71 And Elisha saith, 'Hear ye a word of Jehovah: thus said Jehovah, About this time to-morrow, a measure of fine flour 'is' at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, in the gate of Samaria.' 2 And the captain whom the king hath, by whose hand he hath been supported, answereth the man of God and saith, 'Lo, Jehovah is making windows in the heavens—shall this thing be?' and he saith, 'Lo, thou art seeing it with thine eyes, and thereof thou dost not eat.'
3 And four men have been leprous, at the opening of the gate, and they say one unto another, 'What—we are sitting here till we have died; 4 if we have said, We go in to the city, then the famine 'is' in the city, and we have died there; and if we have sat here, then we have died; and now, come and we fall unto the camp of Aram; if they keep us alive, we live, and if they put us to death—we have died.' 5 And they rise in the twilight, to go in unto the camp of Aram, and they come in unto the extremity of the camp of Aram, and lo, there is not a man there, 6 seeing Jehovah hath caused the camp of Aram to hear a noise of chariot and a noise of horse—a noise of great force, and they say one unto another, 'Lo, the king of Israel hath hired against us the kings of the Hittites, and the kings of Egypt, to come against us.' 7 And they rise and flee in the twilight, and forsake their tents, and their horses, and their asses—the camp as it 'is'—and flee for their life. 8 And these lepers come in unto the extremity of the camp, and come in unto one tent, and eat, and drink, and lift up thence silver, and gold, and garments, and go and hide; and they turn back and go in unto another tent, and lift up thence, and go and hide. 9 And they say one unto another, 'We are not doing right this day; a day of tidings it 'is', and we are keeping silent; and—we have waited till the light of the morning, then hath punishment found us; and now, come and we go in and declare to the house of the king.' 10 And they come in, and call unto the gatekeeper of the city, and declare for themselves, saying, 'We have come in unto the camp of Aram, and lo, there is not there a man, or sound of man, but the bound horse, and the bound ass, and tents as they 'are'.' 11 and he calleth the gatekeepers, and they declare to the house of the king within.
12 And the king riseth by night, and saith unto his servants, 'Let me declare, I pray you, to you that which the Aramaeans have done to us; they have known that we are famished, and they are gone out from the camp to be hidden in the field, saying, When they come out from the city, then we catch them alive, and unto the city we enter.' 13 And one of his servants answereth and saith, 'Then let them take, I pray thee, five of the horses that are left, that have been left in it—lo, they 'are' as all the multitude of Israel who have been left in it; lo, they are as all the multitude of Israel who have been consumed—and we send and see.' 14 And they take two chariot-horses, and the king sendeth after the camp of Aram, saying, 'Go, and see.' 15 And they go after them unto the Jordan, and lo, all the way is full of garments and vessels that the Aramaeans have cast away in their haste, and the messengers turn back and declare to the king. 16 And the people go out and spoil the camp of Aram, and there is a measure of fine flour at a shekel, and two measures of barley at a shekel, according to the word of Jehovah. 17 And the king hath appointed the captain, by whose hand he is supported, over the gate, and the people tread him down in the gate, and he dieth, as the man of God spake, which he spake in the coming down of the king unto him, 18 yea, it cometh to pass, according to the speaking of the man of God unto the king, saying, 'Two measures of barley at a shekel, and a measure of fine flour at a shekel are, at this time to-morrow, in the gate of Samaria;' 19 and the captain answereth the man of God, and saith, 'And lo, Jehovah is making windows in the heavens—it is according to this word?' and he saith, 'Lo, thou art seeing with thine eyes, and thereof thou dost not eat;' 20 and it cometh to him so, and the people tread him down in the gate, and he dieth.
