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of Elijah?" And when he had smitten the waters, they parted asunder, and he went over on dry ground. When the sons of the prophets saw this done, they said, "The spirit of Elijah doth rest upon Elisha," and they came and bowed themselves down to the ground before him.

Soon after this he gave another proof that he was a true prophet; for, when the men of Jericho complained that the water of their city was bad, and their land barren, he threw salt into the spring, and after that the water which flowed from it was good and sweet.

All this should have caused every body who knew him to shew Elisha great respect; but, as he was going up from Jericho to Bethel, some young people came out of the city and mocked him, saying, "Go up, thou bald-head!" "Go up, thou bald-head!"-which was as much as to say, "If thou be a prophet, let us see thee go up into heaven,

as thy friend Elijah did; and then we shall believe it." But these young persons might have known that Elisha wast a prophet by the wonderful things which he had done, without seeing him go up into heaven; and besides this, it was very wicked to call him names, and to ridicule him for having a bald head, which was probably the effect of age, and called for particular respect.

Their wicked conduct, however, did not go unpunished; for the prophet, whom they had insulted, turned back and rebuked them; and God caused to come forth out of the wood two shebears, which tore forty-two of them in pieces.

Let us not imitate the bad example of these young persons, lest a worse fate should befal us than that which befel them. "Of every idle word which we speak," says our Saviour, "we must give an account in the day of judgment; for,"

continues he, "by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." (Matt. xii. 36, 37.) Let this be a warning to us, to abstain from all bad words and abusive names. We should never call any one names, whether he be old or young; and we should always behave with particular respect to those who are older and wiser than ourselves. We should be obedient to our parents, and grateful to our teachers. We should bear in mind their instructions, and try to live agreeably to them.

GEHAZI STRUCK WITH LEPROSY.
(2 Kings v.)

THE prophet Elisha, as we have already seen, performed some wonderful works, by power given him by Almighty God; but besides those which were mentioned in the last story, he cured Naaman

the Syrian of the leprosy, a grievous disease, which makes the skin quite white.

Naaman was very thankful for this cure; and as he was a rich man, he desired the prophet to accept of a large present. But Elisha was not willing to receive it, for he did not wish to live in a fine house, or to wear finer clothes than those which he had; and he was also sensible that though he had directed Naaman what he should do, in order that he might free himself from his leprosy, yet the praise was due to God alone, since it was He who had caused the disease to depart from him.

But Gehazi, the prophet's servant, coveted the fine things which his master had refused; and when Naaman had departed a short way on his journey home, Gehazi ran after him, and told him that Elisha had changed his mind, for that two young men were just come to see him, and he would like to have a talent of silver, and two changes of raiment, in

order that he might treat them hospitably. Upon this Naaman gave him two talents of silver, and two changes of raiment; he also sent two of his servants to carry them for him. Gehazi took care not to carry these things into the house of his master, lest he should see them, and ask him how he came by them. He put them safe in another house,* and then went to Elisha, thinking that he would know nothing about it. But God Almighty knows and sees every thing which happens, and he informed Elisha what his servant had been doing.

So when Gehazi came in, Elisha asked him where he had been. He said that he had not been from home; but the

* 2 Kings v. 25: "And when he came to the tower, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in the house," ought to be, “ And when he came to a high place, he took them from their hand, and bestowed them in a house." See Le Clerc's Commentary.

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