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From the Death of Ahab to the Captivity of the Ten Tribes - Flavius Josephus

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Israel, heard that Berthadad was dead, he recovered out <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> terror and<br />

dread he had been in on his account, and was very glad <strong>to</strong> live in peace.<br />

Footnotes:<br />

1. That this woman who cried <strong>to</strong> Elisha, and who in our Bible is styled "<strong>the</strong><br />

wife <strong>of</strong> one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sons <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> prophets," 2 Kings 4:1, was no o<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

<strong>the</strong> widow <strong>of</strong> Obadiah, <strong>the</strong> good steward <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ahab</strong>, is confirmed by <strong>the</strong><br />

Chaldee paraphrast, and by <strong>the</strong> Rabbins and o<strong>the</strong>rs. Nor is that unlikely<br />

which <strong>Josephus</strong> here adds, that <strong>the</strong>se debts were contracted by her<br />

husband for <strong>the</strong> support <strong>of</strong> those "hundred <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lord's prophets, whom<br />

he maintained by fifty in a cave," in <strong>the</strong> days <strong>of</strong> <strong>Ahab</strong> and Jezebel, 1<br />

Kings 18:4; which circumstance rendered it highly fit that <strong>the</strong> prophet<br />

Elisha should provide her a remedy, and enable her <strong>to</strong> redeem herself<br />

and her sons from <strong>the</strong> fear <strong>of</strong> that slavery which insolvent deb<strong>to</strong>rs were<br />

liable <strong>to</strong> by <strong>the</strong> law <strong>of</strong> Moses, Leviticus 25:39; Mat<strong>the</strong>w 18:25; which he<br />

did accordingly, with God's help, at <strong>the</strong> expense <strong>of</strong> a miracle.<br />

2. Dr. Hudson, with very good reason, suspects that <strong>the</strong>re is no small defect<br />

in our present copies <strong>of</strong> <strong>Josephus</strong>, just before <strong>the</strong> beginning <strong>of</strong> this<br />

section, and that chiefly as <strong>to</strong> that distinct account which he had given us<br />

reason <strong>to</strong> expect in <strong>the</strong> first section, and <strong>to</strong> which he seems <strong>to</strong> refer, ch.<br />

8. sect. 6. concerning <strong>the</strong> glorious miracles which Elisha wrought, which<br />

indeed in our Bibles are not a few, 2 Kings 6-9., but <strong>of</strong> which we have<br />

several omitted in <strong>Josephus</strong>'s present copies. One <strong>of</strong> those his<strong>to</strong>ries,<br />

omitted at present, was evidently in his Bible, I mean that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> curing<br />

<strong>of</strong> Nanman's leprosy, 2 Kings 5.; for he plainly alludes <strong>to</strong> it, B. III. ch.<br />

11. sect. 4, where he observes, that "<strong>the</strong>re were lepers in many nations<br />

who yet have been in honor, and not only free from reproach and<br />

avoidance, but who have been great captains <strong>of</strong> armies, and been<br />

intrusted with high <strong>of</strong>fices in <strong>the</strong> commonwealth, and have had <strong>the</strong><br />

privilege <strong>of</strong> entering in<strong>to</strong> holy places and temples." But what makes me<br />

most regret <strong>the</strong> want <strong>of</strong> that his<strong>to</strong>ry in our present copies <strong>of</strong> <strong>Josephus</strong> is<br />

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