Lièwángjìxià 4

1 Yǒu yī gè xiānzhī méntǔ de qī āi qiú Yǐlìshā shuō , nǐ púrén wǒ zhàngfu sǐ le , tā jìngwèi Yēhéhuá shì nǐ suǒ zhīdào de . xiànzaì yǒu zhaì zhǔ lái , yào qǔ wǒ liǎng gè érzi zuò núpú .

2 Yǐlìshā wèn tā shuō , wǒ kĕYǐwèi nǐ zuò shénme ne . nǐ gàosu wǒ , nǐ jiā lǐ yǒu shénme . tā shuō , bìnǚ jiā zhōng chúle yī píng yóu zhī waì , méiyǒu shénme .

3 Yǐlìshā shuō , nǐ qù , xiàng nǐ zhòng línshè jiè kōng qìmǐn , búyào shǎo jiè .

4 Huí dào jiā lǐ , guān shàng mén , nǐ hé nǐ érzi zaì lǐmiàn jiāng yóu dǎo zaì suǒyǒude qìmǐn lǐ , dǎo mǎn le de fàng zaì yī bian .

5 Yúshì , fùrén líkāi Yǐlìshā qù le , guān shàng mén , zìjǐ hé érzi zaì lǐmiàn . érzi bǎ qìmǐn ná lái , tā jiù dǎo yóu .

6 Qìmǐn dōu mǎn le , tā duì érzi shuō , zaì gĕi wǒ ná qìmǐn lái . érzi shuō , zaì méiyǒu qìmǐn le . yóu jiù zhǐ zhù le .

7 Fùrén qù gàosu shén rén , shén rén shuō , nǐ qù maì yóu hái zhaì , suǒ shèng de nǐ hé nǐ érzi kĕyǐ kào zhe dù rì .

8 Yī rì , Yǐlìshā zǒu dào shū niàn , zaì nàli yǒu yī gè dà hù de fùrén qiáng liú tā chī fàn . cǐ hòu , Yǐlìshā mĕi cóng nàli jīngguò jiù jìn qù chī fàn .

9 Fùrén duì zhàngfu shuō , wǒ kàn chū nà cháng cóng wǒmen zhèlǐ jīngguò de shì shèngjié de shén rén .

10 Wǒmen kĕYǐwèi tā zaì qiáng shàng gaì yī jiān xiǎo lóu , zaì qízhōng ānfàng chuáng tà , zhuōzi , yǐzi , dēngtái , tā lái dào wǒmen zhèlǐ , jiù kĕyǐ zhù zaì qí jiān .

11 Yī rì , Yǐlìshā lái dào nàli , jiù jìn le nà lóu tǎng wò .

12 Yǐlìshā fēnfu púrén jī hā xī shuō , nǐ jiào zhè shū niàn fùrén lái . tā jiù bǎ fùrén jiào le lái , fùrén zhàn zaì Yǐlìshā miànqián .

13 Yǐlìshā fēnfu púrén shuō , nǐ duì tā shuō , nǐ jì wèi wǒmen feì le xǔduō xīn sī , kĕYǐwèi nǐ zuò shénme ne . nǐ xiàng wáng huò yuán shuaì yǒu suǒ qiú de méiyǒu . tā huídá shuō , wǒ zaì wǒ bĕn xiāng ān jū wú shì .

14 Yǐlìshā duì púrén shuō , jiūjìng dāng wèi tā zuò shénme ne . jī hā xī shuō , tā méiyǒu érzi , tā zhàngfu yĕ lǎo le .

15 Yǐlìshā shuō , zaì jiào tā lái . yúshì jiào le tā lái , tā jiù zhàn zaì ménkǒu .

16 Yǐlìshā shuō , míngnián dào zhè shíhou , nǐ bì bào yī gè érzi . tā shuō , shén rén , wǒ zhǔ a , búyào nàyàng qī hǒng bìnǚ .

