2 Kings 4:13

13 Elisha had told his servant, "Now say to her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak to the king or the commander of the army for you?'" She answered, "I live among my own people."

2 Kings 4:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Kings 4:13

And he said unto him
, To Gehazi, before he went to call her:

say now unto her, behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this
care;
in building a chamber, and furnishing it with proper household goods, and providing food for them from time to time:

what is to be done for thee?
can anything be thought of by thee that will be acceptable, and in my masters power to do for thee, or thy husband?

wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host?
that her husband might be promoted to some post in the court, or in the camp; intimating, that if either of these was agreeable, Elisha would speak on his behalf, having interest in both through his services in Edom:

and she answered, I will dwell among my own people
she was content and satisfied with her present state of life, and the situation she was in, and with her friends and neighbours she lived among, and did not care to remove, though it was to a higher rank of life, and to greater dignity and honour; and she had no suit to make to the king or general, nothing to complain of; and she had friends enough to speak for her, should she want any assistance.

2 Kings 4:13 In-Context

11 One day Elisha came to the woman's house. After he went to his room and rested,
12 he said to his servant Gehazi, "Call the Shunammite woman." When the servant had called her, she stood in front of him.
13 Elisha had told his servant, "Now say to her, 'You have gone to all this trouble for us. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak to the king or the commander of the army for you?'" She answered, "I live among my own people."
14 Elisha said to Gehazi, "But what can we do for her?" He answered, "She has no son, and her husband is old."
15 Then Elisha said to Gehazi, "Call her." When he called her, she stood in the doorway.
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.