"My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?"" Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.

And he returned to the man of God, he and all his company, and came, and stood before him; and he said, "Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel: now therefore, I pray thee, take a present of thy servant." But he said, "As Jehovah liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it; but he refused. And Naaman said, “If not, yet, I pray thee, let there be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth;1 for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto Jehovah. In this thing Jehovah pardon thy servant: when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon2 to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, Jehovah pardon thy servant in this thing." And he said unto him, "Go in peace." So he departed from him a little

way.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, “Behold, my master hath spared this Naaman the Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: as Jehovah liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him.” So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw one running after

1. That the worship of Jehovah might be celebrated on Israelitish soil.

2. The Assyrian Thunder-god.

And

And

him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all well?" And he said, "All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, 'Behold, even now there are come to me from the hill-country of Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment.”” Naaman said, "Be pleased to take two talents.” he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of raiment, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house; and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" And he said, "Thy servant went no whither." And he said unto him, "Went not my heart with thee, when the man turned from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and sheep and oxen, and men-servants and maid-servants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever." And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

LXXXVII

THE AVENGING OF THE BLOOD OF NABOTH (II Kings ix: 1-37)

And Elisha the prophet called one of the sons of the prophets, and said unto him, "Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-gilead. And when thou comest thither, look out there Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi, and go in, and make him arise up from among his brethren, and carry

him to an inner chamber. Then take the vial of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, 'Thus saith Jehovah, “I have anointed thee king over Israel." Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not." So the young man, even the young man the prophet, went to Ramoth-gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of the host were sitting; and he said, "I have an errand to thee, O captain." And Jehu said, "Unto which of us all?" And he said, “To thee, O captain." And he arose, and went into the house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto him, "Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, 'I have anointed thee king over the people of Jehovah, even over Israel. And thou shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may avenge the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole house of Ahab shall perish; and I will cut off from Ahab every man-child, and him that is shut up and him that is left at large in Israel. And I will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah. And the dogs shalt eat Jezebel in the portion of Jezreel,1 and there shall be none to bury her."" And he opened the door, and fled.

Then Jehu came forth to the servants of his lord: and one said unto him, "Is all well? wherefore came this mad fellow to thee?" And he said unto them, "Ye know the man and what his talk was." And they said, “It is false; tell us now." And he said, "Thus and thus spake he to me, saying, 'Thus saith Jehovah, "I have anointed thee king over Israel.""" Then they hasted, and took every man his garment, and put it under him on the top of the stairs, and blew the trumpet, saying, "Jehu is king."

1. The plat of ground that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite.

So Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat the son of Nimshi conspired against Joram. (Now Joram was keeping Ramoth-gilead, he and all Israel, because of Hazael king of Syria; but king Joram was returned to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria.) And Jehu said, "If this be your mind, then let none escape and go forth out of the city, to go to tell it in Jezreel." So Jehu rode in a chariot, and went to Jezreel; for Joram lay there. And Ahaziah king of Judah was come down to see Joram.

Now the watchman was standing on the tower in Jezreel, and he spied the company of Jehu as he came, and said, "I see a company." And Joram said, "Take a horseman, and send to meet them, and let him say, 'Is it peace?"" So there went one on horseback to meet him, and said, "Thus saith the king, 'Is it peace?"" And Jehu said, "What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me." And the watchman told, saying, “The messenger came to them, but he cometh not back." Then he sent out a second on horseback, who came to them, and said, "Thus saith the king, 'Is it peace?"" And Jehu answered, "What hast thou to do with peace? turn thee behind me." And the watchman told, saying, “He came even unto them, and cometh not back: and the driving is like the driving of Jehu the son of Nimshi; for he driveth furiously."

And Joram said, "Make ready." And they made ready his chariot. And Joram king of Israel and Ahaziah king of Judah went out, each in his chariot, and they went out to meet Jehu, and found him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. And it came to pass, when Joram saw Jehu, that he said, "Is it peace, Jehu?" And he answered, "What peace, so long as the whoredoms of

thy mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many?" And Joram turned his hands, and fled, and said to Ahaziah, "There is treachery, O Ahaziah." And Jehu drew his bow with his full strength, and smote Joram between his arms; and the arrow went out at his heart, and he sunk down in his chariot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his captain, “Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite; for remember how that, when I and thou rode together after Ahab his father, Jehovah laid this burden upon him: 'Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, and the blood of his sons,' saith Jehovah; and I will requite thee in this plat,' saith Jehovah. Now therefore take and cast him into the plat of ground, according to the word of Jehovah."

6

But when Ahaziah the king of Judah saw this, he fled by the way of the garden-house. And Jehu followed after him, and said, "Smite him also in the chariot:" and they smote him at the ascent of Gur, which is by Ibleam. and he fled to Megiddo, and died there. And his servants carried him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and buried him in his sepulcher with his fathers in the city of David.

And in the eleventh year of Joram the son of Ahab began Ahaziah to reign over Judah.

And when Jehu was come to Jezreel, Jezebel heard of it; and she painted her eyes, and attired her head, and looked out at the window. And as Jehu entered in at the gate, she said, “Is it peace, thou Zimri, thy master's murderer?" And he lifted up his face to the window, and said, “Who is on my side? who?" And there looked out to him two or three eunuchs. And he said, "Throw, her down." So they threw her down; and some of her blood was sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses: and he trod her under foot. And when he was come in, he