SERIES M --- PROPHESIES AND MIRACLES --- LESSON 16

PROTECTED

THE LOST AXE AND OTHER MIRACLES

From 2 Kings 6:1-23

The young prophets whom Elisha taught came to him one day with some plans. [The place where we live is too small for us,] they said. [Why don’t we go to the Jordan River and each of us cut a log from the trees on the bank so we can build a new place to live in?] [Good idea,] said Elisha. [Why don’t you do it?] [We want you to come with us,] one of them said. [All right, I will go with you,] Elisha answered. Elisha and the young men went to the bank of the Jordan River to cut down trees for the new building. As one of them was chopping down a tree, the head flew from his axe and fell into the river. [Oh, how terrible!] he cried out to Elisha. [I borrowed this axe.] Elisha realized that the young man had no money to pay the owner for his axe so he tried to help him. [Show me where the axe head fell,] he said. When the young man showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there. At once the axe head came to the surface and floated on the water. [Reach out and take it!] Elisha commanded and the young man did so. The king of Syria was once at war with Israel. As he planned a battle, he told his officers to lay a trap for Israel at a certain place. But YHVH revealed this secret to Elisha and he told it to the king of Israel. [Don’t go near that place, for the Syrians are planning to trap you there.] The king of Israel sent a spy to investigate and learned that it was indeed true. In this manner Elisha saved Israel from great trouble. After this had happened a number of times, the king of Syria became suspicious and called his officers together. [Which of you is telling the king of Israel about our plans?] he demanded. One of his officers answered, [None of us is a traitor. It is Elisha the prophet. He knows your secrets as soon as you speak them, even in your own bedroom.] [Find him!] the king commanded. [When you do, we’ll send troops to capture him.] Spies returned with the report, [Elisha is at Dothan.] At once the king of Syria sent an army to Dothan with chariots and horses and surrounded the city. When Elisha’s servant arose the next morning and looked outside, he was dismayed. There were horses and chariots and soldiers all around the city. [How terrible!] he cried. [What will we do?] [Don’t be afraid of that army,] Elisha said. [We have a bigger army on our side.] Then he prayed, [O Adonai, please, open my servant’s eyes that he may see. Adonai opened the eyes of the servant so that he saw the mountain filled with horses and chariots of fire, ready to fight for Elisha. Soon the Syrian army marched against Dothan to take it. Elisha prayed for help. [Adonai, strike these Syrians with blindness,] he pleaded. Adonai heard the prophet’s prayer and the Syrians were blinded. Then Elisha went out of Dothan and walked into the midst of the Syrian leaders. [You’re in the wrong place,] he told them. [Come with me and I’ll show you the person you are trying to find.] Then he led the Syrian army to Samaria. When the king of Israel saw Elisha bringing the Syrians into the capital city, he cried out, [Oh my father, shall I kill these men? Tell me, shall I kill them?] [Of course not!] Elisha answered. [You wouldn’t kill men you had captured with your sword or bow; how much less these helpless men. Feed them and send them home.] The king of Israel prepared a great feast for the soldiers as Elisha instructed. When they had finished eating, he sent them back to their king. For a long time after that, the Syrians sent no more raiding parties into Israel.

COMMENTARY

THE AXE; TOOL AND WEAPON

The axe has served as both a tool and a weapon since the earliest prehistoric times. The first axe heads were sharpened flint, granite or other stone, tied to handles of wood or bone. Designed mainly for cutting timber, they had both single -- and double-edged blades. These simple tools also worked as hunting and battle weapons. By Old Testament times, axe heads were made of copper, bronze and then iron. The use of metal allowed axes to be designed for specific purposes. Many woodcutters felled trees with a heavy flat blade, but Egyptian lumbermen preferred a small axe head with a rounded edge. Masons quarried stone blocks and cut underground tombs with long pointed pickaxes. Carpenters adapted the axe into various small tools for carving and cutting. The development of metal blades also increased the use of the axe as a weapon. Battle-axes were generally heavy, with broad curved blades. In some styles, sharp spikes extended behind the handle to balance the weight of the blade at the other end. A work axe was designed to cut, but the battle-axe was meant to crush the skull of an opponent; in the hand-to-hand combat of ancient times, it was a powerful weapon. Sumerian, Egyptian and many other war-faring peoples included it in their standard battle equipment. Kings often carried ornate battle-axes with engraved blades and handles richly ornamented with gold, ivory and jewels.