81 And Elisha spake unto the woman whose son he had revived, saying, 'Rise and go, thou and thy household, and sojourn where thou dost sojourn, for Jehovah hath called for a famine, and also, it is coming unto the land seven years.' 2 And the woman riseth, and doth according to the word of the man of God, and goeth, she and her household, and sojourneth in the land of the Philistines seven years. 3 And it cometh to pass, at the end of seven years, that the woman turneth back from the land of the Philistines, and goeth out to cry unto the king, for her house, and for her field. 4 And the king is speaking unto Gehazi, servant of the man of God, saying, 'Recount, I pray thee, to me, the whole of the great things that Elisha hath done.' 5 And it cometh to pass, he is recounting to the king how he had revived the dead, and lo, the woman whose son he had revived is crying unto the king, for her house and for her field, and Gehazi saith, 'My lord, O king, this 'is' the woman, and this her son, whom Elisha revived.' 6 And the king asketh at the woman, and she recounteth to him, and the king appointeth to her a certain eunuch, saying, 'Give back all that she hath, and all the increase of the field from the day of her leaving the land even till now.'
7 And Elisha cometh in to Damascus, and Ben-Hadad king of Aram is sick, and it is declared to him, saying, 'The man of God hath come hither.' 8 And the king saith unto Hazael, 'Take in thy hand a present, and go to meet the man of God, and thou hast sought Jehovah by him, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?' 9 And Hazael goeth to meet him, and taketh a present in his hand, even of every good thing of Damascus, a burden of forty camels, and he cometh in and standeth before him, and saith, 'Thy son Ben-Hadad, king of Aram, hath sent me unto thee, saying, Do I revive from this sickness?' 10 And Elisha saith unto him, 'Go, say, Thou dost certainly not revive, seeing Jehovah hath shewed me that he doth surely die.' 11 And he setteth his face, yea, he setteth 'it' till he is ashamed, and the man of God weepeth. 12 And Hazael saith, 'Wherefore is my lord weeping?' and he saith, 'Because I have known the evil that thou dost to the sons of Israel—their fenced places thou dost send into fire, and their young men with sword thou dost slay, and their sucklings thou dost dash to pieces, and their pregnant women thou dost rip up.' 13 And Hazael saith, 'But what, 'is' thy servant the dog, that he doth this great thing?' And Elisha saith, 'Jehovah hath shewed me thee—king of Aram.' 14 And he goeth from Elisha, and cometh in unto his lord, and he saith unto him, 'What said Elisha to thee?' and he saith, 'He said to me, Thou dost certainly recover.' 15 And it cometh to pass on the morrow, that he taketh the coarse cloth, and dippeth in water, and spreadeth on his face, and he dieth, and Hazael reigneth in his stead.
16 And in the fifth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel—and Jehoshaphat 'is' king of Judah—hath Jehoram son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah reigned; 17 a son of thirty and two years was he in his reigning, and eight years he hath reigned in Jerusalem. 18 And he walketh in the way of the kings of Israel, as did the house of Ahab, for a daughter of Ahab was to him for a wife, and he doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, 19 and Jehovah was not willing to destroy Judah, for the sake of David his servant, as He said to him, to give to him a lamp—to his sons all the days. 20 In his days hath Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and they cause a king to reign over them, 21 and Joram passeth over to Zair, and all the chariots with him, and he himself hath risen by night, and smiteth Edom, that is coming round about unto him, and the heads of the chariots, and the people fleeth to its tents; 22 and Edom revolteth from under the hand of Judah till this day; then doth Libnah revolt at that time. 23 And the rest of the matters of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written on the book of the Chronicles of the kings of Judah? 24 And Joram lieth with his fathers, and is buried with his fathers in the city of David, and reign doth Ahaziah his son in his stead.
25 In the twelfth year of Joram son of Ahab king of Israel reigned hath Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah; 26 a son of twenty and two years 'is' Ahaziah in his reigning, and one year he hath reigned in Jerusalem, and the name of his mother 'is' Athaliah daughter of Omri king of Israel, 27 and he walketh in the way of the house of Ahab, and doth the evil thing in the eyes of Jehovah, like the house of Ahab, for he 'is' son-in-law of the house of Ahab. 28 And he goeth with Joram son of Ahab to battle with Hazael king of Aram in Ramoth-Gilead, and the Aramaeans smite Joram, 29 and Joram the king turneth back to be healed in Jezreel of the wounds with which the Arameans smite him in Ramah, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram, and Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram son of Ahab in Jezreel, for he is sick.
