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Now when these men were come back, and had showed Benhadad how strange
an accident had befallen them, and what an appearance and power they had
experienced of the God of Israel, he wondered at it, as also at that prophet
with whom God was so evidently present; so he determined to make no more
secret attempts upon the king of Israel, out of fear of Elisha, but resolved
to make open war with them, as supposing he could be too hard for his enemies
by the multitude of his army and power. So he made an expedition with a
great army against Joram, who, not thinking himself a match for him, shut
himself up in Samaria, and depended on the strength of its walls; but Benhadad
supposed he should take the city, if not by his engines of war, yet that
he should overcome the Samaritans by famine, and the want of necessaries,
and brought his army upon them, and besieged the city; and the plenty of
necessaries was brought so low with Joram, that from the extremity of want
an ass's head was sold in Samaria for fourscore pieces of silver, and the
Hebrews bought a sextary of dore's dung, instead of salt, for five pieces
of silver. Now Joram was in fear lest somebody should betray the city to
the enemy, by reason of the famine, and went every day round the walls
and the guards to see whether any such were concealed among them; and by
being thus seen, and taking such care, he deprived them of the opportunity
of contriving any such thing; and if they had a mind to do it, he, by this
means, prevented them: but upon a certain woman's crying out, "Have
pity on me, my lord," while he thought that she was about to ask for
somewhat to eat, he imprecated God's curse upon her, and said he had neither
thrashing-floor nor wine-press, whence he might give her any thing at her
petition. Upon which she said she did not desire his aid in any such thing,
nor trouble him about food, but desired that he would do her justice as
to another woman. And when be bade her say on, and let him know what she
desired, she said she had made an agreement with the other woman who was
her neighbor and her friend, that because the famine and want was intolerable,
they should kill their children, each of them having a son of their own,
and we will live upon them ourselves for two days, the one day upon one
son, and the other day upon the other; and," said she, I have killed
my son the first day, and we lived upon my son yesterday; but this other
woman will not do the same thing, but hath broken her agreement, and hath
hid her son." This story mightily grieved Joram when he heard it;
so he rent his garment, and cried out with a loud voice, and conceived
great wrath against Elisha the prophet, and set himself eagerly to have
him slain, because he did not pray to God to provide them some exit and
way of escape out of the miseries with which they were surrounded; and
sent one away immediately to cut off his head, who made haste to kill the
prophet. But Elisha was not unacquainted with the wrath of the king against
him; for as he sat in his house by himself, with none but his disciples
about him, he told them that Joram,
1
who was the son of a murderer, had sent one to take away his head; "but,"
said he, "when he that is commanded to do this comes, take care that
you do not let him come in, but press the door against him, and hold him
fast there, for the king himself will follow him, and come to me, having
altered his mind." Accordingly, they did as they were bidden, when
he that was sent by the king to kill Elisha came. But Joram repented of
his wrath against the prophet; and for fear he that was commanded to kill
him should have done it before he came, he made haste to hinder his slaughter,
and to save the prophet: and when he came to him, he accused him that he
did not pray to God for their deliverance from the miseries they now lay
under, but saw them so sadly destroyed by them. Hereupon Elisha promised,
that the very next day, at the very same hour in which the king came to
him, they should have great plenty of food, and that two seahs of barley
should be sold in the market for a shekel, and a seah of fine flour should
be sold for a shekel. This prediction made Joram, and those that were present,
very joyful, for they did not scruple believing what the prophet said,
on account of the experience they had of the truth of his former predictions;
and the expectation of plenty made the want they were in that day, with
the uneasiness that accompanied it, appear a light thing to them: but the
captain of the third band, who was a friend of the king, and on whose hand
the king leaned, said, "Thou talkest of incredible things, O prophet!
for as it is impossible for God to pour down torrents of barley, or fine
flour, out of heaven, so is it impossible that what thou sayest should
come to pass." To which the prophet made this reply," Thou shalt
see these things come to pass, but thou shalt not be in the least a partaker
of them."