4. Beds in the Eaft are often raifed feveral feet above the floor, in galleries at the corners of rooms, and the afcent to them is by steps.

8. This was the drefs of the prophets in general. It was coarfe and plain, but there was nothing of peculiar aufterity in it. Such a drefs John the Baptift wore.

10. This he faid, no doubt, from a divine impulse. He feems to have called him a man of God by way of ridicule and infult, and to have commanded him in an infolent manner to attend the king.

11. This fecond messenger would, no doubt, think that the lightning which deftroyed his predeceffor had a natural caufe, and therefore that he had no reason to be apprehensive of the like fate. He feems to have behaved in a more infolent manner than the former.

13. This third meffenger was convinced that there muft have been fomething fupernatural in the deflruction of the two companies that had preceeded him, and therefore he behaved with becoming fubmiffion.

16. What had happened to the two firft meffengers had, no doubt, alarmed the king; fo that tho' the prophet was now in his power, he did nothing against him.

17. In the eighteenth year of Fehosaphat king of Judah, LXX, as in 2 Chron. xiii, 1.

In order to reconcile the different accounts of the reign of Jehoram the son of Jehofaphat, it is fuppofed by fome that he was made king jointly with his father feven years before his death.

Ch. II. 3. That Elijah was to be taken up into heaven, appears to have been known not only to Elisha, but to the fons of the prophets, and the people of thof

parts

parts in general. This information must have come from Elijah himself.

7. They looked in expectation of feeing the afcent of Elijah.

9. The double portion of the inheritance was the pris vilege of the first born fon. A diftinction fimilar to this was requested by Elifha, and not to be any thing more than Elijah himfelf had been.

10. It was not in the power of Elijah to grant this request; but he gave him a token by which he might know whether God would grant it or not, and he had his wifh. But it does not appear in the history of Elifha, that he was in any refpect fuperior to Elijah. Their miracles were equally great, but Elifha did not act fo confpicuous a part in public life as Elijah had done. 11. This is a fecond, and the laft, inftance of a perfon tranflated into another life without dying, tho' it was perhaps the cafe of Mofes. Where thefe perfons, or our Saviour, who was raised from the dead, now are, or how they are employed, is altogether unknown. But as it cannot be fuppofed that they have any relation to any other world, or planet, they are, no doubt, in this.

12. What Elisha meant by faying the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof, is uncertain. It was perhaps to express his high opinion of him, as the de> fence and guardian of the country; as chariots and horsemen were reputed to be.

14. This would be a proof to Elisha, that the fpirit and power of Elijah remained with him.

15. Such too was the conclufion which the fons of

the prophets drew from this miracle, of which they ap pear to have been spectators.

16. They thought he might have been conveyed to fome other place, and not into another world, or Itate.

21. The falt would naturally make the water lefs wholefome, nor could the effect of a little falt, whatever had been its natural tendency, been permanent. The power of God was therefore moit apparent in this mi

racle.

23. The word here tranflated little children, fometimes figures young perfons grown to men's estate. Ifaac when he was twenty eight years old is fo called, Gen. xxii, 5-12, and Jofeph when he was thirty. Gen. xLi, 12. What they did to infult the prophet was probably at the inftigation of the priests of Baal. They had, no doubt, heard of the afcent of Elijah, but would not believe it. Since much hair was admired, baldnefs was reproachful.

2+ This curfe was, no doubt, from a divine impufe, previous to the juft punishment of these profane young

men.

Ch. III. 1. Ahaziah his brother began to reign in the feventeenth year of Jehofaphat, and reigned two years, 1 Kings, xxii, 51; and yet Jehoram began to reign in the eighteenth of Jehofaphat. Part of twe years are, therefore, called two years.

3. He did not worship any ftrange god, but the true God in a forbidden manner.

4. In these times a great part of the wealth of kings arofe from their private eftates, which their fons and

fervants

fervants managed for them. This is fuppofed to have been not an annual tribute, but a fine for fome injury received from them.

8. The Edomites were tributary to the kings of Judah, and therefore he could command their affift

ance.

9. They had to go round the Southern part of the Dead fea.

11. That is, he was his fervant, doing menial offices for him.

12. He was probably at no great distance, and they fhewed their respect by going to him, rather than fending for him to attend them.

15. The mufic, probably accompanied with fome facred hymn, would tend to compose his fpirits, cipecially after the juft indignation he had expreffed against the king of Ifrael, and in this ftate of mind he waited for the divine impulfe. tie had probably had it at other times when he was thus compofed.

17. Rain in the Eaft is often preceded by a brisk wind, as it is when thunder gufts arife in this country. 19. How clear is this prediction, and unlike the refponfes of the heathen oracles.

20. How this water was produced does not appear. But as there was neither wind nor rain, it must have been from fome opening of the earth, or a miraculous production of the water, each of which was equally eafy to the author of nature.

21. It might have this appearance from fome optical deception.

25. They deftroyed all the country, demolishing all the fortifications, except those of the royal city, which was exceedingly ftrong. Is. xvi, 7—11.

27. The facrificing of perfons of distinction on extraordinary occafions was not uncommon with the heathens, who naturally thought that the more valuable the facrifice was, the more acceptable it would be to their gods, especially those that they conceived to be of a favage and cruel nature. The Carthaginians at one time facrificed three hundred young perfons of the firft families in their city. The Ifraelites were fo much fhocked at this fight, that they broke up the fiege, and left the country; having, indeed, taken fufficient revenge for their rebellion. It does not, however, appear that the Moabites {were ever reduced to their former dependence on the kings of Ifrael, but rofe gradually to confiderable power, as an independent nation.

Ch. IV, 1. It is evident that celibacy was not enjoined on those who are called the fons of the prophets, as fome of thefe had wives; nor is it probable that any rigid obfervances were required of them. The creditor had a legal right, when the debt could not otherwife be paid, to feize the family of the debtor, and make him his flave, that is, till the year of release.

7. All the miracles wrought by Elifha were of the benevolent kind, refembling thofe of Jefus afterwards.

8. Shunem was in the road from Carmel, which was not far diftant, to Bethel and Jericho.

13. It appears from this, and from other circumflances, that Elisha was well known, and refpected at the court. His prediction of the late victory over the

Moabites