2 Kings 4:10

10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall, and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a lampstand so that when he comes to us, he shall turn in there.

2 Kings 4:10 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:10

Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall
Either of the city, to which their house might join, or of their garden, a little distance from the house; though the Jewish writers commonly understand it of a little edifice built up of walls of stone or bricks, and not one with reeds, or stud and mud:

let us set for him there a bed;
that he may stay all night when he pleases:

and a table;
not only to eat his food, but to write on, and lay his books on he reads. Of the table of a scholar of the wise men, in later times, we are told F20, that two thirds of it were covered with a cloth, and the other third was uncovered, on which stood the plates and the herbs:

and a stool;
to sit upon at table:

and a candlestick;
with a candle in it, to light him in the night to read by, and the like:

and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither;
where he would be free from the noise of the house, and be more retired for prayer, reading, meditation, and study, and not be disturbed with the servants of the family, and be mixed with them; all this she contrived, both for his honour, and for his quietness and peace.


FOOTNOTES:

F20 Pirke Eliezer, c. 33.

2 Kings 4:10 In-Context

8 And it also happened that one day Elisha passed through Shunem, where there was an important woman, and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat bread.
9 And she said to her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us continually.
10 Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall, and let us set for him there a bed and a table and a stool and a lampstand so that when he comes to us, he shall turn in there.
11 And it came to pass one day that he came there, and he turned into the chamber and slept there.
12 Then he said to Gehazi, his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him.
The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010