to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel. So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? May I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst 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 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 blessing of thy servant. But he said, As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none. And he urged him to take it, but he refused.

And Elisha said unto Naaman, 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 Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought; but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him. So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down 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 be come to me from Mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments. And Naaman said, Be content, take two talents. And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his servants, and they bore them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hands 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 Elisha said unto him, Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again 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.

The story of the mocking children is intended as a

lesson to us not to make game of anyone; especially it is meant to teach children to show reverence to those older and wiser than themselves. The story of Naaman is very beautiful, and very full of example for us. How happy the little maiden out of the land of Israel must have been when she spoke to her mistress about the dear prophet of her native land. Still happier when she saw her master come home again cured of his leprosy, which was a dreadful disease common in those days. By Gehazi's sad fall we are warned against the sin of coveting. Gehazi saw all the beautiful presents of clothes and money which Naaman had brought from Syria to give to him who would heal him of his sickness, and when he saw Elisha, the man of God, refuse to take all these fine things, Gehazi coveted them; he thought it a great pity Naaman should take them all back to Syria again; and, by a lie, he managed to secure some of them for himself. At what a heavy price! Gehazi forgot that God could see him, God who made known to Elisha what his wicked servant had done. So the dreadful curse of leprosy came upon Gehazi for ever.

What happened to the children who made game of Elisha, the man of God?

Tell me the story of the poor widow and the cruse of oil. How was the good Shunammite rewarded for her charity to Elisha?

What miracle did Elisha perform when the child died?
Who was Naaman, and what was the matter with him?
How did Naaman hear of Elisha, the man of God?
How was Naaman's leprosy healed?

What sin did Gehazi commit, and how was it punished?

Jehu destroys Ahab's Race.

Elisha Dirs.

EHU, the mighty captain, called

By God to Israel's throne,

Judah's and Israel's kings destroyed,

And reigned himself alone.

All Ahab's wicked race he slew;
And cruel Jezebel

By his commandment, down they threw :
Dogs ate her where she fell.

Of Baal's priests, and temples too,
King Jehu cleared the land;
Doing as God had bade him do,
But there he stayed his hand.

He did not live a righteous life,
Nor reign a perfect reign :
Obeyed God for a little while,
Then idols served again.

Elisha, holy man of God,

At length departs in peace :
They buried him beneath the sod,
His toils and troubles cease.

But, even in his grave, his bones
Such healing virtue keep,
A dead man laid beside him lives,
And rises from death's sleep.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Elisha

Elisha anoints Fchu king over Israel. Jehu destroys the Kings of Israel and Judah. Jezebel is eaten by Dogs. dies, and a Miracle is wrought by his Dead Bones.

ND in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab, king of Israel, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign, and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab; for the daughter of Ahab was his wife, and he did evil in the sight of the Lord. Yet the Lord would not destroy Judah, for David his servant's sake, as he promised to give him alway a light, and to his children. And Jehoram died, and was buried with his fathers, and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.

And he walked in the way of the house of Ahab, and did evil in the sight of the Lord. And he went with Joram the son of Ahab to the war against Hazael king of Syria in Ramoth-gilead; and the Syrians wounded Joram. And king Joram went back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds which the Syrians had given him at Ramah, when he fought against Hazael king of Syria. And Ahaziah king of Judah went down to see Joram the son of Ahab in Jezreel, because he was sick.