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return of his master^226 from Dothan to his permanent home at Samaria (2 Kings
6:32).
This would throw light on the language which Elisha afterwards held to the Syrians
(2 Kings 6:19). But when Elisha's servant saw the town surrounded by the Syrian
host, his heart failed him, and he turned to his master with the despairing inquiry
what they were to do. If our previous suggestion that they had intended leaving
Dothan that morning be well founded, it is not necessary to suppose that the servant
knew the expedition to have been especially destined against Elisha; but he would
naturally feel that not only was their projected journey now impossible, but that his
master and himself were in imminent danger from which there seemed no possibility
of escape. What follows is both historically and symbolically of deepest importance.
In answer to the prayer of Elisha the eyes of the young man were opened, and he
beheld the height which overlooked Dothan - or else that on which it stood - full of
horses and chariots of fire. Truly had Elisha said: "Fear not, for more they with us
than they with them." It was not only the Divine answer to the Syrian challenge, and
the manifestation of the Divine triumphant supremacy over the power of the enemy,
but the revelation of the ever-present, watchful help of Him Whose angel "encampeth
round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them" (Psalms 34:7; 55:18; 91:11).
But although the vision was vouchsafed to the prophet's servant when his "eyes"
were "opened" (Genesis 21:19; Numbers 22:31) - that is, a sight of objects granted
him, which, in our present state, is preternatural - we regard it as none the less real.
And this, though the appearance of "fire," which was the well-known symbol of the
Divine manifestation (Exodus 24:17; 2 Kings 2:11; Psalms 1:3; Isaiah 29:6; Ezekiel
1:4, 27), and even the form of "chariots and horses" might be the human mode of
presentation familiar to the Jewish mind (comp. also Psalms 104:3; Isaiah 66:15;
Habakkuk 3:8). But we entertain no doubt of the real and constant, though by us
unseen, presence of those angel-hosts, which alike the Old and the New Testament
teach us to believe are the messengers of God's behests and ministering spirits to His
saints. And this adds both solemnity and comfort to all our doing.
In view of this heavenly guard there could be no hesitation on the part of Elisha and
his servant in carrying out what we have supposed to have been their original
intention of returning to Samaria. And so the two went down to the Syrian host.^227
At the prayer of Elisha they were smitten, not with blindness but with blinding, so
that, in the words of the Rabbis,^228 "they saw, but they knew not."^229 It was not,
therefore, "a lawful stratagem"^230 on his part, but literally true, when Elisha said to
the Syrians who were about to make their way into Dothan: "This is not the way, and
this is not the city; come after me, and I will bring you to the man whom you are
seeking."
(^)