17 Fùrén guǒrán huáiyùn , dào le nàshíhòu , shēng le yī gè érzi , zhēng rú Yǐlìshā suǒ shuō de .

18 Háizi jiànjiàn zhǎngdà , yī rì dào tā fùqin hé shōugē de rén nàli ,

19 Tā duì fùqin shuō , wǒde tóu a , wǒde tóu a . tā fùqin duì púrén shuō , bǎ tā bào dào tā mǔqin nàli .

20 Púrén bào qù , jiāo gĕi tā mǔqin . háizi zuò zaì mǔqin de xī shàng , dào shǎngwu jiù sǐ le .

21 Tā mǔqin bào tā shàng le lóu , jiāng tā fàng zaì shén rén de chuáng shàng , guān shàng mén chūlai ,

22 Hūjiào tā zhàngfu shuō , nǐ jiào yī gè púrén gĕi wǒ qiā yī pǐ lü lái , wǒ yào kuaì kuaì dì qù jiàn shén rén , jiù huí lái .

23 Zhàngfu shuō , jīnrì bú shì yuè shuò , yĕ bú shì ānxīrì , nǐ wèihé yào qù jiàn tā ne . fùrén shuō , píngān wú shì .

24 Yúshì beì shàng lü , duì púrén shuō , nǐ kuaì kuaì gǎn zhe zǒu , wǒ ruò bù fēnfu nǐ , jiù búyào chí màn .

25 Fùrén jiù wǎng Jiāmì shān qù jiàn shén rén . shén rén yuǎn yuǎn dì kànjian tā , duì púrén jī hā xī shuō , kàn nǎ , shū niàn de fùrén lái le .

26 Nǐ paó qù yíngjiē tā , wèn tā shuō , nǐ píngān ma . nǐ zhàngfu píngān ma . háizi píngān ma . tā shuō , píngān .

27 Fùrén shàng le shān , dào shén rén nàli , jiù bào zhù shén rén de jiǎo . jī hā xī qián lái yào tuī kāi tā , shén rén shuō , yóu tā ba . yīnwei tā xīnli chóukǔ , Yēhéhuá xiàng wǒ yǐnmán , méiyǒu zhǐshì wǒ .

28 Fùrén shuō , wǒ hé cháng xiàng wǒ zhǔ qiú guō érzi ne . wǒ qǐ méiyǒu shuō guō , búyào qī hōng wǒ ma .

29 Yǐlìshā fēnfu jī hā xī shuō , nǐ shù shàng yào , shǒu ná wǒde zhàng qián qù . ruò yùjiàn rén , búyào xiàng tā wèn ān . rén ruò xiàng nǐ wèn ān , yĕ búyào huídá . yào bǎ wǒde zhàng fàng zaì háizi liǎn shàng .

30 Háizi de mǔqin shuō , wǒ zhǐ zhe yǒngshēng de Yēhéhuá , yòu gǎn zaì nǐ miànqián qǐshì , wǒ bì bù líkāi nǐ . yúshì Yǐlìshā qǐshēn , suí zhe tā qù le .

31 Jī hā xī xiān qù , bǎ zhàng fàng zaì háizi liǎn shàng , què méiyǒu shēngyīn , yĕ méiyǒu dòng jìng . jī hā xī jiù yíng zhe Yǐlìshā huí lái , gàosu tā shuō , háizi hái méiyǒu xǐng guō lái .

32 Yǐlìshā lái dào , jìn le wūzi , kànjian háizi sǐ le , fàng zaì zìjǐ de chuáng shàng .

33 Tā jiù guān shàng mén , zhǐyǒu zìjǐ hé háizi zaì lǐmiàn , tā biàn qídǎo Yēhéhuá ,

34 Shàng chuáng fú zaì háizi shēnshang , kǒu duì kǒu , yǎn duì yǎn , shǒu duì shǒu . jì fú zaì háizi shēnshang , háizi de shēntǐ jiù jiànjiàn wēnhé le .

