THE SIEGE OF SAMARIA.

"Then Elisha said, Hear ye the word of the Lord; Thus saith the Lord, To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.

"Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof."-2 KINGS VII. 1, 2.

THE history of a siege is generally interesting. This siege of Samaria has many points of interest in it, and like all Scripture history has in it also matter of profitable instruction.

One of the things that makes it a memorable siege is that the prophet Elisha was in the city when it was being besieged; and he uttered a remarkable prophecy concerning the way in which, in the middle of a great famine, there should suddenly be great plenty in the city.

The people of Syria were the besiegers of Samaria. They seem to have been the special enemies of the Israelites at this time.

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And before this siege they planned attacks on Israel which were unsuccessful, because Elisha told the king of Israel of them.

We have an account of one of these just before the great siege. "The king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying in such and such a place shall be my camp. But as often as he thus planned a particular attack on Israel, so often did Elisha tell the king of Israel, “and the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice." The king of Syria was soon informed by his servants, who it was that did him this harm. And he then said, "Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him." On finding he was in a place called Dothan, the king sent a great host with horses and chariots to surround the city. When Elisha's servant was up early in the morning, the first thing he saw was all this host, and he said to his master, "Alas! "Alas! my master, how shall we do? His master's answer was striking. He said, "Fear not : for they that be with us are more than they that be with them." Elisha's faith made him see that he had God on his side and that he need fear nothing. To make his

servant see as he did he was unable, except by a miracle, which caused him actually to see Elisha surrounded by the Lord's host. Hence he prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man ; and he saw and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

We may well be reminded here of the words of Christ so often told us in the Gospel history, as spoken to those whose fears were rising at the sight of danger, just as in the case of this young man. We often read that the Lord said to such, "Fear not," and always on this ground, "only believe." From which we learn that the opening of the eyes of faith will alone enable us to overcome fear. If we appeal to God in the time of our trouble, however great and many the causes may be, which seem to be against us, we may truly feel if God is on our side, if in Him be our trust, "they that be with us are more than they that be against us." "For if God be for us, who can be against us."

But the next thing Elisha did to overcome these enemies was to offer up another prayer to that God who never failed to hear

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him. "He prayed unto the Lord and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness." This prayer was also answered. They were smitten with blindness. bably not total blindness, so that they could not see to walk, but partial, so that they could not see the direction in which they went. For he led them straight to their enemy's city of Samaria. And thus they were in the power of the enemy they had come to attack. "The king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall I smite them, shall I smite them? And he answered, thou shall not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink, and go to their master."

This was the law of love prevailing. This was to "overcome evil with good." They were well dealt with; "he prepared great provision for them," and sent them home, and for a time Israel was left in peace by the Syrians. (verse 23.)

But it was some time after this, "Benhadad king of Syria, gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria : and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass's head

was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and

the fourth part of a

five pieces of silver."

cab of dove's dung for

That is, as some sup

pose, half-a-pint of pulse or lentiles, for eleven or twelve shillings.

But another thing more than even this showed the straitness of the siege.

A wo

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man cries unto the king for help. plies, "If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress ?" But what was the woman's trouble? She wanted justice done to her. But what a terrible act had she been driven to, that made her now ask for justice in this way, that another woman be made to keep her promise, and give up her son to be eaten. What dreadful words are these she spoke. "So we boiled my son, and did eat him and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him and she hath hid her son." (verse 29.) But see here a wonderful fulfilment of God's awful threat pronounced by Moses five or six hundred years before this took place. (Deut. xxviii. 53.) "And thou shalt eat the fruit of thine own body, the flesh of thy sons and of thy daughters, in the siege and in the straitness wherewith thine enemies shall distress thee." And so 54, 55, 56, and 57.