91 And Elisha the prophet hath called to one of the sons of the prophets, and saith to him, 'Gird up thy loins, and take this vial of oil in thy hand, and go to Ramoth-Gilead, 2 and thou hast gone in there, and see thou there Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, and thou hast gone in, and caused him to rise out of the midst of his brethren, and brought him in to the inner part of an inner-chamber, 3 and taken the vial of oil, and poured on his head, and said, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel; and thou hast opened the door, and fled, and dost not wait.' 4 And the young man goeth—the young man the prophet—to Ramoth-Gilead, 5 and cometh in, and lo, chiefs of the force are sitting, and he saith, 'I have a word unto thee, O chief!' and Jehu saith, 'Unto which of all of us?' and he saith, 'Unto thee, O chief.' 6 And he riseth and cometh in to the house, and he poureth the oil on his head, and saith to him, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, I have anointed thee for king unto the people of Jehovah, unto Israel, 7 and thou hast smitten the house of Ahab thy lord, and I have required the blood of My servants the prophets, and the blood of all the servants of Jehovah, from the hand of Jezebel; 8 and perished hath all the house of Ahab, and I have cut off to Ahab those sitting on the wall, and restrained, and left, in Israel, 9 and I have given up the house of Ahab like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and as the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, 10 and Jezebel do the dogs eat in the portion of Jezreel, and there is none burying;' and he openeth the door and fleeth.
11 And Jehu hath gone out unto the servants of his lord, and 'one' saith to him, 'Is there peace? wherefore came this madman unto thee?' and he saith unto them, 'Ye have known the man and his talk.' 12 And they say, 'False, declare, we pray thee, to us;' and he saith, 'Thus and thus spake he unto me, saying, Thus said Jehovah, I have anointed thee for king unto Israel.' 13 And they haste and take each his garment, and put 'it' under him at the top of the stairs, and blow with a trumpet, and say, 'Reigned hath Jehu!'
14 And Jehu son of Jehoshaphat, son of Nimshi, conspireth against Joram—(and Joram was keeping in Ramoth-Gilead, he and all Israel, from the presence of Hazael king of Aram, 15 and king Joram turneth back to be healed in Jezreel, of the wounds with which the Aramaeans smite him, in his fighting with Hazael king of Aram)—and Jehu saith, 'If it is your mind, let not an escaped one go out from the city, to go to declare 'it' in Jezreel.'
16 And Jehu rideth, and goeth to Jezreel, for Joram is lying there, and Ahaziah king of Judah hath gone down to see Joram. 17 And the watchman is standing on the tower in Jezreel, and seeth the company of Jehu in his coming, and saith, 'A company I see;' and Joram saith, 'Take a rider and send to meet them, and let him say, Is there peace?' 18 and the rider on the horse goeth to meet him, and saith, 'Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, 'What—to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.' And the watchman declareth, saying, 'The messenger came unto them, and he hath not returned.' 19 And he sendeth a second rider on a horse, and he cometh in unto them, and saith, 'Thus said the king, Is there peace?' and Jehu saith, 'What—to thee and to peace? turn round behind me.' 20 And the watchman declareth, saying, 'He came unto them, and he hath not returned, and the driving 'is' like the driving of Jehu son of Nimshi, for with madness he driveth.' 21 And Jehoram saith, 'Harness;' and his chariot is harnessed, and Jehoram king of Israel goeth out, and Ahaziah king of Judah, each in his chariot, and they go out to meet Jehu, and find him in the portion of Naboth the Jezreelite. 22 And it cometh to pass, at Jehoram's seeing Jehu, that he saith, 'Is there peace, Jehu?' and he saith, 'What 'is' the peace, while the whoredoms of Jezebel thy mother, and her witchcrafts, are many?' 23 And Jehoram turneth his hands, and fleeth, and saith unto Ahaziah, 'Deceit, O Ahaziah!' 24 And Jehu hath filled his hand with a bow, and smiteth Jehoram between his arms, and the arrow goeth out from his heart, and he boweth down in his chariot. 25 And 'Jehu' saith unto Bidkar his captain, 'Lift up, cast him into the portion of the field of Naboth the Jezreelite—for, remember, I and thou were riding together after Ahab his father, and Jehovah lifted upon him this burden: 26 Have I not the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons seen yesternight—the affirmation of Jehovah—yea, I have recompensed to thee in this portion—the affirmation of Jehovah;—and now, lift up, cast him into the portion, according to the word of Jehovah.'