35 Ránhòu tā xià lái , zaì wū lǐ láiwǎng zǒu le yī tāng , yòu shàng qù fú zaì háizi shēnshang , háizi dá le qī gè pēn tì , jiù zhēng kāi yǎnjing le .

36 Yǐlìshā jiào jī hā xī shuō , nǐ jiào zhè shū niàn fùrén lái . yúshì jiào le tā lái . Yǐlìshā shuō , jiāng nǐ érzi bào qǐlai .

37 Fùrén jiù jìnlái , zaì Yǐlìshā jiǎo qián fǔfú yú dì , bào qǐ tā érzi chū qù le .

38 Yǐlìshā yòu lái dào Jíjiǎ , nà dì zhēng yǒu jīhuāng . xiānzhī méntǔ zuò zaì tā miànqián , tā fēnfu púrén shuō , nǐ jiāng dà guō fàng zaì huǒ shàng , gĕi xiānzhī méntǔ aó shāng .

39 Yǒu yī gèrén qù dào tiānyĕ qiā caì , yùjiàn yī kē yĕ guā téng , jiù zhāi le yī dōu yĕ guā huí lái , qiē le gé zaì aó shāng de guō zhōng , yīnwei tāmen bù zhīdào shì shénme dōngxǐ .

40 Dǎo chūlai gĕi zhòngrén chī , chī de shíhou , dōu hǎnjiào shuō , shén rén nǎ , guō zhōng yǒu zhì sǐ de dú wù . suǒyǐ zhòngrén bùnéng chī le .

41 Yǐlìshā shuō , ná diǎn miàn lái , jiù bǎ miàn sǎ zaì guō zhōng , shuō , dǎo chūlai , gĕi zhòngrén chī ba . guō zhōng jiù méiyǒu dú le .

42 Yǒu yī gèrén cóng bā lì shā lì shā lái , daì zhe chū shóu dàmaì zuò de bǐng èr shí gè , bìng xīn suì zǐ , zhuāng zaì kǒudai lǐ sòng gĕi shén rén . shén rén shuō , bǎ zhèxie gĕi zhòngrén chī .

43 Púrén shuō , zhè yídiǎn qǐ kĕ bǎi gĕi yī bǎi rén chī ne . Yǐlìshā shuō , nǐ zhǐguǎn gĕi zhòngrén chī ba . yīnwei Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , zhòngrén bì chī le , hái shèngxia .

44 Púrén jiù bǎi zaì zhòngrén miànqián , tāmen chī le , guǒrán hái shèngxia , zhēng rú Yēhéhuá suǒ shuō de .

Lièwángjìxià 4 Commentary

Chapter 4

Elisha multiplies the widow's oil. (1-7) The Shunammite obtains a son. (8-17) The Shunammite's son restored to life. (18-37) The miracle of healing the pottage, and of feeding the sons of the prophets. (38-44)

Verses 1-7 Elisha's miracles were acts of real charity: Christ's were so; not only great wonders, but great favours to those for whom they were wrought. God magnifies his goodness with his power. Elisha readily received a poor widow's complaint. Those that leave their families under a load of debt, know not what trouble they cause. It is the duty of all who profess to follow the Lord, while they trust to God for daily bread, not to tempt him by carelessness or extravagance, nor to contract debts; for nothing tends more to bring reproach upon the gospel, or distresses their families more when they are gone. Elisha put the widow in a way to pay her debt, and to maintain herself and her family. This was done by miracle, but so as to show what is the best method to assist those who are in distress, which is, to help them to improve by their own industry what little they have. The oil, sent by miracle, continued flowing as long as she had empty vessels to receive it. We are never straitened in God, or in the riches of his grace; all our straitness is in ourselves. It is our faith that fails, not his promise. He gives more than we ask: were there more vessels, there is enough in God to fill them; enough for all, enough for each; and the Redeemer's all-sufficiency will only be stayed from the supplying the wants of sinners and saving their souls, when no more apply to him for salvation. The widow must pay her debt with the money she received for her oil. Though her creditors were too hard with her, yet they must be paid, even before she made any provision for her children. It is one of the main laws of the Christian religion, that we pay every just debt, and give every one his own, though we leave ever so little for ourselves; and this, not of constraint, but for conscience' sake. Those who bear an honest mind, cannot with pleasure eat their daily bread, unless it be their own bread. She and her children must live upon the rest; that is, upon the money received for the oil, with which they must put themselves into a way to get an honest livelihood. We cannot now expect miracles, yet we may expect mercies, if we wait on God, and seek to him. Let widows in particular depend upon him. He that has all hearts in his hand, can, without a miracle, send as effectual a supply.

