Verse 6
6. He cut down a stick According to Vatablus, he made a new handle, and threw it in the water so dexterously that it entered the hole or socket of the iron. This, however, has a tendency to explain away the miracle, and reduce the whole affair to a mere feat of dexterity. “Would,” says Keil, “that the expositors who believe this would only make the trial, in order to convince themselves, by practice, of the untenableness of their theory!”
The iron did swim Or, he made the iron flow; that is, float on the surface of the water, so that Elisha’s disciple could reach forth his hand and take it. It was, therefore, a real miracle which Elisha wrought on this occasion.
Many of the older expositors find in this miracle an allegory of sin and redemption. The falling of the axe head into the water, they tell us, is typical of man’s fall by sin. The new, living wood, by which it was raised, represents the wood of the cross, by which fallen humanity is raised from the depths of sin and restored to the service of God. This allegorical interpretation seems, however, to be too far-fetched. Better to view it in contrast with the miracle of Naaman’s cure, as showing how the providence and power of God extends to the relief of the poorest and most unknown of his worshippers, as well as to the nobles of the earth.
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