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CHAPTER 11 : Illustration and Confirmation of Biblical History
from the Assyrian Monuments - The Deliverance of Syria
through Naaman - Naaman's Leprosy and Journey to Samaria -
Elisha's Message to Joram and to Naaman - Naaman's Healing
and Twofold Request - Gehazi's Deceit and Conviction - Gehazi
is struck with the Leprosy of Naaman. (2 Kings 5.)
FROM the more private ministry of the prophet the Biblical narrative next passes to
an account of his public activity.^188 Very significantly, it was the means of bringing
Israel once more into direct contact with their great enemy, Syria – this time, not in
war, but in peace. And the bloodless victory which was achieved might have taught
king and people how easily the LORD could turn the hearts of their adversaries, and
by the manifestation of His goodness make them fellow-believers and fellow-
worshippers with Israel. In this respect, the present history, as others in this section,
is specially prefigurative of New Testament times.
As the narrative proceeds on the supposition of close relations between Israel and
Syria - not otherwise mentioned in the Bible - and involves, at least indirectly, certain
points of general interest, this seems a fitting opportunity for a brief summary of
what recent discoveries of ancient monuments has taught us, not only confirmatory,
but illustrative and explanatory of this period of Biblical history.^189
But in so doing we must keep some considerations in view by way of caution. For
first, our knowledge of what may be called monumental history is as yet initial and
fragmentary. Secondly, in any seeming discrepancy or slight divergence in details
between the inscriptions on the monuments and the records of Jewish history, it
seems neither reasonable nor safe to give absolute preference to the former. Jewish
writers must have known their own history best, while, in their slight differences
from the records on the monuments, we fail to discover any adequate motives on the
part of the Jewish historians that could account for their falsifying facts. And, we
need scarcely add, the same facts will assume different aspects when viewed from
opposite sides. Again, it is admitted on all hands that there are manifest errors on the
Assyrian monuments, and this on points where error is difficult, to account for. Thus,
to mention one instance - on the Assyrian monuments, Jehu is designated as "the son
of Omri," and that by the very monarch to whom he is both represented and
described as bringing tribute. Further, we have to bear in mind that our knowledge of
Jewish history is also fragmentary. The Old Testament does not profess to be a
handbook of Jewish history. It furnishes prophetic or sacred history, which does not
recount all events as they happened, nor yet always in their exact succession of time,
but presents them in their bearing on the kingdom of God, of which it tells the
history. Hence it records or emphasizes only that which is of importance in
(^)