IRON MADE TO SWIM.



NAAMAN was so thankful for being healed of his leprosy that he wanted to make Elisha many costly presents, but Elisha would not take any of them. He wanted Naaman to understand that it was God that had healed him. Naaman did promise not to worship idols any more; for he was now convinced that the God of Israel was the only true God.

Now Gehazi, Elisha's servant, thought that his master had done very foolishly in not taking the presents. So, when Naaman had started on his journey home, Gehazi ran after him, and said unto him, "My master hath sent me, saying, Behold, even now there be come to me from Mount Ephraim two young men of the sons of the prophets: give them, I pray thee, a talent of silver, and two changes of garments." But Naaman gave him two talents of silver instead of one. Two talents are as much as three thousand dollars.

When Gehazi got home, he hid the silver and the garments; and when Elisha asked him where he had been, he said that he had not been anywhere. But the Lord had showed Elisha all that Gehazi had done, and Elisha told Gehazi that Naaman's leprosy should come upon him. 

And he went out from Elisha's presence a leper, ''white as snow.”

Now there were so many of the sons of the prophets that there was not room for them in the house where they lived, so they said to Elisha, "Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell."  Elisha gave his consent, and at their request went with them. When they came to Jordan, they cut down wood, and as one was chopping down a tree, the ax head came off the handle and fell into the water, and he cried, and said, 

"Alas, master, for it was borrowed."

"And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he showed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it."