Verses 8-17 Elisha was well thought of by the king of Israel for his late services; a good man can take as much pleasure in serving others, as in raising himself. But the Shunammite needed not any good offices of this kind. It is a happiness to dwell among our own people, that love and respect us, and to whom we are able to do good. It would be well with many, if they did but know when they are really well off. The Lord sees the secret wish which is suppressed in obedience to his will, and he will hear the prayers of his servants in behalf of their benefactors, by sending unasked-for and unexpected mercies; nor must the professions of men of God be supposed to be delusive like those of men of the world.

Verses 18-37 Here is the sudden death of the child. All the mother's tenderness cannot keep alive a child of promise, a child of prayer, one given in love. But how admirably does the prudent, pious mother, guard her lips under this sudden affliction! Not one peevish word escapes from her. Such confidence had she of God's goodness, that she was ready to believe that he would restore what he had now taken away. O woman, great is thy faith! He that wrought it, would not disappoint it. The sorrowful mother begged leave of her husband to go to the prophet at once. She had not thought it enough to have Elisha's help sometimes in her own family, but, though a woman of rank, attended on public worship. It well becomes the men of God, to inquire about the welfare of their friends and their families. The answer was, It is well. All well, and yet the child dead in the house! Yes! All is well that God does; all is well with them that are gone, if they are gone to heaven; and all well with us that stay behind, if, by the affliction, we are furthered in our way thither. When any creature-comfort is taken from us, it is well if we can say, through grace, that we did not set our hearts too much upon it; for if we did, we have reason to fear it was given in anger, and taken away in wrath. Elisha cried unto God in faith; and the beloved son was restored alive to his mother. Those who would convey spiritual life to dead souls, must feel deeply for their case, and labour fervently in prayer for them. Though the minister cannot give Divine life to his fellow-sinners, he must use every means, with as much earnestness as if he could do so.

Verses 38-44 There was a famine of bread, but not of hearing the word of God, for Elisha had the sons of the prophets sitting before him, to hear his wisdom. Elisha made hurtful food to become safe and wholesome. If a mess of pottage be all our dinner, remember that this great prophet had no better for himself and his guests. The table often becomes a snare, and that which should be for our welfare, proves a trap: this is a good reason why we should not feed ourselves without fear. When we are receiving the supports and comforts of life, we must keep up an expectation of death, and a fear of sin. We must acknowledge God's goodness in making our food wholesome and nourishing; I am the Lord that healeth thee. Elisha also made a little food go a great way. Having freely received, he freely gave. God has promised his church, that he will abundantly bless her provision, and satisfy her poor with bread, ( Psalms 132:15 ) ; whom he feeds, he fills; and what he blesses, comes to much. Christ's feeding his hearers was a miracle far beyond this, but both teach us that those who wait upon God in the way of duty, may hope to be supplied by Divine Providence.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 2 KINGS 4

This chapter treats of the miracles of Elisha, of his multiplying a poor widow's pot of oil for the payment of her husband's debts, 2Ki 4:1-7 of obtaining a son for a Shunamitish woman, who had been very hospitable to him, 2Ki 4:8-17, of his raising up her son to life when dead, 2Ki 4:18-37, of his curing the deadly pottage made of wild gourds, 2Ki 4:38-41, and of his feeding one hundred men with twenty barley loaves, 2Ki 4:42-44.