2 Kings 8:3

3 Then, when the seven years were up, the woman and her family came back. She went directly to the king and asked for her home and farm.

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 Years before, Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought to life, "Leave here and go, you and your family, and live someplace else. God has ordered a famine in the land; it will last for seven years."
2 The woman did what the Holy Man told her and left. She and her family lived as aliens in the country of Philistia for seven years.
3 Then, when the seven years were up, the woman and her family came back. She went directly to the king and asked for her home and farm.
4 The king was talking with Gehazi, servant to the Holy Man, saying, "Tell me some stories of the great things Elisha did."
5 It so happened that as he was telling the king the story of the dead person brought back to life, the woman whose son was brought to life showed up asking for her home and farm. Gehazi said, "My master the king, this is the woman! And this is her son whom Elisha brought back to life!"
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.