2 Kings 4:2

2 cui dixit Heliseus quid vis ut faciam tibi dic mihi quid habes in domo tua at illa respondit non habeo ancilla tua quicquam in domo mea nisi parum olei quo unguear

2 Kings 4:2 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:2

And Elisha said unto her, what shall I do for thee?
&c.] Or can I do, being poor himself, and unable to relieve her out of his substance, and not knowing where to get anything for her; and so what could she expect from him? signifying, that he pitied her case, but all that he could do was to give her his best advice, and pray for her:

tell me what thou hast in thy house?
that she could part with and dispose of, in order to pay her debt; and satisfy her creditor:

and she said, thine handmaid hath not anything in the house, save a
pot of oil;
that is, nothing of any value; she might have some things, some sort of household goods, though perhaps she had parted with most of them in her poverty; this was the most valuable thing she had.

2 Kings 4:2 In-Context

1 mulier autem quaedam de uxoribus prophetarum clamabat ad Heliseum dicens servus tuus vir meus mortuus est et tu nosti quia servus tuus fuit timens Dominum et ecce creditor venit ut tollat duos filios meos ad serviendum sibi

2 cui dixit Heliseus quid vis ut faciam tibi dic mihi quid habes in domo tua at illa respondit non habeo ancilla tua quicquam in domo mea nisi parum olei quo unguear

3 cui ait vade pete mutuo ab omnibus vicinis tuis vasa vacua non pauca

4 et ingredere et claude ostium cum intrinsecus fueris tu et filii tui et mitte inde in omnia vasa haec et cum plena fuerint tolles

5 ivit itaque mulier et clusit ostium super se et super filios suos illi offerebant vasa et illa infundebat