27 And Ahaziah king of Judah hath seen, and fleeth the way of the garden-house, and Jehu pursueth after him, and saith, 'Smite him—also him—in the chariot,' in the going up to Gur, that 'is' Ibleam, and he fleeth to Megiddo, and dieth there, 28 and his servants carry him in a chariot to Jerusalem, and bury him in his burying-place, with his fathers, in the city of David. 29 And in the eleventh year of Joram son of Ahab reign did Ahaziah over Judah.
30 And Jehu cometh in to Jezreel, and Jezebel hath heard, and putteth her eyes in paint and maketh right her head, and looketh out through the window. 31 And Jehu hath come into the gate, and she saith, 'Was there peace 'to' Zimri—slayer of his lord?' 32 And he lifteth up his face unto the window, and saith, 'Who 'is' with me?—who?' and look out unto him do two 'or' three eunuchs; 33 And he saith, 'Let her go;' and they let her go, and 'some' of her blood is sprinkled on the wall, and on the horses, and he treadeth her down. 34 And he cometh in, and eateth, and drinketh, and saith, 'Look after, I pray you, this cursed one, and bury her, for she 'is' a king's daughter.' 35 And they go to bury her, and have not found of her except the skull, and the feet, and the palms of the hands. 36 And they turn back, and declare to him, and he saith, 'The word of Jehovah it 'is', that He spake by the hand of this servant Elijah the Tishbite, saying, In the portion of Jezreel do the dogs eat the flesh of Jezebel, 37 and the carcase of Jezebel hath been as dung on the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel, that they say not, This 'is' Jezebel.'
11 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God; 2 this one was in the beginning with God; 3 all things through him did happen, and without him happened not even one thing that hath happened. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men,
5 and the light in the darkness did shine, and the darkness did not perceive it. 6 There came a man—having been sent from God—whose name 'is' John, 7 this one came for testimony, that he might testify about the Light, that all might believe through him; 8 that one was not the Light, but—that he might testify about the Light. 9 He was the true Light, which doth enlighten every man, coming to the world; 10 in the world he was, and the world through him was made, and the world did not know him: 11 to his own things he came, and his own people did not receive him; 12 but as many as did receive him to them he gave authority to become sons of God—to those believing in his name, 13 who—not of blood nor of a will of flesh, nor of a will of man but—of God were begotten. 14 And the Word became flesh, and did tabernacle among us, and we beheld his glory, glory as of an only begotten of a father, full of grace and truth.
