselfe his idolatry and wickednesse, of which he should now have repented, and desired the Prophet to pray for him: vers. 30. V. 30.He was affected with sorrow to rend his garments and to put on sackcloth, but he rent not his heart, which he should chiefly have done, Ioel 2. 13. and without doing which all this was hypocrisie, being yet well used by the godly to expresse the contrition of their hearts. For the woman, that complained to him, he should have adjudged her to die for her murder, seeing she ought rather to have died her self, then to have committed this bloudy sinne. And however her crying thus to the king was accidentall, there was a divine providence in it, to make him see the issue of so foul sinning, just according to the threatning of the law, Deut. 28. where this judgement of a mothers eating her own childe is particularly spoken of.
But Elisha sate in his house, and the Elders with him, &c.] That is, other Prophets, V. 32. Josephus.his disciples saith Iosephus, lamenting the sinnes and miseries of the times. And they are called elders, saith Martyr, partly because of the age of some of them, P. Martyr.and partly for the wisedome and gravity that was in them, as in men of greatest antiquity. Tostatus thinketh, that the house, in which he was, was not his own, but Abulens.another mans, but onelyonly he at this time dwelt therein, because he was poor, and had left all, when he began first to follow Elijah. But to let this passe, as not materiall, although I do not beleeve that Elishah left all so, as that he had now no house of his own, seeing he was never required so to do. As he sate in his house, he perceived by the spirit, that the king had sent a man to cut off his head; meaning himself to follow immediately after to see whether it were done, and therefore he said to his company, See ye not, that the sonne of the murtherer hath sent to take away my head? calling him so, because his father murthered Naboth, and in heart he was already the murtherer of him, and he biddeth them to shut the door against him; that is, not with a minde to resist authority, although tyranizing, but that whilest they kept him Theod. qu. 23. in 4. Reg. Hoc quidem non fecit sed minatus est se cuminterempturum, ut qui negligeret vel sponte despiceret summam calamitatem, sed statim ductus paeninitentia accurrit caedem reprimens. Josephus. V. 33.out by strong hand, the king might come to countermand it, being now, as he knew, touched with repentance and hastening after him, that execution might not be done; as the next words declare, Is not the noise of his Lords feet behinde him? Thus Theodoret. He did not this, but he threatned it, but he being by and by moved with repentance, ran unto him repressing the slaughter. And to the same effect Iosephus, he bade them delay the man, shutting the door against him, for the king would by and by be there, repenting him of his command. And accordingly he came with haste to save the prophet from this danger, and being come charged him, that he sought not by his prayers to save the city in the midst of so great calamities; which last passage is not according to the sacred history, wherein he is said, to have spoken these things.
Behold this evill is from the Lord, what should I expect from the Lord any more?] And it seemeth, according to Martyr, that at his coming some words to this effect were first uttered by the Prophet, (O King) be not so impatient, but wait upon God; then he in replying said thus, meaning, that the Lord had made their misery as great as he could, and therefore now whatsoever he did, he would no more wait upon him, but yield to the enemy; the saying of one, that utterly despaired of help from God, and therefore not likely to have blamed the Prophet for not seeking unto him by his prayers. Yea some, as the Chaldee paraphrast, think, that the Prophet moved him to pray to the Lord; unto which he replied, this evill cometh from him, which is as great as he can lay upon me, why then should I seek any more unto him? The words indeed are so brought in, as if they were the words of the messenger, for it is said, The messenger came down unto him and said, behold this evill, &c. and so it is taken by some; but most expositours take it, as spoken by the king, both for that the messenger was not sent to speak in the kings name, but to do execution, and also because chap. 7. 1. it appeareth, that the king was come thither, seeing the prince upon whom he leaned, was there to hear, and to reply to Elishah prophesying of plenty. Whereas it is said, then the messenger came down to him and said, the words are thus to be distinguished; he came to Elishah his house, but was not suffered to enter, and then the king following him at the heels, when Elishah had moved him to wait upon God and seek to him, said these words, implying, that he would hold out no longer in expecting help from the Lord, who had brought him to so great a streight, but presently yield up the city, and so the Syrians should triumph over the God of Israel, and magnifie their gods above him. Then Elishah prophesied as followeth.