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II. Questions.-What request did the "sons" make of Elisha?
Why did they wish to search for Elijah? How did they gain
With what
Elisha's permission? How long did they search?
result?

III. THE WATERS HEALED. (19.) men of the city, perhaps some of the friends of the prophets; situation... pleasant, Jericho was on a broad plain shaded by groves of palm trees, mulberries, and sweet-smelling shrubs "bad,' (Speaker's Com.); water . . . naught-that is, " perhaps from the curse upon the city; ground barren, apt to miscarry" (Speaker's Com.)-that is, fail of crops. (20.) cruse, "dish," perhaps a small bowl. (21.) spring of the waters, called "Elisha's fountain" and Ain Es Sultan; is about two miles from the ruins of castle Riha; cast the salt in, so Moses used the tree at Marah. Ex. xv. 25. (22.) healed, made the waters wholesome.

III. Questions.-Describe the situation of Jericho and character of the water. What the men expected. What did Elisha call for? How use the salt? Does salt of itself usually make water better for our use? Whose power did he say had healed the waters? How effective was the cure?

IV. THE MOCKERS PUNISHED. (23.) Beth-el, see p. 16; by the way-that is, by the usual road; little children, or "little boys," possibly "youth,' but the word

"little" shows they were not " Ascen persons;" go

up, thou bald head-that is, "

to heaven as

Elijah (Krummacher), or "Go up into the city" (Lange). (24.) cursed them, pronounced a curse on them; the wood, or "forest;" tare to rend, to tear in pieces; of them, there were more than forty-two in the crowd. (25.) to mount Carmel, probably for some religious meeting or service, see ch. iv. 23.

IV. Questions.-To what place did Elisha go after healing the waters? Who met him? In what spirit? How did they mock him? How did he rebuke them? What speedily followed? What lesson was this intended to tench? To whom? Whither did he again journey? Probably for what purpose? State any lessons taught us by these facts.

Illustration.-" Elisha's fountain" bursts forth at the eastern foot of a high double mound, or group of mounds, looking as if composed of rubbish, and about a mile in front of the mountain. It is a large and beautiful fountain of sweet and pleasant water.... It seems once to have been surrounded by a sort of reservoir, or semicircular enclosure of hewn stones, . . . but this is now mostly broken away and gone. . . . The little brook serves to water many fields.-Robinson.

HYMN, "There is a fountain filled with blood."

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Plans for Review.-One good plan for looking back at (reviewing) the past eleven lessons would be to study (I.) THE WICKED KINGS. (II.) THE RIGHTEOUS PROPHETS. Another good plan would be to make this period of the history centre about the life of Elijah, noticing the rise of idolatry in Israel and his life-work in rebuking and destroying it. A third plan, which may be followed with profit, is to study (I.) A PEOPLE GROWING MORE WICKED. (II.) A FAITHFUL WITNESS. (III.) THE FAITHFUL Rewarded.

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To recall and fix the facts clearly in mind, study

THE HISTORY.-In what year B. C. was the kingdom divided? Write the names of the first eight kings of Israel in their order. Which of the eight reigned the longest? Give the length of reigns of the first and eighth king. Who reigned the shortest? Give the length of his reign. How many of the eight kings were slain? Which of them died natural deaths? Which one slew himself? Who tried to become king of "Israel," and was prevented by Omri? What prophets lived in King Jeroboam's days? In King Baasha's? In Ahab's reign? What city was rebuilt in Ahab's days? Name the king of Israel after Ahab. The second after Ahab. His relation to the first. The two great prophets of their time. Ilow one of them went to heaven. What blessing the other received at the translation. THE PLACES.-State the capital of Israel before the division. The capital of Judah after it. Of "Israel" after the division. The next capital after Shechem. Where was it finally located? Who built Samaria? Where was Ahab's "summer residence"? [Jezreel.] Where was Elijah's home? Describe Gilead. Syria. State four mountains named in the lessons. Locate Mt. Ephraim. Horeb. Carmel. Name three streams spoken of in the lessons. Describe the Jordan. The Kishon. Name the two largest cities mentioned in the lessons.

A WICKED PEOPLE.-State the great sin of Jeroboam. Of the people in his day. How are Omri's sins described? 1 Kings xvi. 25. Who was still more wicked? Of what new sins was Ahab guilty? Give the Central Truth of Lesson III.

