When the people were come into Samaria, Elisha said: “Lord, open the eyes of these men, that they may see.” He prayed, first, that their sight might be taken away. That seemed to be cruel. Now he prays that their sight may be given to them again. “And, behold, they were in the midst of Samaria. And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them: ‘My father!’” As if he had become a convert. The son of Ahab and Jezebel said to Elisha: “My father!” A reluctant and hypocritical compliment, for Jehoram could be neither reverent or true. But, said he, observing the prize that was before him: “Shall I smite them? Shall I smite them?” This was a Hebraism equal to: “Smiting, shall I smite?” So Jehoram said: “Shall I, smiting, smite them?” Elisha answered: “No.” Now, let us hear what this man can say who has been judged guilty of untruth and of stratagem. Elisha said to Jehoram: “Thou shalt not smite them. Wouldst thou smite those whom thou hast taken captive without thy sword and without thy bow?” This is the same as saying: “If you yourself have won the victory, then you can smite; but you did not take these men, and therefore you shall not smite them. What you have taken by your own sword and spear may be your lawful prize in war; but here is a capture with which you have had nothing to do.” What, then, is to be done? Hear Elisha: “Set bread and water before them, that they may eat and drink and go to their master.” And so great provision was prepared, “and when they had eaten and drunk, he sent them away, and they went to their master.” We might even excuse a strategic act in order to secure such a conclusion. Elisha was supposed to be about a hundred years of age when he died. We have seen that he was a domestic rather than a public prophet. He was unlike his great predecessor and father. The awful Elijah dwelt alone. He came upon society now and then--came down like a flood from the threatening clouds; shot out like a fire, and burned the men whom he approached. Elisha was exactly the contrary. He worked his miracles in the house. He often called upon people; he was quiet, serene, most sympathetic and tender-hearted. Now and then he could stand bolt upright and send away proud men from his door with a disdain that they could never forget; but in the usual process of his life he was a mother-man in Israel. He went into people’s houses and asked how they were. He consented to increase their oil and their flour, and to bless their family life with prophetic benedictions. GEHAZI. The name Gehazi means “valley of vision,” and is appropriate enough if we think of what Gehazi saw as to the nature of wickedness when the prophet opened his eyes. Let us note what points there are in this case which illustrate human life as we now know it. In this way we shall test the moral accuracy of the story--and that is all we are now principally concerned about.