- 34-
to where the mourners were gathered. Only a hasty flight could save them from death or
bondage. There was not time for hesitation. Rolling away the stone which barred the
entrance, and opening the door of his sepulcher, they laid the dead man upon the bones of
the prophet, and then hastily fled. But lo, life came again to the dead man by touch of the
dead prophet - and "he stood on his feet," the only bring man in the silent home of the
dead; safe in the sepulcher of Elisha from either flight or the Moabites. But whatever its
immediate meaning, who can in this prophetic history refrain from thinking here of the
life that comes from touch of the crucified Christ; of the raising of the young man carried
at Nain on his bier to the burying; or even of the dim dawning of thoughts of a
resurrection, the full blaze of whose light comes to us from the empty tomb on the Easter
morning?
At its close the narrative again returns to what is its keynote (in vers. 4, 5). Again comes
the record of the LORD'S compassion, of His faithful remembrance of the covenant with
the Fathers, and of His merciful delay of that final punishment of Israel's sin which would
sweep them far from their land. It was as God had promised. Hazael was dead. Once and
again, nay three times, did Jehoash defeat Ben-hadad (III.), the son and successor of
Hazael, and take from him those cities which had been captured in the reign of Jehoahaz.
But as from the rock-hewn sepulcher of Elisha came attestation of his Divine mission, so
comes there to us from the monuments of Assyria confirmation of this defeat of Ben-
hadad in fulfillment of Divine promise. For whereas his father is repeatedly referred to as
a bold warrior even against the overwhelming might of Assyria, Ben-hadad (III.) is not
even mentioned.* This is most significant; evidently, his reign was smitten with
weakness, and his power had been wholly broken.
- Comp. Schrader, u.s., pp. 211, 212.
(^)