"Bring meal," he said, for he seems always to have been a man of the fewest words.
They cast in some meal, and were all able to eat of the now harmless pottage. It has been noticed that in this, as in other incidents of the story, there is no invocation of the name of Jehovah.
V. Not far from Gilgal was the little village of Baalshalisha,[78] at which lived a farmer who wished to bring an offering of firstfruits and _karmel_ (bruised grain) in his wallet to Elisha as a Man of God.[79] It was a poor gift enough--only twenty of the coarse barley loaves which were eaten by the common people, and a sack[80] full of fresh ears of corn.[81] Elisha told his servitor[82]--perhaps Gehazi--to set them before the people present. "What?" he asked, "this trifle of food before a hundred men!" But Elisha told him in the Lord's name that it should more than suffice; and so it did.
[65] Jos., _Antt._, IX. iv. 2. This perhaps is only suggested by the reminiscences of 1 Kings xviii. 2, 3, 12.
[67] 2 Kings iv. 10. Not "a little chamber on the wall" (A.V.), but "an _alîyah_ with walls" (margin, R.V.).
[69] John iv. 27: "Then came His disciples, and marvelled that He was _talking_ ([Greek: meta gunaikos]) _with a woman_."
[70] 2 Kings iv. 13: "Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care" (LXX., [Greek: pasan tên ekstasin tautên]).
[71] The Sheykh with whom I stayed at Bint es Jebeil could think of no return which I could offer for his hospitality so acceptable as if I would say a good word for him to the authorities at Beyrout.
[72] Gehazi is usually called the _na'ar_ or "lad" of Elisha--a term implying lower service than Elisha's "ministry" to Elijah.
[73] 2 Kings iv. 23. Hebrew "Peace"; A.V., "It shall be well."
[74] Salutations occupy some time in the formally courteous East. Comp. Luke x. 4.
[76] Not "lap," as in A. V. (Heb., _beged_); LXX. [Greek: synelixe plêres to himation autou]; Vulg., _implevit vestem suam_ (both correctly).
[77] Heb., _paquoth_; LXX., [Greek: tolypên agrian]; Vulg; _colocynthidas agri_. Hence the name _cucumis prophetarum_.
[78] Lord of the Chain and "Three lands." Three wadies meet at this spot, a little west of Bethel.
[79] 2 Kings iv. 42. Karmel, Lev. ii. 14. Perhaps a sort of frumenty.