2 Kings 8:3

3 At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land.

2 Kings 8:3 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 8:3

And it came to pass, at the seven years end, that the woman
returned out of the land of the Philistines
Either hearing that the famine was over, or believing that it was, the time being expired the prophet fixed for it:

and she went forth to cry unto the king for her house, and for her
land;
which her nearest relations in her absence had seized upon, as heirs to them; or those in whose hands she had intrusted them refused, upon her return, to deliver them to her; or the king's officers had seized upon them for him, as forfeited to the crown by her going out of the land without leave; and now she needed a friend to speak for her to the king, which, in time past, she had no occasion for, and thought she never should, see ( 2 Kings 4:13 ) .

2 Kings 8:3 In-Context

1 Now Elisha had said to the woman whose son he had restored to life, “Arise, you and your household; go and live as a foreigner wherever you can. For the LORD has decreed that a seven-year famine will come to the land.”

2 So the woman had proceeded to do as the man of God had instructed. And she and her household lived as foreigners for seven years in the land of the Philistines.

3 At the end of seven years, when the woman returned from the land of the Philistines, she went to the king to appeal for her house and her land.

4 Now the king had been speaking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, saying, “Please relate to me all the great things Elisha has done.”

5 And Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had brought the dead back to life. Just then the woman whose son Elisha had revived came to appeal to the king for her house and her land. So Gehazi said, “My lord the king, this is the woman, and this is the son Elisha restored to life.”