A FAITHFUL WITNESS.-Who was raised up to witness against these sins? What was his first message to Ahab? 1 Kings xvii. 1. How was Elijah cared for? How a poor widow? Where? When did Elijah again meet Ahab? How long after the first message? How had Elijah been sought for? 1 Kings xviii. 10. State Elijah's charge against Ahab. 1 Kings xviii. 18. His demand as to Baal priests. Describe briefly the trial at Carmel. Why made? The effect on the people? On Jezebel? Whither did Elijah flee? How was he encouraged? His idea of the number of God's faithful ones corrected? Whither was he sent? On what errands? Why Naboth was slain? How?

THE FAITHFUL REWARDED.-Describe the last journey of Elijah. What schools did he visit? State his repeated requests of Elisha. Why did he ask Elisha to "tarry"? State the answers of Elisha. The final request of Elisha. How answered by Elijah? How fulfilled? What miracles of Elisha are mentioned? What does this history teach us as to wicked men growing better or worse? How does this warn us to avoid the first sin? What fact in it shows that God rewards his servants, and that he punishes the wicked? Recite the Central Truth of this Review.

To which class do you belong?

How may you know whether you belong to the first?

APR. 1.]

3

LESSON XIII.

RECITE VS. 3-6.

THE OIL INCREASED.-2 Kings iv. 1-7.

[About 895 B. C.

1 Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the LORD: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be 2 bondmen. And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow the vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow 4 not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou 5 shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she 6 poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, Go, sell the oil, and pay thy debt, and live thou and thy children of the

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CONNECTED HISTORY.-After rebuking the youthful mockers at Bethel, Elisha went to Samaria (p. 44). Mesha, king of Moab, rebelled against Israel; Jehoram, Jehoshaphat, and the king of Edom united to subdue him; they suffered greatly from want of water; Elisha promised that the Lord would send water, and also give them the victory; the Moabites were defeated.

ORDER OF EVENTS.-(74.) Moabites' rebellion and defeat. (75.) The oil increased.

NOTES.-Sms of the proph'-ets, disciples of the prophets, not exclusively young men, but often fathers of families training for the work of the ministry.-Cred'-it-or, bond'-men. The law of Moses recognized servitude for debt, but limited it in the case of Jews to the year of jubilee. Foreigners were not entitled to release at that time. Lev. xxv. 39-46; compare Matt. v. 26; xviii. 30.-Oil. Olive oil, in the East, is esteemed an indispensable article for the house

holds, as well of the poor as of the rich. It is used in the preparation of food; for lights; for anointing bathers, the sick, etc.

EXPLANATIONS AND QUESTIONS.

Lesson Topics.-(I.) THE WIDOW'S DISTRESS. (II.) THE WIDOW'S RELIEF.

1. THE WIDOW'S DISTRESS. (1.) did fear the Lord, was well-known as pious; one of the seven thousand who had not bowed to Baal. 1 Kings xix. 18; creditor is come, he did not come so long as the debtor lived, but now claims not merely their services, which the law allowed, but them as bondmen, which the law forbid. Lev. xxv. 39-42. (2.) pot of oil, or "an anointing of oil"-oil for one anointing, but none for cooking. I. Questions.-To whom did the woman in distress go for relief? What had her husband been? Mearfing of "sons of the prophets"? State what was their work. What did she say of her husband? What did Elisha know about him? Meaning of "fear the Lord"? Explain the words "creditor" and "bondmen." State the Jewish law as to servitude for debt. See Lev. xxv. 39-42. What two questions did Elisha ask? What had the woman in the house? The meaning of "a pot of oil"? Mention some of the uses of olive oil. What does her reply show as to her destitution?

II. THE WIDOW'S RELIEF. (3.) vessels, jars or pots; not a few, God purposed to give her a large blessing. (4.) shut the door, to prevent interruption from creditors or neighbors, and that they might be alone with God. Compare Luke viii. 51-54; John vii. 3, 4; Acts x. 41; pour out, from the vessel of oil she had. (6.) the oil stayed, stopped flowing when the vessels were full. (7.) of the rest, the remainder of the oil, and the money received.

II. Questions.-What did Elisha bid the woman borrow? From whom? In what condition? How many? What to do when she came in? Whom did she shut in with her? What did her sons do? What did she do? State her request when the vessels were full. Her son's reply. What is said of the oil? To whom did she tell her good fortune? What did he direct her to do with the oil? What to pay? Upon what to live? Describe a similar miracle in Elijah's time. 1 Kings xvii. 7-16. Describe another miracle of Elijah's to avoid incurring debt. 2 Kings vi. 5-7. One of Christ's. Matt. xvii. 27.

What facts in this lesson teach us

(1.) The evil of being in debt?

(2.) The benefit of counselling with godly men when in trouble?

(3.) God's care for widows and orphans?

(4.) The obligation to pay debts as soon as we have the means?

HYMN, "In some way or other the Lord will provide."

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