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blessing of thy servant." But he said, "As the Lord liveth, before whom I stand, I will receive none." And he urged him to take it; but he refused. And Naaman said, "Shall there not then, I pray thee, be given to thy servant two mules' burden of earth? for thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt-offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord. In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon; when I bow down myself in the house of Rimmon, the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing." And he said unto him, "Go in peace." So he departed from him a little way.

But Gehazi, the servant of Elisha the man of God, said, "Behold, my master hath spared Naaman this Syrian, in not receiving at his hands that which he brought: but, as the Lord liveth, I will run after him, and take somewhat of him." So Gehazi followed after Naaman. And when Naaman saw him running after him, he lighted down from the chariot to meet him, and said, "Is all well?" And he said, "All is well. My master hath sent me, saying, 'Behold, even now there be come to me from mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments." And Naaman said, "Be content, take two talents." And he urged him, and bound two talents of silver in two bags, with two changes of garments, and laid them upon two of his ser

NAAMAN THE SYRIAN.

145

vants; and they bare them before him. And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house: and he let the men go, and they departed. But he went in, and stood before his master. And Elisha said unto him, "Whence comest thou, Gehazi?" And he said, "Thy servant went no whither." And he said unto him, "Went not mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to meet thee? Is it a time to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maidservants? The leprosy therefore of Naaman shall cleave unto thee, and unto thy seed for ever." And he went out from his presence a leper as white as snow.

11

The Story of the Are that Swam.

(From the 6th Chapter of 2 KINGS.)

AND the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, "Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell." And he answered, "Go ye." And one said, "Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants." And he answered, "I will go." So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood. But as one was felling a beam, the axe-head fell into the water: and he cried and said, "Alas, master! for it was borrowed." And the man of God said, "Where fell it?" and he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, "Take it up to thee." And he put out his hand, and took it.

The Story of the Siege of Samaria and the Syrians'

Flight.

(From the 6th and 7th Chapters of 2 KINGS.)

Ir came to pass that the king of Syria with all his host besieged Samaria. And there was great famine in Samaria; and behold they besieged it until an ass's head was sold for four-score pieces of silver.

And as the king was passing by, a woman cried unto him, saying, "Help, my lord, oh king!" And the king said unto her, "What aileth thee?" And she answered, "This woman said unto me, 'Give thy son, that we may eat him to-day, and we will eat my son to-morrow.' So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, 'Give thy son, that we may eat him:' and she hath hid her son." And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, nd, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, "God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Sh phet shall stand on him this day." But Elisha sat in his

Then

house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, "See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master's feet behind him?" And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him and he said, "Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" Elisha said, "Hear ye the word of the Lord; thus saith the Lord, 'To-morrow about this time shall a measure of fine flour be sold for a shekel, and two measures of barley for a shekel, in the gate of Samaria." Then a lord on whose hand the king leaned answered the man of God, and said, “Behold, if the Lord would make windows in heaven, might this thing be?" And he said, "Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof." And there were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate: and they said one to another, "Why sit we here until we die? If we say, we will enter into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall but die.” And they rose up in twilight, to go into the camp of the Syrians and when they were come to the uttermost part of the camp of Syria, behold, there was no man there. For the Lord had made the host of the Syrians to hear a noise of

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