And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.
And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus (or Elisha), the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving, [ ei-mee (G1508 ) again, rather, 'but only'] Naaman the Syrian. Thus, in defending the course which He had taken in passing by the place and the people that might be supposed to have the greatest claim on Him, our Lord falls back upon the well-known examples of Elijah and Elisha, whose miraculous power-passing by those who were near-expended itself on those at a distance, yea on pagans; 'these being,' to use the words of Stier, 'the two great prophets who stand at the commencement of prophetic antiquity, and whose miracles strikingly prefigured those of our Lord. Since He intended like them to feed the poor and cleanse the lepers, He points to these miracles of mercy, and not to the fire from heaven and the bears that tore the mockers.'