2 Kings 4:2

2 To whom Elisha said, What wilt thou that I do to thee? (What wilt thou that I do for thee?) say thou to me, what hast thou in thine house? And she answered, I thine handmaid have not anything in mine house, no but a little of oil, with which I shall be anointed.

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 Forsooth a woman of the wives of prophets cried to Elisha, and said, Thy servant, mine husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant dreaded God; and lo! the creancer, that is, he to whom debt is owed, cometh to take my two sons to serve him. (And a woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried to Elisha, and said, Thy servant, my husband, is dead, and thou knowest that thy servant feared God/revered God; and lo! the creditor cometh to take away my two sons to serve him.)

2 To whom Elisha said, What wilt thou that I do to thee? (What wilt thou that I do for thee?) say thou to me, what hast thou in thine house? And she answered, I thine handmaid have not anything in mine house, no but a little of oil, with which I shall be anointed.

3 To whom he said, Go thou, and ask by borrowing of all thy neighbours void vessels, not a few. (To whom he said, Go thou, and ask to borrow empty vessels from all of thy neighbours, and borrow not just a few.)

4 And enter, and close thy door, when thou art within, thou and thy sons (And go inside, and when thou and thy sons be within, close the door); and put ye thereof into all these vessels; and when those shall be full, thou shalt take (them, and put them) away.

5 Therefore the woman went, and closed the door on herself and on her sons, (and) they brought the vessels, and she poured in(to them).