15 John doth testify concerning him, and hath cried, saying, 'This was he of whom I said, He who after me is coming, hath come before me, for he was before me;' 16 and out of his fulness did we all receive, and grace over-against grace; 17 for the law through Moses was given, the grace and the truth through Jesus Christ did come; 18 God no one hath ever seen; the only begotten Son, who is on the bosom of the Father—he did declare.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent out of Jerusalem priests and Levites, that they might question him, 'Who art thou?' 20 and he confessed and did not deny, and confessed—'I am not the Christ.' 21 And they questioned him, 'What then? Elijah art thou?' and he saith, 'I am not.'—'The prophet art thou?' and he answered, 'No.' 22 They said then to him, 'Who art thou, that we may give an answer to those sending us? what dost thou say concerning thyself?' 23 He said, 'I 'am' a voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet.' 24 And those sent were of the Pharisees, 25 and they questioned him and said to him, 'Why, then, dost thou baptize, if thou art not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?' 26 John answered them, saying, 'I baptize with water, but in midst of you he hath stood whom ye have not known, this one it is who is coming after me, who hath been before me, 27 of whom I am not worthy that I may loose the cord of his sandal.' 28 These things came to pass in Bethabara, beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing,
(Read John 1:1-5)
The plainest reason why the Son of God is called the Word, seems to be, that as our words explain our minds to others, so was the Son of God sent in order to reveal his Father's mind to the world. What the evangelist says of Christ proves that he is God. He asserts, His existence in the beginning; His coexistence with the Father. The Word was with God. All things were made by him, and not as an instrument. Without him was not any thing made that was made, from the highest angel to the meanest worm. This shows how well qualified he was for the work of our redemption and salvation. The light of reason, as well as the life of sense, is derived from him, and depends upon him. This eternal Word, this true Light shines, but the darkness comprehends it not. Let us pray without ceasing, that our eyes may be opened to behold this Light, that we may walk in it; and thus be made wise unto salvation, by faith in Jesus Christ.
(Read John 1:6-14)
John the Baptist came to bear witness concerning Jesus. Nothing more fully shows the darkness of men's minds, than that when the Light had appeared, there needed a witness to call attention to it. Christ was the true Light; that great Light which deserves to be called so. By his Spirit and grace he enlightens all that are enlightened to salvation; and those that are not enlightened by him, perish in darkness. Christ was in the world when he took our nature upon him, and dwelt among us. The Son of the Highest was here in this lower world. He was in the world, but not of it. He came to save a lost world, because it was a world of his own making. Yet the world knew him not. When he comes as a Judge, the world shall know him. Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them. All the children of God are born again. This new birth is through the word of God as the means, 1 Peter 1:23, and by the Spirit of God as the Author. By his Divine presence Christ always was in the world. But now that the fulness of time was come, he was, after another manner, God manifested in the flesh. But observe the beams of his Divine glory, which darted through this veil of flesh. Men discover their weaknesses to those most familiar with them, but it was not so with Christ; those most intimate with him saw most of his glory. Although he was in the form of a servant, as to outward circumstances, yet, in respect of graces, his form was like the Son of God His Divine glory appeared in the holiness of his doctrine, and in his miracles. He was full of grace, fully acceptable to his Father, therefore qualified to plead for us; and full of truth, fully aware of the things he was to reveal.
(Read John 1:15-18)
As to the order of time and entrance on his work, Christ came after John, but in every other way he was before him. The expression clearly shows that Jesus had existence before he appeared on earth as man. All fulness dwells in him, from which alone fallen sinners have, and shall receive, by faith, all that renders them wise, strong, holy, useful, and happy. Our receivings by Christ are all summed up in this one word, grace; we have received "even grace," a gift so great, so rich, so invaluable; the good will of God towards us, and the good work of God in us. The law of God is holy, just, and good; and we should make the proper use of it. But we cannot derive from it pardon, righteousness, or strength. It teaches us to adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour, but it cannot supply the place of that doctrine. As no mercy comes from God to sinners but through Jesus Christ, no man can come to the Father but by him; no man can know God, except as he is made known in the only begotten and beloved Son.
(Read John 1:19-28)
John disowns himself to be the Christ, who was now expected and waited for. He came in the spirit and power of Elias, but he was not the person of Elias. John was not that Prophet whom Moses said the Lord would raise up to them of their brethren, like unto him. He was not such a prophet as they expected, who would rescue them from the Romans. He gave such an account of himself, as might excite and awaken them to hearken to him. He baptized the people with water as a profession of repentance, and as an outward sign of the spiritual blessings to be conferred on them by the Messiah, who was in the midst of them, though they knew him not, and to whom he was unworthy to render the meanest service.
