2 Kings 4

The Widow's Oil

1 Now a certain woman of the wives of ¹the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, "Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD; and ²the creditor has come to take my two children to be his slaves."

2 Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?" And she said, "Your maidservant has nothing * in the house except * ³a jar of oil."

3 Then he said, "Go, borrow vessels at large for yourself from all your neighbors, even empty vessels; do not get a few.

4 "And you shall go in and shut the door behind you and your sons, and pour out into all these vessels, and you shall set aside what is full."

5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons; they were bringing the vessels to her and she poured.

6 When ⁴the vessels were full, she said to her son, "Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not one vessel more." And the oil stopped.

7 Then she came and told ⁵the man of God. And he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debt, and you and your sons can live on the rest."

The Shunammite Woman

8 Now there came a day when Elisha passed over to ⁶Shunem, where there was a prominent woman, and she persuaded him to eat food. And so it was, as often as he passed by, he turned in there to eat food.

9 She said to her husband, "Behold now, I perceive that this is a holy ⁷man of God passing by us continually.

10 "Please, let us ⁸make a little walled upper chamber and let us set a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; and it shall be, when he comes to us, that he can turn in there."

11 One day he came there and turned in to the upper chamber and rested *.

12 Then he said to ⁹Gehazi his servant, "Call this Shunammite." And when he had called her, she stood before him.

13 He said to him, "Say now to her, 'Behold, you have been careful for us with all this care; what can I do for you? Would you be spoken for to the king or to the captain of the army?' " And she answered, "I live among my own people."

14 So he said, "What then is to be done for her?" And Gehazi answered, "Truly she has no son and her husband is old."

15 He said, "Call her." When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.

16 Then he said, "¹⁰At this season next year you will embrace a son." And she said, "No, my lord, O man of God, ¹¹do not lie to your maidservant."

17 The woman conceived and bore a son at that season the next year, as Elisha had said to her.

The Shunammite's Son

18 When the child was grown, the day came that he went out to his father to the reapers.

19 He said to his father, "My head, my head." And he said to his servant, "Carry him to his mother."

20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her lap until noon, and then died.

21 She went up and ¹²laid him on the bed of ¹³the man of God, and shut the door behind him and went out.

22 Then she called to her husband and said, "Please send me one of the servants and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and return."

23 He said, "Why will you go to him today? It is neither ¹⁴new moon nor sabbath." And she said, "It will be well."

24 Then she saddled a donkey and said to her servant, "Drive and go forward; do not slow down the pace for me unless * I tell you."

25 So she went and came to the man of God to ¹⁵Mount Carmel. When the man of God saw her at a distance *, he said to Gehazi his servant, "Behold, there is the Shunammite.

26 "Please run now to meet her and say to her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?' " And she answered, "It is well."

27 When she came to the man of God ¹⁶to the hill, she caught hold of his feet. And Gehazi came near to push her away; but the man of God said, "Let her alone, for her soul is troubled within her; and the LORD has hidden it from me and has not told me."

28 Then she said, "Did I ask for a son from my lord? Did I not say, '¹⁷Do not deceive me'?"

29 Then he said to Gehazi, "¹⁸Gird up your loins and ¹⁹take my staff in your hand, and go your way; if you meet any man, do not ²⁰salute him, and if anyone salutes you, do not answer him; and ²¹lay my staff on the lad's face."

30 The mother of the lad said, "²²As the LORD lives and as you yourself live, I will not leave you." And he arose and followed * her.

31 Then Gehazi passed on before them and laid the staff on the lad's face, but there was no sound or response. So he returned to meet him and told him, "The lad ²³has not awakened."

32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed.

33 So he entered and ²⁴shut the door behind them both and prayed to the LORD.

34 And ²⁵he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth and his eyes on his eyes and his hands on his hands, and he stretched himself on him; and the flesh of the child became warm.

35 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and ²⁶stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes.

36 He called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, "Take up your son."

37 Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and ²⁷she took up her son and went out.

The Poisonous Stew

38 When Elisha returned to ²⁸Gilgal, there was ²⁹a famine in the land. As ³⁰the sons of the prophets ³¹were sitting before him, he said to his servant, "³²Put on the large pot and boil stew for the sons of the prophets."

39 Then one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine and gathered from it his lap full of wild gourds, and came and sliced them into the pot of stew, for they did not know what they were.

40 So they poured it out for the men to eat. And as they were eating of the stew, they cried out and said, "O man of God, there is ³³death in the pot." And they were unable * to eat.

41 But he said, "Now bring meal." ³⁴He threw it into the pot and said, "Pour it out for the people that they may eat." Then there was no harm in the pot.

42 Now a man came from Baal-shalishah, and brought the man of God bread of the first fruits, twenty loaves of barley and fresh ears of grain in his sack. And he said, "³⁵Give them to the people that they may eat."

43 His attendant said, "What, ³⁶will I set this before a hundred men?" But he said, "Give them to the people that they may eat, for thus says the LORD, 'They shall eat and have some left over.' "

44 So he set it before them, and they ate and ³⁷had some left over, according to the word of the LORD.

2 Kings 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.

Cross References

• 1. 2 Kings 2:3
• 2. Lev 25:39-41, 48; 1 Samuel 22:2; Nehemiah 5:2-5
• 3. 1 Kings 17:12
• 4. Matthew 14:20
• 5. 1 Kings 12:22
• 6. Joshua 19:18
• 7. 2 Kings 4:7
• 8. Matthew 10:41, 42; Matthew 25:40; Romans 12:13
• 9. 2 Kings 4:29-31; 2 Kings 5:20-27; 2 Kings 8:4, 5
• 10. Genesis 18:14
• 11. 2 Kings 4:28
• 12. 2 Kings 4:32
• 13. 2 Kings 4:7
• 14. Numbers 10:10; Numbers 28:11; 1 Chronicles 23:31
• 15. 2 Kings 2:25
• 16. 2 Kings 4:25
• 17. 2 Kings 4:16
• 18. 1 Kings 18:46; 2 Kings 9:1
• 19. Exodus 4:17; 2 Kings 2:14
• 20. Luke 10:4
• 21. Exodus 7:19, 20; Exodus 14:16
• 22. 2 Kings 2:2, 4
• 23. John 11:11
• 24. 2 Kings 4:4; Matthew 6:6; Luke 8:51
• 25. 1 Kings 17:21-23
• 26. 1 Kings 17:21
• 27. Hebrews 11:35
• 28. 2 Kings 2:1
• 29. 2 Kings 8:1
• 30. 2 Kings 2:3
• 31. Luke 10:39; Acts 22:3
• 32. Ezek 11:3, 7, 11; Ezekiel 24:3
• 33. Exodus 10:17
• 34. Exodus 15:25; 2 Kings 2:21
• 35. Matthew 14:16-21; Matthew 15:32-38
• 36. Luke 9:13; John 6:9
• 37. Matthew 14:20; Matthew 15:37; John 6:13

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "Elisha, saying"
• [b]. Lit "great"
• [c]. Lit "bread"
• [d]. Lit "bread"
• [e]. Lit "Now a day came that"
• [f]. Lit "lay there"
• [g]. Lit "fearful"
• [h]. Lit "fear"
• [i]. Lit "said"
• [j]. Lit "said"
• [k]. Lit "when the time revives"
• [l]. Lit "when the time revived"
• [m]. Lit "knees"
• [n]. Lit "riding"
• [o]. Lit "this Shunammite"
• [p]. Lit "said"
• [q]. Lit "bitter"
• [r]. Lit "attentiveness"
• [s]. Lit "him, saying"
• [t]. Lit "And"

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.