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who might nevertheless spare them on account of their ab state. Having come to this determination they rose up fr the entering in of the gate in the twilight, and proceec towards the Syrian camp; and to their great surprise versed it through and through without finding a sing enemy.

As it may be imagined, their first object was to relev their own hunger and thirst, and take possession of sour the treasures which the frightened host had left behind the but they also recollected that it was their duty to give is mediate intelligence to their countrymen and sovereign, they returned to the city and informed the porter, who word to the palace.*

The king having arisen, and it being still night, and recir lecting, most probably, the late plan of the Syrian monarch= laying ambushes for him, he fully expected that was his preser object. At the suggestion of one of his courtiers Jehorar sent two horsemen to reconnoitre, who having followed t march of the Syrian host unto the river Jordan, returned ar reported to their sovereign that all the way was full of garmens and vessels, which the Syrians had cast away in their haste. At this intelligence the besieged sallied forth and spoiled the tents of the Syrians, so that a measure of fine flour was sok for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah.†

But the glory of God having been vindicated, and his ser vant justified, it was still proper that the open scoffer and infidel should be signally punished; and, therefore, the king having appointed that infidel lord to the charge of the gate. as a post of honour and confidence, the pressure of the throng soon overpowered him, and he was trod to death by

* 2 Kings, xii. 3—11.
† 2 Kings, vii. 12-16. vii. 1.

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crowd; he saw indeed the plenty with his eyes, but he not thereof.*

Benhadad the king of Syria being confined with sickness, d hearing that Elisha the prophet was arrived at Damascus, nt Hazael his chief officer to him with a present,† to inire whether he should recover of his disease. To this quiry Elisha said, "Go say unto him, Thou mayest cerinly recover: how beit Jehovah hath shewed me that he all surely die." And he settled his countenance stedfastly, til he was ashamed; and the man of God wept.§ Upon azael's inquiry why he wept, the prophet replied, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children f Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their oung men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash heir children, and rip up their women with child." And ́ ́Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should to this great thing?|| And Elisha answered, Jehovah hath hewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.¶

On his return, this high minded lord who pretended to be horror struck, at being supposed capable of the crimes and cruelties which Elisha had foretold, first deceived his 2 sovereign with a deliberate falsehood, by telling him that the prophet had assured him he should recover; and almost

2 Kings, vii. 17-20. vii. 2.

+ Sufficient to load forty camels, 2 Kings, viii. 9.

Say thou certainly will not recover, for Jehovah, &c. This is the textual reading, and seems to be preferable to that of the margin, 70, and the Vulgate. A Bayley in loco. "That is, God has not determined thy death, nor will it be a necessary consequence of the disease by which thou art now afflicted: but this wicked man (Hazael) will abuse the power and trust thou hast reposed in him, and will take away thy life. He (Benhadad) might live for all his sickness, but thou wilt put an end to his life." A. CLARKE.

§2 Kings, viii. 10, 11.

See note p. 604.

immediately afterwards, taking advantage of that freedom access which the confidential situation he held procured by assassinated his master, by spreading a thick wet cloth or his face, and, thereupon, usurped the throne of Syria.*

We are not exactly informed upon what occasion the w broke out, between Hazael and Jehoram; but as in the tir of Benhadad, both nations had been anxious to ob possession of Ramoth Gilead; so now Jehoram had wres that city from the Syrian monarch, and placed a gamiss there; in which he had been assisted by Ahaziah, king Judah; but having been severely wounded, he returned? Jezreel to be healed, leaving, as it would seem, Jehu, the st of Nimshi, in the command of his army.†

Whilst Jehoram thus lay sick, Elisha sent one of the yout prophets with a box of oil to Ramoth, in order to andr Jehu ; with directions when he had anointed him, open the door, and flee, and not to tarry. So the you man, even the young man the prophet, went to Rame Gilead. And when he came, behold, the captains of host were sitting; and he said, I have an errand to the O captain. And Jehu said, Unto which of all us? And b said, To thee, O captain. And he arose, and went into th house; and he poured the oil on his head, and said unto his Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, I have anointed the king over the people of Jehovah, even over Israel. And the shalt smite the house of Ahab thy master, that I may aver the blood of my servants the prophets, and the blood of all t

2 Kings, viii. 14, 15.

+ 2 Kings, viii. 28, 29. ix. 14, 15. 2 Chron. xxii. 5, 6. In another place he is called the son of Jehoshaphat, the son of Nimsh» 2 Kings, ix. 2.

2 Kings, ix. 1-3. This commission had been originally give to Elijah, (1 Kings, xix. 16.) and it is rather remarkable no commes tator seems to have noticed that circumstance.

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rvants of Jehovah, at the hand of Jezebel. For the whole use of Ahab shall perish: and I will cut off from Ahab ery male, and him that is shut up and left in Israel; and will make the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam, e son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of hijah; and the dogs shall eat Jezebel in the portion of ezreel, and there shall be none to bury her. And having elivered his message, he opened the door and fled, as he had een commanded by Elisha.*

Thus anointed, Jehu conspired against his sovereign, and aving been proclaimed king by the troops, and laid an inunction of secrecy upon them, he proceeded instantly in a hariot to Jezreel, where Jehoram then lay with his nephew Ahaziah, king of Judah, who had gone to visit him in his wounded state.

As soon as the watchman descried the approach of Jehu, from the watch tower of Jezreel, Jehoram sent messengers

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to inquire his errand; and it is not quite clear, whether first suspected there was any treason, or supposed there some messenger from the army.*

Two messengers in succession having been detained Jehu, instead of returning to give information to Jebara that monarch, together with Ahaziah, went out in *** respective chariots against Jehu; and it was so ordered: the providence of God, that they should meet him in " portion of Naboth, the Jezreelite, in that very spot wi Ahab the father of Jehoram, or rather his wife Jezebel, 'so wickedly obtained from the conscientious Israelite, subornation of perjury and murder.‡

As soon as Jehoram saw Jehu, he anxiously asked, b peace, Jehu? Upon which the latter replied, What peace long as the whoredoms of thy mother Jezebel, and her wi crafts are so many? Jehoram exclaiming to Ahaziah, there was treachery, turned his chariot and fled, when drew a bow with his full strength, and smote Jehoram betw his arms, and the arrow went out at his heart, and he down in his chariot. Then said Jehu to Bidkar his cap Take up, and cast him in the portion of the field of Naber the Jezreelite for remember how that, when I and thou r together after Ahab his father, Jehovah prophesied this pr phecy :§ Surely I have seen yesterday the blood of Naboth, the blood of his sons, saith Jehovah; and 1 will require th in this plat, saith Jehovah. Now, therefore, take and him into the plat of ground, according to the word

Jehovah.||

On approaching the tower or palace, Jezebel, the wido Ahab, looked out at a window, when at the command of Je

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