Enemy, and behold, a diftra&ted Woman, all wildness, threw herself proftrate at his feet, my Lord, O King-juftice-I pray you justice on this Woman, fhe with-holds my due, and I am ftarving, Give (fhe faid) thy Son, and let us "eat him to-day, and we will dre's and eat my "Son to-morrow.' I boiled my Child, and we did eat him; the next day when I looked for her's, behold she has eat him alone, or faves his life. Jehoram fighed bitterly, and expreffed the livelieft forrow, he rent his cloaths, and the rents fhewed the fackcloth, the deep mourning, wherewith he had clad himself. The King's paffion vented it-felf firft on Elifha. "God do so, and more "alfo to me, if the head of Elifha, Son Shaphat "ftand on him this day," and the King inftantly dispatched one of his Guard in order to murder him. Elifha fat reading his Lectures at home, and the Elders, his Friends and his Students fat with him. Ere the Meffenger arrived, fhut, fhut the door, fays the Prophet, and hold it faft, fee how this Son of a Murderer has fent to take off my head? is not the found of his Mafter's feet behind him? while he yet talked, the Meffenger and the King rufhed in upon them. This judgment (fays Jehoram) is from God-He hath inflicted it-He will not remove it-Women are eating up their children-Why bidft thou me

wait on God for help? I am weary of waiting, why wait longer? The Prophet foon convinced him of his Innocence, and forced from the angry King a tacit acknowledgment, it was the rod of the Almighty on account of his own Im piety and Idolatry.

After which Elifha comforts Jehoram, and tells him, fo large a fupply of provifion would be brought into the City, even as foon as to-morrow, that a bufhel of fine flour would be fold for five-pence, and two bufhels of barley at the fame price, at the Gate of Samaria.

That very night, ftruck with horror, and a dreadful panic, the Syrians thought they heard the noise of Horfes, rattling of Chariots, and a mighty Hoft, they fled in the utmoft terror and distraction, and they left all their Provifion and Baggage, even many of their Horfes and Affes, and much Cattle, the very roads were ftrewed with cups and spoons and garments they had dropped. The very next morning fo great was the plenty, and fo immenfe the spoil, a bufhel of fine flour and two bushels of barley were fold for a fhekel,* at the High Gate, the publick Market of Samaria.

* Five-pence.

It

It was during this hurry and confufion that a noble Lord of Samaria, a favourite of the King's, who had been appointed Overfeer of the Gate, was trod to death by the Populace, he had dif credited the Prophet's affertion, and sarcastically told him, "That might be, if the Lord would "make Windows in Heaven." Elifha replied, thou shall see it with thine eyes, but shalt not tafle thereof.

The Prophet had now one more opportunity of ferving his amiable Hostess the Shunamite, Elifha had given her timely notice of the Famine, and on the Prophet's advice and information, fhe left the Country, retired into the land of the Philiftines where there was plenty, and avoided all the diftre fs, She and her family had now been abfent feven years, and when the returned, her eftates had all been feized, they were difpofed of, and in the poffeffion of ftrangers. The Shunamitefs reprefented the cafe, legally laid her claim; but no arguments fhe could use availed, the present occupier had made the purchase, and would retain poffeffion. Upon which fhe came up to Court, and made her appeal to the Throne, At the time fhe obtained an audience, and juft as he was conducted into the prefence Chamber, Gchazi was relating to the King the

Miracles

Miracles and very extraordinary history of his Mafter, and while he was telling the moft aftonishing one, his restoring a dead body to life, the Shunamitefs caught his eye, my Lord, O King, fays Gehazi, "This is the Woman-this is the "Son." Upon which the King enquired of the Woman herself, and asked her to tell her own ftory. A kind providence and very feafonable concurrence of events, for the King upon this, commanded all her eftates to be reftored to her, and the whole profits which had been received from the time fhe first left Shunem, and he appointed an officer to attend her, and fee that they were fully paid back to her and her Son.

Elifha from hence took a journey to Damafcus, and he there foretold Benhadad's death and Hazael's acceffion to the Throne of Syria.

The King was fick, and he heard of the Prophet's arrival at Damafcus, well knowing his character and the fignal miracles he had performed, he fends Hazael, his fervant, with a moft magnificent prefent, in order to purchase his favour and notice, ten Camels laden with the best riches of all his treafury. Hazael met Elifha, and he ftood before him, and he bowed"Thy Son Benhadad, King of Syria, fent me "to thee, and he faid, fhall I recover from VOL. II. Оо

my

66 my difeafe?" Elifha told him the malady was very ufually cured, but the Lord had fhewed him, that the King would furely die. The Prophet looked fo very fteadily on Hazael, it put him quite out of countenance, Elifha's eyes at this inftant ran down with tears, Hazael fubmiffively and very respectfully enquired the caufe of the Prophet's grief, and he now tells him, I am reflecting on the evil thou wilt bring on Ifrael; its ftrong Holds thou wilt fet on fire, its young Men thou wilt flay with the fword, the children fhalt thou dafh to pieces, and the Women with child fhalt thou rip up; Hazael fays, is thy fervant a dog? and he pleaded his great meanefs, the impoffibility of a perfon in his ftation, to acquire even the power of acting with fuch inhumanity. The Prophet now adds, but God hath fhewed me thou wilt be. King over Syria.

Hazael's ambition took fire; he returned back to his Mafter, and told him the Prophet had foretold his recovery; in order to prevent it, Hazael dipped a coarfe cloth in water, and he pretended to be cooling a profufe heat, but he held it on his mouth long enough to fuffocate him; after which, Hazael feized the Crown, and having in his interest both the People and the Army, he afcended the Throne of Ben_ hadad.