iv. While still at Gilgal, Elisha was visited by a man from Baal-shalisha (See 1 Sam. ix. 4), with 20 barley-loaves, and roasted ears of corn in his scrip or bag[386]. This moderate supply he ordered to be distributed amongst the people who were present, to the number of one hundred, and in reply to his hesitating “servitor” assured him that there would not only be enough, but that the people _would leave thereof_, which came to pass; and thus Elisha was enabled to anticipate the works of Christ (2 K. iv. 42–44). CHAPTER VI. _ELISHA AND NAAMAN――SIEGE OF SAMARIA._ 2 KINGS V. VI. B.C. 894–892. BUT Elisha’s fame was soon to overstep the limits of his own country. The captain of the army of Ben-hadad, king of Syria, at this time was named NAAMAN (See Lk. iv. 27). He had achieved many victories for his master, and for personal prowess was held in high honour, being in close attendance on his sovereign, but _he was a leper_. This frightful malady which, had he been an Israelite, would have cut him off from all intercourse with his fellows, does not appear to have laid him under the same disadvantages in Syria, and he still retained his post as commander-in-chief. In his harem, waiting on his wife, was a little Israelitish maid, who had been taken prisoner in one of the forays of the Syrians over the border. She knew what Elisha could do, and assured her mistress that, if only Naaman was _with the prophet that was in Samaria_, he would certainly be cured of his malady. Her words were told to Naaman, who communicated them to Ben-hadad[387]. The Syrian king thereupon wrote a letter to Jehoram, king of Israel, and sent his general with it, accompanied by a large retinue bearing 10 talents of silver, 6,000 pieces of gold, and 6 of the rich fabrics, for which Damascus had always been famous. On reaching Samaria Naaman presented the letter to Jehoram, who had no sooner read the curt words of the Syrian king, than he rent his clothes, and exclaimed, _Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man doth send unto me to recover a man of his leprosy?_ He could only think of one motive for the letter; _Consider_, said he, _how this man seeketh a quarrel against me_ (2 K. v. 7).