— . BATTLES OF THE BIBLE.

heard this, he was much distressed. He did not send
to ask for the prophet : he went to him, and wept over
him: “ O my father, my father!” he cried, “the chariot
of Israel, and the horsemen thereof!”

Johnnie. What did he mean by saying that ?

Grandfather. He quoted the words that Elisha had
used when Elijah was taken up to heaven in a chariot
of fire. By these words Jehoash meant that he looked
on Elisha as the great support of the nation, and he
could ill be spared at that time when the Israelites were
so few and so feeble; when they had only fifty horse-
men, ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen, for such
at this time was the amount of their force, as I men-
tioned to you before. Elisha told the king to take
bow and arrows, and to open the window towards the
east, where the Syrians were encamped. Doubtless the
king was far more accustomed to the use of a bow than
the prophet ; besides the one was young and strong—
the other old and feeble. Yet Elisha put his hands on
the hands of Jehoash, to shew the king of Israel that he
ought not to trust in his own strength, but look heaven-
ward for support. When the arrow was shot from the
bow, Elisha said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance,
and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for thou shalt
smite the Syrians in Aphek, till thou have consumed
them.” Then the prophet told the king to smite the
arrows on the ground; thrice the king did so, and
stopped. Perhaps he thought it childish, but that
shewed want of faith; he looked only to the sign, and